My Daily Dose of Courage

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16) This is, perhaps, the most quoted verse in the Bible, and rightly so. It is the best news ever proclaimed, and the simplest and most direct answer to life’s most important question. It is the revelation of God’s love manifest in His Son, Jesus, whose life on the earth, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead is the central reality of all time and eternity.    Everything done or said will be measured by this verse. There is no truth beyond it or outside its reach, no one above it, and every human thought and deed will be judged by it. God’s love in Jesus Christ is all we need to know about living well, and it is the key to being at peace with God and men.    What an honor to come to God, and to come on His terms — to come through Jesus Christ. Everything that matters depends on Him!   Let's P...

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."  (John 6:27-29)   With God, success is not about reaching our goals, but what our goals are. If we reach goals that are not the Lord’s perfect will for us, then we are not truly successful. Success in God’s eyes depends entirely on what and who we are working for.    “Don’t labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life…”     In other words, do not spend your life chasing things that will not matter in the end. Spend your life knowing and obeying Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of Life.   "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” ...

Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”  (John 21:21-22)   " What is that to you?"   Comparison and envy are the root of all insecurity. What the Lord chooses to do for others is none of our concern. He distributes opportunities, goods, and attributes according to His wisdom, and He is not accountable to us for an explanation. We are, on the other hand, strictly accountable to Him for that which He gives us. There is a great deal of wisdom in this.   "You follow Me."   Our walk with God is a very personal one, and while we are members of one another, there is a beautifully unique work He is doing in each one individually. We are to come alongside and strengthen one another, being sure not to interfere in God's sovereign work in others. This takes a great deal of self-control, but that is what God expects.   Draw close to Jesus...

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  (1 Kings 19:1-3)   Elijah was fresh off the greatest spiritual victory of his life. Yet, at the voice of the evil Queen Jezebel, he cowered, ran, and isolated himself from men and from God. This episode in Elijah’s life is a warning to us. Even after our greatest victories, we can be more vulnerable than we know – and Satan will look to take advantage of us when we least expect it.   A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.  (Proverbs 18:1)   Where was the faith Elijah displayed on Mount Carmel where he trium...

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6) And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65) This word, "NO," is where the freedom of a saint is found. "NO" is restrictive and limiting at first glance. Yet, it is the narrow road that leads to liberty, and a precious few find it — but bondage is found in the multitude of distractions and traps that await the Christian who wanders from the way God prescribes.  Remember, Jesus said He is the only way. So, while there are many ways, there is NO other Way. The saint who walks in the way Jesus speaks of is free from the fears and faults that accompany every other way.  Our freedom manifests in the boldness to come to the throne of God where we will receive love, grace, and understanding in our times of need. It is the freedom of one who is NO longer held by the contro...

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 and wisdom necessitate that we believe God far beyond what we see, and that we believe Him at His Word — that He is in control, He is good, and all things work together for the good of those who love and serve Him acceptably.    We must get beyond the childishness of thinking that all is well when circumstances are well, and all is not well when life is hard. It may very well be the opposite, so we must be wise in good times and bad, and we must remember that God is always  faithful.  That kind of faith and wisdom will help us rise above the limitations of earthly knowledge and the worldly wisdom in which so many walk.    The wise and faithful saint diligently seeks HIM, not simply His blessings or His power, but His Person and His presence. In His presence is ...

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (Romans 12:4-5) The word “member” takes on its true meaning through Paul’s explanation. Our membership makes us a living and necessary part of the larger body of believers, and it is essential to the well-being of the body that we function properly and harmoniously. God formed us so that we work best in partnership, and in a way that reflects the Trinity – as distinct individuals in distinct roles, oneness, unity, and perfect love for each other. The same should be true of the local church and its members. Satan is sure to oppose every healthy body of believers, and we must be aware of his wiles. The opposition is fierce, but victory is ours if we stand our ground and love each other and walk by faith. God does not call believers to common ground, but to HOLY ground. That is what distinguishes the church — me...

But he (Samson) did not know that the Lord had departed from him . (Judges 16:20b)   And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)   Be careful to handle yourself in a way that honors God wherever you are and whatever you do. Respect and reverence for the Holy Spirit is your solemn privilege and duty, so do not be careless. Be sure not to grieve Him away — some have done so, and like Samson, they do not realize it.   The Spirit of God lives in hearts of God’s children. That is the only difference between us and every other religious person, and that difference is consequential and eternal. So, paying earnest heed to the Spirit's voice is the most crucial decision we can make. That is the difference between blessed assurance and dangerous presumption.   May we find ourselves more aware and appreciative of the Holy Spirit’s work on our behalf — and may we give Him all the attention and devotion H...

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.  (Ephesians 1:13-14)   The hope that Christians have is much more than the emotional, feel-good phenomenon the world clings to. It is much more than, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Our faith is not “blind,” but we seek the eternal over the temporary, the unseen over the visible, and that which is above not below. We enjoy a unique outlook given to us by the Holy Spirit, and He is our “guarantee” that all we hope and wait for is real.   When we believe in Jesus Christ as our savior and redeemer, we have peace and eternal security, and we give Him glory in return. The apostle Paul calls it,  “. . . this grace in which we stand . . .”  – and this grace empowers us to live j...

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  (Matthew 16:27)   Some teach that the Lord is preparing us for our breakthrough, our destiny, and some blessed or exalted place on this earth, but that is not true. The Lord is preparing you for His return, and He is preparing you for heaven! Heaven is the prize, not anything we can achieve in this world. The success we look for on earth may very well distract and deter us from the real prize; and that prize is the crown we will receive for our faithfulness to God.   The Bible consistently teaches us the necessity of spiritual preparedness; because we will not have time to get ourselves ready when Christ returns — we must  be  ready. In other words, preparedness is a state of being for the Christian. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is not simply preparing us for that Day, He  is  that preparation, and Spirit-filled believers...

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.  (Revelation 1:3)   Jesus Christ is clearly in control of all things in heaven and on earth, and the Book of Revelation is the most prominent presentation of this fact in the scriptures. The Revelation (or Apocalypse) given to John by the angelic messenger is a heavenly vision whose interpretation must be rooted in wisdom, maturity, and sober thinking, lest the reader be carried away by unwarranted speculation and endless argument. There is much in this book to disagree on, if we choose — yet, Jesus Christ Himself is the crucial point. Any interpretation or teaching on the Revelation that does not increase our joy and expectancy concerning Christ's return is unfruitful and unbiblical.   We do well to heed the instructions and warnings in this book, for if He finds the elect unprepared when He returns, we are without excuse. So, ta...

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  (Jeremiah 29:11)   The Holy Spirit wants to give us the heart of the Father for everyone and everything around us. He wants to broaden our horizons, deepen our understanding, pour great wisdom into us, develop our personalities, and cleanse our paths. He always has our best interests at heart, and He orders our steps and engineers the experiences that will complete and sanctify us. God wants to enlarge our hearts, to increase our appreciation of His goodness and purpose. He wants us to see His sovereign hand in all things and come to believe that obedience is the key to every blessing stored up for us.   And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  (Romans 8:28)   Those words are true for everyone needing strength and deliverance. God sees us...

So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”  (2 Samuel 12:13-14)   This sordid tale of lust, adultery, deception, and murder seems out of place in the life of David, "a man after God's own heart" — but there he is — guilty and deserving of death, and there was not going to be an easy road back to right-standing with God. David had strayed far from the Lord. His success had drawn him into a moral malaise that he was completely unaware of, and his heart had become cold and craven — just like his predecessor, Saul. (If we are not careful, we can become what we despise.)   David had ignored the word of God and everything he knew was right, and his conscience was the casualty. David covered his ears and refused God's cor...

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.  (John 6:63)   It often astounds me how dense I am, and how slow I am to recognize the hand of God and to believe what He says. Perhaps I am not simple enough, and I complicate things more than I should. Sometimes the promises in the Word of God seem too good to be true, especially in the light of my difficult circumstances. Yet, the Lord holds me accountable to what He says to me. When He speaks, His words are spirit and life, and like a child learns to heed his parents, I must learn to believe God and expect everything He says to manifest in its time!   Thus, the successful Christian life boils down to this one thing. “Do I hear what God is saying, and do I believe what I hear?” The Holy Spirit gives life to those who hear and believe.    "Lord, help me hear, believe, and obey Your every word!"   Let's Pray -  Dear King, I...