Category: Courage

No Fear

5/3/2022

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1:2-7 NASB95
To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, [4] longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. [5] For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. [6] For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. [7] For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

It all started with the fall of man. Adam and Eve were afraid...and we've been running scared ever since. Afraid of outside forces--afraid of things that cause physical damage--afraid of what others might think of us--afraid of what others might say--afraid of the future--afraid of reaping from the past--afraid of failure... This is the general state of the fallen. We treat our fear with pleasures, with vices, with distractions, with self-help books; looking to overcome something that is deep-seeded in the collective psyche of the human race. There is no natural cure, but there is a supernatural cure.

The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy of the cure. It is the "gift of God which is in you." Jesus also spoke of the cure, He said, "You will know Him, for He will dwell with you and will live in you." (John 14:17) Both Jesus and Paul were referring to the Holy Spirit. Make no mistake about it, the Holy Spirit is the cure for fear. Here is the premise: The power that created the universe is living inside of you as a Believer. There is no other force equal to this power. It is why the Bible declares: "Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world."

When you understand who is living in you, you can say with King David, "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not fear!" The Lord has replaced our natural fear with His Spirit, and His Spirit establishes within us a sound mind and fills our lives with the power to overcome. This does not mean that we are now naïve concerning the "real" dangers that exist in the world. We recognize the danger, but are not filled with worry or fear, realizing that whatever we experience, both the good and the bad, God is with us!

Questions to Consider:

Do you have any phobias? (A phobia is an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain situation, or activity) But what if the fear is based on something that is not irrational?
How should you deal with situations or activities that are dangerous? (Courage is a Christian virtue. Courage is able to function even when facing danger)

Author's Note: Even as a young child I had a sense of well-being. A belief that "all things would work out for my good." That God was with me. It's not as if life isn't happening, with its challenges and affronts. In spite of "everything" I feel wrapped and surrounded by God's love. Trusting in God is as secure as it gets on planet earth! RJD

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Contrast

8/9/2021

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Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Questions to Consider:

At a fundamental level, do you personally trust in God? (What does that look like for you?)
In your lifetime, how has God revealed His goodness to you? (Do you count your blessings?)
Jesus told His followers to be of good cheer in the face of tribulation. How can we be of good cheer (and courageous) in a time of difficult challenges?

Devotional Thought: In the world of visual arts, particularly with photography and video, contrast makes all the difference in how a picture looks and is perceived. Turn the contrast down and the picture fades and loses color. Turn the contrast up and the colors of the picture get separation and pop out. It could be argued that the most visual difference between amateur and professional photographers is the understanding of how to use contrast. (Of course, there is more to it than that—but, contrast is a great place to start)
Throughout scripture, we have a vivid picture of contrast. The measurable difference between the life of a Believer and the sojourner who has no faith. The Believer and non-believer are both living life, breathing the same air, facing the same daily challenges, living with virtually the same opportunities. With all that the Believer and non-believer have in common (which is much), the contrast between their lives is marked with profound and measurable differences.
According to a prophet by the name of Jeremiah, the contrast between Believers and non-believers comes down to this: The Believer puts their trust in God. Period. What does that mean? If you have put your trust in the Lord; whatever comes your way you will have stories to tell your children and grandchildren. Stories of God’s goodness, provision, blessing and faithfulness. Don’t lose heart, life may turn up the heat, but remember, you are like a tree planted by the waters…

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Peter's Denial

3/31/2021

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John 18:12-27 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

So, which was worse, Judas' betrayal or Peter's denial? It is difficult to say. No doubt Judas' betrayal was the worst of the actions in question, but it was an act from a disciple who had hubris in his heart and was not seemingly close to Jesus. On the other hand, Peter was one of the three disciples closest to the heart of Jesus. He was Jesus' friend, advocate and defender. In Jesus' greatest hour of need, Peter swore that he did not even know who Jesus was. This was certainly not a proud moment in the life of Peter. It caused him to weep bitterly.

Was Peter afraid for his own life? Was Peter ashamed of his friendship with Jesus? Perhaps... I wonder if any of Jesus' teachings were playing havoc with Peter's emotions that night. (Matthew 10:32-33) "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." (Mark 8:38) "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

We know that Peter repented and was restored by Jesus after the resurrection, but what about us? What about me? There have been times in my life where I was ashamed to make my faith in Christ known. There have been times when I buried my light under a bushel. There have been times when I did not speak what I believe for fear of repercussions. In truth, I have been timid about my faith when nothing was a stake, unlike the situation that caused Peter's denial.

I need to repent and fortify my heart with courage. I need to pray for the Holy Spirit to give be boldness to speak out. I need to align my will with the sentiments of the Apostle Paul: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation!"

Questions to Consider:

For a moment, put yourself in Peter's shoes, do you think that you would have denied knowing Jesus or would you have risked it all?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were afraid or maybe even ashamed to express your faith in Christ?
One of the common prayers of the early church was the prayer for boldness. How important is courage to the proclamation of the gospel? (How would you define courage?)

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No Fear

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