My Daily Dose of Courage

Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. (Proverbs 1:23)   We must always be sure to respond to the voice of the Father. When we hear our name, we must turn to Him at once. If we do not, we begin an inevitable march to ruin and judgment — and those things are not meant for His children. God will never force us to slow down, listen, or obey His voice. But when He reveals His will to us, we are responsible for what we do with that revelation. Our lives are precious gifts, and there is not another moment to waste with the foolishness and selfishness that once dominated us.   It is a sad thing for a child of God to refuse to come when He calls. Yet, that is where so many are today. Far too often, sin and fear are as present among believers as the children of the world around them. It is far too uncommon to see saints living in the fullness of their salvation. How many of the believers you know are living the holy and spo...

The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. (Proverbs 26:15) Only the Father knows the strength we will need to fight the good fight of faith, to build a good testimony, and to "finish the race" set before us. So, He insists we eat the food He serves, and we are well nourished and equipped to meet the demands of the day — and the demands are great!  Therefore, we must take more earnest heed to God's Word, or we will surely shrink back into the realm of spiritual laziness and impotence which typifies some.  We are not only to eat, but to EAT EVERYTHING — every single Word the Lord speaks! Those who do are the saints who mature and have the energy of the Spirit — enough energy to endure to the end. Let's Pray - Dear Lord, help me as I discipline myself to read and study Your Word as if my life depended on it — because it does. In Jesus alone, Amen.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.   (2 Timothy 1:7)   Spirit-filled saints do not submit to any other spiritual influence. We will not bow down at the shrine of worldly success, popularity, acceptance, or tolerance, because friendship with the world makes us the enemies of God. We value the approval of the Lord, and we refuse to fear men. God's power is ours when we remember the battle and the glory are the the Lord’s alone.   There may be many things to fear in this life, but the Holy Spirit has freed us from the power those things once had. That is why God's children shine so brightly in a dark and fearful world. The Spirit who dwells in us is the power to be Christlike, the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.   If people around us are going to see the fearless love of Christ, they are going to see it in us. May we be joyful, kind, forgiving, and gracious even though others may treat us poorly...

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24)   Everyone and everything on earth that pleases the Father does so according to the leading and power of the Spirit. That is why Jesus insisted His disciples wait before they went out to preach the Gospel —  "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever . . ." (John 14:16)  The "Helper" is God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Just as the Father and Son are God, so is the Spirit; and they are united in their determination to bring many sons and daughters to glory. Thank God in heaven for the ministry of the Holy Spirit here on earth! “(He is) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”  (John 14:17)   The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is the only difference between the children of God and all other ...

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10)   The Cross of Christ is the only point of contact any man will ever have with a Holy God. The Cross is God's only solution for the sin that would otherwise condemn us. The Cross is not man's idea, but God's. Heaven is real and hell is real, and we all will spend eternity in one place or the other, and that, according to the Cross.   Therefore, we must come to God on His terms, not ours; and we must never follow those who offer a doctrine cheapened with high-minded human philosophy or fruitless religiosity. All true theology and doctrine are rooted firmly in the Cross of Calvary, and it must be embraced by every believer with all gravity and ...

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.  (1 Corinthians 12:27)   The Lord loves His Church so deeply that He calls us His "body." We are the manifest presence of the Lord on earth, for He abides in us and with us in Spirit. Therefore, He says we are the light of the world, just as He is that Light. He is returning for a perfect church, and we must be found walking in the perfection of the Spirit and the bond of peace when he returns.   Jesus is our Peace. We are to be perfect (complete, healthy, and holy), just as He is; and the members of His church stand as one, just as the Father, Son, and Spirit are One.   Membership in the church is not a matter of agreement to a certain set of rules and regulations, attendance at meetings, or participation in religious enterprises, no matter how noble. Membership in the body of Christ is the spiritual position given to every believer, whereby he or she receives the everlasting life God pours out on tho...

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. (Colossians 2:4)   There will never be an end to teachers who claim they have a deeper understanding than others have received. This brand of "revelation" always runs counter to the Gospel both in substance and simplicity. It claims a unique and superior perspective and sets itself beyond the reach of "average" saints. This type of teaching is most often rooted in pride. We are called to reject such nonsense, as it is an age-old trick of Satan, who understands the temptations of the flesh and man's tendency toward high-mindedness. God gives and honors the simplicity of faith in Jesus Christ, for in Him alone is the counsel of God.   "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."  (Matthew 10:8)   Beware of those who boast of their knowledge of mysteries and hidden things that only a superior class of "teachers...

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell . . .  (Colossians 1:19)   Perhaps you have been searching for meaning, enlightenment, and fulfillment, and you cannot say you have found it. Could it be the Lord's message to you is simpler than you expected? Could it be you have set yourself and others, your goals, your wants, even your leisure in the central chamber of your heart? God has promised to give you more than you could ever ask or think, and He kept that promise in Jesus. When you received the Savior, you received everything you will ever need.   Everything!   So, go ahead, focus on Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Put Him in the center. God has put Him on the throne up in heaven. Put Him on the throne of your heart.   Let's Pray  - Lord, I have placed You on the throne and in the center of my life. You will find me in Your house, in Your word, and in the closet of prayer as a lifestyle. That is my desire and ...

His mother (Mary) said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”  (John 2:5) Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) . . .  (John 2:7-9)   The work God has given us to do is to believe and obey every word He says. This is where a servant's faith is tested most severely. It was not enough for these servants to fill the water pots with water, but then to serve it to the guests who are expecting wine!  We are not true servants of Jesus Christ until we trust Him like that.    Do you believe God can turn your water into wine? Is your faith childlike enough to obey and trust Him? Water becomes wine only when we obey His commands – even the absurd on...

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son . . .  (Hebrews 1:4)   Jesus occupies the center of every believer's heart, just as He does the Father's. His relationship to God is that of the Firstborn Son, and He enjoys a favored status that He is gracious enough to share with us. By His supreme sacrifice, He has welcomed us into the family of God, and He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. We deserve none of this, but Jesus paid the price on Calvary, and we only need to believe and confess that He is Lord to enter in and receive all the blessings of sonship. This is the word God has spoken to us by His Son, and no other word can compete with the Truth, that Christ is the only way to God.   When the writer of Hebrews speaks of  "these last days . . .,”  he is not speaking in historical terms, but spiritual. Once Jesus rose from the dead an...

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23) It is hard for those with great possession, great talents or skills, great appeal, or profound influence to walk through the narrow gate that only the "poor in spirit" can enter. The words of Jesus cut through every good intention, every ounce of human goodness, every effort at self-justification, and they point to the need in each of us — He is everything we need.   To receive Jesus, there must first be the realization that we can do nothing apart from Him — nothing spiritual, nothing of any eternal consequence, and nothing holy. We can o...

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  (James 5:16)   There is lifesaving and life-changing power in confession. Confession unleashes the dynamic power of the truth, as we agree with God about our words and actions. When we confess, we bring light and freedom to bear on things that would otherwise remain in the dark. Our faults and sins wield power over us as long as we keep silent about them. That is why James encourages us to release those things and receive God's forgiveness and comfort in exchange — to confess. The sins we commit are not our greatest problem, but the sins we hide. Millions are in pain and bondage today because of unconfessed sin — and once we have hidden sin longer than we should, we become blind and numb to its corroding effect. This is why every Christians must be on guard against the devastating effects of unconfessed sin.   Find...

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever . . .  (Matthew 6:13)   Do not be distressed over the challenging times in which we live. Jesus is preparing and encouraging us, so we do not panic or respond fearfully when things are hard. He is teaching us to respond to trouble and tragedy with prayer. We pray without ceasing, and that is spiritual wisdom and faith in action. Therefore, we enjoy an unshakeable peace because we have placed every care at His feet.   That is our lifestyle; prayer, worship, and the confidence that God has the entire world in His hands. Remember, Jesus is not going to overcome the world — He already has.   Let's Pray  -  Dear Lord, teach me to walk faithfully, even in exceedingly tough times. I have the deepest confidence that You see all and know all, and You will make all things good in time. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:13-14)   Jesus quickly forgave and forgot when men offended Him. He found no need to be right or defend Himself when He was wrongly accused or attacked. He reconciled all things in the light of His Father’s sovereign will.   Therefore, let us do what Jesus modeled for us – forgetting, letting go, and pressing forward toward the vision of glory the Father places in our hearts. There is no time in our fleeting lives for mourning missed opportunities, outdated relationships, mistakes, and misunderstandings. While we all experience hardships and disappointments, the Lord offers us a new day and season, if we will just look up!   What we see has everything to do with our focus and our perspective. If we w...