What Do You Think of When What Do You Think of When You Think of Courage?You Think of Courage?

What Do You Think of When What Do You Think of When You Think of Courage?You Think of Courage?

What Do You Think of When What Do You Think of When You Think of Courage?You Think of Courage?

What Is Courage?What Is Courage?

►““Mental or moral strength to Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” (Webster Dictionary)difficulty.” (Webster Dictionary)

►Courage is not the absence of Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome fear, but the ability to overcome fear and press forward.fear and press forward.

Why is Courage Important?Why is Courage Important?

► Courage is important Courage is important because throughout life because throughout life there are moments and there are moments and issues that challenge what issues that challenge what we have believed to be true we have believed to be true and threaten our physical and threaten our physical and emotional well being. and emotional well being.

► We all face 3 threats:We all face 3 threats: The anxiety of death.The anxiety of death. The anxiety of The anxiety of

meaninglessness.meaninglessness. The anxiety of guilt.The anxiety of guilt.

Courage and TruthCourage and Truth

► Courage starts with Courage starts with knowing and understanding knowing and understanding what the truth is.what the truth is.

► No matter how courage is No matter how courage is demonstrated, the root of demonstrated, the root of courage rests in one’s courage rests in one’s willingness to commit to willingness to commit to the truth – both about God the truth – both about God and humans.and humans.

► Courage is the “living out” Courage is the “living out” of the truth!of the truth!

“believe nothing that you hear

and only 50% of what you see.”

“believe nothing that you hear

and only 50% of what you see.”What you see and

hear are not always the truth!

Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If

you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,

and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you

free." (John 8:31-32 RSV)

Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If

you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,

and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you

free." (John 8:31-32 RSV)

Courage For The Truth!Courage For The Truth!

►Example: Three Example: Three men of God (Daniel men of God (Daniel 3)3) They were willing to They were willing to

risk their lives for risk their lives for the sake of being the sake of being true to the truth. true to the truth.

Even if it meant Even if it meant death!death!

Read Daniel 3:16-18Read Daniel 3:16-18

Sir Thomas MoreSir Thomas More► In February 1534, More was accused of

being complicit with Elizabeth Barton, who opposed Henry's break with Rome. And in April, the final straw came when More refused to swear to Henry's Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. This amounted to More essentially refusing to accept the king as head of the Church of England, which More believed would disparage the power of the pope.

► More was sent to the Tower of London on April 17, 1534, and was found guilty of treason.

► Thomas More was beheaded on July 6, 1535. He left behind the final words: "The king's good servant, but God's first."

How Do We Find Courage To Do How Do We Find Courage To Do What God Wants Us To Do?What God Wants Us To Do?

►A strong faith is the beginning. (Rom. A strong faith is the beginning. (Rom. 10:17; 12:2) – To Do God’s Will.10:17; 12:2) – To Do God’s Will.

►By the encouragement received by By the encouragement received by others. (Heb. 10:23-25)others. (Heb. 10:23-25)

►We also rely on God’s help. We must We also rely on God’s help. We must pray diligently that He will stand by us!pray diligently that He will stand by us! ““Lord, increase my faith.”Lord, increase my faith.” ““Lord, increase my courage.”Lord, increase my courage.”

► GodGod Let us then with confidence Let us then with confidence

draw near to the throne of draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to mercy and find grace to help in time of need. help in time of need. (Heb. (Heb. 4:16, ESV)4:16, ESV)

Romans 8:31ffRomans 8:31ff

► BrethrenBrethren Hebrews 10:24,25Hebrews 10:24,25 Hebrews 3:13Hebrews 3:13 1 Thessalonians 5:111 Thessalonians 5:11 Acts 28:15Acts 28:15

Sources of Courage:Sources of Courage:

It Takes Courage!It Takes Courage!

► It Takes Courage…It Takes Courage… To be baptized for the remission of sins.To be baptized for the remission of sins. To live daily for Christ.To live daily for Christ. To go in a totally different direction than To go in a totally different direction than

the world around us.the world around us. To speak out against the evil that To speak out against the evil that

surrounds us.surrounds us. To be willing to die for Christ, to give up To be willing to die for Christ, to give up

everything in faithful service to the One everything in faithful service to the One who loved us.who loved us.

"Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

(Revelation 2:10 NKJV)

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did

not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11 NKJV)

“When we dedicate our lives to doing God’s Will, like those people of old, then we will be able to imitate their courage and overcome fear, even the fear of death.” (Gary Ogden)

Proverbs 3:5-8Proverbs 3:5-8

►55 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own and do not lean on your own understanding. understanding. 66 In all your ways In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. straight your paths. 77 Be not wise in Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. turn away from evil. 88 It will be healing It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.bones.

SourcesSources

►Based on thoughts by Gary Ogden - Based on thoughts by Gary Ogden - Articles from October 08; April 09; May Articles from October 08; April 09; May 0909

►A Study of Personal Evangelism by A Study of Personal Evangelism by Gene TaylorGene Taylor

►New Life Behavior – Attitudes and New Life Behavior – Attitudes and Behaviors Lesson on CourageBehaviors Lesson on Courage

IllustrationIllustration► One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he

gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the floundering child. Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child’s arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray’s free hand felt something—possibly a rock—protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away. “If I can just hang on until help comes,” he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock.

► On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew. Ray Blankenship can’t swim.

► Paul Harvey, Los Angeles Times Syndicate