36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
We are called to advance in our walk with the Lord, not held captive by fear, but emboldened by faith. God calls us to be people of courage, who reflect His strength and approach life's challenges with a sense of confidence, not in our own human resources, but appropriating what God has made available to us. In placing our trust in Him, we can know that He is with us and that He is working in our lives for His glory.
In Psalm 27, we read about the importance of standing strong in the face of opposition, and walking in courage produced by the presence of the indwelling Lord:
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Remember Joe Kennedy? He is the assistant high school football coach from Bremerton, Washington, who was just recently honored by the Family Policy Institute of Washington state for his courage. He had made a practice out of walking to the 50-yard-line following games to pray. The simple act inspired students, some of whom decided to join him. And, that was the rub with the school district.
According to WND.com, Kennedy was suspended from his coaching job at Bremerton High School last October and banned from the football field the last game of the season.
Then the school refused to renew Kennedy’s contract because of his personal prayers, prompting an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigation. First Liberty Institute is defending the coach and awaiting a determination letter from the EEOC before it can take the next legal step. He was also placed on administrative leave last December. So, the coach has lost his right to pray and his right to work at the school.
Well, the coach's courage was recognized - the Family Policy Institute gave him the Rosa Parks Courage Award. Mike Berry, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, said it’s “so appropriate that the namesake for this award is Rosa Parks, somebody who exhibited tremendous courage in the face of opposition." He continued, "Like Rosa Parks, Kennedy has shown great courage and determination despite fierce government opposition. He has continued to stand strong for his faith and constitutional freedom."
+++++
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Remember Joe Kennedy? He is the assistant high school football coach from Bremerton, Washington, who was just recently honored by the Family Policy Institute of Washington state for his courage. He had made a practice out of walking to the 50-yard-line following games to pray. The simple act inspired students, some of whom decided to join him. And, that was the rub with the school district.
According to WND.com, Kennedy was suspended from his coaching job at Bremerton High School last October and banned from the football field the last game of the season.
Then the school refused to renew Kennedy’s contract because of his personal prayers, prompting an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigation. First Liberty Institute is defending the coach and awaiting a determination letter from the EEOC before it can take the next legal step. He was also placed on administrative leave last December. So, the coach has lost his right to pray and his right to work at the school.
Well, the coach's courage was recognized - the Family Policy Institute gave him the Rosa Parks Courage Award. Mike Berry, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, said it’s “so appropriate that the namesake for this award is Rosa Parks, somebody who exhibited tremendous courage in the face of opposition." He continued, "Like Rosa Parks, Kennedy has shown great courage and determination despite fierce government opposition. He has continued to stand strong for his faith and constitutional freedom."
The recent story relates that another attorney with First Liberty, Jeremy Dys, had told WND that the underlying precedent that the school is trying to impose is that government is a god and nothing is higher.
He said that by the district’s standard, if a coach were praying in a private room and he were approached by a student, he would have to “run away screaming, ‘Get away! Get away!’
“That’s not freedom of religion.”
Further, he said, that standard would forbid other symbols of faith.
He said that by the district’s standard, if a coach were praying in a private room and he were approached by a student, he would have to “run away screaming, ‘Get away! Get away!’
“That’s not freedom of religion.”
Further, he said, that standard would forbid other symbols of faith.
Today, some thoughts on the topic of courage. Courage can be regarded as standing strong in the face of adversity or fear. It can also imply taking a bold step that you wouldn't take ordinarily. I think of courage as moving forward even when there is opposition. Dictionary.com defines it as "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
For the Christian, our courage can be associated with bravery, but not with brashness. On my radio show yesterday, Michael Anthony spoke of the concept of "kind courage" - courage tempered by humility. As we stand, we do so with a dependence upon God, intent on radiating the character of Christ, for we recognize that it's Him Whom we serve.
Finally, these are times that call for courage. We are not called to back down from the principles of our faith. Rather, we can be challenged to allow our faith to sustain us - that becomes our natural stance, and then we act in accordance with that determination that has been built in our hearts. God has given us power, love, and a sound mind to counteract the spirit of fear; He has given us powerful tools to walk in triumph over the enemy.
No comments:
Post a Comment