My Daily Dose of Courage

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  (Psalm 139:23, 24) Pride is the most dangerous of sins because it is blind to itself. It is a bold affront to God, and we are all guilty of it; yet it is so subtle that we rarely detect it or confess it. We may ask forgiveness for many things we say and do, but rarely for the pride behind those things.   Pride plans, acts, and thinks independently of the Lord, even in ministry. Pride distorts our self-concept, props us up, puffs us up, and makes us believe things about ourselves and others that are not true. It makes us consider ourselves first and last, it takes and demands more credit than it deserves, and it thinks about itself more than it should. The prideful person does not respond to correction very well. Now, I am sure each of us can at once point to at least one person who fits this description. The proo...

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. ( Hebrews 11:1, 2) Our faith is the shield that armors us against the storms of spiritual attacks. It steadies us when sorrows crush our emotions and when disappointments threaten to steal our hope. Faith assures us of God's care and presence when the winds and rain threaten to destroy our possessions, unsettle our minds, and steal our peace.  Faith keeps us walking righteously, and we trust in God when others fall into despair and sin. Thank God for faith!   Every difficulty is an opportunity to believe God and exercising our faith in Him is the greatest work of all. Even a mustard seed of faith is greater than mighty works, and a small measure of faith is greater than a lifetime of labor. God sent His Son, that He might become the center of our hope and joy, and that we might put all our trust in His love and power. That was and w...

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”  (Mark 11:25-26) To be sure, there will be many offenses, slights, hurts, and attacks sent our way by the enemy of our souls. They are meant to plant a seed of bitterness and mistrust in our hearts which causes us to withhold love, and we can become cold toward others without even realizing it. But God trusts us with these trials to give us the opportunity to forgive and love others, just as He has done for us. When we pass the test of forgiving and loving those who hurt us, our hearts are perfected in His love, and He is well pleased.   If I am honest, I have no desire or intention to forgive those who hurt me, and even if I try, I simply do not find the strength to do so. My resentment and distrust are real and justified in my mind, and eac...

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 simply believes God. It believes He cares even though we experience distressing times, it believes He heals even when we are sick, that He saves though people around us are lost in sin, and that He is with us even when we feel alone. Faith will not give up due to any of these circumstances, because it is rooted in our eternal God, not our temporary plight. Faith looks at Jesus and refuses to look for another answer, another Savior. That is why faith alone pleases God.    When God is pleased with us, we can ask, and it will be done for us. That is because faith is rooted in relationship, and that relationship brings us to a point of being one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and that is where we find complete agreement between all parties involved. The Lord is bringing us to the place w...

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  (Luke 17:5)  Beware of a romanticized view of faith. Faith is not a tool to get what we want from God, but a means for God to get what He wants from us! Faith teaches us to wait, pray, and obey, while never imagining that God is anything but completely trustworthy, and that He will keep us and His promises to us. It is a partnership whereby we give ourselves to God, believing and walking with Him toward a future we cannot yet see and promises we do not yet have. But what we  do  have is most important, and that is a life hidden with God in Christ.   To increase our faith is to exercise our belief in God, so that it becomes the useful and powerful tool He intended. Everything He permits in our lives, whether blessing or hardship, is to make us more like Jesus. He was tested and tempted, yet He stayed faithful. The same will be true of us if we abide in His love and heed His counsel.   M...

But Sarai was barren; she had no child. (Genesis 11:30) Our difficulties are not difficult at all to God, even though they can frustrate us greatly and make us wonder if He is even aware of what we are facing down here! I believe the Lord tests us all at one point or another, just to teach us to believe in the power of His Word over the limits of our flesh.   Abram and Sarai could not conceive a child, yet God was going to call them to be the father and mother of a holy nation, Israel. They would eventually become a man and woman of faith, and they would learn to walk with the Lord and wait on Him — but it was not going to be easy; and it is not going to be easy for us, either.   It is a snare to believe that faith leads to a smooth and trouble-free life — quite the opposite is true. Overcoming faith leads us to God, and it will bring us to a deep and abiding dependence on Him. Faith is the beginning and the end of our relationship with God, and it is generated and kept i...

Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.  (Psalm 15:1-2) Honesty is an essential trait of God’s children, and God can only reveal Himself to those of us who recognize and speak the truth. When we entertain any deception or dishonesty, we may see Jesus, but not accurately, and certainly not as Lord and King. The longer we refuse to accept the truth about ourselves or anything else, the longer it takes for us to recognize what Jesus Christ has come to do in our lives.   We will never find our identity in what others say about us, or even what we say about ourselves. But at once when the Lord speaks the truth and we receive it, we are set free to see Him for who He is, and to see ourselves for who we truly are.   And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; and before all t...

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:47-49) How is it that Nathanael received the truth about Jesus so readily, when all Israel did not recognize their Messiah? It was because Nathanael had integrity, which Jesus at once recognized and acknowledged — “. . . an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” This was a man who was honest with himself and others, a man who kept his word, a straight-shooter, one who meant what he said and said what he meant. Jesus commended him for his truthfulness, because it made the way for him to see the Messiah.  People with integrity see the truth — they see Jesus.   "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." ...

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  (2 Timothy 4:7) There are many fights in life, but only one  good  fight. The good fight is the battle we wage to be sure God is glorified in all we do. One question matters — “ Is God honored in this?”     If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.  (1 Peter 4:14)   The Word reminds and encourages us to show up every day and fight the spiritual battles set before us, to finish the course, and to keep the faith delivered to us once and for all by our Savior, Jesus Christ.   So, be encouraged today. Ignite the flame within you with the Word of God and stand with the saints like never before. Lift your hands through the clouds and darkness all around you and be the conqueror God says you are. Put on the full armor of God, get in...

Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” So, it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.  (Genesis 12:13-15) So many men have lost, damaged, or delayed the promises of God because they did not esteem the importance of oneness with their wives. That which God promised to Abram was to come through Sarai. Yet, we see him behaving like a man who had no relationship with and no confidence in   God. Abram surrendered to his fears, and his marriage was the casualty.  But, God . . .   Sometimes, the Lord must keep His promises to us despite our weaknesses. Thankfully, He is patient, and He is determined to bring us into a life of blessing and fullness.   The Lord would rectify the situation and remove Sarai from Pharaoh's grip — but u...

Put on the whole armor of God . . . (Ephesians 6:11) Spiritual life involves a tremendous amount of warfare, and the only uncertainty is whether those enlisted will show up for battle. Truly, there seems to be a multitude of legitimate reasons for dodging the draft. “My family needs me” . . . “I have important business to tend to” . . . “My hands are full already” . . . “Isn’t spiritual warfare for professional ministers anyway?” All too often, it is all about us! How sad that we spend so much energy considering the price we pay to serve God, while forgetting the price Jesus paid to save us.   The call to “go” is answered by the chosen few willing to strap on the full armor of God and fight the good fight of faith, knowing the battle is the Lord’s and the victory is nigh. The armor is only for those who will fight; it is cumbersome and useless for saints who refuse to go to war.   Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father...

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."  (John 6:62-63)   Jesus is not speaking to our common sense or human nature when He speaks, but to the new man and woman who walk in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit living in us teaches us to hear the words of Jesus as they really are — spirit and life! We who have come alive in the Spirit, who worship in the Spirit, who pray in the Spirit, and who walk in the Spirit hear the Word of God in the Spirit, and we hear Him clearly.   Jesus gives us the power to do what He commands every time, as we yield to the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. God’s words make perfect spiritual sense to us now; and as we understand them, we will confidently embrace His commands — even the impossible ones.    "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13) If we make up our mind up on any subject, God cannot speak to us there...

And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. (Acts10: 13-16a) God works in us in ways we cannot foresee. If we are spirit-filled, we are responding to His call to go where we would not have gone, love those we once cared nothing for, forgive those who hurt us most, and give what we would keep. That is when the Holy Spirit is having His way with us. God was sending Peter, a Jew, to a place would never have gone, and to minister the Gospel to people he did not think God even cared for. Peter’s obedience would make a way for those lost in ignorance and sin to enter the Kingdom of God, because he obeyed God in the Spirit.   I encourage you to trust God like Peter did. He did not resist the Holy Spirit — he simply said, “Yes.” You, too, must obey Him, even when He prese...