Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." (John 13:37)

Irina Ratushinskaya

Impatient Peter, who always longed to go beyond the limits of his possibilities. Who would not and could not accept those limits. He walked on water - but doubted and sank soon afterwards. Who defended Christ at his arrest - but who had fallen asleep a little earlier. He was prepared to give his life for the Lord - but a little later, he denied Him three times.

It's enough to make you despair, to start regarding yourself as a failure, an incorrigible sinner.

Yes, and that is what would have happened if he had been self-centered. But all the attention of his soul was focused on his Friend, on the One whom he was the first to recognize as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is the same Christ he calls out to when he sinks - and he is saved.

He loves his Christ too much to allow his problems to distract him from growing closer to Him. That is why Christ chose his testimony to be the basis for our growth, "On this rock (Petra) I will build my church."

We should always acknowledge failures, but never focus our attention on them.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." Not on our failures, but on His faithfulness.

[Judy Harder]

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  (John 1:14)

Remarkable Remarks - The Word of God

Josif Trifa - Romania: "A Christian without a Bible is like a soldier without a gun."

Russian Christian after receiving his first Bible: "The more I read, the more I want to read."

Another Russian Christian after receiving a Bible: "I could go to prison for having this book, but this book can also set men free."

Siberian Christian who had only one page of the Bible: "I wish I knew what is on the next page."

Koran: "God forbid that He should have a son!" (Sura 4:172).

Bible: "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

William H. Houghton: "Lay hold on the Bible, until the Bible lays hold on you."

[Judy Harder]

But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me whole-heartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. (Numbers 14:24)

Caleb

Although Caleb was not an Israelite by birth, he was an Israelite indeed. His name is derived from a Hebrew word, meaning faithful, alert and obedient.

The name Caleb is also an animal name, meaning "dog", in which faithfulness, alertness and obedience are prominent features. You may never call your dog Caleb - or your child. We don't call our children after a dog, do we? But are the qualities of Caleb's name present in our lives - faithfulness, alertness and obedience?

Such a Caleb not only has a bright future, but also the strength to face today's conflicts. Maybe we should turn it around. Whoever faces today's problems in a spirit of faithfulness, alertness and obedience will have a bright future. He may count on God's promise, I will be with him and with his descendants.

What a promise - for the future - and for today.

[Judy Harder]

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, we should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. (Numbers 13:30)

Caleb

It takes courage to stand alone. It is much easier (and safer!?) to follow the crowd. Nobody will notice you. As the saying goes, "By stepping out of the crowd, you become the target."

Yes, whoever has courage to stand up for his convictions will soon become a target. Caleb was such a man. While the other ten spies said that it was impossible to possess the promised land, Caleb (and Joshua) said it could be done.

It is easy to say that it is impossible. Everybody can say that. It requires courage and faith to say, "It can be done."

God seeks people today who dare to stand up for their faith and convictions even though the consequence may be that they will soon stand alone.

Remember that, the crowd never reached the promised land, they never will. Only those who do not follow the crowd in doing wrong (Exodus 23:2) will receive God's fullest blessing. Caleb was such a man.

The former Queen of Holland, Wilhelmina, was such a woman, when she said, "I am lonely, but never alone."

Martin Luther was such a man, when he said, "One plus God equals a majority."

You can be such a person, because such a God is standing by, at school, at work, in your family - always, everywhere.

[Judy Harder]

...and do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. (Numbers 14:9)

Caleb

What was the difference between Joshua and Caleb and the other ten spies? All twelve of them had been in the promised land. All of them had seen the fruit of the land. All knew of the giants who lived there. The latter, the presence of giants separated Joshua and Caleb from the other ten. They had all seen the same, but they differed in their judgment of the situation.

The ten compared their own strength to that of the giants. The two compared the strength of the giants to that of the Lord. The ten viewed themselves as grasshoppers in comparison to the giants. The two viewed the giants as grasshoppers in comparison to God.

Yes, Caleb even added that the giants would serve as food for them, "we will swallow them up." The bigger the giant the greater the meal.

Yet Joshua and Caleb were not super-spiritual. They acknowledged the presence of giants, the enemy for they had seen them for themselves. But ... they saw more; they saw God. When you see God in His greatness, even giants look as small as grasshoppers.

It is good to acknowledge your problems, but it is wrong and dangerous to focus all your attention on them. There is another reality. There is a God, whom Caleb refers to as, "The Lord is with us, do not be afraid of them!"

"Lord, open our eyes so that we can see. Really see!"

[Judy Harder]

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Caleb

This typifies the life of Caleb. When he was young he had the courage to stand alone. In middle-age he had the patience to walk alone with his God. In old-age he had the strength to climb mountains.

The foundation was laid in his youth. He was courageous enough to stand up for his faith. He was not intimidated by the unbelieving masses. Not even when they threatened to stone him. Rather be dead than a coward. Rather be obedient to God than be popular with men.

It did mean that at the age of forty, he had to wander around in the desert for forty years, as a result of the unbelief of the people. Maybe Caleb often said to himself during those years, "Forty lost years in the desert and it was not necessary."

Yet he was patient enough to wait on God's promise and he continued to walk with his God. After that, when his years increased, he did not move downhill but uphill. And that, at the age of eighty-five.

In which phase of your life do you find yourself today? In your youth? Then be steadfast in obedience. In your middle years? Be patient and continue to trust. In old age? Be strong in your faith. You can still be of great value to the Kingdom of God.

Caleb was strong at the age of eighty-five. For those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.

[Judy Harder]

Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.
(Joshua 14:12)

Caleb

In claiming his inheritance Caleb, willingly and voluntarily, asked for the most difficult part of the country, the mountains where the giants lived.

Those were the giants who scared the other spies. They were the very reason for unbelief among God's people resulting in forty years of isolation in the desert.

Caleb could have asked for an easier part of the country. At the retiring age of eighty-five he took upon him the greatest challenge of his life. Caleb never thought in terms of fences or walled cities, the higher the mountain the greater the challenge to conquer it, the stronger the enemies, the greater the opportunity to trust God to defeat them.

All the other tribes received an easier part of the country, but they could not drive out the people from their territory. Only Caleb could do that. He drove out the giants. His faith resulted in conquering power. No challenge too great, no problem too difficult. His secret, faith in God. Not a great faith in God, but simply faith in a great God. Have faith for "your mountain". It can be done.

[Judy Harder]

I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. (Joshua 14:

You have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. (Joshua 14:9)

He followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. (Joshua 14:14)

Caleb

We learned yesterday that the secret to Caleb's success was faith. Today we will learn about the condition of having such faith. It can be summed up in one sentence, Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly. No reservations, no compromise, only undivided allegiance to God.

We read this statement three times in Joshua 14. The first mention comes from Caleb himself. This was not proud boasting, but a sober statement of fact. Dare we, can we say this about our walk with God? Some people never dare say this. Others say it too easily.

The second mention comes from Moses, saying the same words. That is even more important than Caleb's own statement. What do other people see of Christ in me? How do they sum up my life? But the most important testimony comes from God himself, the God who discerns the hidden secrets of the heart.

"O Lord, you have searched me
and you know me...
you perceive my thoughts from afar...
you are familiar with all my ways."
(Psalm 139:1-3)

There can only be one response to this statement.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me
And lead me in the way everlasting."
(Psalm 139:23-24)

[Judy Harder]

In the first part of this psalm, David wrestles with the question of why God forsook him. God does not answer him and does not seem to hear his prayers. He feels lonely and miserable.

After a difficult and profound struggle, David's spirit is lifted again. Even in the deepest pit God was with him, even though he did not notice it. The Lord did hear him when he called out to Him (v.24).

Because of that, David now gives thanks to his God. Lonely, but never alone.

David

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him - may your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.
(Psalm 22:22-28)

[Judy Harder]

This is my Gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's Word is not chained. (2 Timothy 2:8-9)

Sister Maria

In all the time that I was imprisoned I never felt alone. When loneliness threatened, I started to talk to my Lord. It was within those thick walls, cutting me off from my contact with everyone else that I experienced, more than ever before, that nothing could cut me off from God.

I also realized that God must have allowed my imprisonment for a purpose - to bring other people the message of salvation in Christ Jesus, those who otherwise might never have heard it.

Instead of looking at my difficult circumstances, God lifted me above them. His Spirit filled my whole being, enabling me to testify to the other prisoners. Within one year twenty five of them accepted Christ as their Savior. "God's Word is not chained". It even sets our spirit free in times of bondage and imprisonment.

A criminal in the eyes of men, an ambassador in the eyes of God.

"Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see."

Sister Maria from Mozambique. She had been imprisoned under severe circumstances. Sister Maria uses a pseudonym