My Daily Dose of Courage

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.”  (Matthew 21:18-19)   When Jesus encounters the fig tree, He finds it fruitless, and He is greatly displeased, because He was hungry. His disappointment with the tree is actually quite surprising, considering the fact that it was not the season for figs --  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  (Mark 11:13b) Yet, He cursed the tree for fruitlessness anyway! Jesus was obviously expecting figs, even though it was not fig season. The only conclusion we can possibly come to is this -- when Jesus is looking for fruit, we had better have fruit. In other words,  Be ready in and out of season.  (2 Timothy 4:2)   The Lord does not view times and seasons the way we do. He is not bound by the clock on ...

Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."  (Genesis 12:1-6)   " If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."  (Luke 14:26-27)   Every man God calls to Himself will face the challenge of leaving what he has for what God has for him. In order for the Lord to draw us to Himself, He must draw us away from the familiar, and we have to lay down the life we know and love to receive the life He promises. Abram is a picture of true worship and devotion, which moves beyond words and good intentions and manifests in obedience, especially when it's difficult. God is not asking Abram to leave a bad situation for a good one -- any fool knows to do that! He's asking him to trust and bel...

"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."  (Matthew 20:16)   In other words, few will prove themselves worthy of the call by laying down their lives, picking up their cross, and following Jesus. Answering the call of the Lord is not merely agreeing to do things for God, but we must obliterate our allegiance to any other relationship, any other cause, any other creed, and any other obligation. Our commitment to Jesus must become and remain unrivaled, and few of us ever reach that place of surrender. That being said, it is God's sovereign right to choose who He will. At times, His choices seem strange to us, certainly not what we would have expected or chosen. For instance, who would have chosen Saul of Tarsus to be the quintessential apostle to the young church of Jesus Christ? Didn't he brutally persecute the church? Who would have chosen Gideon over the more qualified soldiers and leaders of his day? Why was Abram chosen ou...

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  (Mark 10:35-37)   Wanting to be first or great was not the disciples' only problem. Having Jesus right before them and not recognizing Who or what they were looking at was the real issue. God Himself was living among them, not only as Lord, but as the Son and Servant of Man -- bearing their burdens, healing their diseases, feeding, caring, teaching, sacrificing, and blessing. Yet, they could only see the perks of power and the awe it inspired. They were called to be co-servants with Jesus, but they were blind-sided by pride and ambition. Nothing much has changed.    But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask."  (Mark 10:38) We must beware of ambition...

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.  (Genesis 16:1-2)   Far too often, we compromise the work of the Lord by seeking to accomplish our ends by our means, when He would have us humble ourselves, be patient, be still, and wait until He renews our strength. Even today, much that is promoted as Christian ministry is actually the result of restlessness, prayerlessness, and human ingenuity which the Bible simply calls foolishness. If the Lord is teaching His children anything at all in this day, I believe it is, "Jesus alone is enough!" Our efforts to save, rescue, serve, and change the world are more a hindrance to His plan than a help. Christ alone is the Word of God, and the only thing the Lord has to say to the world...

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.  (Luke 10:38-39)   There are many things one might desire to be noted for, but Mary of Bethany will always be remembered for finding her place at Jesus' feet. She was the one who sat at His feet and heard His word, while others found themselves busy and distracted by other things. She was the one who poured precious and expensive perfume on His head and feet, wiped His feet with her hair, filling the air with the fragrance of extravagant worship. She fell at His feet and rose up to witness Jesus raising her brother Lazarus from the dead. No, she never took her eyes off Jesus, or left her place at His feet. Mary will forever be remembered for being at the feet of Jesus. May the same be said of me.  Let's Pray  -  Lord, thank You for showing us the value ...

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."  (John 13:12-15)   Servanthood is something entirely different in the Kingdom than it is in the world. Jesus understood what it meant to be a Son, so He was not ashamed to be a servant. In His mind, there was no contradiction. We tend to see servants as less-than or inferior to those being served; therefore, servants are often roughly treated and lightly esteemed. Not so in the Kingdom of God! A servant's heart is highly valued by the Lord, especially among His sons and daughters. That is why Jesus is the perfect example of royalty, sonship, and servanthood —- and His example reflects the heart of His Fathe...

And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.  (Luke 24:11-12)   Jesus never speaks idle words. The apostles did not believe, because they did not yet realize that every word He spoke to them was eternal truth, and nothing was spoken lightly or carelessly. If they had understood this, they would not have been surprised that He rose from the dead, because He told them He would. What was it that made the disciples unable to hear the truth spoken to them for three and a half years? Likewise, what is it that keeps me deaf, blind, and afraid to take the Lord at His word? Why am I so often stressed when the Lord has promised me peace? Why am I so easily ensnared by sin when the Savior has put sin to death on the cross? Why am I so slow to believe? Help me, Lord!   Believing God is simple...

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” And they remembered His words.  (Luke 24:5-8)   There is nothing more important for us to believe than Jesus died and rose victoriously from the grave. That fact is the most important truth of all, because it transcends history and opens the door to eternal life for those who believe. If we keep this in mind, we will stay focused on Jesus, overcome every enemy, and thrive even in trying times. Our faith will not fail in the crucial hour, because it is based on the glorious truth that Jesus is alive, and now He lives in us!   And they remembered His words. We must make a determined practice of calling to mind the words of our Lord. T...

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;"  (Acts 1:4)   The Lord instructed His disciples to wait. Wait for what? Wait for who? They were to wait for the Holy Spirit, who would come upon them and take up residence in them. The Kingdom they were to receive would not manifest around them, but in their hearts and minds. Only then would they be fit to be witnesses to Him, to comprise His Church, and to show the world His glory. They could not earn or purchase this Kingdom. They could not discover or invent it. They simply had to wait for it and wait they did! We, too, must wait.  Many have gone out into ministry without waiting, only to find that they do not possess the "stuff" it takes to endure and complete the work. That is because no man or woman is sufficient for the task apart from the commission and power of the Holy Spiri...

" Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."  (Luke 10:20) It is unwise to desire great things on this earth, especially great  "Christian"  works. Jesus was not concerned or impressed with any of those things, and He did not want His disciples to be either. They were to be fully focused on their relationship to the Father, just as Jesus was. The greatest thing a saint can do is to be found in Christ, and that saint must wage and win a great battle to stay focused on Him. Life in Christ is the paramount thing, so let us rejoice in Him and Him alone!   God's love is not like ours; it is not based on emotion or affinity, but it is holy, and that is a different kind of love altogether. His love is righteous and pure, and it is perfectly and exclusively expressed in Jesus. Any understanding of love not founded in Jesus is counterfeit and illegitimate, for Jesus is ...

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  (Acts 1:6) The disciples still did not get it. Even after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, they were still clueless about the kingdom of God, and it showed by the question they asked. They did not yet understand that the kingdom they would inherit is not of this world, but a heavenly kingdom. Even today, many Christians are trying to establish heaven's rule on earth through their activities, strivings, and religion; but the Lord desires to place His Kingdom in our hearts, if we will receive it. That is where He seeks to rule. Does He rule in your heart?   Those who are close to Jesus are prepared spiritually for the challenges and opportunities before them, and they faithfully and patiently accomplish the will of God on the earth. It is not for us to know times and seasons, but to know our God; and His abiding presenc...

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."  (John 16:7) There were things that Jesus' disciples could not do as long as He remained with them. Had Jesus remained on the earth, the Holy Spirit would never have been sent to abide with them and dwell in their hearts. They would have never received the power and ministry of the living Christ, and they would have never taken their eyes off Him to see the needy souls all around them. Still, it did not seem right to them that Jesus would leave. After all, He promised never to leave or forsake them, and He always keeps His promises -- yet, He was going away. They did not realize He was preparing their hearts to be the temple He would dwell in by His Spirit. He would come again; this time to dwell within and remain forever.   Sometimes it seems that Jesus has gone away and left us...

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.  (1 John 5:1)   Believing God's Word is the most important thing we will ever do. Jesus Christ  is  the Word of God, and the faithful saint is filled with the joy and Spirit of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we will overcome the world, all its temptations and lusts, and all preoccupation with that which is perishing, because we are settled and focused on our new life Jesus. Faith points us upward and forward, and the life God gives us is evidenced in the power to live victoriously, to love our brothers and sisters, and to rejoice in the goodness of our God.   Jesus is the only obsession a saint can afford to have. We must not be overtaken by a passion for ministry or souls, and we must be careful lest we are overwhelmed by the desperate plight and needs of men. Remember,  "The poor you have with you always . . ."  Ou...

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.  (2 Corinthians 6:12) In other words, you cannot go any farther with God until you surrender your right to yourself. This is where formal Christianity goes to die. Instead of dying to ourselves and learning to see things as our Father sees them, we cling to our selfish, religious views of God and miss the relationship available to us when we humbly submit to Him. As long as we hold on to our preferences and prejudices, we limit what the Lord can do in us. Help us, Father.   Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.  (John 8:36)   The Christian life is one of freedom and creativity. The Holy Spirit will show us things we never imagined, unless we limit Him with our own knowledge and agenda. Any day might be the day when the Lord teaches you a valuable truth that changes everything from that point forward. But if we cling to the old, the new thing God would do is lost...

. . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2) Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.  (Luke 9:51) Jesus could not be distracted, nor detained, nor detoured. His short time on earth was coming to an end, and though that end would be tragic and painful, it was the will of the Lord; not something to be avoided, but to be endured. Jesus was focused on that which only He and the Father could understand, and that focus was Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a microcosm of the Christ-rejecting world, obsessed with its own darkness, deaf, blind and oblivious to its Savior and its salvation. It was there, and only there that the Son of Man would present Himself one final time, only to be betrayed, arrested, beaten, spit upon, tried, c...

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted —you may well put up with it!  (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)   “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  (Matthew 10:34)    The peace that Jesus brings is not peace as the world understands it. Jesus is the dividing line between all that God accepts and all that He rejects. The sword Jesus speaks of is the Gospel which separates believers from unbelievers, saints from sinners, light from darkness, and life from death. The sword is the Cross, which separates the children of God from the children of the devil, and those who go on to fullness in Christ from those who are complacent. Our walk with ...

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  (1 Corinthians 1:13) We have been set free to forgive, forget, put childish things away, and press on in the strength and power of Jesus Christ. It is a shame for a Christian to be stuck in yesterday’s activities and relationships. When we are pursuing and serving God in His house, in His Word, and in the prayer closet, we will receive the power of the Holy Spirit who sets us free from the bondage of old things and equips us for what lies ahead. Remember, the Lord is doing a new thing, and you are that new thing. Step into the new.   We suppose the Lord is going to do and show us new things all the time, but He will not. Why should He, when He knows we will bring old relationships, habits, and concerns into the new season? That was the egregious error Paul warred against in the early church. Men supposed the church should hearken back to ...

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (1 John 5:5) Before we were saved, we were obsessed with the world, its affairs, and all manner of worldly things. It mattered greatly what others thought and said about us, how well we were liked, and whether or not we were accepted. But once we looked into the face of Jesus Christ, we saw what God values, and nothing mattered anymore but Him. That's how you know a true Christian; their life, speech and actions have a heavenly fragrance about them. God's love flows through them all the time, because He abides in them and with them. These are the ones who have come to Jesus and overcome the world in Him.   "You mean, all I have to do is believe? I don't have to follow laws and rules, submit myself to religious rituals and heroic feats of sacrifice?" No. All you and I must do is believe that Jesus is the Son of God, God Himself, who came in flesh to destroy the works of the devil ...

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”  (John 3:36)   Every true believer has come to God on the terms set before us in Jesus, and our relationship to Him hinges on the choice we make to take Him at His word, and to let Him have His way in our lives. We are not naturally born into God's kingdom, but we are born again in the Spirit. Those who have laid down their lives and received His life are the only ones who can claim to have life. That life doesn't start when we die and go to heaven, but heaven is ours now, and the earmarks of eternity are evident in us today.   For by grace you have been saved through  faith .  (Ephesians 2:8) Do not spend your time trying to prove the existence and goodness of God to those who do not have faith. They cannot hear you or believe your testimony, simply because they do not have the faith necessary to do so....

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith . . .  (2 Peter 1:5)   Now, of course, we cannot add anything to the work accomplished by our Savior, Jesus Christ. He lived a life of service and sacrifice, He was tempted in all respects without sinning, He shed His sinless blood for our sins, He rose victoriously from the grave, and He ascended on high to His rightful place with the Father. When Peter says,  "add to your faith,"  he is  speaking of the spiritual maturity that is "added" to us when we walk by faith in God. If we give the Holy Spirit our attention, He will begin to progressively display the sweetness and holiness of Jesus Christ through us; and that is the unmistakable sign of a living, growing, and productive faith.   We cannot claim to have true faith apart from Christlikeness. Living faith must be followed closely by Christian character. Character is the virtue developed in us when we learn to apply the Word of God t...

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  (Hebrews 11:6)   Faith is so important to God that He refuses to interact with us on any other basis. Faith is the deal-maker and lack of faith is the deal-breaker in our life with God. It is the choice to hear, believe, and act according to what the Lord says and who He is. Faith is the only capacity we possess that allows us to see Him clearly and serve Him acceptably. Faith is the work that God requires of us, and only the work we do by faith will survive the fiery scrutiny of a Holy God.   Faith is realized in the determination to seek a God who is invisible. That is where the true work of the Spirit lies — the invisible realm. Faith is counter-intuitive, and it requires that we believe God's promises even before they come to pass. Therefore, spritual things cannot be understood or perceived like natural things...

". . . and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”   (Acts 1:8)    The servant of God must avoid anything that takes his focus off Jesus Christ. Yes, there is much work to do, so many meetings to attend, so many events to plan, and so much enterprise in Christian ministry today. There are many who need our help, many hungry mouths to feed, so many who are thirsty, so many who are poor and naked, and so many who are lost and broken. Yet, Jesus did not instruct His disciples to focus on any of these things, but to go to Jerusalem and wait. Wait for what? To do great spiritual feats and exploits, revivals, to start great movements, and plant churches? No!  " . . .  but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me  . . . "  That is the essence of service to God — waiting on His power to be an effective witness. Sadly, so many go out ...

  Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.  (Joshua 2:1-2) Rahab is the last person we might expect to find as an example of biblical faith; yet, there she is, a woman, a Gentile, and a harlot! She is not the type of person we thought God could use, not someone we thought He would reveal Himself to, and certainly not someone we thought we'd find in the lineage of Jesus Christ! We didn't see her coming, and perhaps that reveals how much we have yet to learn about God, and about faith! If we read the scriptures carefully, we will find faith wrapped in the most unlikely packages. Take, for instance, the boy with the basket — “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”  (John 6:9) Yet, Jesus would lift that basket up to the Father and feed five th...

When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”  (1 Samuel 17:55-56) The scriptures tell us that those who are born again have become "brothers and sisters" of our Lord Jesus Christ. How proud Jesus is to present us to the Father as family members! Hebrews 2:11-13 says,  For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren . . . and again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”  We know we are   God's children, because we bear a distinct and unmistakable likeness to His Son, Jesus Christ. We walk in the same sweet Spirit He walked in, and we glorify the Father by following our Shepherd wherever He lea...

Saul took him {David} that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore.  (1 Samuel 18:2)   King Saul was greatly impressed by the bravery and skill of the young man, David, who slew the giant and brought about a rousing and improbable victory for Israel. Of course, it was not David's abilities that won the battle, but faith in his Heavenly Father. David knew God intimately, quite unlike Saul and his army — and it is still true today that the children of God accomplish mighty feats impossible for children of the world. Thus, every spiritual victory is wrought from the depths of our knowledge of the Father. Welcome to the victorious life.   Scripture teaches us the battle is the Lord's, the weapons of our warfare are mighty, and the victory is nigh. This understanding is foreign to those who have no grasp of spiritual things. The same Goliath who sent waves of fear through the hearts of Saul's men was put to death by a boy and a rock. That boy...

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  (1John 3:1)   "A Father and His Children"  might very well be deemed the foundational theme and principle of the Bible. God's family means everything to Him; so much so, that He spent what He valued most to secure our salvation, our security, and our eternal place in that family. What a wonderful reality we enjoy! We are not only servants and subjects, but sons and daughters, heirs of the Kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus through no goodness of our own. It is a gift from our Father, and what a marvelous gift it is. Welcome to the family of God in Jesus Christ!   To be called a child of God is the highest designation we will ever receive. We are related to Him by blood -- that is, the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross of Calvary. His precious blood washes away everything in our lives that offends the Father, and His broken body is the door through w...

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.”  (Genesis 12:1)   The Lord is not telling us to isolate ourselves, or to be dismissive of friends and relatives, or to shun or ignore others -- but to separate ourselves unto God. When we focus on Jesus, other concerns will simply fade away in the light of His glory; and at moments when we experience the pain and anxiety of separation, the Lord will give us a glimpse of His plan and purpose. We must simply obey His voice and follow every direction given by the Holy Spirit, and we will always find ourselves in the center of His will. Abraham learned this important lesson. Have you?   In order to receive the new thing, we must be willing to depart from the old. For instance, one of the greatest challenges the early church faced was the temptation to mix the old order with the new. Paul, in particular, took great exception to those who wo...

. . . saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”  (Luke 22:42)   The servant of the Lord is not often tempted to sin, but daily tempted to put himself first. As long as we are enamored with our gifts and concerned about what a blessing we are, we remain babes fit only for drinking and serving milk. We must get to the point where sacrificial living is the norm; only then are we truly set apart by God for His purpose. Once we are "crucified with Christ," the laid-down life is the only one we know, and we resist every temptation to take it up again. Remember, you first have to lay your life down in order to take up His.     Self-sympathy is demonic, and it is the archenemy of the Christian worker. People we serve may abandon us, revile us, slander us, and do all manner of evil to us; but the Bible teaches we are blessed when they do! The shield of faith will extinguish every arrow shot a...

Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city.  (Proverbs 1:20) The wisdom God offers His children must be received in the same spirit in which it is offered. The Lord gives His counsel and guidance to His children because He loves us, and we receive that counsel because we love Him. His wisdom is stored up for us, and it is an endless supply of His favor and His willingness to show us the way in which we ought to live. The complexities of life are such that we need the loving voice of our Heavenly Father to guide us through them well, and His guidance brings us to a wellspring of health that blesses us and everyone around us. When His wisdom becomes ours, we bring grace and light to every situation, and God is glorified in us. Wisdom is the dividing line between those who truly belong to God and all others, and between the works of God and those of the flesh. His wisdom is ...