Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  (James 5:16b)

Brother Jacob

That short message on a piece of paper, hidden in a rice bowl was a tremendous assurance of God's faithfulness to me and to my family. At the same time I was well aware of the prayers of others for me.

What encouraged me greatly was the news which I received through local Christians who visited me in prison that brothers and sisters around the world were praying for me.

When someone was led away from the prison cell we would often hear the muffled gunshots somewhere in the prison complex. I often thought that it could be my turn tomorrow. "Father, please tell your children around the world to pray for me."  I believe He did. I believe they did. Oh, how I could rest in the knowledge and comfort of those prayers, regardless of what tomorrow would bring. May I encourage you today with these words:

Your prayers are heard-

Your prayers are answered-

Your prayers for us are experienced by us.

What a great spiritual bond - all over the world.

[Judy Harder]

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. (Psalm 40:1)

Jan Pit

One day I visited the cave prisons in Kampala, Uganda, a place of horror where the dictator Idi Amin punished and killed innocent prisoners.

One of the men about to be killed was Joshua, a pastor of a Full Gospel Church in Kampala. Joshua had always preached a message of love and forgiveness. Miracles had taken place in his church. God was at work.

Idi Amin's secret police reported the tremendous growth of the church to the dictator, who in turn ordered the arrest of Pastor Joshua. He was thrown into this cave prison, waiting to be executed. He cried to the Lord, "Lord, I am scared. Help me Lord. No, I am not afraid to die, but I am afraid of the torture that will take place before they kill me." (Many prisoners were not killed by a bullet, but by a sledgehammer.)  "Lord, let the first hit be fatal ... please".

A miracle took place in that dark cell. Joshua described it as follows, "All of a sudden a light shone into my dark cell. I heard a voice say, "You are not alone - I am with you - always."

All fear disappeared; I knelt down praising the Lord. I must have sung at the top of my voice, because suddenly the door to my cell opened and two policemen dragged me out. I thought the moment had come to be killed, but I kept on praising my Lord. When the officer saw me and heard me singing, he said to the two policemen, "This man is insane - it is no use killing him. Throw him out." A moment later I was a free man.

May I share with you what I learned?

1.   We are never alone - never - never.

2.  There is power in praising God.

3.   God is always in control.

What more can a man desire?

[Judy Harder]

Some Bible expositors think this psalm was sung when the Ark was brought back to Israel. Others see in this psalm a type of Christ.

In both views, the Lord is central. Real peace is not the absence of war, but the presence of the Prince of Peace - Christ the Lord.

David

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
(Psalm 24:1-8)

[Judy Harder]

There is no fear in love. (1 John 4:18) 

Grace Dube

A Marxist leader once stated that Christian love is an obstacle in the development of the communist revolution. "We need hatred, not love," he said.

These words were also used when a mob of people in Soweto "visited" my husband Benjamin. The Lord had called Benjamin to preach a message of forgiveness, love and hope in our troubled township. Many people came to listen, but others were angry. "You are black yourself" they cried, "why then do you talk about loving the white people?" Benjamin's answer was always the same, "We should not hate people, because Jesus loves us all - white or black." "If you do not stop preaching love we will kill you," was the reaction.

One night Benjamin woke up and called our family together in the middle of the night. He told us about the threats and said, "I believe they will kill me soon." We could not believe our ears.  I knew he did not say these things lightly, and that I could never persuade him to stop preaching about love and forgiveness.

That night he prayed with us all, a prayer meeting that I will never forget. "Remain faithful to Jesus" he said, "love those who will kill me - because Jesus loves them." It all sounded so strange and yet so true.

A few days later his car was stopped by fellow black people. He was dragged out of the car and beaten to death. His murderers took his Bible and drenched it in his own blood. "We want hatred," they shouted. But Benjamin was a messenger of love.

What about me? What about you?

[Judy Harder]

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)

Grace Dube

Benjamin was not alone when he was killed. One of my sons was with him, Benjamin Jr. He was only 12 years old and managed to escape. From behind a barrel he saw what they did to his father.  He came running home to Soweto to tell me what had happened. Even though my husband had predicted what would happen I could not believe it had happened.

My son Benjamin went to his room and wept and wept, all night. Then the Lord did something in the heart of my boy. He heard a wonderful voice, like his father had heard. His father had often told him, "Benjamin, you must take my place to sing for the Lord if anything happens to me." Early the next morning I heard singing coming from my son's bedroom. At first it was a broken voice, but then, it became clearer and clearer. I could hear my boy sing to the Lord. He sang a verse from the Scripture, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

I could hardly control myself. O Lord, make me like my children. Help me to forgive.

My son and I have sung this wonderful song together ever since, in many meetings, in many countries, to many people who are hurt - and who need to forgive also.

Father forgive us, because we too do not always know what we are doing.

[Judy Harder]

Seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:22)

Grace Dube

A couple of years after my husband died my son and I were singing in a meeting in Soweto. We gave our testimony about the hurt and about God's provision. There was a wonderful spirit in that meeting. We sang our love-song again. "Father forgive them..."

The audience was listening spellbound. Then I was asked to speak. I read from Matthew 18:21-22, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "...seventy-seven times."

I spoke for some time and then I invited people to accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Some people came forward and asked me to pray for them. One man however hesitated. He seemed to be scared. I encouraged him to tell me what was bothering him so much. He said, "I need your Jesus, I need forgiveness. I ... I was one of the mob who killed your husband." I was trembling, scared, confused. What should I do? Singing, Father forgive them, is one thing, but now ... Then the Lord must have touched me, deeply, very deeply. Because He gave me strength and courage to put my arms around the killer, and forgive him - as Jesus forgives us.

"You are now my brother," I whispered. He left a brand new person. And so was I.

[Judy Harder]

I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed. (Daniel 3:25)

Grace Dube

Living in Soweto means that people expect you to make choices, spiritual as well as political choices. We had made a spiritual choice which had political implications:

To preach Christ instead of systems;
To preach love instead of hatred.

This choice made us a friend of some and an enemy of many. The more so because my children formed a music group which became rather popular in South Africa. Yet we realized that it is better to be faithful than to be popular.

The radical black political groups wanted us to join forces with them. When we refused to take sides, we became a target. This is always the case in spiritual warfare. When we follow the crowd we are no danger to the devil, but when we step out of the crowd for our faith in Jesus Christ, we become a threat to the devil. That puts us in dangerous situations. It seems to be safer to stand in the background and watch other people fight than to be in the front line where the battle is being fought.

Yet I would rather stand in the front line. That's the place where you experience blessing, victory and peace. Yes, peace in the middle of the fight. I would rather stand with Daniel's friends in the middle of the fiery oven, than to be outside and get killed by the heat - it is a matter of choice.

When you make that choice you are not bound anymore but you will be (Daniel 3:24) "loose, walking around in the midst of the fire." The only heat you will experience is the warmth of His presence.

Hallelujah.

[Judy Harder]

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:

Grace Dube

That night, in June 1991, it was impossible to lie down and sleep in peace. Soweto was in chaos. Fighting, looting, killing, all through the night.

I was alone in my house. The children (all married by now) had visited me that evening, but had already returned to their own houses, elsewhere in Soweto.  All of a sudden some bandits came to my house. They banged on the door and shouted, "Come out, we want you to join us in the battle." I crept out of my bed and peeped through the window. I saw all the young men, with sticks in their hands. "Lord, be my shield," I prayed. I confess I trembled.

But the Lord was in control.

All of a sudden I heard the leader of the gang shout to his friends, "Hey, leave that house alone. There is an old woman living there all on her own, her children are married and live elsewhere."   When the gang hesitated about leaving, the leader shouted, "I don't want any of you to ever come near this house again." I could not believe what I heard. That man had always been against us, and now this...

"For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."  "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" (Psalm 34:7).

A short time later I went back to bed. Not nervous anymore, but, "...in peace I will lie down and sleep" (Psalm 4:.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

[Judy Harder]

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Grace Dube

It is not always easy to be a father and a mother at the same time. After the death of my husband I had to take that responsibility upon me. That is not easy, especially in turbulent times of political chaos and without financial security. I once heard somebody say, "We can win the world - yet lose our family." How true these words are. We can become so involved in preaching the Gospel to others, that we forget our first priority, our family. Of course, the Lord wants us to witness for Him, but it starts at home. We must let our light shine, that it may give light to all in the house.

What do our own children see of Christ in us?

I thank God that He showed me this priority. And although this is not an easy task - He does help. Some children do not get enough attention because the parents are too busy making money. They have their priorities wrong as well.

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

Do we see this priority? And act accordingly?

May God help you and me to serve Him faithfully - starting at home.

[Judy Harder]

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand. (Psalm 121:5)

Jan Pit

One who made a deep impression on me is Kosie, a young South African, suffering from Down 's syndrome. I wish you could have heard him pray; it was childlike, simple and full of faith. When he prayed I had the impression that he was so near to God that he could touch Him.

One day I asked him, "Kosie, how do you picture God?" He looked directly at me. Was my question too difficult for his simple mind? No, because his eyes began to twinkle. "As a shade, Uncle Jan, as a shade - look there he is..."

He pointed to his shadow and then he stood and jumped and ran all the time pointing to his shadow. "Look, Uncle Jan, He is always there!"

What a deep truth. "The Lord is your shade at your right hand."  Always visible when you walk in the light! Sometimes invisible when everything around is dark - either through sin or circumstances. But the shade is still there.

Matthew Henry, in his Bible commentary says, "The God of Israel is sometimes a God who hides Himself, but never a God who absents Himself; sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance."

In the light and in the dark, in storm and shine, "The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand."