Deuteronomy 31:6-8 1/25/2022*

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

We are halfway through the life plan of Faith, Love, Wisdom, Courage, Peace, and Joy.

Today’s word is “Courage”, which is challenging if you have not mastered the first three components. However, if you are walking in faith, love, and wisdom it will produce stability and understanding which eliminates fear in your life. 

God is never frightened or anxious, and He does not expect us to be either. Scripture says, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” That is our source of courage … not our own power, but the strength of Christ who lives in us. 

Any other type of bravery is a paper tiger. Like a Chihuahua barking at a Doberman – what some call courage, is simply fear hiding in bravado. 

True courage is quiet and calm. It does not ignore danger it simply sees it in context. While we may feel fear – it is dwarfed by the power of God and His promise to never leave us. Bravery is focusing on His power and promise – instead of our problem.

Not acknowledging danger is foolishness. But a man who realizes that fear is not from God – can disregard the dread and continue down the path God has set before him. 

There is no need to search the web for reassurance. We don’t require others to agree with us. The source of our courage comes from the faith we have in God who loves us and is in complete control. 

Everything I face today must pass through God’s hands before it gets to me.  If I believe that, no response other than courage makes sense.

Courage is not a feeling; it is a decision. You choose to trust God and share the gospel. Courage is not ordinary, and it will make you stand out like a beacon in a dark world of fear and anxiety. 

You have chosen to be called a Christian, but as William Wallace said: “men don’t follow titles, they follow courage”.  So, stand on scripture, and live courageously in the power of God - and men will follow you to Christ.

“You always need divine protection, and believer in Christ, you shall always have it.” – Charles Spurgeon

Proverbs 3:13 1/18/2022*

 “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”

Our six-word life plan is Faith, Love, Wisdom, Courage, Peace, and Joy. 

We have discussed Faith as the engine of your life, and Love as the fuel. Today let’s look at “wisdom”, which we’ll call your compass.

In sports, even with athletic ability, you need direction. It doesn’t matter how fast you run if you don’t know where you’re going.  Life is the same way – even with faith and love, you need wisdom if you want to know what direction to move. There are two things that facilitate wisdom… improving your stance - and improving your vision.  

The power of an athlete is affected by his footwork.  The power in your life depends on the same. A proper base makes you wise and stable, and the only foundation that provides this is scripture. Your daily strength and steadiness depend on your knowledge of the bible. 

The second component of wisdom is vision.  How often do coaches say, “keep your eye on the ball”?  That’s because focus is crucial in achieving goals. In life if you are preoccupied by material things you will drift off course and be out of position. If you allow the urgent to distract you from the important it is the equivalent of taking your eye off the ball.

Wisdom is the ability to stand on scripture and see the goals God has given you.  Michelangelo said: “The greatest danger is not that our aim is too high, and we miss, but that it is too low, and we reach it.”  Wisdom perfects your aim allowing you to say, “Thy will - not my will.”

So how do you get wisdom?  

Proverbs 2 says, it’s a gift from God. Proverbs 4 says, “Acquire wisdom; And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.” In other words, God will give it to you – but you must pursue it at all costs. 

So, try this…. Proverbs has 31 chapters. That’s one for each day of the month. Pursue wisdom by reading a chapter a day. That’s a five-minute investment, that will have you reading Proverbs twelve times by next year. This will improve your stance and train your eyes, developing a compass that points true north and allows you to know what God expects you to do.

“Wisdom is looking at life from God’s point of view.” –Chuck Swindoll

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 1/11/2022*

“If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

We have been discussing a life plan of pursuing Faith, Love, Wisdom, Courage, Peace, and Joy. 

We established that Faith is the mechanism that allows us to walk with God…But If faith is the engine, then love is the fuel, and the power of the engine is irrelevant without gasoline. 

Today’s passage states that it doesn’t matter how talented, rich, pretty, or popular you are…if you don’t love, it’s worthless. 

God is unimpressed by loveless acts- They are simply irritating noise. Even with positive traits such as eloquence, intelligence, and faithfulness …your efforts are meaningless without love. 

Scripture goes so far as to say if you don’t love- you don’t know God. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  That means, if you don’t love, your salvation could depend on you figuring out why. 

Love is our fuel, our proof, and our identity– it would be difficult to overstate its importance. 

How do you attain love? You fill yourself with its source. 

God is the only source of love in the universe, and He is standing at the door of your heart knocking. The only way to acquire the most powerful force in existence is to open that door and give Christ command of your heart. 

Love does not originate in you…You must decrease, and He must increase (John 3:30). God is love. So, to be more loving there must be less of you, and more of God.

If you give your heart to Christ …He will fill it with love, and it will show.  Love is a power you cannot fake, nor hide…If it is in you - it will splash out on those around you.  

You have been praying for faith, now give yourself over to love…and watch it transform everything you do, from meaningless noise into powerful actions.

“Love is the active, working principle in all true faith. It is its very soul, without which it is dead. Faith works by love.” - Jonathan Edwards

Galatians 3:26-27 1/4/2022*

 “So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Last week we discussed a life strategy with six words, the first of which was “Faith”. Today let’s talk about why faith is “step one” and is required to please God. (Heb. 11:6)

Galatians explains the process that turns us into children of God. Anything less than accepting Christ’s righteousness as my own, will fail to elevate me to the required holiness. 

The entire plan is a non-starter without faith. You either acquire it or you stop here. Faith is the doorway to the perfection required to commune with Holiness

Thinking that your “religious acts” can earn your entrance is like offering pocket change to the surgeon who saved your life. Not only is it inadequate - it is offensive.

Faith does not fix you; it replaces you.  Faith clothes you in Christ…Your sin replaced by His righteousness. Only then are you able to fellowship with The Father.   So, faith is mandatory for salvation.

But faith also transforms your life. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says… “we live by faith, not by sight.”  That is a game changer. 

We must function differently than non-believers. Our blinders have been removed and now we see with spiritual eyes not just earthly ones… We don’t ignore physical sight, but we don’t depend on it either. We operate according to what we know is true even when we can’t see it.

If you struggle with faith pray for it…Ephesians 2:9 says it is a gift.  

Scripture also acknowledges that at times we wrestle with it …Like the Father of the sick child in Mark chapter 9 who said “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  Jesus responded to that prayer - so admit your struggle and cry out to God…. Continue requesting and never relent. There is no “Plan B” so pursue it daily.

Faith is not a part of your life - it is your life source. It is your spiritual oxygen, and you will suffocate without it.

Faith is the vehicle God has chosen to save you, change you, and strengthen you. It is not a nice addition to your life…it is the required foundation.

“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.” - Charles Spurgeon