Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. (Hebrews 13:13)

Remarkable Remarks-Victorious Under Pressure

Chinese Evangelist writing from prison:  "I am not afraid of being looked down upon by people, because, when I look up I see the smiling face of God.

George MacDonald: "No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burdens are added to the burden of the day, that the weight is more than a man can bear."

John Trapp:  "God has one Son without sin, but none without sorrows."

Anonymous: "Persecution for Christ's sake is not a mark of defeat, but of victory."

Wong Ming Dao: "Stand firm in your faith, live the Christian life you confess; God can use you wherever you are."

William Orchard: "It may take a crucified Church to reach the world with the message of a crucified Christ."

[Judy Harder]

...and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.
(Nehemiah 1:2)

Nehemiah

Though Nehemiah lived in exile, his conditions were pleasant. He enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, had a good job and as the King's cup-bearer he held a high place of honor in the palace.

He had every reason to be content - but he was not. Not because of his own circumstances, but because of the circumstances of his fellow Jews in Jerusalem. His heart and mind were with them. When he met someone who had just come from Jerusalem he eagerly enquired how the people were doing.

Many Christians today dare not ask questions about the situation of the Body of Christ under persecution. Because, if they would ask, they would have to do something about it. Knowledge leads to responsibility, to love and to action.  As for Nehemiah, it was not enough for him to live a life of comfort, while his brethren lived a life of discomfort.

May we be people who are grateful for what we may possess, and who are willing to do something for those who lack freedom of worship.

Nehemiah sets the example: pray and work. If you follow his example, God's people will be encouraged. And so will you.

[Judy Harder]

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.  (Nehemiah 1:4)

Nehemiah

When Nehemiah learned that God's people were in great trouble, something happened within him.

He could have said, "It's too bad, but what can I do about it?" He did not react that way. When he heard the bad news he sat down and wept.  Night and day Nehemiah sat and wept, mourned and fasted, thus to share the sorrows of his countrymen.

"By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion ... If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill" (Psalm 137:1-5).

Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:26 "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..."   Nehemiah suffered with that other part.

The suffering of other people will be lifted in the same measure in which we share in their suffering. If we are willing to lift part of their burden, they do not need to bear that part any more. In doing so we not only become part of their problem, but also part of the solution.

[Judy Harder]

I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the commands ... you gave your servant Moses.

(Nehemiah 1:7)

Nehemiah

Nehemiah had a burden. The burden of his people became his own burden. What could he do about it?

Had his response to the bad news been only grief, it would have been nothing more than an expression of sentiment.  Nehemiah's response was different. It started with grief; it led to prayer and was followed by action. A few things stand out in his prayer.

In the first place he mentioned the reasons for Israel's troubles.  In the second place he acknowledged that he himself was not any better than his fellow countrymen. Instead of only accusing others, he confessed that he too had sinned. His confession was both corporate and personal.  In the third place he reflected upon the promises of God. He reminded God of His promises. His whole prayer was rooted in these promises: God, You have said...

When we point our finger at others, we must remember that three fingers will point back to ourselves. We are not any better. We too, do not deserve the grace of God. We too have sinned. In confessing their sins and ours, we may count on God's promises.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

There is hope, for our nation, for ourselves, and for those who suffer in captivity.

[Judy Harder]

The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king," If it pleases the king ... let him send me to the city in Judea ... so that I can rebuild it."

(Nehemiah 2:5)

Nehemiah

"Ora and labora" - pray and work.  That's what Nehemiah did. Whoever prays for people in need, also does something for them. Prayer always leads to action. Where there is no action there is probably no prayer. Where there is prayer, people automatically become activated.

Those who are unable to go on account of bodily disability or age can pray that God will call others to offer real help. Their prayer sets God and men in movement. Those who have no restrictions, should also have no objections to doing something themselves.

Nehemiah could have invented all sorts of objections. He had a distinguished and trustworthy position in the palace and would be missed. He was also no expert building engineer. He was a waiter, not a carpenter, and carpenters, not waiters, were needed.  But Nehemiah did not hide behind his lack of expertise. "He has made us competent" (2 Corinthians 3:6).

Therefore he can say, "Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem again. The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it" (Nehemiah 2:17, 20). God sought such builders.

Pray and build. He will prosper you.

[Judy Harder]

Nehemiah said: Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  (Nehemiah 8:10)

Nehemiah

When the wall was rebuilt it was celebrated with a feast. All the people gathered together to listen to the word of God. After years of suffering and shame the word of the Lord was being read again.

The people wept when they heard the word of God. Tears of happiness, but also tears of sorrow. Sorrow over sins they had committed. It is good to grieve over a sinful past, but there should also be happiness because of the forgiving love of God.

"Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve" (Nehemiah 8:11).

After that Nehemiah called the people to think about others also, those for whom there was nothing to celebrate.  "Send something to everyone for whom nothing is prepared, a portion."

Real happiness and thankfulness is characterized by sharing. The people understood the command. They counted their blessings and shared them with those who had received nothing.

There is still a blessing in giving. "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25).

[Judy Harder]

The Lord has blessed David in many ways. Unfortunately, success makes David presumptuous.

He takes the Lord's blessing for granted. He is so concentrated on the gift that he forgets about the giver. Prosperity and blessing come from God. Whosoever forgets that trusts in his own strength and performance.  David realizes that, and acknowledges his dependence upon God.

David

I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.
Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
(Psalm 30:1-5,11,12)

[Judy Harder]

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  (John 8:36)

Lung Singh

He came from the eastern part of Laos, near the border of North Vietnam. A witch doctor and addicted to opium. When he was still a baby he had already received his first opium...liquid opium, which his father would give him when he cried, to calm him down and put him to sleep.  A small dose, just a drop or two onto a handkerchief on which Lung Singh could suck until he fell asleep. The doses had to be increased over the years to come to satisfy his needs.

Now he came to our village - in western Laos - as a refugee from the Communist part of Laos.  A poor man, without any belongings, without a home, without a future.  A total wreck - at the age of forty-five.  Addicted to opium in a measure that I had never seen before. More than forty-four years of drug-taking had asked a price, a high price.

It was in this situation that he found Christ. He had never heard the Gospel before, but when he heard about Jesus, for the first time in his life he made a decision: to follow that Jesus. I never forget his first prayer. He did not know how to pray, or even to whom he should pray. It was just a simple prayer - but coming from the heart of a desperate man, "Devil I have followed you for forty-five years. I have been your slave."  Then Lung Singh turned around, looked to the heavens and said, "God, I want to follow you. Please accept me. I want to be your slave, forever more."

God did not make him His slave ... He made him His child, and delivered him from opium and evil spirits.

If the Son sets you free - you will be free indeed. Nothing is too hard for Him.

[Judy Harder]

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. In tithes and offerings. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this ... and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  (Malachi 3:8-10)

Lung Singh

Lung Singh was sitting in his little bamboo house, reading the Bible, while his wife Bunmah was preparing a meal. It was not much of a meal because they had hardly any food left. Being poor refugees she tried to divide the little rice that was left over into seven portions, so that they would have at least some food for the rest of the week.

All of a sudden Lung Singh called his wife, "Bunmah, we have stolen from God" and read to her from Malachi 3.  "What do you think God means that he wants ten per cent of what we have? Everything we have comes from Him anyway, so why does He want it back?"

"Of course not" his wife said, "We don't even have enough rice for ourselves to eat. If we give God some of it we will starve ourselves."

"Maybe we have so little because we give so little" Singh replied.

When he came to my house telling me this story, I looked at him. A poor man, should I tell him that we don't live under the law of the Old Testament anymore but under the grace of the New Covenant? I am glad I did not tell him that. Singh would have replied that the grace of God is worth more than ten per cent!

That evening Lung Singh sold ten per cent of his rice, two chickens and one duck (out of twenty chickens and nine ducks - his total belongings) and put the money in the offering the next Sunday. Not because he had to but because he wanted to.  No wonder he was such a happy, spiritual man.

[Judy Harder]

I am the light of the world. (John 8:12)

You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)

Lung Singh

Every Sunday afternoon was set aside for evangelism. The whole congregation was encouraged to take part. In the morning we would have our Sunday worship meeting, in the afternoon the Sunday service meeting: evangelism in unreached villages of Laos. Some villages were free - others were controlled by the Communist soldiers in the area.

When we entered a village where the Gospel had never been preached before, some people recognized Lung Singh.  "Is that not the man who was more addicted to opium than anybody else?" they would ask.

I called Lung Singh and asked him to speak to the crowd. By now the whole village had gathered around us. Lung was not a great speaker - but he was a great example! He stood up and simply said this, "Look at me. Look at me. Don't I look great?"

I felt uneasy about his remarks. I almost told him to change his testimony, "Don't say, "Look at me," you should say, "Look at Jesus." "Before I could say anything, Singh had already sat down ... and the crowd was astonished, they wanted to know what had happened to Singh.  Many hours later we left ... leaving a new group of Christians behind. They had seen the power of God.  "You are the light of the world."  They saw that light - and gave glory to the heavenly Father.

Does the world see the change of conversion in us? "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."