What would you say if God asked you to lead many others, as He asked Joshua? Speak His words to prominent leaders, as He instructed Daniel? Become a traveling missionary like Paul? God wants us to respond with courage when He calls us to tackle something beyond our ability.

MEDITATION ON SCRIPTURE
We’re to search for its meaning as if hunting for treasure. With the Spirit’s help, we will understand how to apply the Bible’s wisdom to our situation.

OBEDIENCE
As we contemplate God’s truths, they become imprinted on our minds and influence our actions. Scripture is meant to shape our thinking and cause us to follow biblical principles. The more we think God’s way, the closer we’ll follow Him.

TRUST
Joshua crossed the Jordan River towards Jericho because he took God at His word.

REMEMBER PAST VICTORIES
Young David, the shepherd boy, did this effectively. Recalling God’s past protection gave him the courage to fight against the Philistine giant, Goliath (1 Sam. 17). Practicing these steps will empower us to focus on victory rather than defeat, disregard fearfulness in others, and obey God without alarm over possible consequences.

God wants His followers to bear witness of Him to an unbelieving and often hostile world. Will you speak the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, His saving power from sin, and His promised return? The Lord is calling your name. How will you reply?

1 SAMUEL 17:32-37
32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”
33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”
34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the 51flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”
Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!”

1 SAMUEL 41-51
41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.
45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.46 Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.


IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS