Risk: Get Out of Your Safe Zone |
Today's inspiration comes from: Forward by Dr. David Jeremiah |
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In the work God has given me through the years, I've had to make a lot of difficult decisions. Left to myself, I might have erred too often on the side of safety and security. But there's a man in the Bible who inspires me to keep stepping out and taking risks with wholehearted confidence in the Lord. I'm convinced you'll be able to go forward — unafraid to take risks — if you can embody his spirit. That man is Caleb. Do you know him? Many people don't know a great deal about Caleb because he only occupies thirty verses in the Bible. But what verses they are! What a man of faith! In this chapter, I want to show you how this Old Testament hero left a legacy of courage for you — a powerful example of risk-taking, future-grabbing grace. In the book of Numbers, Moses sent twelve men — Joshua, Caleb, and ten others — as an advance party to reconnoiter the promised land. These men left the safety of their encampment, forded the Jordan River, and slipped into Canaan. Their mission: to make notes of the land, observe the enemy, study the fortifications, estimate the population, and bring back enough intelligence to aid Moses in planning the coming invasion of the land God had promised the Israelites. The Bible tells the story this way: So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin… Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai — all descendants of Anak — lived. — Numbers 13:21-22 NLT The city of Hebron had been the ancestral home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but now it was inhabited by an evil tribe of huge warriors known as the descendants of Anak. The sight of these warriors terrified some of the spies. The scouts quickly harvested some pomegranates and figs from the orchards of Canaan, and two of them lugged back an enormous cluster of grapes, carrying it on a pole between them. Imagine the excitement when the spies returned to Kadesh Barnea! Their mission had taken forty days, during which no one knew if they had survived or perished. Day after day, sentries at Israel's parameters watched for them. Now they were back — all of them safe and sound. But they were not united. |
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Don't minimize the opportunities God has for you in the future. |
Don't minimize the opportunities God has for you in the future. |
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How to Live Life in the Safe Zone |
In professional football, NFL coaches study the smallest statistic to find every possible advantage. But according to author John Tierney and research psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, many coaches make the same simple mistake week after week. It happens on fourth-down-and-short situations, when their team only needs a yard or two to keep possession of the ball. Nine times out of ten, instead of the riskier decision to try to win by going for another score, the coach settles for trying not to lose and sends in the kicker to punt the ball to the other team. Statistics show that trying for the goal and the win is actually the better strategy. So why do coaches punt on fourth down? Tierney and Baumeister concluded there's another factor involved. They call it "the power of bad." Simply put, our brains are wired to give more importance to negative events than positive ones. So "bad" events influence our decision-making more than positive ones. That means no matter how much we want to succeed, avoiding "bad" events can easily become our primary goal. Back to the coach. He knows if he chooses the risky play and fails, and the other team goes on to score, the fans and press will be unforgiving. Sportscasters will denounce him as reckless and use phrases like loss of momentum and the turning point in the game. If his team loses by a narrow margin, that failed fourth-down attempt will be blamed for the loss and replayed endlessly afterward. That image of potential failure is hard to overcome. So the coach plays it safe. The fear of failure has lost many a game.1 Have you ever heard these names: Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel? No? These are the names of the ten spies who risked their lives on an espionage mission only to lose heart, doubt God's power, and miss God's will (Numbers 13:4-15). They came back so discouraged they disheartened the people of Israel. Those men made three terrible mistakes. They fell into three traps you and I must avoid at all costs. |
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God wants you to go forward. He has adventures, challenges, victories, and meaningful tasks for you. As you look at the bridge to your future, are you looking at the ropes or at the holes? Jean Hanson wrote, "If you're one of those people that are afraid to take calculated risks, worry about every little thing, and have a hard time making decisions in your life, it's time to take a break and do a little work on yourself… I learned a long time ago that being timid and conservative will get you nowhere."2 In Numbers 13, the ten spies magnified every threat. They looked at the "bridge" God had designed for the future, and all they saw were the holes. The Bible says, But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." — Numbers 13:31-33 Notice all the holes the ten unbelieving spies fixated on: - We are not able to go up against these people.
- They are stronger than we are.
- The land devours its inhabitants.
- The men are of great stature.
- The men are giants.
- They are from Anak, the land of giants.
- We are like grasshoppers in our eyes.
- We are like grasshoppers in their eyes.
If you propose to move forward in life, especially if you aspire to leadership, you'll have to learn what it means to take risks — to live by faith. Scripture says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT * Whenever we compare ourselves to the opposition, instead of comparing the opposition to God, we can get into a state of fear. If that's a pattern in your life, the first step forward is recognizing it. When Jesus left Galilee to travel to Jerusalem near the end of His life, His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. — Luke 9:53 Jesus knew the Cross awaited, yet there was no looking back for our Lord, no comparing, and no fear. His way forward was clear and He faced it head on. You must do the same. Recognize the risk and properly evaluate the opposition. Then, when you have an inkling of God's will for your life, set your face toward it and go forward. |
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Minimize the Opportunities |
While the ten spies maximized the opposition, they also minimized the glorious opportunities that lay ahead of them. They only had a dim perception of what God had in store for them; they believed in their hearts that God was setting them up for destruction, and their unbelief was contagious. You can read it for yourself in Numbers 14: So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, 'If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?'" — Numbers 14:1-3 Their perception of God would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. After all the Lord had done for them! He delivered them from slavery! Parted the wide waters of the Red Sea! Accompanied them with cloud and fire! Gave them His Law! Provided food and drink in the wilderness! Promised to make them a great nation in a land flowing with milk and honey! How could they so quickly forget? More importantly, how can we? When we forget all the blessings God has provided for us in the past, we're apt to minimize His ability to guide us in the future. We may even dread the future and where we think God is leading us. If so, we're exactly where the devil wants us: in a place of avoiding risks and playing it safe. Oh, we of little faith. What I'm telling you is this: don't minimize the opportunities God has for you in the future. Don't put all your efforts into avoiding loss or turn your face away from the future He has planned for you. Instead, go forward with confidence and courage to do the task He has set for you. |
- John Tierney and Roy F. Baumeister, The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us, and How We Can Rule It (New York: Penguin, 2019), 11–12.
- Hanson, "Worry and Fear Kept Me From Taking Action."
Excerpted with permission from Forward by Dr. David Jeremiah, copyright David P. Jeremiah. * * * |
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Fear can keep us trapped, hold us back, cause us to shrink down instead of step out in faith. Today, let's pray for faith and boldness like Mr. Risk-Taker, Caleb! Remembering the great things God has done for us in the past will give us courage and strength to go for it! Come share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you! |
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USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestseller |
Forward: Discovering God's Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow |
+ FREE shipping on all orders $35 and more |
No matter your age or current circumstances, God wants you to move forward! Join bestselling author Dr. David Jeremiah in a masterclass on how to live fearlessly and discover that it's never too late to find your purpose. Beloved Bible teacher and bestselling author Dr. David Jeremiah reveals ways for people of any age to live a life that's meaningful and find the presence and purpose of God in your future. In Forward, strong Bible teaching coupled with incredible real-life stories of people moving forward to a better future will give you practical, biblical insight into the "what's next" in your life! Learn how God wants to: - Expand your dreams
- Give you divine direction
- Plant within you a life purpose
- Equip you with tools to overcome fear
- Grant you great personal accomplishment
- Find a mission that will outlive your life
Don't get stuck in your past failures or sins or allow present circumstances to keep you from fulfilling God's purpose for your life. Let Forward be the step-by-step plan of action you've needed to move past where you are to where you want to be. Find joy in pursuing the next steps God has for you…and move FORWARD! |
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What others are saying about Forward |
"Dr. Jeremiah, in these troubled times, encourages us to look forward with anticipation of greater things to come. As one door closes and a new thing begins. A new work, a new beginning, a bright and unimaginable future. Look forward, give thanks for what has passed for that which has prepared us for what is to come. How I needed this teaching. Thank you!" — Amazon Reviewer |
"I love this book. I just completed it and now I'm ready it again with my wife. I love that it is very clear that no matter how old you are, God has a plan for you until He brings you home. I would recommend this book to everyone but especially those ages 50 and above. It was a blessing not only for how I will live the rest of my life here on earth but also helping me to understand better and appreciate more my eternal future. I have already and will continue to recommend this book to many I come in contact with and my clients." — Amazon Reviewer |
"This book is easy to understand and is full of information that will truly bless you. I love the Bible references and the stories of people and what they experienced. Thank you for a beautiful book to help us grow in our journey with Jesus." — Amazon Reviewer |
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Shop the Forward Collection and save 45% |
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More from Dr. David Jeremiah |
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Ever Faithful: A 365-Day Devotional |
Experience how a clearer understanding of God's nature and love for you can impact your faith. Ever Faithful,a 365-day devotional, invites you into an intimate, daily relationship with the God who knows you, loves you, and has a plan for your life. |
| Shelter in God: Your Refuge in Times of Trouble |
In a period of almost unbearable uncertainty and fear, many of us have wondered, "Does God see us? Can he help us through this nerve-racking time?" Dr. David Jeremiah shares through psalms that God is always walking beside us. Now is the time to Shelter in God. |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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