Category: courage

To Rome

Acts 27-28

Does Luke go with Paul on this epic trip to Rome?

Why would that be important?

Acts 27:1-2(NLT)  When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. 2 Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.

Notice the “we” in the first sentence.  Luke is the writer of Acts and appears to accompany Paul on his journey to Rome by ship.  Many difficulties of sailing at that time are shown in this record.  They go with the wind in directions that are not necessarily to Rome but used because of the wind direction for sailing.  Ultimately they are caught up in what appears to be a northeaster blow that lasts for many days, finally driving the ship ashore on the island of Malta.  This is a miracle of its own as this is the only land anywhere in that part of the Mediterranean Sea.  Further God shows Paul that no one on the ship will perish but all will be alive but shipwrecked.

Acts 27:10-11(NLT) “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 11 But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul

Acts 27:22-26(NLT)  But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

How does Paul get such a good understanding from God when he has disobeyed God about going to Jerusalem?

Why does Paul not get depressed and morose about all that happens?

Ultimately, they get to Rome where Paul goes into house imprisonment.  This took money and support from some source in order for him to be in a house and not some dungeon somewhere.  How do you think he was supported there?  God gives him opportunity to speak, teach and write letters of which are many of the ones we read today.  God truly does make lemonade out of the lemons that Paul finds himself in the middle of.  He even preaches to the Jews at Rome the message of Christ to try to persuade them to become believers also. 

Acts 28:23-24(NLT)  So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. 24 Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe.

Paul openly teaches and preaches the message of the kingdom of God to all that are Rome.  He strengthens the Roman church and also talks to all that come to see him at his house.  He is still imprisoned and eventually put to death, but God works mightily in his life and witness to change the whole world of that time. 

Acts 28:28-31 So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.”
30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

God also directs Paul in writing these  letters from Rome while imprisoned there.  Ephesians , Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy are those epistles that scholars believe Paul wrote while in Rome.  A large body of our present scripture was written while he was imprisoned which to me is amazing and thoughtful. Paul also fellowships with the believers in Rome and directs Timothy, Titus, Epaphra and others in the work of the ministry to the Gentiles. 

Acts 23:11(NKJV)  But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

How does Paul stay in fellowship with God when his life is so constrained by his circumstances?

What is the lesson we can learn from this record of trust in God?

Love in Christ, Tom Siderius

SGL.2025.DecemberFullPageDownload

Ordinary People – Who Have Been with Jesus

Acts 4-6

Devotion by Rachel Cain (Ohio)

Abraham Lincoln (president), Charles Dickens (author), Steve Jobs (Apple creator), Dave Thomas (founder of Wendy’s), and Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA originator) seem like an unlikely bunch to be grouped into a similar category, but they all have this in common: each one either had little formal training or dropped out of school early, and yet became very successful. Our protagonists in Acts 4, Peter and John, also fit among this list. 

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, ESV) Though Peter and John lacked formal training, their time of hands-on learning with Jesus probably equated to an advanced doctorate degree! Their accusers probably recognized that they had been taught by Jesus because their teaching styles and tones so closely matched that of their Rabbi. 

We, too, are disciples! We are called to share the gospel to a hurting world, following closely to the way of our Rabbi, Jesus. So remember your mission! Here are some tips from this text to help us be more like the early church. 

Share Jesus Boldly and Without Shame

Word about Jesus’ resurrection power spread, people were healed in Jesus’ name, and the number of followers was growing exponentially. The jealous religious leaders, however, did not appreciate this threat to their authority. So the council – likely the same one that condemned Jesus to death – tried to silence the ragtag bunch and ordered them to keep quiet. The disciples’ bold response? “We can’t keep quiet about what we have seen and heard!” (Acts 4:20). Their lives had been totally changed, and they just had to spread the word! 

Humans haven’t changed much – we still can’t keep quiet about the good stuff! If you compliment a woman’s new dress, she will tell you three things about it: where she purchased it, how inexpensive it was, and that it has pockets! She is just so excited that she can’t keep it to herself! Likewise, if you visit a fantastic new restaurant and they’re offering a ton of great deals, you’ll probably tell all your friends so that they can get in on it, too. We love to spread good news to other people, so why do we shy away from sharing Jesus with the same zeal? (I’m preaching to myself here. I long to have that kind of boldness that I just can’t keep quiet about all things Jesus, don’t you?) Pray for boldness to share with others how Jesus has changed your life. 

Obey Only God 

When the religious leaders tried to shut them up again, the disciples replied, “We must obey God, not men.” (Acts 5:29) It’s always been so easy for us to slowly assimilate to the culture around us and begin to obey the gods of this world or match the expectations of the people around us. The Israelites did this chapter after chapter in the Old Testament, and we still stray today. Romans 12:2 warns us about getting too conformed with the world. Though it would eventually cost many of them their very lives, the disciples in Acts were compelled to continue sharing the hope of Jesus with everyone. Jesus had cautioned: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) Pray that we – the global Church – would stay faithful until the end. 

Maybe you’re like me – never been to Bible college, don’t know an ounce of Greek or Hebrew, just living an uneventful, mundane life. God can use us still! Even without special training, we can be bold lights in a dark world. God can, and will, use you right where you are to make a difference for Him! 

Reflections: 

Your prayer prompts are within the text. Take a moment to pray over those.

  1. How do you spend time with Jesus? Can others tell that you do? What can you do to spend more quality time with Jesus?
  2. How can you lovingly, humbly, courageously show the world (including, but not limited to your family, your church, your neighbors, your “enemies”, the disadvantaged, the other side of the world, etc…) what you have seen and heard and learned from Jesus?
  3. When/how have you fallen into the trap of obeying men rather than God? What can that look like? What can you do to strengthen your resolve to Obey Only God?
  4. What courageous task will you do today to obey God?

SGL.2025.NovemberFullPageDownload

Shifting Our Perspective

Acts 1-3

Devotion by Kaitlyn Hamilton (Michigan – and Indiana)

One of my close friends in high school, while dealing with the loss of someone she knew, asked me the question, “Is it a bad thing that I’m concerned about his soul for eternity?”  This question, this concern, about a soul’s place in eternity is something that many people often consider when faced with the loss of someone they know.  This is great and all, but there’s one big problem with this – for many people, this is the only time they seriously consider what is going to happen to people in the grand scheme of eternity.  Do you spend significant time considering the number of people around you who you know aren’t part of the church?  But, it’s not enough just to consider it; once we realize the large quantity of people that we care about who are currently on the path of destruction for eternity, we should be ready to do something about it.

In reading Acts 2, we see that Peter recognized what was at stake.  The same person, who earlier, was too afraid to be associated with Jesus for fear of his life, takes a stand before a large crowd of people, including a group who were mocking them saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” (Acts 2:13)  Peter chose to shift his perspective away from the thoughts of the world, of what this crowd could do to him if they disliked his message, of what these same people did to Jesus only 53 days earlier.  Instead, he shifted his perspective towards that of God’s will, focused on the message these people needed to hear.  In Acts 2:22-24, instead of focusing on how to keep peace with all the men who Peter knew, instead of trying to remain on agreeable terms as friends, Peter was willing to stand up for his faith, was willing to tell the Jews gathered in Jerusalem the truth of what their actions did.  The Messiah that they had been watching for all their lives and the lives of all their parents and grandparents and all their ancestors before them, they had put to death, they had crucified.  Can you imagine having the courage to stand before just one person and telling them that their actions, their sins, were the reason that an innocent man was put to death?  But, Peter didn’t just tell one person, he told a huge crowd – a crowd that should they be angry enough could easily turn into a mob and kill him.  This choice to tell everyone the truth about Jesus, the Messiah, and what they had done to him, took courage that comes only from shifting your perspective away from the worries of this world to that of the hope and peace that come from God.

What would happen if we all shifted our perspective like Peter did?  If we all chose to focus on God’s will for our life instead of the fears that try to stop us from seeking him?

What would happen if we were willing to all stand up for our faith to everyone we know?

What would happen if we let everyone know that we were Christians and weren’t willing to budge on any of our morals?

What type of revival would we see if we did all this?  

Peter saw a revival that day of 3,000 people.  Imagine just how big of a revival we would see if we all chose to stand up together and proclaim our faith.  It’s not going to be easy.  It means going against your human nature.  It’s not going to be automatic.  It won’t be a switch being flipped overnight.  But, it will change you and the world.  So, I encourage you to start shifting your perspective today, to start recognizing what is at stake, and to start standing up for your faith today!

Reflection Questions

  1. What could it look like for you to stand up for your faith today, and the rest of this week, month, year, life?
  2. What fears do you think Peter might have had to overcome that day? What fears do you currently have about boldly proclaiming your faith? How might Peter respond to you if you could discuss with him about your fears? How do you think Jesus, or Jesus’ Father, would respond if you were to tell them about these fears? Go ahead, tell them and pray about it.
  3. What “Helper” was assisting Peter? (Hint: it wasn’t wine.) What benefits does this Helper provide? Do you use the same Helper?
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Slinging Trash

Nehemiah 4-7

Devotion by Telva Elwell (South Carolina)

Have you ever been ridiculed, called embarrassing names, laughed at, or pretty much just made to feel like you just wanted to crawl in a hole?  Suppose you were doing something important and putting your whole heart into it. Did you want to throw your arms up in the air and give up? If this has happened to you, you are in good company. The weapon of ridicule has been around for a long time. Remember the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were called “drunks” (Acts 2:13), and later when Paul the Apostle was called a “babbler” (Acts 17:18).   Those doing good and important things may feel ashamed or discouraged and thus abandon their work.  Sadly, many times ridicule does work, but not in the case of the Apostles, Paul, or even Nehemiah.

You might ask, why do people resort to such hurtful behavior?  The answer is simple: They have no other weapons.  They may “sling trash” simply to be mean or hurtful, or they may be trying to discourage you from your good work. Such was the case of Nehemiah. Let’s look at how he responded to the ridicule he experienced.

Nehemiah had given up a lot to go to Jerusalem, but he was on a sacred mission.  He was going to do the impossible and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and rebuild the gates.  If he had submitted a resume for this job, he probably would not have gotten the job.  After all, he was a cupbearer. A cupbearer, for goodness sake!  He was not someone who was handy with building tools and blueprints.  He was the perfect candidate to receive ridicule and fail.  If Paul was a “babbler” and the other apostles were “drunks”, then Nehemiah was a “babbling drunk” — except for the fact that he was getting the job done.

Sometimes seeing someone accomplish a task, especially a huge task, makes people angry, fearful, and jealous.  Enter Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.  (Neh. 2)  These three musketeers had a mission also, and it was in direct conflict with the mission of Nehemiah.  If this was a play, they were the discouragers and naysayers.  They heard about the mission to restore Jerusalem and were determined to oppose the work.  And they began immediately.  Nehemiah had just given the peptalk to his workers when these three discouragers showed up.  Nehemiah reports, “they jeered at us and despised us”, then they asked, “What are you doing?  Are you rebelling against the King?” (2:19) Their tactic was ridicule and then tossing in seeds of doubt and false accusation for good measure.  How would Nehemiah respond? How should he respond?

Nehemiah’s choices were: One: ignore the ridicule or, Two: Debate with the men and try to convince them that they were wrong.  Nehemiah chose neither.  He simply told them like it was. He told them (1) The God of Heaven will make us prosper. (2) His servants will arise and build. (3) You have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. (2:20).  For a while Nehemiah’s words to them seemed to work.  The Jews were able to accomplish much and build back the gates of Jerusalem. (chpt 3).  But do you really think that the three musketeers were done?  If so, think again.

Sanballat and his foolish friends found it necessary to somehow end the work of the Jews in Jerusalem because they feared them and what they might do to them.  If Jerusalem was made strong, they would be weak (and less wealthy). Seeing the gates of Jerusalem being rebuilt caused them fear and anxiety.

So, once again, Sanballat and his sidekicks took out their childish games playbook and began calling the Jerusalem builders names.  They attempted to taunt them by calling the workers “feeble” implying they were miserably weak old people.   They continued their name calling by implying they were also stupid people because they were building a weak and worthless city wall. Tobiah undoubtedly thought he was funny and clever when he suggested that the wall was so weak that if a fox walked on it, the wall would tumble to the ground.  (4:1-3) Truthfully, many of the builders were discouraged, but they persevered. 

 Nevertheless, Nehemiah prayed, “Turn back their taunt on their own heads.” (4:4) Eventually, their taunts will come back to haunt them, just as Nehemiah prayed.

 “So, they built the wall…” (4:6)

Sanballat and his buddies continued to attempt to hinder Nehemiah’s work on the wall by various means, but at each turn their attempts were met with defeat.  Nehemiah continued to lead the work, and he ignored the childish mischief.  The insults, the rude name calling, the ridicule—the trash slinging failed to work! 

“So, the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days!” (6:15)

The next time you feel you are being pursued by troublemakers as you do the work that God has given you to do, remember Nehemiah.

 And remember 52 days.

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever been the victim of someone’s unkind words?  How did those words make you feel?
  2. How did you respond?  Did you throw unkind words right back at them?  What is the best way to respond?
  3. Do you think Nehemiah responded properly?  If he had responded by returning insult for insult, arguing, debating, or giving up the work, how would the builders have felt and responded?  How would the trash slingers feel?
SGL.2025.SeptemberFullPageDownload

Death Threats

Jeremiah 26-29

“You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22).

In chapter 26, Jeremiah experienced hate on account of obedience to God. He was obedient to telling the people God’s message and they wanted to kill him for it. In our current day, the world is trying very hard to normalize certain sins and they spew a lot of vitriol toward Christians for not supporting it and promoting it. We see in certain areas of the world where Christians are even being killed for their beliefs. 

Did Jeremiah crumble under the threat of death? He absolutely did not. In the face of the threat of death, he stood his ground and continued to be obedient to God’s call to warn the people. God wants us to not have a spirit of fear and timidity but to be bold—even in the face of danger. Thankfully, we don’t need to rely on our own limited power, because we have a far greater source of strength. 2 Timothy 1:7 says,  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

If we are practicing obedience to God’s word, we can be sure that we will receive push back from the world. We need to be resolute like Jeremiah and not conform to the wickedness of the world, but instead call it out so that we can help bring as many people as possible into God’s kingdom.

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What might you be thinking and feeling and doing if you were in Jeremiah’s shoes? Is there anything you find particularly admirable about Jeremiah?
  2. What is the purpose behind speaking up (not omitting a word) even when it is not positively received?
  3. Have you ever faced a potentially fearful situation because of your faith? How do you think you (with help from the Spirit of God) might handle it today if you ran into persecution for believing in and speaking for God?
  4. What might you be able to do today to strengthen your faith in order to speak every word from God AND perhaps handle persecution better in the future?
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Fear-O

Judges 6-8

Can anyone guess what Piglet from Winnie the Pooh, the Lion from The Wizard of Oz, and Gideon from the Bible all have in common? Think as you scroll for the answer…

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They are all famous for being fearful. What a fantastic claim to fame.

(…But honestly, that trio of cowards reminds me a lot of myself. How about you?)

In Judges 6, we find that the Israelites turned away from God again (no surprise there!) and were being severely oppressed by the Midianites. Their behavior kind of reminds me of school bullies times a thousand – school bullies steal your lunch; Midianites crushed their crops. School bullies force you to hide in lockers; Midianites drove the Israelites off their land to hide in caves. Starving, homeless, and desperate, the Israelites again cried out to God for someone to save them. So, God sent his angel to the most unlikely warrior: Gideon, the self-proclaimed least member of the weakest family in his clan.

The chapter opens to the scene of Gideon hiding in a winepress while threshing the wheat (to keep it away from the Midianite bullies, of course). Ironically, the first words the angel of the LORD said to Gideon were, “The LORD is with you, Mighty Warrior!” 

I’m sure Gideon looked around to see if the angel was talking to someone else. Gideon, a mighty warrior? Gideon was full of questions, concerns, and doubts, asking for verification that he understood correctly that God had called him to defeat the Midianites. His first assignment was to tear down the idols (which Gideon did under the cover of night, of course, because he was afraid). Through sign after sign after tiring sign, God reassured Gideon that He really had called him to conquer Midian. Finally Gideon gained the courage to attack when he overheard a conversation among Midianites about their premonition that Gideon was going to conquer them. So Gideon’s miniscule militia, armed with (oddly enough) trumpets, jars, and torches, conquered the Midianites. There is a bit more conflict and idolatry in chapter 8, but overall, God’s people experienced 40 years of peace. 

Gideon was not afraid to question God and ask for reassurance. God knows what we are feeling, and He wants us to bring our questions before Him. God was faithful and patient with his servant, encouraging Gideon with inexplicable reminders of His plan. “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

I doubt that anyone would have labeled Gideon a warrior at the beginning of this story; he was a most unlikely hero. But that’s one of the beautiful things about our God: He has a way of ordaining the underdogs to do His most important work and calling them for it even before they look the part. God saw Gideon not for the milksop he was, but for the mighty warrior he would be with God’s power. God sees the potential in us, too, and he loves to use us through our weaknesses to demonstrate his power (I Corinthians 1:26-31). As the angel in this story advised, just “go in the strength that you have” (Judges 6:14). 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

What are some ways that God has worked through your weaknesses for His glory?

Bring your doubts and questions before God, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He wants you to seek Him! 

Be encouraged to seek God even in your doubts by listening to this song. 

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Mustering Up Moxie

Judges 4-5 – Deborah and Jael 


Whenever I think of girl power, I envision caricatures of Deborah and Jael posing Rosie-the-Riveter-style in front of a tent, bloody peg in fist. Though this Bible story is a bit morbid, it is also bold and counter-cultural evidence of the power of God and his desire to use everyone for His glory. 

After Ehud died, the Israelites turned away from God, and they were oppressed by Jabin, the king of Canaan, for 20 years. Deborah became the Israelite leader during a time period in which not many women held high positions; she was not only a female judge in the same way other men in this book, like Othniel and Ehud, were judges/leaders, but she was also a prophetess and a judicial expert. God gave Deborah a message for military general Barak, guaranteeing him a victory against Sisera, the Canaanite army commander. Barak refused to go without Deborah, which could be a tribute to his faith in Deborah, a testimony to his lack of faith in God, and/or a confirmation of his general cowardice. Whichever it may be, Deborah agreed to go with the army, warning Barak that the victory for this battle in the historical record would forever be credited to a woman. 

Barak’s army managed to fatally defeat every one of Sisera’s troops – except Sisera himself, who fled on foot to the home of Heber and Jael of the Kenite tribe (which was supposedly a neutral party, friendly to both Israelites and Canaanites). Jael greeted Sisera with exceptionally devious hospitality: when Sisera asked for water, she instead gave him a skin of comforting milk to help him rest well. Once Sisera was fast asleep, she sneaked in as stealthily as a prowling cat and drove a tent peg through his head into the ground, thus practically emancipating the Israelite people from King Jabin. 

But really though, shouldn’t Jael have just stayed in her lane? Why would she rock the boat when her tribe was at peace with both sides? I mean, it was probably common knowledge that the Canaanites were oppressing the Israelites, but since she was neither, it didn’t really affect her, right? Why should she do anything to help one side or hurt the other? 

Perhaps Jael had heard rumors of the power of the Israelites’ God and didn’t want to be on their bad side. Or maybe she just had a sense that the Israelite/Canaanite relationship wasn’t right, and if she were in the position of the Israelites, she would hope that someone would come to the rescue, too. 

We aren’t privy to Jael’s thoughts, but when Sisera sought refuge in her abode, Jael was thrust into a rather precarious position that forced her to choose sides. She was granted a unique opportunity to impact great change, an opportunity that literally fell into her tent. The stakes were high (pun intended)! So Jael chose to be brave, even though it could have repercussions for her family and tribe once Jabin got wind of her actions. She had witnessed injustice and chose not to turn a blind eye when it was within her power to do something. Jael deceptively entertained the tyrannical army leader in order to gain an advantage and help the Israelites. 

Would I be like Jael, always ready to stand for what’s right even if I’m standing alone, even if it would cost me something? Or would I just mind my own beeswax and not get involved in things that don’t directly concern me, even though others are being hurt? As Christians in a first-world country, often we would rather spend energy complaining about minor inconveniences like Starbucks messing up our overpriced coffee than about serious issues that are going on in the world. Did you know that there are still people in the world suffering from starvation, lack of clean water or medical care, poverty further worsened by illiteracy, and political unrest that makes even simple daily living dangerous? Did you know that today there are more slaves than ever before? We envision all of that as happening across the ocean, but so much of it is right here under our noses. I live about 20 minutes from the intersection of two significant US highways, rendering it a major drug- and sex-trafficking hub. So much of this slavery and injustice is happening in our own backyards, and we all have a duty to do something about it. (I’m speaking to myself here too; I’ve been considering how I can get involved in the local movement to help this trafficking injustice.) We as collective Christians have neglected this duty to be involved in the world around us and contribute to change. It is so easy for us to stay in our comfy little church bubbles. But think back to the gospels for a minute… who did Jesus criticize the most – the biggest sinners or the religious leaders? Pharisees. Sadducees. The “most religious” people who ultimately cared more about their image than the One in Whose image they were created. Being Christians doesn’t give us permission to “look up at God” and away from the needs; it gives us all the more reason to see the world through “Jesus goggles” and intervene in practical ways (which James calls us to do). We can’t do everything, but we can do something. 

In Deborah’s song of praise after this victory that led to 40 years of peace for her people, she sang a line that I have adopted as a personal mantra: “March on, my soul, with courage!” (Judges 5:21). Another term for courage and determination is moxie. Deborah and Jael were definitely women of moxie! I long to become a person of righteous moxie who fights the battles God calls me to fight, always depending on His strength. 

“Deborah, the mother of Israel, and Jael, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. Did they ever even meet? Would they have been friends? This is beside the point, but still, I wonder. Living in a world where it seems like no one with any differences can get along, I wonder how two women, from such different worlds, ever came together to accomplish the same goal…. God uses the unlikely, the unexpected, and sometimes even the unsavory to deliver us and to crush the heads of his enemies. While his means of rescue may change, his promises remain permanent. So whether it’s by means of tent pegs through the head of an oppressor or nails through the hands of his son, we see yet again that we serve a God who never ceases to defeat his enemies so that his people, just like the sun, may rise in his might (Judg. 5:31).” (source)

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

Listen to this song about being brave for God and consider how He might be calling you to be brave for Him. 


Would you, like Jael, have risked everything to stand up to an oppressor? What are some situations today in which God might be calling you to be brave and stand up for someone else?

Look for opportunities to get involved with local organizations to help with needs in your area and with the work of our international missions organization, Lord’s Harvest International, at lhicog.com. 

Pray for God to help you muster up moxie to initiate change with the injustices in the world. 

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Burn the Ships

Hesitant Hebrews

Joshua 16-18

It was so close they could almost taste the milk and honey on their lips – their Promised Land! After centuries of oppression and slavery under Pharaoh followed by 40 more years wandering free in the wilderness, the Israelites finally possessed the metaphorical keys to their inheritance. Many of the tribes ventured out right away for their assigned territories, ready to explore, conquer, and settle at last, but several tribes remained behind. Why wouldn’t they ropedrop this momentous occasion and charge with abandon straight to their inheritance?

Though I cannot speak for all the Israelites since I have not walked in their sandals, this is my speculation based on what I’ve read: they desired the path of least resistance. Though they were promised that the land would be theirs, they had to go in and take it. There were still other people living on those properties; it would require a lot of effort to drive them out. Yes, God had guaranteed that this land would be theirs, but that didn’t mean their possession of it would be effortless. In the beginning of their nomadic desert life, remember how they had longed to return to the familiarity of slavery and oppression in Egypt? Now, well accustomed to desert dwelling, they didn’t want to expend the energy to settle into the cities, which would still require them (albeit with the promise of success!) to conquer it. It was more comfortable to stay in their crummy environment than to embrace the best land that God had for them.

I am reminded of Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes who was determined to conquer the interior of Mexico, including the Aztec empire and a vast swath of land from the Caribbean to the Pacific. This fierce leader and fighter, frustrated that his men were too focused on the possibility of going home and too scared to invade this new territory, took away their temptation to retreat by doing what any extreme leader would do: he burnt the ships. Now, there was no turning back, no reason to not forge ahead and claim this land. 

Perhaps the seven tribes had become so lazy or complacent in their faith that they didn’t even care that God had something infinitely better in store for them. As C.S. Lewis said, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Ultimately, in part because the Israelites did not fully drive out the inhabitants of their Promised Land, God’s people became immersed in the culture, false gods, child sacrifice, and overall moral corruption of the people around them, which perpetuated the spiral of falling away from God and then begging Him to save them. Though written much later, Romans 12:2 would have been good advice for the Israelites (who were called to be set apart for God), and it is still wise for us as present-day believers to heed its wisdom: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

So, what ships are holding you back? What comfort, familiarity, or apathy is keeping you from fully following God? Sometimes I am a lot like the 7 tribes and Cortes’ crew. While I claim to desire God’s calling on my life, I often let the comforts of the present and anxieties about the future hold me back from fully embracing His plan for my life. Let us pray for God’s strength to follow wherever He may lead us. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection: 

Watch this powerful music video about “burning the ships” and charging ahead into God’s will for our lives. 

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Be with My Mouth

Exodus 4-6

Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Because my mouth is not eloquent.

Sometimes it is downright rude. Sometimes it lies. Sometimes it gets angry. Sometimes it hurts people.

Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it stays shut when it should open to speak your words. Sometimes it forgets to give you praise. Sometimes it prefers to be grouchy or selfish instead of thankful.

Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it doesn’t speak up for the oppressed. Sometimes it misses opportunities to spread joy and hope and your love. Sometimes…

Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!

In Exodus 3 & 4 Moses is giving God lots of reasons (excuses) why He should pick someone else for the job of delivering God’s first-born child (the Israelites) out of slavery in Egypt.

  • I am nobody special
  • I don’t even know your name
  • The elders won’t believe me
  • I am not eloquent
  • Somebody else can do it better

God has answers for it all. I love the Lord’s words in Exodus 4:12 (ESV): “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” What a beautiful promise! Yet, Moses still pleaded with Him to just send someone else! God got angry at that one. How many times does this child of God need to be reassured that his God is bigger than any fear that comes with doing His Work. The maker of your mouth can teach you how to use it – when you step up and GO where He wants you to GO! Did you notice that little two letter word at the start of God’s promise to be with Moses’ mouth and to teach him what to say? You’ll never know what words God is waiting to teach you to say if you say no and don’t go.

God graciously compromised with Moses and rather than sending someone else instead of Moses, He sent someone else to go along with Moses, his brother Aaron who was not ‘coincidentally’ coming out to the wilderness to meet Moses.

Maybe it’s time I spend less time on my excuses and instead say YES, step out and GO and trust God to do what He says He will do – be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!

-Marcia Railton

Reflection Questions

  1. What excuses have you tried giving God for not stepping out to do a job He wants you to do? How do they stand up to your GREAT BIG GOD?
  2. How can you be someone’s Aaron and come alongside him/her to do a job for God that perhaps neither of you would feel you could do “on your own”? Though, you are of course never “on your own” when you are doing the Lord’s work!? What are some other instances that God used the buddy system and what were some advantages to having a partner?
  3. So – the big question is – where does God want you to go? If you aren’t sure yet, be praying. And then, thank Him for being with your mouth and teaching you what you shall speak.
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Fight Song

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 4 & 5

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:17-27

I never grow tired of hearing my children belt out uplifting lyrics from the back of our van! I especially appreciate the passion in their voices reverberating throughout the vehicle every time we play Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” :

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I’m alright song

My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong

I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes

‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

While I’m encouraged by the song’s positivity, I can’t help but think of how little fight I feel I have left in me some days. I doubt I’m the only one who is burdened under anxiety, societal pressures, responsibilities at work and home, fear of the future, difficult decisions, sickness and death of loved ones, mysterious health issues, spiritual warfare, and a plethora of other emotional and physical plagues. I often feel like I just. can’t. do. it. The fight requires too much of me sometimes, and there is little motivation or strength left with which to fight. Can you relate? 

Nehemiah’s construction team could relate! Sanballat and Tobiah were relentlessly hurling insults, threats, and discouragement at the builders. Not only was there oppression from outside their walls, but there was turmoil with them as well. The motley crew was trying to fix the wall – a monumental aspiration! – while also dealing with the other negative issues of daily life, which seemed to be compounding. And it was wearing on them. They already felt defeated, but the work was not yet complete. They were nearing the ends of their metaphorical ropes, anticipating the last symbolic straw that would break the camel’s back.

Nehemiah took action to provide defense for the workers, but most of all, he encouraged them to keep going! “… I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes… Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” (4:14, 20)

Not only did Nehemiah help resolve some of the immediate burdens of the people and foil the plans of their enemies, he also helped them remember the reason for their work so they could be filled with the mettle needed to recommence this noble work . 

Not long after I prayed for God to revive the fighter’s soul within me, a new-to-me song by Rend Collective called “Shackles” rang through my speaker on autoplay. I paused in awe when I heard the chorus: 

You’re my deliverer

My anthem through it all 

When my strength and my fight is gone

I know You will come through 

As I soaked in the life-giving lyrics, I was humbled by God’s gentle reminders of His provision. When my strength and my fight are gone, God will be my strength. He will fight for me (see Exodus 14:14). He will give us the strength and courage to do what he has called us to do. Remember your God; He will fight for you. 

These verses from our poetry reading apply to the Nehemiah story:

Psalm 147:2-3, 10-11: 

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

    He gathers the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted

    and binds up their wounds…

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

the Lord delights in those who fear him,

    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

  • Think back on some of the dark times in your life. How was God faithful to encourage you and bring you through it? 
  • Keep a journal of ways God has answered prayers and provided in big and small ways so you can look back on it during times of doubt.
  • Watch this powerful music video and remember that God is carrying you through your darkest times. 
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