1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is on gaining 3 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: the courage to obey hard assignments through God's presence. We'll 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: return with a devotional after a brief message from our sponsors, 5 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: how God's presence strengthens our faith. Written and read by 6 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 1: Jennifer Slattery. The Lord himself goes before you and will 7 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: be with you. He will never leave you, nor forsake you. 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, Deuteronomy thirty 9 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: one point eight. When first invited to podcast, I wrestled 10 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: with God for some time. I wondered, why would end 11 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: anyone want to listen to me when there are so 12 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: many other great podcasts from which they can choose. What 13 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,559 Speaker 1: if I was boring or ran out of things to say? 14 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: But my biggest concern was that I'd make a fool 15 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: of myself. I'd spoken to live audiences numerous times, people 16 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: I could look in the face and respond to their cues, 17 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: but speaking into a computer screen learning about all the 18 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: technological elements felt a bit overwhelming. The more I prayed 19 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: on this, however, the more the Lord made it clear 20 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: that This opportunity came from him, and that changed everything, 21 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: because I knew deep in my soul, when God assigns, 22 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: he always provides everything we need to do all that 23 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,279 Speaker 1: he asks. More importantly, I also knew he would remain 24 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: with me each step of my journey. Although that didn't 25 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: remove my insecurity, it gave me the courage to step 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: into something that's brought satisfaction and a lot of precious 27 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: prayerful moments with the Lord. Now I realize my situation 28 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: was nothing like Joshua's. God gave this warrior commander a 29 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: massive assignment to lead ancient Israel, a challenging group, to 30 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: say the least, into the Promised Land, an area occupied 31 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: by powerful people, groups with organized armies living in fortified cities. 32 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: And Moses, the man who had led them through many 33 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: frightening situations in the forty years prior, and who spoke 34 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: with the Almighty face to face, wouldn't accompany him. But 35 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: Joshua wouldn't be alone. The Lord would remain with him. 36 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: He promised to go before Joshua, charting the way, removing 37 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: what would hinder God's purpose and prepare him for everything 38 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: he'd encounter. He also went ahead of his people in 39 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: the sense that he'd already provided the blessing Joshua and 40 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: the people needed to possess again. God had already given 41 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 1: them the land, but they still had to actively take 42 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: hold of it. They had to cross the Jordan River 43 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: and engage in battle, but would do so from a 44 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: place of victory. The Lord would never leave or forsake them. 45 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: In the original Hebrew, one could phrase this as he 46 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: will never turn his back on you, and he will 47 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: never release his grip on your life. He's made that 48 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: same promise to you. Intersecting life and faith, God is 49 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: always moving closer, especially when you feel overwhelmed and secure 50 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: or afraid, and He always keeps you locked in his 51 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: loving gaze. That is why we don't have to feel 52 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: discouraged or afraid. Discouragement often rises when we realize something 53 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: is beyond our control and we lack the strength, clarity, 54 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: or ability to fix whatever stands before us. But according 55 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: to today's verse, that will never be the case. We 56 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: always have the power, presence, and provision of Almighty Creator 57 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: God with us. He goes before us, works within us, 58 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: stands behind us, and surrounds us with his all encompassing love. 59 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: Fear often follows discouragement. It's the what if scenarios that 60 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: flood our minds when we think about our sense of powerlessness. 61 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: Faith grows when we remember that we're not alone, nor 62 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: must we navigate our problems on our own. We are 63 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: always held, help, protected, and empowered by the one who 64 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: remains with us, fights for us, and has already secured 65 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: our victory, your victory through his death and resurrection. This weekend, 66 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: when stress or anxiety rise, pause and reflect on today's 67 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: first Let it remind you that your safety and future 68 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: don't rest on your ability to figure things out. God 69 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: goes before you, remains with you and faithfully lead you 70 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 1: on the best path for your life. Remind yourself that 71 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: your success and safety aren't up to you. God's got you. 72 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: He'll never turn his back or release his strong, yet 73 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: gentle grip on your life. And if you'd like additional encouragement, 74 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: I invite you to download my free resource When Fear Hits, 75 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: a seven day reset for anxious heart. Find it on 76 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: my website's freebe page. And may you live with the 77 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: confidence and courage of one who is chick called and 78 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: empowered by the Almighty. Thanks for listening. To today's devotional. 79 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: If you liked what you heard today, we want to 80 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: make sure you know about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. 81 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,679 Speaker 1: When you follow your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, 82 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: you'll get a brand new prayer and devotional each day, 83 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: so your days begin in conversation with God. If you're 84 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: looking to grow in prayer or start your day with 85 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: your heart focused on the right things, search for your 86 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: daily prayer in your favorite podcast app and be sure 87 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: to follow the show so you get a new prayer 88 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: delivered straight to you each morning.