“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NLT)  Courage comes from spending time in God’s Word. In Joshua 1, God is speaking to Joshua, the new Israelite leader. In the first nine verses alone, God directs Joshua to “be strong and courageous” three times. Between those commands, God also reminds Joshua to study and meditate on the Word continually so he can obey it and prosper in all he does (Joshua 1:1–9).  It’s no coincidence that God’s straight-shooting pep talk with Joshua centres around courage and spending time in His Word—because the two are connected. After all, how many people today would live different lives if …

Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Proverbs 1:2 (NLT) Many people don’t realize how much of an impact spending a little time each day in God’s Word has on their lives. As a result, they miss out on some incredible benefits.  For example, as you spend time in the Word, it begins to cultivate a spirit of wisdom in your heart. Proverbs chapter one teaches that studying God’s Word brings you insight, discipline and understanding. You can develop a discerning heart that will look at a situation and know what to do. Where does that perceptiveness come from? It comes from a heart that meditates on the Word of God.  Proverbs 1:20–23 says …

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” Matthew 4:4 (MSG) Do you ever feel hungry spiritually?  Many believers think that because they’re familiar with God’s Word, their knowledge is enough to hold them. But Jesus teaches us that just like we need food to sustain our physical bodies, we also need to feed ourselves a daily diet of the Word.  Look at it this way. Let’s say you ate toast for breakfast on this day three years ago. That toast is not doing a thing for you today. Your body pulled out the nutrients it needed, and that bread is long gone.  It’s the same with God’s Word. It’s …

For through the eternal and living Word of God you have been born again. And this “seed” that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live and grow inside of you forever. 1 Peter 1:23 (TPT) The Word of God is unkillable, unstoppable seed. As you spend time in devotions every day—reading the Bible and talking to God—you are planting the powerful seeds of His Word into the soil of your heart where it can begin to grow.  Now, it’s interesting how some Bible translations phrase today’s scripture. For example, the Amplified Classic translation uses the word “sperm” in parentheses to expand on the seed analogy.  We know we have to plant watermelon seeds in the ground for watermelons to grow. And …

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63 (NKJV) Spending time with God is always essential, but especially if you are dealing with temptation or struggling with sin. Some people think if they’re dealing with sin, they can’t study the Bible or attend church until they get their lives together. That’s like saying, “I’ll take a bath once I get cleaned up.” No, that’s backwards. You need to jump into the tub to get clean first! Other people think hearing a pastor’s teaching once a week is enough. While listening to weekly church messages is vital to getting God’s Word in your heart, everyday devotions are also important. If temptation is knocking on your door, devotions will help …