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A Strong & Courageous Boy

A Strong & Courageous Boy 100 Devotions

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© 2026 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. ISBN 979-8-89151-410-2 Editorial assistance provided by Jennifer Hahn. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher. Reproduced text may not be used on the World Wide Web. No Barbour Publishing content may be used as artificial intelligence training data for machine learning, or in any similar software development. Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: “From A Strong and Courageous Boy, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.” Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are taken from the New Life™ Version, copyright © 1969 and 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked skjv are taken from the Barbour Simplified KJV® Bible, copyright © 2022, 2025 by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked niv are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

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You want to be strong and courageous. This world needs you to be. God is ready to help. Many, many years ago, God told Joshua, “Be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7 skjv). It was a message especially for that Old Testament hero. . .but the words also speak to you today. What God promised to Joshua—His presence and His help—He offers to every boy who follows Jesus. This devotional will challenge and encourage you with 100 entries covering the whole Bible—from Genesis to Revelation. These readings will help you to become strong and courageous, ready to honor your Lord and serve other people.

Staying True to God “But the one who stays true to the end will be saved.” M atthew 24:13

There are lots of Bible stories about people who stayed true to God in the worst of times. Think about Daniel, who was thrown into a den of hungry lions because He refused to stop worshipping God. Abraham was so true to God that he would have sacrificed his own son, if that’s what God wanted. And then there was Noah. If he hadn’t stayed true to his faith in God, he wouldn’t have built the ark. And Paul went through shipwrecks, beatings, and prison—but always stayed true to his Lord. “Staying true” means hanging on to your faith. In good times, it’s easy to have faith in God. But when times get hard, we have to be careful that our faith doesn’t slip away. It’s in those times that God will grow our faith even stronger as we stay true to Him. 7

God makes an important promise in today’s Bible verse: “But the one who stays true to the end will be saved.” Hang tight to your faith in Him. Stay true. And when bad times come, remember God’s promise— He will save you.

Dear God, I know I can count on You to save me from trouble. Help me, please, to stay strong in my faith and true to You always.

• When was the last time you made a choice to stay true to God?

• What does it mean to know that God will save you from trouble?

The Courage to Love If a person says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. If a person does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God Whom he has not seen? 1 J ohn 4:20

Is there anyone you would cross the street to avoid? Maybe it’s a bully from school. Or it might be someone who just really hurt your feelings. But you know what? God still loves that person! And He wants you to love that person too, through your kindness and good example. Maybe someone you once trusted has hurt you. You find it very hard to forgive. God says to forgive them anyway, and He will replace the hurt in your heart with love. It’s a big assignment, but it’s the right thing to do. And God will always help you do the right thing. When a difficult person sees God through the 9

way you behave, the Lord is happy. So do your best to be kind to the people who are unkind to you. It’s tough, and God doesn’t want you to get hurt in the process. But as much as you can, love even mean people like Jesus would.

God, it’s tough to treat others like Jesus would—especially the people who’ve treated me badly. Help me, please, to love everyone, not just those who love me back.

• Who are some of the “difficult people” in your life?

• How can you be kind to those people this week?

The End of the World Then the demons brought the kings together in the place called Armageddon in the Hebrew language. R evelation 16:16

Have you ever heard of Armageddon? It’s a place about eighty miles north of Jerusalem. The Bible says that the last battle on earth will be there. Some people use the name Armageddon to describe an event that will end the world. The idea of the world ending is scary. But Christians don’t have to be afraid. Our God is in charge! The Bible tells us that He will win this last big battle. After that, God will create a new and absolutely perfect earth. It will be even better than the garden of Eden was before Adam and Eve sinned. Everyone whose name is written in God’s “book of life” will live on this perfect earth forever. If you ever hear people talking about the end of 11

the world, don’t worry. If Armageddon seems scary, don’t be afraid. God wants you to follow Jesus and lead a happy life. You belong to the Lord. And He will take care of you today and every day, forever.

Heavenly Father, I know that You are in charge and that You will take care of me forever. Thank You for saving me through faith in Jesus.

• Can you believe that God is bigger and stronger than anything that makes you afraid? Why or why not?

• What Bible verse or verses can you think of whenever you feel afraid?

Your Wonderful Heavenly Father The Lord has loving-pity on those who fear Him, as a father has loving-pity on his children. For He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are dust. P salm 103:13–14

“The Lord has loving-pity on those who fear Him.” What did King David mean when he wrote those words? Imagine that you’ve messed up big-time. You’re worried about what your mom or dad might say when they find out. But you don’t have to worry! Your parents love you. They have “loving-pity” on you. They’re not pleased that you messed up. But they remember that you are a kid—their kid—and you’re still learning how to behave. God is our Father. He understands that all human beings, young and old, sin. They mess up. They worry that their heavenly Father might be angry and 13

not forgive them. But we don’t need to be afraid! God made each of us. He knows all about us. He knows when we sin. He knows when we’re sorry. And He will always have loving-pity on everyone who follows Jesus by faith—His kids. When we confess our sin and ask for His forgiveness, He wipes away that sin like it never happened. What a wonderful heavenly Father we have!

Lord God, I am not afraid to confess my sins to You, because I know You will look on me with loving-pity and forgive me. Thank You!

• Do you run to or from God after you’ve sinned? Why?

• What sins can you confess to God right now to receive His forgiveness and loving-pity?

Getting New Strength But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak. I saiah 40:31

Imagine yourself in this story: You are hopelessly lost in the mountains. For days you have been wandering on rocky paths. You’ve eaten whatever berries you can find. You’re desperate for a way out. But now you’re too tired to go on. You sit down hoping to be rescued. And then—the shadow of a giant bird comes over you. A powerful, beautiful eagle swoops down, gently picks you up with its talons, and carries you home! Of course, that only happens in fairy tales. But today’s Bible verse tells a similar story. . .a true one. God says that when you feel lost, tired, and weak, you should stop. Rest quietly and listen for His voice. 15

Wait on Him to come and rescue you. When you put all your faith and trust in God, He will arrive at just the right time. He will bless you with the strength you need to go on.

Dear God, help me to wait quietly for You. Take away all the distractions that might keep me from hearing Your voice. Please give me new strength.

• When was the last time you felt too tired to keep going?

• What distractions do you want God to remove from my life so you can hear His voice?

Lighten Your Load “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” M atthew 11:29 niv

Jesus spoke the words of today’s scripture. To understand what He meant, you need to understand what a yoke is. A yoke is a wooden frame that connects two oxen at the neck. Yokes are used when the animals pull a heavy load. The yoke helps to balance the workload between the two oxen. A yoke unites two animals, helping them to perform a heavy task. For thousands of years, the yoke was a symbol of hard work. Oxen might pull their loads for miles, led by a person in charge. But Jesus brought new meaning to the ancient ox collar. He said that if people thought of themselves as yoked together with Him, all of their troubles would seem lighter. To “take” Jesus’ yoke means to come to Him and accept His help. When you team up with Jesus, you 17

learn from Him. You can handle any heavy problem that comes your way—because He does most of the work for you! Think about His words in Matthew 11:30 (niv): “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Lord Jesus, sometimes I try to carry the load all by myself. But I forget that teaming up with You makes the burden light. Together, we can do anything!

• What are some jobs you need to

do that are easier with someone else’s help?

• What are some problems you’re

facing that would be simpler if you let Jesus help?

Be Encouraged. Be an Encourager. When we arrived in the country of Macedonia, we had no rest. We had all kinds of trouble. There was fighting all around us. Our hearts were afraid. 2 C orinthians 7:5

When you read the Bible, you discover that God’s people have always faced times of fear. Here in 2 Corinthians 7:5, we see that the apostle Paul and his friends were afraid in the country of Macedonia. They had gone there to preach the good news about Jesus, but they were tired. There were trouble and fighting going on around them. It was a very uncomfortable time. Who could they turn to for help? The same one we should turn to—God! Paul knew that God is our most important helper. But sometimes God sends another person to help us. That’s exactly what He did in Macedonia. God sent 19

Paul’s friend Titus to comfort the missionary team. Just seeing and talking with Titus made Paul happy (2 Corinthians 7:6–7). God understands when you feel afraid. He will help you—you can count on it! (And think about this: Maybe God will send you to be a friend to someone else who is struggling. Do you know someone you might encourage with words of hope right now?)

Lord God, I thank You for sending encouragement when I’m feeling down or afraid. Please help me to be that encourager for others!

• What fears might Paul and his friends have had in Macedonia?

• When has someone showed up to help you deal with discouragement? When have you helped others?

Making God Proud I can have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 3 J ohn 4

“Good job!” “Way to go!” “Nice going!” Every young guy enjoys hearing praise when he’s done something well. Parents love hearing praises about their kids too. Jesus’ disciple, John, was no different. We see it in today’s Bible verse. John was happy to learn that the people He had taught to love Jesus (John called them his children) were continuing to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. They were even spreading the good news about Jesus themselves. Hearing this, John said, brought him great joy. And there’s someone else who loves hearing good things about His children: God! He loves hearing compliments about His kids, all of us who follow Jesus by faith. God loves when we act like Jesus, 21

doing kind, unselfish, and loving things. He hears it when your parent or teacher or Sunday school leader tells you, “That was a good thing to do,” or, “I’m so proud of you!” or, “You did a great job!” When we make good choices and live well, it brings God great joy. Next time someone compliments you, imagine that it’s coming right from the mouth of your heavenly Father. You are His child. Make Him proud with all that you do.

Dear God, I want everything I do to be praiseworthy. Help me every day to make You proud of me.

• What are some of the best

compliments you’ve ever received?

• How can you follow God’s Word even better in order to make Him proud?

God Is Your Safe Place He who lives in the safe place of the Most High will be in the shadow of the All-powerful. P salm 91:1

This verse will help you to be strong and courageous! Look at the names the psalm writer gave to God. “Most High” means that He is greater than any problem we face. “All-powerful” tells of God’s amazing strength. The word shadow makes us think of a cool, protected place. Just as a big tree’s leafy branches shield us from the hot sun, God covers us wherever we are in whatever problems we’re facing. When we put our trust in the Most High, we live in the shadow of His protection—a place where nothing can hurt us. Another psalm says this: “God is our safe place and our strength. He is always our help when we are in trouble” (46:1). God promises to be with us all 23

the time. We can run to Him, expecting Him to keep us safe. If you ever feel afraid, remember that you are not alone. God is with you wherever you go. Call to Him in prayer and trust that He is watching out for you.

Most High and almighty God, nothing can harm me because You are always with me. Thank You for being my safe place.

• Where do you like to go to feel safe and secure?

• How can you look to God to be your “safe place”?

Speaking Wisely “I say to you, on the day men stand before God, they will have to give an answer for every word they have spoken that was not important.” M atthew 12:36

Our world is filled with careless speech. Swear words are everywhere. People gossip and spread rumors. Some say nasty things to each other—and often regret it. How easy it is to speak without thinking! But in the scripture above, Jesus reminds us that our words are important. They’re so important that we will be held responsible for everything we’ve said. Someday, when we are in God’s presence in heaven, will ask us about the way we spoke here on earth. He will expect us to give an answer for our careless words. When you read about Jesus in the Bible, you’ll discover that every word He spoke was wise. He 25