Daily Devotional For Saturday, February 8, 2025
It is super Saturday and the weekend is here. So, enjoy some time with the Lord this weekend. In 1996, Hollywood released a movie titled, Courage Under Fire. It was a blockbuster hit with a cast such as Denzel Washintong, Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Lou Diamond Phillips and others. The movie takes place in the Gulf War and is about an investigation into “friendly fire” and if a woman commander, Meg Ryan (Cpt. Karen Walden) should receive the Medal of Honor after the Medac Huey Black Hawk helicopter was shot down and she died. Due to conflicting testimonies of the events leading up to the “friendly fire” and how Walden died, an investigation is initiated.
Courage is something that we admire but seems to be lacking today among so many Christians. Today, so many Christians do not want to “rock the boat” or appear out of sync with our culture. As a result many Christians accommodate to our culture to be liked, accepted and even promoted at work. Jesus said this in Matthew 10:32-39:
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. (33) But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. (34) “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (35) For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; (36) and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. (37) “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (38) And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (39) He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it” (NASB).
It takes courage to stand for Christ when your family and friends do not agree with you. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is taking a stand in spite of your fear. Courage is not allowing fear to paralyze you with inaction or action that opposes what is wrong or not godly. Some alleged Christians say they do not want to make non-believers uncomfortable. They do not understand. The Gospel is offensive and will make people uncomfortable.
When I was a child and a teen, making me feel uncomfortable never stopped my mother from correcting me. She did not care about my comfort. She cared about my character. Courage for Christ reveals character and character reveals priorities. Let me share with you a true story that took place at the US Prayer Breakfast In Washington DC:
“In 1994 Mother Teresa was invited to speak before the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. Every year U.S. political and religious leaders come together for the annual interfaith event. That year, President Bill Clinton, first lady Hillary Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore sat at the head table. The event is intentionally non-partisan, with speakers avoiding controversy. At this particular breakfast, however, the message was anything but meek, and the speaker's talk was followed by a prolonged standing ovation from all except the president and his entourage.
She was eighty-three years old and frail, and at 5'2” could barely be seen over the podium. With the pro-abortion President and Vice-President sitting nearby, she spoke passionately about the love of Jesus and the sanctity of human life. Press accounts noted the chief executives and their wives appeared uncomfortable, but she held nothing back. “I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion. … If we accept that the mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?” She went on to say that when a mother kills her own baby in the womb, she has not learned to love, but to hate. She has not learned to be merciful, but to murder. Mother Teresa of Calcutta spoke of how precious life is and what we can learn from the poor. She unequivocally told those present that it is crucial for all people, and especially Americans, to stand up for life” (Source: Mother Teresa).
I understand there is some risk involved when we choose to take a stand. It takes courage to acknowledge Jesus and express a biblical worldview, especially when you know people who disagree are present. But we want Jesus to acknowledge us before His Father, so it is our privilege to acknowledge Him before the world. Mother Teresa knew who was next to her on that podium – both the President and VP of the United States with their wives. She did not back down. She was not there to seek their opinion or approval.
And when everyone stood and applauded her except the President and VP and their wives, everyone around the world saw this, and shamed them for being so rude to such an 83-year-old nun. Even some liberals asked, “They invited her. What did they think she was NOT going to say?” She didn’t care that the two most powerful men in the world were on either side of her. She knew she answered to God, not to anyone else. We can be courageous also. How?
All we have to do is put on the full armor of God as said in Ephesians 6:10:17:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. (11) Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (12) For our struggle is not against [e]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (13) Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (14) Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NASB).
How do you put on the armor of God? We do it through prayer. The Billy Graham Association has prepared steps on how to do this through prayer. Here is the link: Putting On The Armor of God). I would suggest you follow this guide to do this. There are many others who show how to do this on the internet if you prefer them instead. Jesus made it clear we would come under fire and thus need courage to get through it. To live for Christ, we must have courage under fire. In the verse below to meditate on, if begins with the word “if.” It is the Greek New Testament word [εἰ, ei]. It can be translated as “if,” but it also can be translated as “since.” This certainly affirms we will be hated for our faith. “Since the world hates you . . .” Meaning – they are supposed to hate us, not make us happy.
Questions To Consider
- When have you found yourself in a situation where you had to make a choice to stand for the Lord with courage or be stampeded by our culture with fear? Which did you do and why?
- Has there ever been a time you compromised – instead of courage, you had compromise? Why and looking back on this, how do you feel about it now?
- Being a committed follower of Christ brings controversy. Instead of caving into peer pressure, we choose to be caressing peer pressure and using it to the advantage for our witness and testimony. Jesus made it clear if we deny Him, He will deny us on Judgment Day. Should we fear this more than the judgment of our friends and family? So, why do you think so many Christians do not?
Scripture To Meditate On: John 15:18, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (NASB),
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, I rejoice in the revelation of Your Word. Holy Spirit, grant me understanding, and lead me into the truth needed for my assignment. Multiply my boldness so I might courageously proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord and King. May Jesus’ name be exalted, and His Kingdom extended through my life. Lord, help me put on the spiritual armor of faith every day for you and my witness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly