Courage

October 15, 2020 Jfuglerwriter 1 Comment

Courage to Keep Going

How’s this for a life of obedience to Christ? “Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.” (2 Corinthians 11:25 NIV)

Beaten, stoned and shipwrecked. Such was the life of Paul, constantly suffering for his faith.

But wait. There’s more!

“I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:26-27 NIV)

The other apostles weren’t immune from suffering for their faith either. It was a normal part of their lives. They were detested by Jewish leaders, often hated by the Romans and rejected by the Gentiles. Almost every one of the apostles died as a martyr for his faith.

I’m humbled to the core when I ponder that my own conversion is traced back to the apostles. If it weren’t for their tenacity and endurance, the church wouldn’t have blossomed. Since then, the Christian faith has spread for centuries because courageous believers have told non-believers about Jesus.

How can you have the courage of the apostles? Not only to represent Jesus, but to simply keep going when life has a strangle-hold on you? When discouragement hits? When resistance and hardship press in from all sides? When Coronavirus season keeps wears you down?

Every believer has seasons of strength and weakness, joy and heartache, ease and difficulty. None of us lives each day on the pinnacle of spiritual bliss. 

The apostles possessed unshakeable courage. It gave them boldness to stand for Christ all the way to their martyred deaths. Most likely, you won’t face such a brutal ending as theirs, but you can learn from these faithful followers. How did they courageously move forward in their faith walk?

Paul describes their secret: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV)

They did not lose heart. Their courage wasn’t crushed. They may have looked like they were empty, but not so inside.

Here’s the zinger: “Yet inwardly we are being renewed every day.” That’s why the apostles could stand courageously in a world of intense persecution. They were made new by God in the depths of their souls.

It all came back to Jesus. Deeply rooted in their Savior, they endured the terrible, constant opposition to their faith. No cowering for these men. They spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world.

Just as the Holy Spirit renewed the apostles, he is renewing you.

Whatever you’re facing, courage to keep going starts with an inner renewal when you turn to Jesus. His Holy Spirit will do the miraculous in you.

(Explore courage in my devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. That’s where this post was born. Available on Amazon).

February 24, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage from Within

Courage from Within

One of my weaknesses is storming into the day in my own power, keeping God at a distance. I have my time with the Lord in the morning, centering my heart on him, then I exit that “meeting” with my marching orders to live for him. There’s a disconnect between my time with God and my life with God.

No wonder I often lack courage and conviction.

Do you experience the joy of living with Jesus throughout the day, including him in every step? Or do you unwittingly keep him at a distance, as if he is a spectator cheering you on?

Today the light went on. Jesus lives in me. Not a big revelation, but one that smacked me in my spiritual face. C’mon Jon, it’s so obvious. I have the God of the universe living in me. He’s not just walking beside me, but in me. He fills my heart with courage and conviction.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV)

God is alive in me. He is alive in you.

It’s fantastic news! Close your eyes, take a deep breath and smile.

This truth has incredible implications.

It means you’re not supposed to perform for God, but to let him live through you. Instead of relying on your gifts and abilities, live fully dependent upon God. After all, Jesus did say, “For apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV) Relying on Jesus puts you in the center of his will.

Not that you disregard your talents, but you yield them to God. He’ll use your gifts with his power for his glory. That’s an exciting thought!

God is your friend. He is your Father. The Lord Jesus is your brother. The Holy Spirit is your power. This is a personal relationship. How can you not have courage in whatever you’re facing? You’re on a winning team. You are equipped to live for Jesus by living in the relationship you have with him.

Today, remind yourself that God lives inside you. This will change the way you approach people, challenges, decisions, pain, opportunities and whatever is ahead. You have Jesus. And he has you.

Lord Jesus, please grant me courage from within. I know that you live inside me through your Holy Spirit. I rely on You. Amen.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

February 18, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Forgiveness

Courage and Forgiveness

Looking at the final hours of Jesus’ life, I can’t imagine going through what he did. The beatings, humiliation, torture and, of course, those agonizing hours on the cross. It’s sickening to think about.

Jesus was the most courageous man I know. He wasn’t forced to go to the cross. He went willingly. He was God and could have vanished from sight. But he was on a mission to save the world.

Jesus went to the cross to forgive. He extended forgiveness to you, me and all of mankind. We didn’t deserve this priceless treasure.

His gift was made real when he sacrificed his life for us. Without the cross, there would be no forgiveness.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NIV)

Jesus said that about his torturers, but he also said that about us who wrong him every day. What a courageous man offering forgiveness to that magnitude.

Do you need to forgive someone? Are you finding it hard to get over a sinful act someone committed against you? Have you turned your back on forgiveness? On that other person?

If so, you’re human. It’s the natural thing to do. However, it’s not what God wants you to do. Just like Jesus, you have a choice to forgive.

You’re not being asked to go to the cross, but it might feel that way. Your pain of being wronged seems too much to bear. You can’t bring yourself to forgive that person.

What gave Jesus the courage to go to the cross? What empowered him to face the pain? How in the world could he extend eternal forgiveness to mankind? To this humanity that has wronged him since the Garden?

Love.

Jesus loves you. He loved you on the cross when he saw you way back then. He saw everyone throughout history. He witnessed all our sin, which pained him to the core. Yet, despite the horror of the cross, Jesus went there to deal with our sin, to heal our relationship with him. And with his Father.

Love gave Jesus the courage to face the cross, where he poured out his blood. Even more, he poured out his forgiveness.

Love will give you the courage to forgive. Love that person as Jesus did. He went to the cross for them and for the very act you’re forgiving.

Oh, how you’ll need the power and grace of God to forgive. That’s why it comes back to your love relationship with Jesus. Approach your Savior. Thank him for his forgiveness. Ask for his power to love the other person. That’s your only hope.

Forgiveness will follow.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

February 11, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Health

Courage and Health

My dad’s words ring in my ears, “If you have your health, you have everything.” Personally, I wouldn’t go that far, although good health is a great blessing.

When we tie our value to our health, we’re on dangerous ground. I’m especially sensitive to that as I witness several of my friends afflicted by high blood pressure, heart problems, bad knees, cancer and other maladies.

For some of them, I sense their fear. For others, it’s worry and discouragement. The steadiness of good health isn’t so steady any more. There’s a shakiness as they grapple with the uncertainty of their future. I have to wonder if some of them feel less valuable, too.

We all have to come face to face with our humanity. When we’re hit with a surprise diagnosis or a pain that lingers, our mind should go right to God. Our dependence on him should deepen, our hope in him should spring fresh. Instead of fear, confidence in God can grow.

That looks good on paper, but it’s not easy to live out.

Paul was plagued by a secret illness or disease that theologians have been trying to figure out for centuries. It was so intense, Paul describes it this way, “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV) Not every illness is Satan’s tool in our lives, but it was for Paul in this instance. And he knew the reason, stating in the same verse, “In order to keep me from becoming conceited.”

A friend of mine has a painful, Paul-like reminder that plagues him every waking moment. I marvel at how this has drawn him close to his Savior, with a dependence I wish I had. However, I don’t want the classroom lesson – pain.

Because Paul was a spiritual giant, the pain didn’t bother him, right? Wrong. Paul wrestled with it and wanted it to go away. He was human like we are. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV)

Whether our health is good or bad, we can choose to focus on it or turn it over to God. The latter will build our confidence in Jesus. This courageous faith is needed when our health does fail.

Paul understood the lessons God was teaching him, which drew him closer than ever to Jesus. Like my friend, he held on to the Lord and experienced intimacy with him.

Paul’s words were not academic, but birthed from experience: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” (2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV)

Your comfort comes directly from God. In the midst of your pain, cling courageously to him. He is there.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

February 4, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Parenting

Courage and Parenting

I’ve never heard the phrase “courageous parenting,” but it’s certainly a quality moms and dads need for their overwhelming roles.

When our twin sons were two, they gave my wife a big scare. She was in the kitchen and heard an unidentifiable sound. A rumbling followed by a patterned thunder of some kind. Perplexed, she walked outside. Gazing upward, Noonie saw our young whippersnappers running back and forth along our slightly angled roof.

Terrified, yet with a calm voice, my wife ordered them to “come down at once, exactly the same way you got up there.” That was courageous parenting at its best. Of course, I had to exhibit a form of courageous parenting when I arrived home to discipline them.

Looking through Scripture, even kings had varied results raising their kids. This is what I found:

“Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Kings 3:1-2 NIV)

“In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Kings 14: 1,3 NIV)

“Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Kings 14:23-24 NIV)

Whether or not the parents were to blame, I’m not sure. We know that our kids can stray despite our great parenting efforts. One child might thrive but the next one can go off the rails.

I reflected on my own parenting history with our three kids. Let me share my limited wisdom about what we can do to be courageous in raising our children.

Admit our mistakes. The natural tendency is to look perfect to our kids. We want to appear to have it all together. You know as well as I do that we make thousands of mistakes as parents. By the time we get this role figured out, our kids are gone. It takes courage to admit our mistakes, especially our sins against our kids. When it’s necessary, coming to our child and asking forgiveness is a towering act of courage. Let’s make it a habit any time we fail.

Be honest. As our kids get older, it seems like we get dumber. They stop asking for advice. We need to be ready when they do ask. It might be about a relationship, crisis, failing, big decision or some other issue they’re grappling with. Ask God for wisdom. Be honest with them, even if you need to tell them something they may not want to hear. It takes courage to do that. Be sure to speak with a heart of love.

Discipline well. When our kids get out of line, we have a choice. Will we let it go, punish out of anger or discipline out of love? The third is the right choice. It takes courage to carry out discipline that’s not driven by anger or other destructive emotions. At the end of a long day, this is especially challenging. Be intentional about exercising courage in those frayed moments.

Have courage. Raise your child wisely. Admit your mistakes, be honest in giving advice and be faithful to discipline in love.

Make your connection with God your top priority. Your parenting depends on it. It’s a big job.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback formats.

January 27, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Compromise

Courage and Compromise

“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:46 NIV)

This one line in Scripture describes a pinnacle for an extraordinarily courageous man of God. Let’s venture back more than a decade when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. He was betrayed and deserted by his own family. What a lonely, frightening and hopeless situation.

Yet, God had big plans for this young man, even when bound by the constraints of captivity. “The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.” (Genesis 39:2 NIV)

He was so favored that his master, Potiphar, “put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.” (Genesis 39:4 NIV)

You see, God extended incredible grace to this young man and developed him into a person of godly character. That’s why he rose in the servant ranks.

Enter Potiphar’s wife. This wily woman tried to seduce Joseph day after day while Potiphar wasn’t looking or was off on some escapade. Can you imagine the temptation Joseph faced? The Bible says that he was propositioned day after day. The woman was relentless.

But Joseph had the courage not to compromise. Finally, he spoke plainly to his temptress. “My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9 NIV)

Potiphar’s wife was so angry with Joseph that she twisted the truth, telling her husband that Joseph was trying to seduce her. As a result, Joseph landed in prison, where I’m sure his courage was tested day after day.

Years later, Joseph found himself standing in the presence of the top dog, Pharaoh king of Egypt. If that’s not amazing enough, Pharaoh was asking Joseph, a servant, for help in distress! The ruler was troubled by a dream and asked Joseph to interpret it for him. So he did.

As a reward, Joseph was given a dream job.

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’” (Genesis 41:41 NIV)

Joseph’s courage was tested again more than a decade later. Famine had come to the land of Egypt, extending to Canaan, where Joseph’s father and brothers lived. His brothers came to Egypt to buy grain and found themselves face to face with their brother, the one who would make the decision about selling grain to them. Their lives were in his hands.

Joseph could have enacted revenge with one word. Instead, out of a deep love for the very men who had betrayed him, he called his brothers into a private meeting and “wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.” (Genesis 45:2 NIV) Then he revealed his identity to his siblings.

Joseph’s next act revealed a man of impeccable character who didn’t compromise God’s standards. Instead of taking the easy road by imprisoning or killing his brothers, he acted courageously by extending grace. He arranged for land to be granted to his entire family. What a way to cap off this reunion.

For Joseph, hardship produced courage. Responsibility produced courage. Life itself produced courage.

Hold on to God every single day, just as Joseph did. The Lord will build courage in you to act rightly when the temptation to compromise tests your godly character.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).


January 7, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Change

Courage and Change

Your father shows signs of memory loss and you know what’s on the horizon. You hear murmurings about organizational shake-ups at work and you wonder if you’ll be part of the new plan. Your son is about to go off to college and the family unit will be split apart. You’re moving, leaving the world you’ve known for uncertainties ahead.

Change is hard. We get comfortable with the way things are and become fearful when change shows up.

Right now, I’m trying to adapt to a challenging four-in-one change. New job, entirely new location in another part of the country, finding a new church and making new friends I can trust.

These lifestyle changes are hard to grapple with. We can learn from Peter, who went through a change that rocked him to the core of his being. And he didn’t do well for a while.

The Apostle Paul points out, “I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” (Galatians 2:11 NIV) Sounds serious. Reflecting on all the changes in my life, I’ve never stood condemned in them. Have you?

Peter was struggling with moving from a life based on the Law to a new life based on faith alone. He has mastered Law-based living by practicing it for over 20 years.

Paul explains in that same passage that in Peter’s new life of faith, he ate and fellowshiped with Gentile Christians — but separated himself when the “circumcision group” came for a visit. Almost sounds like the mob showed up from the Bronx. Paul says that Peter was afraid of them.

Ha! This stalwart, bold, fearless Peter was scared to death. He cowered instead of standing up for his new faith centered on the finished work of the cross. He withdrew into the life he knew so well, the life of the Law. That was more comfortable for him.

This escalated to the point that other Jewish Christians “joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” (Galatians 2:12 NIV)

Paul read Peter the riot act and scolded others who were guilty, too. You should take a look at Galatians 2. Paul spent this chapter and the next three explaining the beautiful truth of living by faith in Christ alone. He spoke these words at the pinnacle of his exhortation, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

You may have replaced faith with works in your life with God. If so, come back to Jesus. You’re free in him. Peter chose to leave the falsehood of his Law-based life and return to one centered on faith alone in the Savior he loved. He became the rock, the leader, of the early church.

The bigger lesson here is that when you’re facing any change, cling to the unchanging God who is your anchor. He says in Psalms:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” (Psalms 46:1-2 NIV)

It may feel like the earth is giving way as you face a serious change in your life. You’re disoriented, confused, fearful.

It takes courage to embrace the uncomfortable, just as Peter found when he turned back to the roots of his faith.

Look straight into the eyes of Jesus, step into his strong arms, find your confidence in him and invite your loving Savior to walk with you through this change.

(From my new 30-day devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and print).

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