Amazing Guide

Daily Devotional, June 1, 2011 "Amazing Guide"

Amazing Guide

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Joshua 1:1-9
Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the
family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything He had spoken came true
(21:45).

Marion Cotillard, an actress in Christopher Nolan’s
movie Inception, says of the director, “Things
that I didn’t really get while we were shooting,
I knew were maybe not to be understood. I found it very
interesting to allow myself to be lost, because I knew that
I had this amazing guide who would take us to a place
where you really live the experience, because you abandon
yourself for a story and a director that will make it all work.”

I think Joshua could have said similar things about
the Director of his life. In today’s Scripture passage, the
newly commissioned leader of Israel is standing at the
threshold of Canaan. Moses, his mentor, has died. He’s
the new top dog, and the weight of the responsibility must
have been palpable. Twice God told him, “Be strong
and courageous” (Joshua 1:6,9). And once He said it
with emphasis, “Be strong and very courageous (v.7). It’s
not difficult to imagine Joshua’s fear and apprehension.
More than 2 million Israelites were looking to him to lead
them to their homeland. How would he do it? God didn’t
provide him with a detailed script, but He did give Joshua
assurances and commandments.

Essentially, God’s assurances were: l’ll be with you. I
won’t give up on you. I won’t leave you. I will be with you
every step you take (vv.5,9). And God’s commandment
was: Make sure you study and practice everything written
in My Word (vv.7-8). Joshua’s response? Complete
devotion and surrender to his amazing Guide.

Near the close of his life, Joshua proclaimed, “Not a single one of all the good
promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything
He had spoken came true” (21:45).

We too can abandon ourselves to a story and to a Director who “will make it
all work.” —Poh Fang Chia

more›
Read Psalm 16:5-11
to see David’s
understanding of his
amazing Guide.

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Convinced

Daily Devotional, May 31, 2011 "Convinced"

Convinced

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James 2:17-24
Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to
spiritual life (John 3:6).

Someday I want to go skydiving. While I’m not
overly fond of heights, I think there’s something
incredible about jumping out of an airplane with
a parachute (and an instructor soaring tandem with me!).
As kids, my sister and I would jump off our second-story
deck into the huge mounds of snow that covered our
front yard in the dead of winter. One time I even jumped
off the roof of a friend’s house (single story) into the deep
end of a pool. As a general rule, though, I don’t jump off
buildings. I’m convinced that gravity is real.

When it comes to spiritual things, we can’t separate
what we believe is real from the way we act. John 3:16
is priceless in communicating the truth of God’s love for
us. Our beliefs are not measured by our mental assent to
Jesus being the Lord of our lives, but by the actions we
live out in submission to Him.

John 3:33 says, “He who has received His testimony
has set his seal to this, that God is true” (NASB). Those
who believe put their confidence in the reality that God—
and His Word—are true. Because they understand the
connection between belief and obedience (Joshua 22:5;
John 3:36), they are convinced to the point of action.
Jesus paid the price so we could have the abundant,
free life He promises (John 8:31-32, 10:10). To choose
Christ is to become a new creation, not by our own
works but by His grace—the same grace that empowers
us to act in accordance with our belief (2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Timothy 1:9).

We cheapen the cross when our Christianity goes no deeper than to
acknowledge in our minds that Jesus is the Son of God. Even the demons
recognized as much (Luke 4:33-35; James 2:19). May our actions reflect our
belief in Jesus. —Regina Franklin

more›
Read John 14:14-21
to see the connection
between the work of the
Holy Spirit in us and our
obedience to Jesus.

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