1 00:00:02,670 --> 00:00:13,500 Speaker 1: Life Audio Hello. Thank you for listening to your daily 2 00:00:13,540 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: Bible verse, the podcast that examines one verse each day 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,620 Speaker 1: to learn more about God and His will for us. 4 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:22,770 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jennifer Slattery, and after this short word 5 00:00:22,790 --> 00:00:25,690 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll continue with our series, Courage for 6 00:00:25,710 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: the Journey, Trusting God One Step at a Time, with 7 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:45,409 Speaker 1: a discussion on today's Bible verse, Joshua 12.1. Today's Bible 8 00:00:45,450 --> 00:00:48,750 Speaker 1: verse is Joshua 12.1. These are the kings of the 9 00:00:48,810 --> 00:00:52,070 Speaker 1: land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they 10 00:00:52,110 --> 00:00:54,670 Speaker 1: took over east of the Jordan from the Arnon Gorge 11 00:00:54,790 --> 00:00:58,330 Speaker 1: to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah. 12 00:01:00,180 --> 00:01:04,020 Speaker 1: We're better able to embrace tomorrow's battles courageously when we 13 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: intentionally reflect upon God's faithfulness in our past. This is 14 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,910 Speaker 1: why some of my most painful and frightening crises have 15 00:01:11,970 --> 00:01:16,050 Speaker 1: also brought the greatest healing and growth through my remembrance 16 00:01:16,290 --> 00:01:21,090 Speaker 1: of and dependence on the power, presence, and providence of God. 17 00:01:21,890 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: It was a bout of unemployment that helped free me 18 00:01:24,260 --> 00:01:28,090 Speaker 1: from an intense fear of financial insecurity. It was through 19 00:01:28,110 --> 00:01:33,110 Speaker 1: a near-divorce followed by miraculous reconciliation that I began to 20 00:01:33,150 --> 00:01:37,230 Speaker 1: feel relationally safe with my husband and more confident in 21 00:01:37,310 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: our ability to weather difficult circumstances. And it was watching 22 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,100 Speaker 1: all the ways the Lord protected and provided for our 23 00:01:45,140 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: daughter that helped shift my mama anxiety to a healthier 24 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,690 Speaker 1: maternal concern. I like to call this celebrating life's wins. 25 00:01:55,310 --> 00:01:58,309 Speaker 1: I've also discovered the more I reflect not just on 26 00:01:58,550 --> 00:02:02,370 Speaker 1: the work of God, but more importantly, his part revealed 27 00:02:02,390 --> 00:02:05,270 Speaker 1: through each blessing and intervention, the more I'm able to 28 00:02:05,370 --> 00:02:09,510 Speaker 1: trust him in tomorrow's hardship. As I consider the historical 29 00:02:09,550 --> 00:02:14,790 Speaker 1: narrative surrounding today's verse, my mind immediately jumps to Joshua 13, 30 00:02:14,790 --> 00:02:17,910 Speaker 1: verse 1, which reads, When Joshua had grown old, the 31 00:02:17,950 --> 00:02:20,730 Speaker 1: Lord said to him, You are now very old, and 32 00:02:20,750 --> 00:02:23,810 Speaker 1: there are still very large areas of land to be 33 00:02:23,850 --> 00:02:28,250 Speaker 1: taken over. Do you see the juxtaposition scripture creates between 34 00:02:28,550 --> 00:02:32,470 Speaker 1: all the victories listed in chapter 12 and this mention 35 00:02:32,730 --> 00:02:35,970 Speaker 1: of the battles ancient Israel still faced? It's as if 36 00:02:36,070 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: God is saying, as you prepare for tomorrow's battles, don't 37 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: forget how far we've come. All the battles I won 38 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: for you. This pulls me back to Joshua chapter 1, 39 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: where our series began. And the day Israel stood on 40 00:02:52,780 --> 00:02:56,270 Speaker 1: the bank of the Jordan River at flood stage, preparing 41 00:02:56,330 --> 00:02:59,950 Speaker 1: to cross into the Promised Land. The journey ahead must 42 00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:03,910 Speaker 1: have felt overwhelming. There was no way they could successfully 43 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: advance unless God Almighty went with them and before them, 44 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:13,100 Speaker 1: precisely as He'd promised. Had they tried to go it alone, 45 00:03:13,660 --> 00:03:16,900 Speaker 1: we wouldn't be talking about their long list of victories today. 46 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:21,010 Speaker 1: In fact, I doubt we'd be discussing ancient Israel at all. 47 00:03:21,490 --> 00:03:25,010 Speaker 1: They were but one people group of many, and... didn't 48 00:03:25,050 --> 00:03:30,169 Speaker 1: possess the greatest technological advances or military might. But they 49 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:34,150 Speaker 1: had something all the other Canaanite warriors they later displaced didn't. 50 00:03:34,530 --> 00:03:40,380 Speaker 1: The power, presence, protection, and provision of Almighty God. He 51 00:03:40,790 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: secured their victory. Again and again and again. According to 52 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:53,370 Speaker 1: Joshua 12, ancient Israel defeated 33 nations. kings, those who 53 00:03:53,430 --> 00:04:01,610 Speaker 1: ruled in places such as Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Gezer, Gezer, Deborah. 54 00:04:01,750 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: These are a lot of names I can't pronounce, but 55 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: there were a bunch of them. I could go on, 56 00:04:06,620 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: but you get the idea. Hearing these victories listed one 57 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,650 Speaker 1: after the other does highlight God's miraculous intervention in a powerful, 58 00:04:17,150 --> 00:04:21,100 Speaker 1: faith-affirming way. I suspect this is why, in part, God 59 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: preserved this 24-verse list in Scripture. He wanted his people 60 00:04:26,140 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: to recognize his faithfulness as their creator and redeemer, and 61 00:04:30,580 --> 00:04:34,260 Speaker 1: their secure position as his chosen, empowered, and beloved children, 62 00:04:34,580 --> 00:04:38,340 Speaker 1: as he'd already established in Exodus 19. I wonder what 63 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,849 Speaker 1: might sit on your God-brought-victory list. Each day, the Lord 64 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:46,710 Speaker 1: is doing the same type of work in our souls— 65 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: He's teaching us prayer by prayer and with every victory 66 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:57,630 Speaker 1: and provision to trust and to rest in our almighty, all-powerful, ever-present, 67 00:04:57,850 --> 00:05:01,969 Speaker 1: miracle-working God, which is one of the reasons I regularly 68 00:05:02,010 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: practice gratitude, which, incidentally, has dramatically decreased my anxiety and 69 00:05:11,339 --> 00:05:15,300 Speaker 1: increased my peace over time. The more I mentally rehearse 70 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: God's goodness displayed in my life and the lives of 71 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,500 Speaker 1: those I love, the deeper my faith and the weaker 72 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: my anxiety and fear. In fact, I believe in the 73 00:05:26,220 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: benefits of intentional gratitude for our mental health and our 74 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,940 Speaker 1: spiritual growth so much. I have invited someone onto the 75 00:05:34,980 --> 00:05:38,110 Speaker 1: Faith Over Fear podcast to talk about how she used 76 00:05:38,310 --> 00:05:42,690 Speaker 1: praise to help her overcome panic attacks. So make sure 77 00:05:42,710 --> 00:05:45,390 Speaker 1: to subscribe to Faith Over Fear so that you catch 78 00:05:45,410 --> 00:05:48,610 Speaker 1: that episode when it drops. And I invite you to 79 00:05:48,690 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 1: join me in this practice. This week, set aside five 80 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,860 Speaker 1: minutes a day to reflect on various blessings received and 81 00:05:55,980 --> 00:05:59,980 Speaker 1: victories experienced through Christ. When did you receive a check? 82 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:03,420 Speaker 1: When you needed it most comfort. when your heart was 83 00:06:03,500 --> 00:06:07,020 Speaker 1: breaking or you felt all alone, reconciliation in a relationship 84 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: you initially deemed was without hope, or a powerful promise 85 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:16,550 Speaker 1: from God that calmed your fear. Write these down. Reflect 86 00:06:16,630 --> 00:06:20,190 Speaker 1: on the circumstances surrounding each one and thank God for 87 00:06:20,270 --> 00:06:25,710 Speaker 1: his inexhaustible love and faithful care, knowing you're actively anchoring 88 00:06:25,870 --> 00:06:29,170 Speaker 1: your soul in the power, presence, and promises of God. 89 00:06:29,540 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: You're actively increasing your courage for the journey and therefore 90 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:39,570 Speaker 1: your ability to trust God with today's and tomorrow's next steps, 91 00:06:39,970 --> 00:06:47,130 Speaker 1: however he leads. Let's pray. Holy Father, you are our all-powerful, ever-present, 92 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:52,750 Speaker 1: always faithful, miracle-working God. You work miracles on our behalf. 93 00:06:53,140 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: when we're aware of it, and often when we're not. 94 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,940 Speaker 1: You have been carrying us every day of our lives 95 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,810 Speaker 1: and we're still here. We're still breathing and we are 96 00:07:03,890 --> 00:07:08,230 Speaker 1: still pursuing you and we are trusting that you are 97 00:07:08,330 --> 00:07:12,670 Speaker 1: constantly pursuing us and you are constantly pursuing our good. 98 00:07:13,550 --> 00:07:17,470 Speaker 1: You work all things for our good, including those battles 99 00:07:17,490 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: that that you won on our behalf. Use each of 100 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:26,780 Speaker 1: those experiences to build our faith. Remind us of every 101 00:07:26,820 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: time you came through, of times you spoke to us 102 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,660 Speaker 1: in our pain, of times when you gave us courage 103 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,060 Speaker 1: when we were so very afraid, times when you brought 104 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: a friend to sit with us when we were hurting, 105 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: to give us a phone call or a card in 106 00:07:42,020 --> 00:07:45,310 Speaker 1: the mail, times when you provided for us when we 107 00:07:45,390 --> 00:07:47,930 Speaker 1: could not fathom how we were going to make it through. 108 00:07:48,730 --> 00:07:51,650 Speaker 1: All of the different ways that you have revealed your 109 00:07:51,770 --> 00:07:56,380 Speaker 1: heart and your faithful care. May we reflect on those 110 00:07:56,620 --> 00:08:02,140 Speaker 1: instances of your grace, especially when we're afraid, when we're overwhelmed, 111 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: when we're hurting, when we feel alone. Help us to 112 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,980 Speaker 1: be honest with emotions, with our struggles, with our doubts, 113 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: with our questions, but also, to be honest, with ourselves 114 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:20,670 Speaker 1: regarding just how good you are, even when your good 115 00:08:20,730 --> 00:08:24,850 Speaker 1: doesn't look, in the moment, good to us. We know 116 00:08:24,890 --> 00:08:27,750 Speaker 1: that you are good because you have more than proven that, 117 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,380 Speaker 1: and the best evidence of that is the death of 118 00:08:31,460 --> 00:08:34,220 Speaker 1: your son on the cross that we might live. And 119 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: it is in his name, Jesus Christ, our Savior, that 120 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:39,060 Speaker 1: we pray. Amen.