Christian Devotional – August 17, 2025

Begin Again, Day 19

Don’t get tricked. Read Joshua chapter 9

While all the nations around Israel were trembling in fear, one nation took action. They devised a plan to trick the Israelites into signing a peace treaty with them, so they would not be destroyed. It’s interesting to realize that the countries weren’t even thinking that they would win against Israel in a fight. They knew they would lose, and so they knew they were gonna have to resort to something out of the ordinary in order to be able to survive.

They made plans to trick the Israelites, and they did. How were they able to trick them? The Israelites failed to go ask God. God would never have been fooled by the plan that the people put in place. God knew exactly where they were from, and exactly what they were up to. But Joshua and the people didn’t go ask God whether they should believe these people are not.

As we are moving forward, we will constantly be facing decisions and choices, and it’s important to remember that God should be at the center of every choice we make, regardless of big or small, important or unimportant. God knows and understands exactly how we should be focused on him. He also knows and understands what’s going to be trying to trip us up and deceive us.

We can’t get so comfortable in our own abilities that we leave anything, no matter how small, to chance. God is the one who needs to give guidance and wisdom and decision-making for everything that we come across. How can we rely on him more today?

Watch the video devotional here: https://youtu.be/BT8e6vn6Y2o