Ed Hindson

Courageous Faith

Life Lessons from Old Testament Heroes

God’s Word to you is our highese Calling.

Courageous Faith: Life Lessons from Old Testament Heroes

Copyright © 2003 by Ed Hindson

Published by AMG Publishers

6815 Shallowford Rd.

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in printed reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (printed, written, photocopied, visual electronic, audio, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Print ISBN: 978-0-89957-132-4

ePub ISBN: 978-1-61715-101-9

Mobi ISBN: 978-1-61715-052-4

Cover designed by ImageWright, Inc., Chattanooga, Tennessee

Edited and Proofread by Tricia Toney, Dan Penwell, Sharon Neal, and Warren Baker

To

Gleason Archer, Ken Barker, John Davis,

Walter Kaiser, and John Whitcomb

who taught me to love the Old Testament

Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. Getting Started: The Journey of Faith

(ABRAHAM)

2. Overcoming the Obstacles: Hanging Tough in the Tough Times

(JACOB)

3. When Dreams and Heroes Die: Starting Over When It All Falls Apart

(JOSEPH)

4. Becoming a Leader: Overcoming Your Past

(MOSES)

5. Success in the Battle: Conquering the Opposition

(JOSHUA)

6. No More Excuses: Overcoming Your Fears

(GIDEON)

7. Keeping Your Promises: Even When It Costs You!

(JEPHTHAH)

8. Facing Your Weaknesses: Making Them Your Strengths

(SAMSON)

9. Reaching Out to Others: Especially Those Who Are Different

(BOAZ)

10. Realizing Your Goals: Confidence in the Face of Danger

(DAVID)

11. Developing Lasting Friendships: Value of True Loyalty

(JONATHAN)

12. Standing Up for What You Believe: Developing Spiritual Determination

(DANIEL)

13. Building for the Future: Leaving a Legacy You Can Be Proud Of!

(NEHEMIAH)

Epilogue

Preface

Promises! promises! Promises are the fabric that hopes and dreams are made of. Promises encourage our hearts and lift our souls. Promises keep us going when the going gets tough. Promises also express the deepest commitments of our lives. And promises remind us of the greatest promise of all—God’s promise—which transforms ordinary people into “children of promise.”

The promise is an expression of the divine Promisor. It is His commitment to extend His grace and power to all those who trust in Him. The Bible calls it His “holy promise” (Psalm 105:42). And it calls those who believe in it “children of promise” (Galatians 4:28).

This book is a study of the promise and the lives of the people it transforms. It is the incredible story of dynamic encounters with the power of God—power that transformed ordinary people. Walk with them through the pages of Scripture. Experience God at work in their lives. And discover Him ...