courage

Stand For What’s Right

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Ephesians 1:1,2 If you’ve listened to me for any length of time, you know that I love history, especially because I believe it completes our understanding of the Scriptures. That said, many of us are familiar with the book of Ephesians — which Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus — but we may not know the story behind it. Ephesus, which was labeled the crown jewel of the Roman Empire, was home to the temple of Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and nature. Considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple was not only elaborate and beautiful, it was also a hub of commerce. It housed offerings

April 18, 2021 1 Comment

Stubborn For Truth

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” – James 4:17 I shared yesterday about catching a shark when I was eleven years old, and how it taught me that being stubborn for what I want is (usually) a good thing. Another growing up story that reminds me of my unyielding nature happened when I was in the car with a friend a few years later. Michael was his name, and we were busy talking when he got into the drive-thru line at In-N-Out Burger. Somewhat distracted, he moved ahead a bit too quickly and just tapped the bumper of the vehicle in front of us. Naturally, he felt really bad, so we got out to inspect for damage. When we noticed a bunch of scuffs and scratches on the back of the other guy’s car, Michael began giving

April 13, 2021 No Comments

Stubborn in Accomplishment

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13 Yesterday, we talked about how being stubborn in the right areas is a good thing, as long as our hearts remain soft toward people. To this end, one of my favorite childhood stories (which I’m sure I tell from the pulpit at least once a year) involves a fishing trip I went on when I was eleven years old. The day started like any other out on the water, but this time, my dad and my best friend were with me. A while after we set out, I felt a tug on my pole, and I didn’t think anything of it. However, as I began wrestling with whatever was on the other end of the line, I knew it must be huge. Back and forth the creature pulled me, and from one side of the boat

April 12, 2021 1 Comment

He Makes the Broken Brave

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6 Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Along these lines, when we think about courage, we tend to imagine that it means taking a big leap of faith or a giant step in the right direction, but when we’re working hard for something, progress happens gradually and sometimes imperceptibly. Though we may feel like we’re “spinning our wheels” and find ourselves tempted to give up before we get there, we’re usually closer to the finish line than we realize. In fact, when we persist in doing the hard things, there are great rewards for staying the course. Take Mandy Pursley, for example. Mandy was an interview guest on Hour

April 7, 2021 No Comments

Live Life Extraordinarily

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27 God is not looking for remarkable people, but simply for those who are willing to surrender so He can do extraordinary things through them. While it’s difficult to fathom that the Creator of the Universe wants to use us to accomplish great and powerful feats for His Kingdom, it’s a fact! The Lord delights in employing the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise, and no matter how unqualified or ill-equipped we feel, if He calls us to do it, He will see us through it. I think about Moses, who was full of excuses when God chose him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He swore that he wasn’t eloquent enough, but his Heavenly Father

March 24, 2021 1 Comment

Living From Finish to Start

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” – Matthew 25:21 As Christians, I believe one of the most important things we can do is to live with the end in mind. If we approach every decision, interaction, and relationship with the goal of hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” we will be more intentional in all that we undertake. When we wake up each morning with the goal of finishing well and leaving behind a heritage that reflects Jesus above all else, it motivates us to face the things that are hard. Though it requires courage (a word that comes from the Latin word for heart), taking time to work through issues with people affirms the image of God in them and reflects

November 30, 2020 No Comments

The Kingdom of No Labels or Limits

“David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” – 1 Samuel 17:14,15 One of the things we forget about David is that he was young and almost naively courageous. Since he was the last born and lowest on the family food chain, he was entrusted with caring for the flocks. Unfortunately, being a shepherd in his time was the lowliest of professions, and it was usually reserved for eleven or twelve-year-old boys or fifteen to sixteen-year-old girls. Therefore, for David, being a young 20-something man and tending sheep was far from a badge of honor. Though he was gifted in many ways, it seems he was nearly invisible to his father, and his natural skills and abilities went largely unnoticed by his family. Thankfully, he had a deep and soul-building relationship with God, and

November 24, 2020 No Comments

Giants Fall

“Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.” – 1 Samuel 17:2,3 We learned yesterday that David was a skilled musician, but he was also a skilled warrior. In fact, when the Jews were in a major battle with the Philistines, he was the only one who dared to go out and fight Goliath, who was a giant enemy intimidator. The Bible says that there were two hills with a great valley in between, and on each hill, opposing armies were staged. In an effort to frighten the Jews and get them to back down, every night, they would send Goliath, who was about nine feet tall, to stand at the edge of the hill and hurl insults at the people of

November 20, 2020 No Comments

“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

February 11, 2017 No Comments

Take 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 want to encourage you. Don’t be afraid. Take courage and do the next right thing. Don’t be afraid of your future; God is there. Don’t be afraid of global politics; God knows what’s coming. Don’t be afraid of the doctor; God will be with you no matter what. Don’t be afraid of tiger moms, or bridezillas, or your boss. Don’t be afraid of an AA meeting or of a professor. Don’t be afraid of that girl whose number you’ve been wanting for a long time. Don’t be afraid of surgery. Don’t be afraid of confession. Don’t be afraid of conflict. Don’t be afraid of a break up. And don’t be afraid of a break down. God has your back. You can trust that God has not given you a spirit

January 29, 2016 No Comments

courage

Stand For What’s Right

Stubborn For Truth

Stubborn in Accomplishment

He Makes the Broken Brave

Live Life Extraordinarily

Living From Finish to Start

The Kingdom of No Labels or Limits

Giants Fall

Courage

Take courage…

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