Again…only of interest to those who would like to join us in prayer:

 

This Month, let’s pray for: courage

 

 

Recently, the kids and I were listening to the radio and we heard the following interesting comment:

 

“If you were condemned for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to condemn you?”

 

This thought struck me and stuck with me, and I have found myself wondering: arewe living a life where our faith is on a hill or under a bushel? 

 

So many wrongs in history have been committed because good men and women did nothing. Today, one hears constantly of cases where some good person or ideal gets stomped on and crushed, and no one objects because it’s being done in the name of that fashionable type of intolerance called “politically correctness.”  Many people who practice political correctness are well meaning, but following behind them are groups of people who are not well-meaning, but who are using the language and the support of the first group to try to actually destroy God-centered values and rival religions.

 

So, the question becomes: do we have the courage to speak out?

 

Do we have the courage to stand up for what we believe, even when it is not in fashion? Do we stick our candle of faith…of belief in God, in decency, in tolerance—real tolerance, not merely celebrating non-Western traditions…under a bushel, where we won’t get criticized for it? Or do we display it proudly from the top of the highest hill?

In particular, are we willing to stand up for decency? Decency is really out of fashion at the moment. We’ll get laughed at if we defend it—called prudish, a goody two-shoes, out of step with the times—will this stop us? Or will we stand up for God’s law? For a life of dignity and worth?

 

The Bible is full of stories about men who were brave in the face of adversity…who stood up for their right to worship as they chose. Daniel does not even move away from the window as he prays, even though he is in danger of being thrown into a den of lions?

 

How many of us could show that kind of courage?

 

This month, let us pray that more of us, world wide, will have the courage and gumption to stand up for what we believe…what we know to be right.

 

Bible Quotes:

 

 

 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Deuteronomy 31:7)

 

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

 

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

 

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh  and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6-18)

 

 

David and Goliath:

And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

 

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

…

And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

 

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

 

David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. (And he does. ;-)  (from 1 Samuel 17)