The Compass

A Daily Personal Reflection & Small Group Discussion Guide

by John Hay, Jr.
Senior Pastor, West Morris Street Free Methodist Church

Series: 10 Bible Stories that Build Outgoing Disciples
Joshua: Courage in the Face of Fear

Joshua 1:1-9

TRACKING THE WORD
What insights can we find in this epic story that can build our capacity to be outgoing disciples?

1. Courage is a choice for faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

Joshua 1:1-9

A. Try to think of some examples of courage in the face of fear from the Bible and history. What do you think is the "trigger" that moves a person from fear to courage?

B. What do you think is behind courage; what are its sources? Can courageous acts be misled and misguided? Give an example or two.

C. What distinguishes faith-based courage? What are some of its characteristics?

2. Courage is a spiritual correction when fear has ruled in past challenges.

Numbers 14:1-11

A. What did the Israelites fear about the Promised Land when they had the opportunity to enter it 40 years earlier?

B. In the face of fears, on what basis had Caleb and Joshua insisted that the Israelites should have gone into Canaan the first time?

3. Courage is the difference between wilderness wandering and Promised Land living.

Joshua 1:1-9

A. Nothing about Canaan or its people had changed in 40 years; but what HAD changed?

B. What are some of the "lessons of the wilderness" that changed the Israelites' choices when they got a second chance to enter the Promised Land?

C. What fears or past failures do you need to confront and conquer thru faith in order to live the life God has promised you?

MARKINGS FOR THE JOURNEY

AT THE TESTING POINT "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." ~C.S. Lewis

IN SPITE OF DANGER "When we are afraid we ought not to occupy ourselves with endeavoring to prove that there is no danger, but in strengthening ourselves to go on in spite of the danger." ~Mark Rutherford

A CHRISTIAN IS A CHRISTIAN WHEN… "A Christian is a Christian only when he unceasingly asks critical questions of the society in which he lives and continuously stresses the necessity for conversion, not only of the individual but also of the world. A Christian is a Christian only when he refuses to allow himself or anyone also to settle into a comfortable rest. He remains dissatisfied with the status quo. And he believes that he has an essential role to play in the realization of the new world to come-even if he cannot say how that world will come about. A Christian is a Christian only when he keeps saying to everyone he meets that the good news of the Kingdom has to be proclaimed to the whole world and witnessed to all nations." - Henri Nouwen

JOSHUA'S GREATEST CONQUEST [Before Joshua led his people to conquer Canaan, he served for many years in humility and without recognition under his mentor Moses] "Although Joshua led the Jewish people through many battles in their conquest of the land of Israel, his most successful battle of all was the one he waged against his own 'evil inclination.' A leader who is a very powerful orator may win over followers. But only a leader who is able to take himself out of the picture can create something that will last. Only a man who dominates his ego, rather than allowing it to rule over him, could engineer the successful war for the holy land and then allocate it to each tribe in its assigned fashion. Joshua has been immortalized in song for causing the walls of Jericho to come tumblin' down. But the 'tumblin' down' of his ego was his true accomplishment and the real lesson for us." - Emuna Braverman

RESPONSES & OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE
Want to explore The Compass with others? Have questions?

If you'd like to connect with others who are working weekly with The Compass, e-mail me or call the church office (317.632.8311)

If you have questions about Scriptures or some of the questions, or just want to share what your are discovering through The Compass, you are welcome to e-mail me.

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