Posts Tagged ‘courage’
If I Perish, I Perish
I’m not afraid of dying. I fear pain, but not death. Indeed, the older I grow, the more I understand the apostle Paul’s statement that he’s torn between dying and being at home with the Lord, and staying here for the sake of those left behind. Go, gather all the Jews to be found in…
Read MoreThe Last Enemy is Death
Be Safe Out There! It is my habit to avoid traveling routes, activities, and areas that present a danger. I don’t like pain, and I am not eagerly seeking ways to accelerate my own death. Not long ago I spoke with executives from a local company that had flown one of their employees to Afghanistan…
Read MoreThe Principled Courage of the Righteous
“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” – William Henly1 The pull-quote above comes from the 1875 Victorian era poem Invictus by the English poet William Ernest Henley. It was written while he was hospitalized with a diseased right foot, having already lost his left leg when it was amputated below…
Read MoreCourage in the Face of Power
There is some disagreement regarding the origin of the phrase “speak truth to power.” It is not clear whether the phrase originated with civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in the 1940s as a battle cry against black oppression, or if the phrase originated with the 18th century Quaker movement as a phrase that description of…
Read MoreFinding the Courage of Our Convictions (Part 2)
Jesus walked with an abundance of resolve. In contrast to today’s politician, neck-deep in analysis, polling and strategizing, and even a fair segment of the Christian leaders of our day, Jesus was not one to stick his wet finger into the air with the goal of determining his direction. Jesus did not test-market his theology…
Read MoreFinding the Courage of Our Convictions
Courage Demonstrated In Acts chapter fourteen, the apostle Paul is embarked with Barnabas on the first of his three missionary journeys. Paul and Barnabas are in the region of Lycaonia, an area in Asia Minor to the north of the Taurus Mountains. There they are preaching in the cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. If…
Read MoreFour Truths to Bring Us Courage in Fiery Trials
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42, NIV The fiery trial was coming. Jesus knew it, and he was not okay with that, but rather submissive to it. It is okay to not want to go through the fiery trials, and it…
Read MoreYou Can Walk Confidently Through Life
If you have spent any time at all in these blog postings, you know that Alean and I have a cat, though we often refer to him as “It” or “The Pest.” “Did you feed it?” “I would get up and get you a glass of water, but I have ‘this’ on my lap.” His…
Read MoreDealing With Discouragement
Before crossing the Jordan River to take the land that God promised to his people, God spoke to Joshua in order to embolden him for the task that lie ahead. Moses had died, and Joshua was now the leader of the sons of Israel. God even goes so far as to say to Joshua: “Just…
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