5-5-5 Daily Devotions: From Strength to Strength

From Strength to Strength | January 21-22

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S.O.A.P. – “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer”

When was the last time you were genuinely scared? Did you respond wisely?

Then the LORD gave these instructions to Moses: “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD!”

So the Israelites camped there as they were told. When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander.

The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.

As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the LORD, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:1–14 NLT

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” In what area(s) of your life are you being called to trust God?

Are you sometimes tempted to “go back to Egypt” instead of face the unknown with God?

Lord, teach me to have trust you in the quiet and in the storm, in easy times and in terrifying times. You created life, the universe, and me. Teach me to humbly obey!

If someone were to ask you, “What’s good about God?” what would you say?

I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the LORD, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever. Psalm 145:1–21 NLT

“Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts…” Who told you? Who are you telling?

Does it fill you with joy that God’s kingdom will never end? What security for the believer!

“The Lord is close to all who call on him” – do you devote time each day to call on the Lord?

Lord, my life is a challenge right now. People I love are hurting. Challenges in my life are growing. The good I want to do doesn’t often happen. Yet, you are good, Lord! Teach me to focus on your faithfulness and love!

On a scale from 1-10, how strong is your fear of rejection or abandonment?

When Moses had finished giving these instructions to all the people of Israel, he said, “I am now 120 years old, and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan River.’ But the LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy the nations living there, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will lead you across the river, just as the LORD promised.

“The LORD will destroy the nations living in the land, just as he destroyed Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites. The LORD will hand over to you the people who live there, and you must deal with them as I have commanded you. So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:1–8 NLT

Have you ever lost a leader that you loved?

When leadership fails to meet your ongoing need, for whatever reason, who do you look to—God? Yourself? Others?

“Be strong and courageous…[the Lord] will neither fail you nor abandon you.” How does this affect you today? Where do you need to be strong and courageous—knowing the Lord will neither fail nor abandon you?

Lord, the Israelites had lived through your miracles and personally experienced you protecting them and providing for them. Yet they struggled mightily to trust and obey. Grant me wisdom and help me be humble so that I can continue to receive the good gifts that you want to bring into my life.

What is your trustworthy source of truth?

After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:1–9 NLT

“Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” The Israelites did not obey this. They abandoned God and traded the worship of the true God for the worship of things and people and animals. No longer able to be blessed without increasing the amount of destruction they wreaked on people and land, they met not only human disasters—they incurred the wrath of the only true God who gave them these good gifts.

How can we cling to God’s precious promises and grow in his grace?

How are you devoting yourself to God’s Word so that your life is transformed? Why is reading it regularly only the first step?

Lord, it angers and deeply saddens me that your people chose to reject your good gifts and destroy their lives and lands. Not because I would be any better, but because you deserve to be given love and worship for who you are as well as what you do generously for those who do not deserve it. Keep me humble, help me grow in your grace. Help us to hold each other accountable so that we don’t fail to experience your grace.

What is a noticeable difference in your perspective since you were younger?

The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

When the angel of the LORD finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. So they called the place Bokim (which means “weeping”), and they offered sacrifices there to the LORD. After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted to them. And the Israelites served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.

Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110. They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.

The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the LORD burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the LORD fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress. Judges 2:1–15 NLT

At this time in your life, who do you need to talk to and learn from to gain perspective?

How will you do your part to ensure the next generation’s success in knowing and obeying God?

Lord, you deserve worship, glory, and obedience. You are good, faithful, right, and full of love. Help me to have an open heart and mind to what you want to teach me, and please use me to impact the next generation so that they become disciple-making disciple-makers!

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