James 1:5

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

Leaving God out of your decision making is dangerous and leads to difficulties that could have been avoided. In the Old Testament, we see Joshua making a decision that led to Israel being at war with enemies they would not have had to face had Joshua been more prudent.

“The men of Israel looked them over, accepted the evidence, but they did not ask God about it” (see Joshua 9:14). They did not seek the Lord’s counsel! Joshua was considered one of the greatest Jewish generals who ever lived in the history of Israel — a good man who made a huge error in judgment. There was not a blotch on his record except this one instance. Joshua chapter 9 tells the story and chapter 10 tells the miracle. It's a fascinating story — the people of Gibeon posing as hungry, weary travelers and lying about who they were and what they wanted. Joshua entered into covenant with them and within a few verses we find their battles became Joshua’s because of that ill-advised covenant.

In the midst of the battle, Joshua cried out to God for a miracle and the Lord intervened in a dramatic way — he made the sun stand still! “And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:14).

Prayerless decisions will add battles that could have been avoided. There is huge danger when you leave God out of your decision-making and decide to go on your own.

Three things to do when you have to make a decision:

• Start with prayer

• Go to the Word

• Consult with wise people in your life