Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. (Romans 1:9)

Paul

Prayer was not an incidental activity in Paul's life. It was fundamental to his ministry. He prayed for his fellow believers, constantly and at all times. Nowhere do we read that Paul had problems keeping his quiet time. He never needed to confess that he should pray more. Prayer was the source of his strength, his intimate fellowship with God. Even in prison, with his feet chained and his back beaten, he prayed and praised God.

His whole ministry was based on his prayer life.

Somebody once said, "What you are on your knees is what you really are and no more!" That's what made Paul so strong. Almost all of his letters start with, "I pray for you..." And he does not hesitate to ask for prayer for himself, "Pray also for me." Paul's hands were strong because they were folded. Prayer is not only the breath of the soul, but also the means to move the hand of God. Through prayer God revealed mysteries to him and he attained insight in the spiritual warfare in the heavenlies and his walk continued from strength to strength. Paul knew his priorities well and acted accordingly. And not in vain.

God hears and keeps your prayers.

Eternity will reveal how they were answered.

"Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

[Judy Harder]

I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 21:13)

Paul

One of the most touching speeches of Paul is his farewell speech in Acts chapter 20. In many ways the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul how much he must suffer for the Lord. The brethren tried to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem. They feared lest Paul would find himself in prison. In their eyes he was more serviceable to them out of prison.

Paul was not looking for problems. He was seeking God. The Lord had prepared Paul for what was ahead and his reaction was clear.

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace." Then Paul followed with "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers."

"Be shepherds of the Church of God, which He bought with his own blood."

"Now I commit you to God and the Word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

When he had said this he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced and kissed him.

God must have placed great trust in Paul to convey to him what awaited him. Equally Paul trusted God enough to follow Him to the end.

May God also find in us that preparedness, whatever the future may hold. For our times are in God's hands.

[Judy Harder]

In this beautiful psalm David confesses that God is the Omnipotent and the Omniscient One. David realizes that God knew him before he was born. This God will guide him until the day he will stand before His throne. That could be a long, difficult path. That is why David asks the Lord to guide him; to protect him from offensive ways; to lead him in the way everlasting.

David

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
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 139:1-10,23,24)

[Judy Harder]

...and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:15)

Joseph Ton

Fear is an invention of the devil and a consequence of sin. The devil has countless kinds of fears - fear of failure, fear of disease and death, fear of unemployment, fear of the future, fear of suffering, fear of...

Through all these fears man is doomed to slavery. Through fear, Satan makes us passive, not only in countries where Christians are persecuted, but also in the so-called "free countries."  Remarkably, there is often much fear in these free countries. It is the devil's instrument to enslave people. But the Lord sets us free from fear. There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18). The Lord sets us free, so that we no longer fear our enemies, but even love them.

This freedom is not related to living in a free country, for there are millions of slaves in the "free" world. It is a deep spiritual freedom which turns fear into courage, unrest into peace, uncertainty into certainty, doubt into hope and death into life.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds ... in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

[Judy Harder]

Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. (John 11:25)

Joseph Ton

The Lord Jesus Christ delivers us from fear. Apparently, He does so in different ways. Hebrews 2:14 says, "Through His death." The Son of God loves me. He saw me with my sins, my failures, and my treason and even so He still loved me. He came to earth to take my sins upon Him. He died my death, went to hell - my hell - and He rose again. That is why Christ can say, "I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades" (Revelation 1:18). Christ died my death and now He says, "Death is My messenger" to invite you to heavenly glory.

A friend of Joseph Ton was once arrested by the police in Bucharest. One of the officers threatened to kill him, but Joseph smiled and said, "If you shoot me, I will enter eternal life. You cannot frighten me with that prospect!" He was not afraid to die, for a Christian will never die.

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55).

"For I am convinced, that neither death, nor life ... will be able to separate us from the love of God..." (Romans 8:38,39).

[Judy Harder]

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. (Matthew 6:22)

Joseph Ton

The second way in which Christ delivers us from fear, Joseph Ton likes to call "the mending or renewal of our eyes." In Matthew 6, the Lord speaks about worrying (which is the same as fear of the future). Again and again He says, "Do not worry." Before this, He spoke about two kinds of eyes, good and bad ones. He says that if our eyes are bad, our whole body will be full of darkness. But if our eyes are good, our whole body will be full of light.

The bad eye sees enemies, problems, threats and dangers. Those were the eyes of ten out of twelve spies who returned from a mission to Canaan (Numbers 13). They saw the giants and said, "We are grasshoppers compared to them. It's hopeless."

The good eye also sees the danger and the enemies, for they are part of reality. But the good eye sees more than that - it sees the Almighty God. And this Almighty God is our Father through Jesus Christ.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus," Hebrews 12:2 says. The frightened heart cries, "O, my Lord, what shall we do?" Victorious Elisha answers, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so that he may see" (2 Kings 6:15-17).

"O our God ... we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chronicles 20:12).

Lord, our God, please give us these spiritual eyes!

[Judy Harder]

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. (1 John 4:18)

Joseph Ton

Years ago on a Sunday morning, Joseph Ton was arrested. The following day, the interrogations began. Around midday, a general came in who ordered the other two officers to leave the room. When they were gone, he started to hit Joseph. On the face, on the head - until he was exhausted.

A few days later, the same thing happened again. The officers had to leave the room and Joseph expected another beating. But the general sat down and said he wanted to talk to him. Joseph said, "I would like to offer my apologies first." The general looked at him in amazement. After all, he had hit Joseph and not the other way round. Joseph said he had done some thinking about the beating. "I realized that this week, we commemorate the Passion," he said, "I am sorry I cried out when you hit me, for there is nothing more wonderful for a Christian than to suffer like his Lord suffered. Actually, you gave me the most precious gift I have ever received. Thank you very much!" Joseph also told the general that he had started praying for him and his family.

The general was so impressed that he promptly apologized. Later he would play an important role in Joseph's release. He had seen what he had never seen before - someone who told him he prayed for him and his family. There is no fear in love. The Lord sets us free and gives us love in our hearts for our enemies. We ourselves are blessed by it - and others are as well. And God is given the glory.

[Judy Harder]

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.
(Philippians 1:29)

Joseph Ton

Suffering is not something strange. Actually, it is not even a tragedy, but a favor. "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

According to Peter, suffering is our calling. It is even a favor. Peter and John were flogged, which is a terrible punishment. But when they were sent away with bloody backs, they rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41).

Peter and John considered it a special honor to be flogged, as if they realized that they had received something which was not granted to everyone.

A Christian must be found worthy to suffer for the Lord. Such suffering is a calling, a favor and an honor.

[Judy Harder]

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)

Joseph Ton

Suffering is not without a purpose. Peter writes that we are living stones which are joined together to build up a spiritual temple.

Peter must have had King Solomon's temple in mind when he wrote this. Solomon had stone-cutters working for him who hacked out the stones one by one from the mountains and polished them. Then, all the stones were transported to the building site, where they only needed to be put together. The Bible says that there was no sound of a hammer or a chisel on the construction-site; the polishing had already been done in the quarry (1 Kings 6:7).

Peter writes that we are living stones used to build up a spiritual temple. One day, the last stone will complete the building and what a wonderful temple it will be! God will reside there. But it also implies that we are now in God's quarry, a place of cutting and polishing, and that hurts.

Moses regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ (the pain) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. He persevered because he saw him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:26,27).

That way God can use us - a living stone to build a spiritual house.

[Judy Harder]

The righteous suffer at the hands of the wicked. The wicked do not shrink back from anything. They do not fear God nor His commandments. The righteous clash with these wicked men. Their faith is tested. Will they join the wicked or will they continue to trust in the Lord and follow Him?

They have made their choice.

David

Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence,
who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.
They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips.
Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet.
Proud men have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path.
O Lord, I say to you, 'You are my God.' Hear, O Lord, my cry for mercy.
O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle...
(Psalm 140:1-7)