Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

from Day by Day with the Persecuted Church



I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11)

Menes Abdul Noor

The joy of the world is the result of what people get or achieve. When the getting and achievements end; this kind of joy ends. The joy stays as long as its source remains.

Not so with the joy of Christ. He abides in us and guarantees to us that He gives us not as the world gives us (John 14:27). What He gives is everlasting, guaranteed and full.

When we abide in Christ we find the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Of His fullness we all receive, and grace for grace (John 1:16). In Jesus the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness, and declare that Jesus is the eternal life who gives us fellowship with the Father and with Himself, that our joy may be full (1 John 1:1-4).

When we abide in Christ we love Him and keep His word. The Father loves us. The Father and the Son come to us and make their home with us (John 14:23). What a privilege and what a joy!

When we abide in Jesus He guarantees to us an eternal abode. He says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:1-3).

We have all the right to be joyful, because we abide in Christ. All His privileges become ours.

[Judy Harder]

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (John 15:18-19)

Menes Abdul Noor

The greatness of Jesus is seen in the clarity and openness of His teachings. He tells us that the world gives privileges to its followers. It loves its own. It hates the believers in Jesus because it hates their Master. The world hates the Father because it does not know the Father (John 15:21,23). The world has no excuse for its sin, because Jesus spoke clearly about the consequences, but they refused His testimony.

Those who abide in Christ should know who they are. They are not of the world. They are chosen by Jesus to go out of the world. The world hates their leader.

Jesus teaches us that if persecution comes to us, it should come because we are loyal to Him, and not because of our mistakes. When the apostles of Jesus were beaten they departed from the presence of the Jewish council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus" name (Acts 5:41).

Jesus warned us of coming persecutions (John 15:20). We should not be shocked. If we suffer for His name's sake, then persecution is normal. We should not think that the Lord had deserted or forgotten us (Isaiah 49:14-16). "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12).

[Judy Harder]

This beautiful psalm consists of two parts. In the first part, the writer speaks about the Lord (27:1-5). In the second part he talks to the Lord (27:7-14, see July 21).

David trusts in the Lord his God, who draws near in every desperate situation. Safe under God's protection.

David

The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:1-5)

[Judy Harder]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made....
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-3, 11-14)

Ghassan Khalaf

It was one of the darkest periods of war in Lebanon. Beirut was like an open hell. Gun shells were showering over a vast area for several days. Many people were killed.

After the fighting stopped, I went to visit a young lady to bring her my sympathy. She had lost her husband in the final skirmish and was left with three little children. She was weeping and grieving - friends were trying to comfort her.

When she noticed me, she shouted, "I don't believe in God, don't speak to me about Him. He does not care for us. He let us die. He is just watching us."

A wave of compassion came over my soul. Thousands of people in my country say the same words.

After she calmed down, I said, "Dear lady, what you have said about God would have been all true, if He had not become flesh and died on the cross to redeem us and to prove that He does care. God in Christ was involved in our situation and because He has passed through suffering, He is able to help those who suffer. Do you believe that?"

She nodded.

[Judy Harder]

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher don't you care if we drown?" (Mark 4:38)

Ghassan Khalaf

Often in life we go through times of troubled circumstances; like the disciples of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee. Our distress becomes very severe to the degree that we do not see Jesus who is very near to us; like the disciples in the boat who were so overwhelmed by the stormy sea, that they couldn't see the peaceful face of the Savior who was asleep on the cushion in the stern of the boat.

We feel that God does not care; that He has forsaken us. We begin to make the loudest noise we can to attract the attention of Heaven. We even wish to disturb God and make Him see our need. Just as the disciples, who lost their patience and disturbed Jesus while He was resting, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Be still." But He also rebuked His disciples, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"

So let us in our turmoil be quiet.

Let us have faith and not disturb Jesus. He is with us. He is closer to us than we think He is.

[Judy Harder]

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 12:2)

Ghassan Khalaf

When we suffer or see people suffering, a cry from the depth of our being comes up, "Where is God?" Especially when suffering lasts for years and years, then our morale deteriorates and our situation becomes frustrating. We begin to question even the essential attributes of God: His love, wisdom, and faithfulness. And still worse comes when we begin to question the reality of God's existence. I am sure many people, even Christians, are shaken by these doubts when their prayers have gone unanswered for years.

How can our faith be sustained in such circumstances? Our faith will be as deep as the cross is in our belief. People tend to look to heaven in the midst of their suffering and say, where are you God? They feel that God is on His Throne up there in heaven, far away and uncaring.

Those who have the cross as the center of their theology will not look up to a distant heaven as if to get help for their suffering, but will look to the crucified Jesus down here on Golgotha, and from His suffering, their hearts find healing in the midst of their suffering.

[Judy Harder]

You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. (Hebrews 10:34)

Ghassan Khalaf

Complete surrender is the only way to overcome anxiety. During the black days of Beirut the sky was continuously raining mortar shells and rockets. No place was spared from their shrapnel. Everyone was in danger of having his house burned, or losing his money, his possessions, library, car, or life.

Anxiety was about to rob me of my peace in Christ. Confusion hovered over me for days. In a period of meditation I put all I had before the Lord and asked His victory over the feelings of anxiety, and about losing material possessions. I prayed, "Oh Lord! I am resolved, by your grace, to accept with all contentment, with total surrender and joy, whatever physical or material harm may come to me."

I dreamed one night that my car was stolen. Feelings of resentment attacked me. A struggle began in my soul between complaint and contentment. After a cruel struggle I accepted the loss with pleasure and complete surrender. Then I woke up.

I was happy it was only a dream. But a thought captured me: It is beautiful to be victorious in a dream, but it is more glorious to be victorious over anxiety in real life while awake.

Writer of the Month: Ghassan Khalaf from Lebanon. Amidst bombings and destruction, Brother Khalaf faithfully visited victims of war to encourage them in their faith.

[Judy Harder]

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Ghassan Khalaf

Frequently after wars, there emerges a class of people called "the war rich'; those who seize the opportunity and improve their own conditions. This is exactly what happened after the war in Lebanon.

But what about God's children? Do we accept the hard times as opportunities to prove the genuineness of our faith which is more precious than gold, so we might receive the crown of life?

Believers in Lebanon benefited much from passing through the fire of war. They became "war rich" on the spiritual plane. Those who love God collect spiritual fortunes and plenty of practical experiences. In times of distress the cyclone shakes us so that our dry leaves and rotten fuit fall down. At the same time, trials increase our stability by extending our roots into the depths. After the storm you see believers still holding their hands high, and roses in their hands.

Because, if you see a person who has passed through the valley of terror and reached the land of peace, with a flower plucked from that valley in his hand, then you will know that God was with him and that his soul has kept the freshness of faith.

[Judy Harder]

We love because he first loved us. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 1:19,21)

Ghassan Khalaf

Christianity is distinguished by the word "love." This is the only way to describe the Christian faith in just one word. We think always of God's love for us, and our love for others, and forget a very essential element which is that we can love God too. Love is a mutual relationship between Him and us. He loves us and we love Him.

If we are to understand fully the deep meaning of this relationship, we need to compare love with mercy. Here the full meaning of this love relationship with God will appear. Mercy contains the meaning of "a higher to lower" relationship and not vice-versa.

God can say, "I will have mercy on you, people;" but we cannot say back, "We will have mercy on you Lord!" But God can say, "I love you my people," and we can say to Him, "We love you, Lord." Mercy language is between a lord and his slaves. Love language is between a father and his children.

There is nothing in the world like this loving mutual relationship between us and God through His Son Jesus Christ.

[Judy Harder]

In this second part, David does not talk about the Lord but to the Lord. 

People feel sorry for David. He is in great need. His faith in the almighty God is his comfort and hope.

David

Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, 'seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.   (Psalm 27:7-14)