courage

Brave People

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6 Today I want to talk about an unusual revelation I had last week as I was working through the scriptures. For brave people, fear is actually a gift. You’ll hear many sermons about how fear corrupts, and it does, or how fear can paralyze us and yes, it can. But if you’re brave, and I think you are, there’s also a gift in it. When you’re courageous and receive a dream in your heart from God, that dream may cause you to feel overwhelmed and unsure of yourself. But take note that God’s plan for you may seem massive, but it’s good. At times, insecurity may keep even a brave person up at night. You may be afraid

November 3, 2022 2 Comments

Taking a Risk

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6 Our journey in life includes taking chances and risking the unknown. It’s doing things you didn’t think you could do before, and courageously taking risks, because even if you fall, you know the Lord will catch you. His arms are very strong. His will for you is good. His eyes are full of favor, life and love for you, right now. I saw an example of taking a risk when walking to church one day from my house. I noticed a little girl who was maybe four or five, on the monkey bars. Just behind her with hovering hands just a few inches from her waist, was a young dad. This parent knew if she was going to

July 25, 2022 1 Comment

Do Things That Require Courage

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 I remember as a teenager the necessity to walk in courage and boldness. I also recall how hard it was when I started attending a new high school because it felt like everyone already established their friend groups. To top it off, going up to someone and saying, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” doesn’t make you very popular. Regardless, I still practiced telling my peers about Jesus many times, even though socially it made me nervous. I recall not knowing anybody, yet being so excited to be invited to a party. However, this was one of those parties that included drugs, drinking, and people sleeping in rooms together, so I was super uncomfortable. As a Christian, I felt I had to pray

June 4, 2022 2 Comments

An Ambassador for Him

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that Jesus is a good Father. He prepares us by training and equipping us so that we are never unprepared for life’s fights and problems. In Matthew 10, for example, Jesus commissions his disciples to carry on the work of His Kingdom in the same way that He has modeled it to them. He gives them the power to banish demons and heal the ill, but He also warns them. He warns them that they will be like sheep among wolves when they venture out. I don’t know about you, but that wouldn’t make me feel very safe, and it certainly wouldn’t get me enthused about the travel. The caution, on the other hand, comes with a

November 28, 2021 No Comments

Safe and Strong

“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 It is our responsibility as leaders in whatever capacity to keep people safe while also assisting them in becoming stronger. This is particularly true when it comes to parenting and grandparenting. There is a built-in tension in today’s environment between protection and the suffering that leads to growth. It’s easy to keep our children from trying the things they need to in order to develop character strength in the name of protecting them. For example, perhaps your child wishes to participate in a sport or activity that involves some physical danger. As the person in charge of their physical safety as well as their general development, it’s critical that you assess the pros and cons

October 30, 2021 2 Comments

A Lesson in Walking By Faith

“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.” – Luke 17:11-14 We’ve talked before about the plight of those suffering from leprosy in the ancient world. Unfortunately, after someone was declared leprous, they were forced to leave their families and live on the outskirts of town with others who shared their diagnosis. So grim was their lot that many saw no way out other than to die or receive a miracle. And this is where the story in Luke 17 picks up. Jesus was traveling from the northern country of Galilee south

September 19, 2021 1 Comment

Don’t Retreat

“He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’” – 2 Chronicles 20:15 In studying ancient warfare, it’s interesting to note that rather than two armies going against each other full force and clambering, they would often get within ten feet of one another and just jab and throw things. In fact, sometimes this strange practice of poking and tormenting went on for hours. Interestingly, if you watch closely, you can see the same thing happen in protests today. Typically, police officers and demonstrators stand on either side of an invisible line, and as long as they remain planted and engage from a distance, nothing drastically changes. However, whether in old-school battles or modern-day marches, people get hurt when

July 29, 2021 No Comments

Lions in the Daniel Den

“So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’” – Daniel 6:16 Yesterday, we looked at the life of Daniel and how he made prayer both a matter of habit and priority. Although he was taken away from Jerusalem, transported to the pagan world of Babylon, and put at the disposal of the king, he refused to waver in his conviction, and he continually sought the presence of the Lord. While it could have cost him his life, his fierce devotion afforded him ongoing supernatural favor. In fact, through the years, he was filled with the Holy Spirit so powerfully that he could interpret dreams and visions and figure out mysteries that no one else could fathom. Despite refusing to bow to idols, he gained influence with heathen

June 2, 2021 No Comments

A Person of Prayer

“Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” – Daniel 6:10 There’s no doubt that my favorite Old Testament book is Daniel. There are many things about this passionate prophet’s life that inspire me, but perhaps none as much as the fact that although his circumstances were nothing like he thought they would be, he never wavered in his faith. He was a great, great, great, great grandson of King David, and before his exile to Babylon, he was set apart to do big things in Judaism. Considered an earl among Hebrews, he was extremely gifted — and the Babylonians knew it — so when they captured him, they took him to the palace to serve their king, Nebuchadnezzar. Suddenly thrust from a place of safety and familiarity into a pagan world, Daniel was presented

June 1, 2021 2 Comments

Touching the Untouchable

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.’” – Matthew 8:2,3 Yesterday, we talked about living as Christ-followers who have pierced hands that are willing to touch the untouchable, just like He did. For the next few days, I want to talk about four specific groups of people Jesus opened His heart to who were considered the least touchable, and what each one teaches us about being His disciples today. First of all (and I’ve taught on this a lot), He extended His hand to a man with leprosy. Now to understand just how ostracized members of this infirmed population were, it’s important to remember that every Jewish boy had the entire Torah, or

May 21, 2021 No Comments

Brave People

Taking a Risk

Do Things That Require Courage

An Ambassador for Him

A Lesson in Walking By Faith

Don’t Retreat

Lions in the Daniel Den

A Person of Prayer

Touching the Untouchable

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