We are Called for Courage!
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By Dr. Richard J. Krejcir
Courage realizes that God has given us the strength and ability to now Him!
Courage helps us to face any situation, trial, or peril. It is the ability to react, knowing that God is in control, that He who is in me is greater than he who is against me. if not we will have Fear and Cowardice, the opposite of know His will for our lives. Running from our call because we get some resistance, whether it is sharing the faith or exercising our gifts, dishonors our Lord Jesus Christ!
Abraham in Genesis 22 faced a crisis, which was interpreting God's will as having to kill his son. Abraham had to learn he had to do anything, no matter what the cost, to be totally dependent and obedient to God, no matter how much it went against his convictions and belief system. Fortunately for us, God may not ask these extreme measures from us because we can read it in His book. We need to remain trusting, devoted, and obedient, with courage to receive His blessings. We must be willing to surrender our convictions and even our experience of life. This is the purifying fire of our faith to refine us to His purpose and glory.
Philippians 2:13 "For it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose".
Sometimes the call will not make sense to our way of thinking, as in Luke 5:1-11. The disciples were unsure of casting their nets at a time when all of their earthly fishing experience tells them it would not work. Reluctantly the disciples followed the word of our LORD and cast their nets in the deep water, and verse 6 tells us how foolish our wise ways are and how wonderful the ways of the Lord are! And, their nets were beyond full! Peter realizes the holiness of Christ.
The question is, do we realize His holiness? Do we realize His purpose and what He can do for us? It is not about fisherman's luck, it is about Christ! Then they heard the call to now fish for men, after their obedience was assured.
The will of God is for the ordinary, the sinful, the neurotic, and all of our frailties. For we all have fallen short…but do we hear the call and do we respond in kind? The disciples "then they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him." We must be assured that when we follow Christ, He will give us the purpose and courage to go beyond our known limits to His greatness! Jesus Christ is the master fisherman.
THOUGHTS ON COURAGE
· Obeying God can be a difficult task, but it will be an ultimate joy. See Galatians 4:19.
· The key question is not what I should do; it is how should I obey.
· Having peace is courage found in John 14:1. Let this become real in you!
· Taking the time to abide in Christ is the courage to go against the sin nature within us.
There are times when we will not understand what is going on in our lives or what the Lord is about to do.
Sometimes we have to wait. It is not God being unresponsive to us, it is just that we are called to relax and wait. Waiting means teaching. God teaching us His ways. If you have a lot of doubt, perhaps you should wait.
Courage for the Christian is the motivation to say and do the right thing, regardless of the consequences. We are fueled with courage because God promises to help us and save us because of what Christ has done for us! It is allowing Him to work in us with strength, power, and conviction. Because of our saving faith, we should have the response of gratitude, willing to tell others about what He has done for us and what He can do for them. Fear and trepidations will not go away, but when we lean on Him, He will give us the courage for evangelism and teaching.
Courage is crucial for know God's will, sharing the faith, and teaching the truth of Christ. Jesus told us this would not be easy, that we will meet resistance. However, He will give us the faith and courage to prevail (Matt. 24:9; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Tim. 4:3-4)! All of these characters work together, so being courageous will be within the parameters of love, kindness, and self-control… Being courageous means not doing things stupidly or taking unnecessary chances!
Ó 1994, 2001 R.J. Krejcir www.intothyword.com
Richard Joseph Krejcir, is the Director of 'Into Thy Word Ministries, 'a discipleing ministry. He is also a pastor, teacher, speaker is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena California and has amounted nearly 20 years of pastoral ministry experience mostly in youth ministry, including serving as a church growth consultant.
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