Have Courage

This morning I heard that Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. She was an author, singer, actor, and most notably an activist, especially in regard to civil rights. She had a rough life for sure and yet seemed to have a very positive outlook on life. While I cannot speak to every aspect of her life and the condition of her soul, I can say that much of her writing is motivational and challenging to the world. One of the quotes that strikes me today is about courage. She said, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” 

Courage is important in many aspects of life and is one of the greatest qualities in the life of the servant of God. Joshua was challenged by God with powerful words: “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6-9).

Joshua was challenged to be strong and courageous. It would take real character to stand up to the problems of sin that would come, the difficulty of war, the temptations to follow the ways of the world, and the pressures of life. But if he would be focused on God’s will, meditating on it day and night, being faithful to it not turning to the left or the right, and doing all that is written in it, God would bless him with great success.

As men and women who have the courage to stay faithful and true to God no matter what comes our way, we have the same assurance. God has promised that if we love God and live according to His plan, we have the assurance of ultimate success in gaining THE Promised Land of heaven when this life is over (Rom. 8).

We must have the courage to stand up to the pressures of the world. The temptations of greed and immorality plague our society. Too often people try to live with one foot in the world and one in the church and that just won’t work. We must put God first in all that we do and that takes real courage and strength of character.

In the religious world, too many have failed to stand for the truth and have fallen prey to the devil. We must have the courage to stand up for what is right no matter how difficult. We must put on the whole armor of God and fight. We must have the courage to stand against false ways. It doesn’t matter where the attack comes from, whether from the denominational work, the atheistic world or even from within in the form of false teachers, preachers, professors, elders, deacons, or some famous leader within the church. We must stand up and be strong and courageous…not on something of our opinion or preference, but on the Word of God.

As we leave De Leon and move back to the Permian Basin, and with my last bulletin article, the most important thing I could tell you is to love and obey God with courage and strength. Stand up for what is right. Do not compromise the truth. If you will put God’s will at the center of your life, meditating on it day and night, never turning from it to the right or the left and observing its commands at all time, you will be successful in life. You can be faithful and receive the eternal reward that God has promised His children (2 Tim. 4:6-8). You can do it but you must be courageous and stand strong with boldness in the Word of the Lord! — Denny Wilson

Take Aim

“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time” (Zig Ziglar).

“Many people have a good aim in life, but for some reason they never pull the trigger” (unknown).

“Goals are funny things. They don’t work unless you do” (unknown).

“Goals are like automobiles, they won’t run by themselves except downhill” (unknown).

“It concerns us to know the purpose we seek in life, for then, like archers aiming at a definite mark, we shall be more likely to attain what we want” (Aristotle).

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s heaven for?” (Robert Browning).

Philippians 3:12-14 – “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Hebrews 12:1,2 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The hunter takes careful aim at his target before pulling the trigger. The captain of a ship charts his journey before leaving his homeport. The golfer will line up his putt before stepping over the ball. The basketball player takes careful aim on the rim before raising the ball to shoot. Likewise, the Christian must take careful aim on heaven if he ever hopes of reaching the eternal resting place.

It has been said that heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people (John 14:1-3). The question is this: what are we doing to prepare? Are we aiming at following    Jesus Christ? Are we aiming at following God’s word? Are we aiming at spending eternity in Heaven? Are we aiming at living a life of Christian service? Are we aiming at loving our fellow man enough to take the Gospel to him?

Where are we directing our aim? For many of us, life consists of hard work, activities with our families, school events, financial concerns, home improvement, and various social events. Do we take the time each day to make sure that the actions we take are ones which are focused on and aimed at Christian living? If someone were to ask about your financial plans for the future, would you have an answer? What about educational plans? Or career plans? Most of us would answer in the affirmative. But what if you were asked what steps you were taking to make sure you were growing in Christian service and were improving your life every day, conforming to and being transformed by the word (Romans 12:1,2). What if you were asked if you had plans and were following through on your plans to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)? Would you be able to answer with a resounding “YES”? 

Let us take aim at the study of God’s word daily, adapting our lives to His will. Let us take aim at putting the lessons learned into practice in our lives. Let us take aim at teaching the truth of God’s word with our mouths and by the example we set. Let us take aim on becoming what God would have us to be.