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, Jesus cursed the tree for fruitlessness anyway! Why was He expecting figs, even though it was not fig season. My conclusion is this — when Jesus is looking for fruit, we had better have fruit.   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 the wall, because He is sovereign, and His p...

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)   Everyone God calls to Himself will face the challenge of leaving what they have for what God has for them. In order for the Lord to draw disciples 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, particularly 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...

"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 daily. 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 ch...

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 ambitio...

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 goals by our means, when He would have us humble ourselves, be patient, be still, and wait. 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 is,  "This is my be...

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 want to be known 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. 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 always be remembered for being at the feet of Jesus. May I be remembered the same.  Let's Pray  -  Lord, thank You for showing us the value of worship in the Kin...

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)   Jesus understood what it meant to be a Son, so He was not ashamed or embarrassed 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 treated roughly 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 the Father.   We can never fully know what it means to rule well until we lea...

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...

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...

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 and among them. The Kingdom they were to receive would not manifest around them, but in them. Only then would they be fit to be witnesses to Him, to make up His Church, and to show the world His glory. They could not earn or buy the Kingdom. They could not discover or invent it. They could not imagine or reimagine it. They simply had to wait for it, and wait they did. You, too, must wait!  Many have gone out into ministry without waiting, only to find that they do not have the "stuff" it takes to endure the difficulties and complete the work. No man or woman is sufficient for the task apart from the commission...

"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 i...

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 activism, strivings, politics 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 abidi...

 “ 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 an...

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 in 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 . . ."  Our...