Courage

“Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got?”

Courage.

The word courage means the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear; bravery. Another definition for courage: having the courage of one’s convictions to act in accordance with ones beliefs, especially in spite of criticism.

The message that God gave to Joshua was “Be of good courage.” In Joshua 1:9 we can read “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.” Some of the cares in our lives may have become familiar to us, and our bearing them became somewhat natural. That is not to say the cares have become lighter, but we have become stronger. Certain trials can break some people and strengthen other people. Sometimes it takes adversity for us to realize our blessings.

How wonderful it is when someone stands up for his or her convictions. This could be at school, an activity, a family gathering or a group of friends getting together. Granted, being courageous is not easy. It takes gumption. But stop and think of the difference it can make. Total atmospheres at gatherings have changed because of someone acting courageously.

Times when we have been or seen others being courageous often stand out in our memory. Some people may be upset and begin to whisper. But, who are we trying to really impress? Knowing that we have stood up courageously, should make all the difference in the world. The more we stand up, the firmer our convictions will be. The happier we will eventually be.

Too many Christians are unsuccessful in living a steadfast life for God. The word steadfast means immovable, constant, or enduring. They are afraid of being belittled, of humiliation, being a laughingstock, and maltreatment. They are hiding the fact they are Christians, wanting to be secretive servants for Christ.

Well the last time I checked God does not need a secret service like the President. Sometimes in life we do not realize just how courageous we can be. The Lion never thought that he would have any courage. I know I have touched on The Lion before when I spoke on overcoming our shortcomings. But I think if you look at L. Frank Baum’s character in another light you can also learn what the true meaning of courage is.

When we are courageous we may suffer.  Fear can be one of man’s worst enemies. Courage allows men to have the power to stand against all forms of persecution.  This past weekend I had the privilege of joining my youth group to see a film about Christian persecution around the world. We are so lucky as Americans that we do not have to go through the horrible things that are happening across the globe to Christians. But i feel that our freedom has caused us to become lazy in our faith. I am not saying that everyone has to serve overseas in order to be courageous for God, what I am saying is that since we have religious freedom then we need to have the courage to show everyone around us that we are Christians. Jeff Bethke once said “There is a problem if people only know you are a Christian by your facebook.” This is so true in our society today.

So I challenge all Christians, myself included. Don’t be afraid to show the world who you are. Don’t be afraid to stand up for our God. Share his love. Share his word. Matthew 28:16-20 tells us this “¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That is my challenge. Just do it. No excuses. No tomorrows. But in the same stance don’t fret over yesterday. Focus on fulfilling it today! All of us have the ability to be courageous in our beliefs. Like The Lion in L Frank Baum’s book, we just have to reach deep down inside of us.

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Dear Lord,

                   Wow. There is so much going on right now. I pray for your wisdom and guidance. Once again I pray for my Lion. I pray for patience with loving him unconditionally. I pray for my two Tinmen (women). I can feel them longing for you. Please, I pray for the to soften their hearts so that they may seek you. I pray for Josh. It is so evident that he loves the students. I pray that he feels our love in return. He is so amazing at what he does. I love him dearly. I pray for my best friend, let him be able to make the best decisions in his life and that his family supports him for it. I pray for Nova, and for her to continue to cultivate her relationships with the girls of our group. I pray for Nick and the struggles he is facing. I pray that you wrap your arms around him so he is guided my your mercy and grace to stay on the straight and narrow road. I pray for our shack. I pray that it becomes a place of “Love and Safety.” I pray for Lindsey as she steps into our group. I pray for her strengths and talents to fit in any holes that we may have. I pray for LaDawn. I pray for you to give her peace of mind as she is without her husband, and in turn I pray for Kevin that he comes home safely. I pray for Goofy (Dave), that he is able to continue to grow with our group. He is such a wonderful asset to our team. I pray that any darkness or demons that are trying to overthrow us, I pray that they are banished. I ask you to wrap your arms around each and every one of our students. I pray that you be with them through their days. Lord I pray that in the next 30 days leading up to Acquire The Fire, that you use our testimonies to help our students know of your great power and mercy.

 Amen

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 7 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 5 Seizure Free