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STRONG AND

COURAGEOUS

GUY

STRONG AND

COURAGEOUS

GUY

365 Devotions

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You want to be strong and courageous. This world needs your influence. God is ready to help. When the Lord said, “Be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7 niv), He was giving specific instruction to the Old Testament hero Joshua. But what God said then still applies to guys today. What God promised Joshua—His presence and assistance—He promises to every guy who follows Jesus. This devotional develops that thought through 365 entries that will offer you inspiration, encouragement, and challenge. Read on for entries such as • A Reason for Courage • Trust, Not Certainty

• God’s Love Is Your Source of Strength • Holding On to God’s Promise • The Forgiveness Factor • Act Like a Man

• Let God Be God

• and many, many more

Highlighting powerful scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, these devotions will help you to be strong and courageous, ready to honor your Lord and serve your world.

DAY 1 Expect God Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon. Psalm 31:24 msg

God is never late. He isn’t slow. He doesn’t tease you by dangling a spiritual carrot of hope with no intention of actually providing help. God asks for patience and perseverance, however. He wants you to be courageous. God will show up. You’ll discover that your trust in Him is never misplaced. God doesn’t hide from those who stumble and make mistakes. His love was ensured when Jesus arrived with a rescue plan for all who wanted to be rescued. His actions are designed to bring you closer to Him. Why would He ever push you away? His connection with you is lasting. Jesus died to create an open connection between His Father and humankind. Virtually everything He does is an introduction, invitation, and enhancement of that friendship. When you’re weary, weak, or wandering, remember that the God of rescue never leaves you. If you’ve been waiting for His arrival, don’t worry. He will get here soon. The truth is He’s already here. Dear God, there’s nothing I can offer to make You love me, but You do. There’s nothing I can do to make You fulfill my wish list, but You give me life. There’s nothing I can do to change my past, but You can change my future. Help me to be courageous while I’m waiting for You.

DAY 2 God’s Grasshoppers But the men who had gone up with [Caleb] said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. . . . “We saw the Nephilim [giants] there. . . . We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes.” Numbers 13:31–33 niv

The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land was roughly two hundred miles. On the way there, God forged a collection of slave families into a nation that would trust Him. For a little over a year, He guided them through faith-building experiences. He provided manna, gave laws, tested them in battle, and displayed His power over and over. But the Israelites were slow to learn to trust Him. They complained and rebelled at every hardship, even talking of replacing Moses and returning to Egypt (Numbers 14:1–4). Finally, on the edge of the Promised Land, only two of twelve spies believed they could enter. The rest complained that they were “grasshoppers” compared to the “giants” of Canaan. But God always knew His people would face giants. When you look at yourself, you should see nothing more than a grasshopper—a grasshopper with the promises of a faithful God. He will take you into the land, and you will rejoice in His victory. Father, thank You for allowing a “grasshopper” to live in Your power and promises.

DAY 3 When Exhaustion Becomes Faith Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You; when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever. I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah. Psalm 61:1–4 skjv

In certain psalms, David held nothing back. He was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), yet put every fear, complaint, and disappointment into writing. Despite his devotion to God, David was sometimes overwhelmed. The unique thing about him was that his utter exhaustion drove him toward God’s mercy. He cried out for his Savior—“the rock that is higher than I.” He longed for God to be his refuge in the midst of his turmoil. The tabernacle (or tent) he referred to was the place where God’s presence had abided since the days of Moses, where the ark of the covenant resided, and where the wings of the cherubim covered the mercy seat. Those are the “wings” David trusted in for shelter. When life becomes overwhelming, let it drive you to the rock, to the shelter of God’s mercy. When your heart is near breaking, don’t pull away from the only one who can be your strong tower. Father, I cry out to You! Keep me close and lift me up. You are my refuge.

DAY 4 A Reason for Courage “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 niv

Moses told the Israelites that the Lord was going to be the first to enter Canaan. “The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you” (Deuteronomy 31:3 niv). Knowing that the Almighty was going to fight at the very front of their army was good reason to not fear. There was more. God would not only go ahead of their army but would also be with each soldier individually as he plunged into battle. God promised to never leave them or forsake them. He would never stop fighting for them and never stop protecting them. How can you lose if you trust those kinds of promises? A New Testament writer quoted these words from Deuteronomy to Christians in Hebrews 13:5 (niv)—“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”—and this inspired them to boldly respond, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (verse 6 niv). Whatever danger or threat you face, don’t give in to fear. Be strong. God is with you, and He fights for you. Lord God, I thank You that this Old Testament promise to the Israelites is still true today. I can count on it in my life with You now. It is a reason for courage!

DAY 5 Trusting in God’s Strength Gideon and his three hundred arrived at the Jordan and crossed over. They were bonetired but still pressing the pursuit. Judges 8:4 msg

This is probably the greatest example of Gideon’s newfound trust in God: He still had only three hundred men and was chasing a Midianite army of fifteen thousand men (Judges 8:10). Gideon’s men were hungry and about to collapse, so they asked two Israelite towns for food. Both refused. What did Gideon and his men do then? Quit? No, they continued pursuing the Midianites even though they had no strength left to fight. And they defeated the enemy. Sometimes God will bring you into a desperate situation. And what seems to make it worse is it’ll be at a time when you feel utterly unprepared, almost at your weakest. What can you do? No one would blame you if you simply gave up and returned home. After all, if you can’t do it, you can’t do it. Or you can press on, trusting in God’s strength. He once told the apostle Paul, “My strength comes into its own in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 msg). Paul also wrote, “Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these ‘nobodies’ to expose the hollow pretensions of the ‘somebodies’?” (1 Corinthians 1:27 msg). God can give amazing victories if you trust Him. Dear Lord, I feel so weak, like I can’t do anything sometimes. Please be with me as I face serious situations. I know I can’t win in my own power, but I’m trusting in Your strength.

DAY 6 The Input of Friends Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Hebrews 3:12–14 nlt

Want to have a strong belief and trust in God? Well, the writer of Hebrews laid out a clear battle plan. What was the plan? Keep your mind from all kinds of deception, and do everything to keep your heart from being hardened. Keep in contact with other Christians who feel comfortable pointing out any red flags in your behavior. It’s easy to get defensive when someone points out your flaws. No guy likes to think he’s failing. But you’re asked to accept honest, loving observations from other Christians. Trust is something God requires of you. He wants you to finish your journey well. Christ-following companions can help you stay focused on the finish line. Lord, help me to find a Christian friend who can see failings in my life that I’ve missed and love me enough to point them out. Remind me why trusting Your rebukes through godly friends is wiser than trusting the praise of unbelievers.

DAY 7 Encouragement from Above “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel,” says the Lord, “and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be strong, all you people of the land,” says the Lord, “and work. For I am with you,” says the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:4 skjv

Many guys remember times when they called their dad for help with something—maybe something like building a doghouse or learning to ride a bike. A wise dad knows when to step in and take over and when to simply speak words of encouragement. Above all, he knows the value of just being there. The Bible is peppered with examples of God encouraging His people with this simple promise: “I am with you.” That includes today’s verse, which includes amazing words of encouragement straight from the mouth of God: “Be strong. . . . For I am with you.” God has designed things here on earth in such a way that He uses people to accomplish the work He wants done. But when He sends people out, He speaks words of encouragement and promises to be with them. He’ll do the very same for you today. Father, thank You for always being there for me. I praise You for knowing when I need You to step in for me and when I just need Your encouragement.

DAY 8 Trust, Not Certainty In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8 nlt

Even as a Christian, it’s tempting to turn to what the world provides for comfort. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he hit the Lord with the big three: material needs, physical comfort, and financial success. People need all three to survive in this world, but all three can come and go. And if they do, what’s left? Without God, nothing. With Him, all you’ll ever need. Jesus’ example shows us how to resist the temptation to rely on our strength instead of God’s: “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ”

Matthew 4:10 nlt

Stick to God’s Word, the Bible. Even the most familiar verses have power and meaning to help you live the life God has called you to. To do that, you must trust God more than your own ability. Faith is a matter of trust, not certainty. No one knows what tomorrow may bring, but you can always call on God for help because you belong to Him. God, please remind me that I am Yours and can face any challenge knowing that You are with me.

DAY 9 Let God Be God “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 skjv

Psalm 46 reminds God’s people that He is always in control, always in charge of the outcome—of all outcomes. That includes natural disasters like shaking mountains and roaring waters, as well as human conflicts such as raging nations and tottering kingdoms. God wants to remind us that His plans include a future free of strife—with Him at the center of our lives, in His holy city, a place flowing with peaceful waters and praise to our King. And yet the famous verse, “Be still and know that I am God,” doesn’t just mean quietly hoping that God will do something. The Hebrew word translated as “be still” also means “let go” and “stop.” It implies surrender. Everyone will at one point surrender to God, but only some do so willingly. God will “still” His enemies’ futile struggle against Him, but He will strengthen and give hope to His people when we let Him be who He is and do what He does. Almighty God, help me to put my life and the madness of the world into Your hands today. I trust You to be the exalted God.

DAY 10 Of Course God Can “Why should it be thought an incredible thing by you that God should raise the dead?” Acts 26:8 skjv

Our perspective of God affects everything. If we see Him as distant, uninterested, and weak, why even pretend to worship Him? But if we view God as scripture does—the all-powerful, all-knowing, lavishly loving Creator who sent His Son as the sacrifice for sin—we can have total confidence in His plan for our lives. The apostle Paul could cheerfully face the suffering and dangers of his mission since he saw God as far beyond any human trial. When his enemies falsely charged him, Paul appeared before two Roman governors—Felix and Festus—and the region’s king, Agrippa. The words of today’s scripture were spoken to Agrippa. Paul’s Jewish enemies hated the message of Jesus’ resurrection. They didn’t want to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, so they discounted the truth of His return from the dead. But for people who accepted the Genesis account of creation—that a God who existed before and independently of anything had spoken the heavens and earth into existence—Paul argued that raising the dead was no “incredible thing.” Christians today serve the same powerful God. And we can enjoy the same powerful confidence of Paul. Whatever difficulty we face, God is able to—and will ultimately—make things right. Of course He can. Lord, please use Your power in my trials. Make me strong until the day You completely remove them.

DAY 11 Take Your Worries to God I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Psalm 142:1–3 nlt

When David wrote Psalm 142, he had plenty to be concerned about. He was holed up in a cave in a place called Adullam, hiding from a crazed king who wanted to kill him. From there, he brought his worries and concerns to the Lord. Though David wrote, “I pour out my complaints before [the Lord],” he wasn’t complaining against God about his present situation. Instead, he wanted to take his troubles and concerns to the one he knew could and would calm his heart and mind and bring him relief. When David took his problems to the Lord, he set an example we should all follow, an example the apostle Paul summed up: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 niv). You can boldly take your problems, big and small, to your heavenly Father. He wants to hear from you! Lord, may I never forget that You want me to bring my worries and complaints to You. You already know what I’m dealing with—but You want me to talk to You about it. I won’t pass up this opportunity!

DAY 12 Confidence, Steadfastness, and Trust They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7 niv

In Journalism 101, students are told there is no such thing as “good news.” Instead, there are only occasional “brights” to slip between all the bad news of the day. Terrorist attack. Stock market down. “Bright.” Political clashes. Food shortage. “Bright.” Earthquake kills thousands. Fights on the rise in schools. “Bright.” . . . The reality is that no “bright” can change the negativity of the bad news that comes before it. And all that negativity is enough to make you discouraged, distressed, even depressed. . .that is, unless your heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Whatever else Psalm 112 tells us about godly people, it makes it clear they don’t fear or lose sleep over bad news. It’s not a matter of denying the reality of daily life “in a warped and crooked generation” (Philippians 2:15 niv). Instead, it’s a matter of trusting the God who’s so much bigger. His infinite power, wisdom, holiness, and love keep you strong and steady, no matter what. Lord, I don’t want my focus to be on the news. Keep my eyes on You—always You. Your greatness gets me through and gives me peace.

DAY 13 Yes, You Can Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—“. . .Though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.” Joshua 17:17–18 niv

Sports psychology demonstrates that positive thinking impacts performance, but what people could do wasn’t the reason for Joshua’s optimism—the Lord was. The psalmist knew that too; he wrote, “My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion” (71:24 niv). The writer wasn’t the one who put those enemies to shame—God was. And guess what. . .He still is. He’ll do for you what He did way back in Bible times. God’s unlimited power secures every promise. Whatever your circumstance, you can trust God because He’s already demonstrated His power and love for you. In Jesus’ parable of guests invited to a banquet, people who’d been told by the religious leaders that they could never attend heaven’s feast heard the Lord say, “Yes, you can” (see Luke 14:23). You are one of those people, one of the “uninvited” who God chose to save. He’s already done the impossible in you. . .and He will continue to do so. Lord, teach me to trade “I can’t” for “You can.”

DAY 14 Put on Jesus Christ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not make provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13:14 skjv

The apostle Paul provided a one-two punch here for living the victorious Christian life. First, he didn’t tell Christians to stand strong in their own strength, but rather to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” That means to take on His ways and His views. Second, Christians should “make [no] provision for the flesh.” In other words, we shouldn’t think about how we can say yes to sin. Are you minding your spirit, making it a priority to be like Jesus every day? If you aren’t, you stand little chance of winning the battle against the sinful nature that’s in each of us. According to Romans 13:13 (nlt), these sins include participating “in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.” What specific steps might you take to end “provision for the flesh”? Do you need to unsubscribe to a certain channel? Stop hanging out with certain people? Talk to somebody about your jealous streak? You know your own areas of weakness. Paul said to go on the offensive and develop the strength of your Lord. Heavenly Father, I have many weaknesses, and I usually try to stand against them on my own. Remind me every day to put on Jesus Christ and depend on His power.

DAY 15 Are You Like Caleb? “So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” Joshua 14:10–11 niv

Caleb was a guy who enjoyed a challenge. What’s more important, he renewed his strength and ability by continually trusting and obeying the Lord wholeheartedly. After spying out the Promised Land years earlier, Caleb and Joshua alone believed in God’s promises and power to defeat the Canaanites living there. Because of their faith, these two were the only ones spared as everyone else over twenty years of age died in the wilderness wandering. More than forty years later, Caleb’s faith in God’s power still burned bright. When he saw the great mountains and walled cities a second time, Caleb knew they still were no match for God. The Lord had promised the land to the Israelites, and Moses had promised these particular mountains to Caleb. The Lord was with him, and Caleb knew he could conquer any obstacle. This is true for you now when you’re young, and in the years ahead too. Lord, help me to be courageous no matter how big the challenge.

DAY 16 Correct Me, Lord So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die. Jeremiah 10:24 nlt

Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned. Jonah ran from God. Hiding and running from God is the norm for sinful people, even Christians who aren’t as close to Him as they should be. In today’s scripture, however, a remnant of God’s people chose not to run from Him—in fact, they asked for His correction. That would be like you making a poor decision, but rather than hiding from your dad, you go straight to him and confess, asking for mercy. Dad would still correct you, but mercifully. He would know he’d done a good job of helping you develop your own conscience. When David was faced with a choice of punishment for his sin, he chose to “fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great” (2 Samuel 24:14 nlt). Why would you want to do anything else after you’ve sinned? You’ll make things right between you and God and come out much stronger than when you started. Lord, may I never run from You after I’ve sinned. Help me to run to You, always.

DAY 17 You Are Greatly Beloved Then one like the appearance of a man came again and touched me, and he strengthened me and said, “O man greatly beloved, do not fear. Peace be to you. Be strong. Yes, be strong.” Daniel 10:18–19 skjv

Fathers who want to raise confident, courageous children take a huge step in that direction when they make sure the children know one thing: They are genuinely loved. What’s true for children was also true of a certain Old Testament prophet. God moved Daniel toward courage by starting with the words “O man greatly beloved.” And because he embraced his value in God’s eyes, Daniel went on to accomplish amazing things. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul expressed the truth of God’s love when he wrote, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5 niv). As a Christian, you can think of yourself as many things in God’s eyes: saved, redeemed, blessed, set apart for a special purpose. . .it’s a long list you can find in the pages of the Bible. Just don’t forget that you are all those things and more because you are, above all, greatly loved. Lord God, please remind me of Your great love for me so I can have courage and strength in it.