Courage - Frank Brancato

Courage has been described throughout the pages of divine

inspiration, in both the Old Testament, as well as the new

here in our text. We find that God in the

beginning of the chapter is telling Joshua that his servant

Moses is dead. He tells Joshua that as a

result, it is, he, that must arise and go over this Jordan In

verse number 2. He tells him that thou in all

this people under the land, which I do give to them, even to

the children of Israel. And you remember that God

further tells him that every place that the sole of his foot

shall tread upon that, he is given unto him as he had said

unto Moses, and you remember that, there was a reason for

that. The reason that Joshua should

have courage or take courage was Because of the three great

assurances that God gave him. He said, as I was with Moses,

number one, I will be with thee. He said, secondly, I will not

fail thee and thirdly nor will I forsake thee.

And so as a result, God tells him to be of good courage.

We find also another example, when there is a excitation or an

exhorted time when Joshua did, the very same thing with

reference to give I think that extra tation for courage, we

find that Joshua before his death called for all Israel.

For all the elders, and heads, and judges, and officers, and

said, I am old and stricken in age.

And you remember, he tells them that they have seen all that the

Lord hath done unto all these nations because of them.

In fact, he tells them that the Lord your God hath fought for

you Joshua. Tells them that he has divided

unto them by lat these nations that remained to be an

inheritance for their tribes from Jordan, with all the

nations that he had cut off, even unto the great see

Westward, he tells them that the Lord shall expel them from

before them and drive them out of their sight and they shall

possess their land as the Lord God had promised.

And then you remember in Joshua chapter 3 and verse number 6,

Joshua 3 · chapter mention

where the Bible says be ye therefore very courageous to

keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law

of Moses that you turn, not aside therefrom to the right

hand or to the left. You remember in the New

Testament, there are many examples when man were exhorted

to have great. Courage, you remember from the

words of Jesus, as found in the 10th chapter of the Book of

Matthew, when Jesus was before his disciples.

Jesus said the things that I have told you in darkness, you

need to be courageous. You need to be bold and you need

to be not fearful because what I have told you in darkness, those

are the things that you are going to.

Now declare in the light, the things that I have said as the

new as the King James version, says the things that I have said

in your ear or the things that you have been told.

By me in private. It is those things that you are

boldly going to Proclaim from the housetops as well.

You remember that, the great Apostle Paul said to the church

at Corinth in 1st Corinthians chapter, 16 and verse 13.

He said watch ye Stand Fast in the faith.

Quit you like men and be strong. It is imperative that you and I

that are endeavoring to live the Christian Life.

It is imperative that we We have courage if we are living our

life in such a way that we feel as though we don't need courage

then it's time to take a retrospective view inside our

life and take a good glance at the things that we do, the

things that we stand for the things that we proclaim the

people, we hang out with the things that we say from day to

day. The hobbies that we Endeavor to

participate in. We need to look at those things.

Because a Christian is to be different.

And if we are going to be different in a world that is

around us, that is corrupt. It must take courage in our life

to stand for that, which is right.

I want to notice with the few things that is, makes it

necessary for you and I to Have Courage, number one, when you

and I are in the minority, it takes great, courage.

I realize that the world says that their strength in numbers,

A, I realized that the majority of the people want to follow

after the majority because it is easy to do.

So, let me just say this, it is not difficult if I am going to

live my life and I am going to travel along the path of least

resistance. It takes no courage whatsoever

for me to do that. When I follow along by way of

the majority, it takes no courage because I am not set

apart. I am not different from another.

So, that's an easy lifestyle. That is an easy decision.

That indeed is an easy choice in my life.

For the things that I do. Let me just say this that there

very well. May be strengthened numbers with

reference to worldly and secular things, but not according to

spiritual things, so says the word of God, Jesus would

declare, and the great Sermon on the Mount.

In the seventh chapter of the Book of Matthew, that just Being

a Christian seeking after Heaven places Us in the minority.

Jesus said in Matthew 7, beginning in verse 13, He said

entry into the strait gate for wide is the gate and Broad is

the way that leadeth unto destruction and many there, be

which go in thereat for Strait is the gate and narrow is the

way that leadeth unto life. And Jesus said, few there, be

that find it. You know, we need to have

courage. When we stand in the minority

many examples, we sung a song just a little bit ago, referring

to Caleb. And you remember that Joshua and

Caleb in the midst of the other spies had to take a stand.

Now, they're in the midst of men that were saying and declaring

we have no chance whatsoever. There's no way we're going to

make it. We cannot overcome these people

because they are greater, they are stronger than we are in.

Fact, the report that was brought back was there are

giants in the land. Oh how it must have been for

Caleb to be in the minority and say such words of great strength

to have the courage to do. So, as the Bible says, but Caleb

Still the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once

and possess it for. We are well able to overcome You

know not only is are there many other examples in the Bible

concerning? Those individuals who had to

show courage in the minority but there are also evidences in

God's word when God chose the minority to fulfill his will and

fulfill his purpose. Perfect example of this a story.

We all know found in the Book of Judges.

You remember when Gideon was about to go into battle with the

midianites they're worth. 32,000 men that were congregated

together for the purpose of going into battle.

This is what God Said though. God said two things and this is

my point by the way, not really that story.

This is my point. God said that there were two

things that were required that he wanted to convey to the

people. There was a message, he wanted

extended and he chose a few men in the minority to do this.

Number one, he did not want these men to go.

In the battle and have 32,000 of them go in there and whip the

midianites and then all of a sudden think that by their own

power, their own might their own strengths and their own wisdom

that they were victorious. We know the story Gideon, tells

them whoever doesn't want to go, you don't have to go 22,000, go

back now. You got 10,000.

God said that's still too, many gave him.

A simple test of water 300 past, and they were victorious against

the midianites to prove. Move Point number two, that God

wanted and that was simply that God chose a few men to prove and

to demonstrate that Israel's God was stronger than the enemy.

It is always been necessary for the people of God.

As we stand in the minority that we stand firm and stand with

great Courage. The Apostle Paul was one who

stood alone from time to time and courage was Wired of him.

But you know of all the pages that are found in all the 66

books of the Bible as we go back through Biblical history, as

outlined in conveyed in and through God's word of all of the

characters in the Bible that were courageous in the minority

there is none other that was more courageous than Jesus

Christ. If you think about the things

that Jesus did his entire existence was in the Minority

Jesus was born of a virgin. The Bible says that which was

conceived in her being Mary was of the Holy Ghost.

He was in the minority, because no one had ever been in that

way. He came from Heaven, he was all

the way back in the very beginning as Bob pointed out

this morning. In Genesis 1 and verse 26, where

the Bible says, let us make man in our image.

Oh yes, indeed. He'd Jesus stood alone.

Jesus was in a class for sake of a better term all by himself.

He came to this lowland of sickness sin, and sorrow, and

his entire life was in view of his death in the minority.

He also was one that lived a life that was perfect.

And without sin in the minority, he was one that as he neared,

those last days, I would imagine being in the flesh.

There was fear that come that came upon him in the Garden of

Gethsemane, you remember. And I like that old song, we

used to sing you, remember that song when Jesus alone were

standing. Jesus was all by himself in the

minority when he did what he did for you and I when he went to

get cemani and he was praying to his father, those that were

closest to him, could not even stay awake.

Long enough to sit with him through the night.

Oh, we know the story. We know that Judas forsook him

and sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

We know that Peter for shook him, as Jesus said, you will

I'll do so, you will forsake me. You will deny me three times

before the cock crows, and that happened.

But then the Bible says, with all the other Apostles that all

forsook him and all Flynn again, he would have to be all alone

and then he stands before. That ridiculous mock trial, he

was scourged and beaten and spit in his face and the crown of

thorns on his head. And yet, he opened not his

mouth. With great courage you ever

stopped to consider when Jesus was on that cross for six hours

as he hung on that cross. That just maybe in the flesh

that he was that some Temptations might have gone

through his mind. This was a, this was a being

that is deity. And he was brought down in the

flesh, but Jesus knew that he could have called down those

Legions of angels and put a stop to the whole matter.

But he showed great courage, and I'm going to tell you why,

because the greatest amount of Courage, you can convey is when

you are courageous through obedience, sometimes people say,

listen, you've got to be strong now, that's not strength.

You've got to be strong and thinking.

Number one, you got to think of yourself that's not strength.

There's more strength in obedience.

Jesus was obedient to his father.

He learned obedience by the things.

That he suffered, he did it all alone in the minority and he did

it for you. And me, remember what one man

said, one time that courage is doing what you are afraid to do.

There is no such thing as courage without fear.

There's nothing wrong with fear. The problem is, oftentimes fear

causes us, not to do what we know to be, right?

And when we are faced with that fear, the Bible teaches us that

we must have courage and stand strong and stand firm and do

that, which is right. But, you know, secondly,

tonight, there's something else that we need to notice.

I think That another time that you and I in our life are going

to have to have courage, is when we are going through severe

Temptations. I think it's important though

that we recognize a couple of things about Temptation.

First of all did you know that Temptation or did you realize

temptation is not sin? In fact the Bible teaches us

that Temptation channeled is a trial of our Faith.

And when we overcome that trial of our faith and we overcome

those temptations that are before us, it is a good thing

for us all the way until we stand before the Judgment seat

of Christ. So the problem is not the

Temptation, the sin is in the yielding to that.

Temptation in James chapter 1 and verse 12.

James 1 · chapter mention

The Bible said, blessed is the man that endureth temptation.

When he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life which

the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Also, we are told that we may have manifold Temptations in our

life. But in doing so, regardless of

what is before us, excuse me, is before us and we must go

through. We must have courage First,

Peter chapter 1 and verse 6. The Bible says we're in.

You greatly rejoice. Though.

Now for a season, if need be you are in heaviness through

manifold Temptations. And I want you to notice verse

number 7, That the trial of your faith being much, more precious

than that of gold that perisheth though, it be tried with fire

might be found unto praise and honor and Glory at the appearing

of Jesus Christ. Do these trials of our faith, if

channeled properly, if we make it through them, with courage,

in our life, they are good for us.

But let me just say this, though.

There's only one way to avoid Temptation in our lives.

There's only one way to escape the Temptations that are before

us day by day and the very best way to do that is to completely

avoid those circumstances. That would present those

Temptations to us far too many times.

We want to stay just as close as we possibly can to the

Temptation with Without sinning, in fact, how many of us I know I

did when I was a younger person. How many of us say, I'm a strong

person. I can go a long with those folks

just because they're Sinners doesn't mean I'm going to be,

I'm a strong person. I am a Christian.

Even sell yourself on the fact that you're letting your light

shine among them. No, sir.

You are participating in their evil Deeds.

I'm going to tell you something. If you're living your life like

That you're living your life, that close to the line you were

going to fail. Don't take my word for it,

though. Let's look at what the Bible

says. And notice what these words?

Proverbs Chapter 1 beginning in verse 10, my son, if Sinners

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

entice thee consent, thou not if they say come with us let us lay

wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without

cause let us swallow. Oh them up alive as the grave.

And whole as those that go down into the pit, we shall find all

precious substance. We shall fill our houses with

spoiled cast in my lot. Among Us.

Let us all have one purse. Notice my son walked not thou in

the way with them refrained, thy foot from their path.

Another words do not go down the path of the Wicked in the fourth

chapter of the Book of Proverbs beginning in verse 14, it says

there, enter not into the path of the wicked and go not into

the way of the evil man, notice what he says they're avoid it.

Pass not by it. Turn from it and pass away.

You know how you beat the devil, just like that.

You know how you make sure you don't give in to those

temptations that are before you that are your weaknesses.

You do that? You turn from it, you get away

from it, you don't look at it, you don't walk in the midst of

it, you turn yourself as fast as you possibly can and you run as

fast as you can away from it. That is how you endure

Temptations in your life. Notice that Paul said in first

Thessalonians 5 and verse 22, he said, simply there abstain from

all appearance of evil. Have you recognized lately that

the devil is in constant battle with you every day you live for

your greatest possession. You know, the devil wants your

soul. It's going to be awful and

gehenna, hell for the devil. It's prepared for him and his

angels and that's where the devil's go.

So misery loves company as they say, the devil wants to take

just as many people with him as he possibly can.

Because I'll tell you, there's no hope for the devil.

That's where he's going. So every day of our life, the

devil is in constant battle with us for the greatest possession

that we have and ever will have in all the days of our life, and

that is for our soul. In this battle if we willingly

approach sin, we tempt and give place to the devil.

If the things that we do and the pleasures that we desire to have

Bears, a weak point, to the devil, we better change those

things because he will use those things.

Those devices in order to defeat us.

But you know, we find that there's a ray of Hope and God's

word concerning this battle that we have with the Devil.

The devil can be beat. You remember when the devil

tempted Jesus? In Matthew, the 4th chapter, we

realized the devil was defeated that Day by Jesus Christ

himself. And in verse number 11, the

Bible says that after the devil was defeated notice what

happened? He left him and behold Angels

Came and ministered unto him, but in order to defeat him, we

must do the things that are outlined in.

James 4 and verse 7. He ever stopped to really look

James 4 & 7. It seems like it's just too

simple, but it's very much misunderstood today.

Let me break it down for you. There's a promise in James 4 and

7 that the devil will leave us alone.

But that promise like other promises that God gives us is

conditioned upon two conditions. There are two things that must

happen. Even before the devil will leave

us alone and notice those two things are what you and I have

to do. In other words, if we look at

that verse of scripture, and we noticed the conditions that are

described there. Then we know beyond a shadow of

a doubt that if we do not do those two conditions And the

promise that the Bible tells us about the devil leaving us

alone. Will never happen.

Here's the piers, the conditions James 4:7 says submit yourself

James 4:7

therefore unto God. That is first.

How many people those say? Well, I know I'm struggling in

this or that or the other thing. I know, I'm having problems with

Temptations and sinful things. The Bible said that, if I submit

myself to God, the devil is going to flee.

I come down. And I worship with my brethren.

I come down and do that. That's not enough.

Submit yourself. Therefore unto God means that

you will seek after Heavenly things that you will set your

minds and your affections on things above and not on things

on the earth if God is truly number one in our lives, every

single thing that we do, every decision that we make will be

different than if we are driven by the things in the pleasures

of the world. So there's a very generic and

general statement in submitting to God, but if I will do that,

then I will do that with all of my fiber.

I will be as the Apostle Paul said, in Romans 12, I will be

transformed. Everything will be different in

my life. That's number one.

Once you get that one out of the way, the next one is very, very

easy. Resist the devil.

That's it. but if you try to resist the devil, But you

haven't submitted yourself therefore unto God with every

fiber of your being. The promise is not for you, that

the devil will leave you alone. If on the other hand, you're

trying to submit yourselves therefore to God.

But you won't resist the devil and the promise is not for you

either. The devil can be defeated.

Absolutely, we have blessings in that, but we must do those two

things. We must never also give place to

the devil. Hear the words of the great

Apostle. Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 and

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

verses 26 and 27, he said be ye angry and sin, not Not let not

the sun, go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the

devil notice, how did how dangerous it is for the sun to

go down upon your Wrath. Do you know that Jesus was

angry? Jesus was angry.

That's a human emotion. And there's no sin in that

because if there was, then Paul would not have made a

distinction. He said, be angry and sin not

but notice what happens notice when you give place to the devil

understanding in this battle, we have that's waged between us and

the devil for our soul. We don't want him to have a

stronghold or a leg up, or we don't want to give Place to the

devil. So in understanding that What

happens when you Harbor malice in your heart?

And you let the sun go down upon your Wrath.

I'm going to tell you something the longer, you're angry and

your heart. The more inclined, it is for you

to send. And that's why Paul said, get

rid of it. That's why Paul said, you know,

man thinks they're so wise, wise man takes care of his

differences before he lies down to sleep.

Sometimes people talk about the Golden Rule, do unto others as

you would have them. Do unto you and our schools,

teach that. And by the way, those are

wonderful things. Jesus said that Matthew 7 and 12

therefore all things whatsoever you meant would that men should

do to you do. Ye even so to them for this is

the law and the prophets. And Paul said, let not the sun

go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil.

That's really the point isn't it?

It's dangerous when we Harbor those thoughts in our angry

Hearts because we're giving place to the devil that we are

trying to defeat to beat the devil, we must put on the whole

armor of God and be courageous and Ephesians 6.

And verse 11, the Apostle Paul said, put on the whole armor of

God that ye may be able to stand against The Wiles.

Of the devil. But remember that the devil does

not always make a frontal attack if the devil did and you're

thinking about some monster that's going to jump before you

and scare you out of your wits. That's not what's going to

happen. The devil sneaks in and knows

devices he knows weaknesses, he knows he knows how we are, he

knows what'll get us and that's what he uses.

But, you know, regardless of what our weaknesses are and we

all have different ones. I know that we have the same

weapon that Jesus had, and that was when the devil was

confronting Jesus, Jesus Beat the Devil with the thus it is

written. You know, we can do the very

same thing. That's submitting, our self.

Therefore going to God, resisting the devil.

You know, how we do it? We tell that Old Devil.

No, no, that's not going to happen here when we are tempted

to revenge, and we know that that's a Temptation from the

devil. We defeat him with it is written

when we are tempted to steal tempted to be prideful in our

heart tempted to hate our brother tempted to go down, the

path of worldliness, tempted to gossip about one another tempted

to blaspheme or Tempted to stay home and forsake the assembling

of ourselves together. As the manner of some is we can

defeat that Temptation and defeat that Devil with us.

It is real for we are not ignorant of his devices.

I realize it takes great courage to win the battle over

Temptation in our life. But if we are ever going to

defeat the Devil and win, the wage.

That is that is before us of our soul, we must have great

courage. One man said this one time, he

said, you know, a hero is no braver than an ordinary man,

he's just Brave a little longer. Hold on, you can make this, you

can make it in your life. You can live the Christian Life

and make Heaven, you can defeat the devil on Return by using

God's word, submitting yourself, therefore unto him and

resisting. That devil, let's be brave.

A little longer, let's fight the devil on our terms for we are

not ignorant of his devices. Thirdly tonight, though there's

something else that causes us to have courage in our life.

We might think, at first glance, this is an easy one, but really

it is not. I realize that it takes a lot of

courage to reprove those. Who sent, you know, I'll tell

you something. It is easy for me to go to Bob

to say, Bob, did you hear what? Terry did man?

Harry's doing this that and the other I'll go to Brent's, a, did

you hear about Ryan? That's easy to do, you know

what's harder to lovingly? Go to the brother that aired and

lovingly rebuked him. That is much more difficult and

that takes great, courage, and Luke chapter, 17, and verse 3.

Jesus said, take heed unto yourselves, If thy brother

trespass, against thee, rebuke him, if he repents, Repent,

forgive him, you know, there are examples throughout all the

Bible about this. I'll notice a couple of new

testament examples with you. You remember when Philip was

preaching to those that Samaria? It was a man named Simon there.

This was a sinful man but Simon obeys the gospel.

He hears the words of neglect, the Glad words of the kingdom

and he obeys the gospel, he's baptized for the remission of

his sins. Philip, the Evangelist now is

done, so they sent for Peter and John to come.

Back to impart spiritual gifts on those and leave those there

to confirm God's word after the Evangelist left.

All of a sudden, the devil knew in his devices.

How to get on Simon. All he knew he was fighting to

get him back from the moment. He was baptized.

And he saw that through the laying on of the Apostles hands.

Those that Samaria received a spiritual gift and he says this.

How much do you want for it? He offers them money.

Peter rebuked that brother. And I'm glad that he did because

the Bible says that this brother made it, right?

Notice he rebuked this brother by saying, repent of this thy

wickedness that the thought of buying heart may be forgiven

thee. He in essence, says, shame on.

You Simon shame on you because you thought that you can buy the

gift of God with money. He said, thy money perish has

with you. You know what Simon said?

We know the story Simon says, no pray for me.

Pray for me, that all of those things that you're just now.

Talking about will not come to me, and he repented, because of

that rebuke, you know, of all the people in, in the Bible of

Bible History of the early Church of all the people that

should have had the proper concept or proper objective, and

the proper heart and attitude about the Gentiles.

I know that the Bible says Says that Paul was a chosen vessel of

the Lord to Bear's name to the Gentiles.

But I'm going to tell you something, the one, the

individual, the one apostle that should have known better was

Peter. Peter got the vision and acts in

Acts 10 and Peter was involved when the Holy Spirit came to the

household of Cornelius. And even the words of Peter

himself when he said, how can we forbid water, would they receive

the Holy Spirit the same as we Jews?

Jews did too. All he should have known better

but Galatians 2 11 through 13, you know what happened for fear

of the Jews Peter wouldn't eat with those Gentiles.

Paul rebuked him. A brother.

Rebuking another brother Peter, again, rebuking ananias and

Sapphira his wife, when they sold the possession and kept

back, part of the price and Acts chapter 5 and verse 3, Peter

Acts 5 · chapter mention

says, why has Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost

and keep back part of the land? You see, all of these examples

are examples of individuals, who were members of the body of

Christ and who stumbled and were in need of a rebuke.

And very fortunate. There was always someone there

among God's people to do that very thing.

Finally tonight, though. It takes great courage, when you

preach the truth. Under persecution.

You know, when I say this, I'm not making this exclusive to a

preacher. And I'm not making this

exclusive to just one who teaches publicly.

I'm talking about it takes great courage to teach the truth in

the face of opposition and persecution.

Now, I will say this, we don't know what it's like to be truly

persecuted. Like those of old, we don't know

what that's like at all, but there is certain persecution.

I would imagine. I know this there may not be

persecution, but there's opposition.

There's opposition all around us.

It takes courage to rise up and speak the truth. in times like

those, but that's when it takes courage for the Christian You

know, our feet are, the only feet that's going to take the

gospel to the world. Our mouth is the only mouth

that's going to preach a proclaim.

The truths that are found in God's word.

Jesus is counting on us to do that.

And we must do that even when it is not good for us, you know,

it's easy to preach when there's no danger, it's easy for me to

stand before you right now, and I could preach this as boldly as

I wanted to and just as strong as I wanted to still have loving

kind faces and expressions. What if though, what if we were

faced with tremendous opposition that even met our very lives

would be? We be so bold.

Would I be so bold? What?

I preach? The same.

If I was in the midst of great opposition, the Apostle Paul

told a young evangelist Timothy, that there's going to be times

in his life when it will not be convenient.

That's what he meant when he said preach the word, In season

and out of season. He also said this reprove rebuke

and exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine and

do that when it's convenient. And when it's not, but even if

dangers are present, it should not stop us from preaching, the

truth and therefore that takes great courage.

I'll just leave you with one more example.

And I use this example because this was a man that Did this

very thing? And I use him as the example, in

Acts the 7th chapter because he was the first one that would die

for what he believed. You remember, when Steven was

giving his defense, you know, if you think about in your mind's

eye, the setting, when you think about all the faces that were

standing there facing toward, Stephen of how he must have felt

inside how afraid he might have been.

We don't know. All we know is as a human being

with human emotions. We would look to that.

And think, man, I'd be just as scared as can be even though I

stood for the truth. We can assume he had some

feelings like that. Surely.

Because he knew what was about to happen.

But he stood in their very presence and didn't back off.

One bit he boldly preached to them with all the fervor and all

the strength and all the conviction, he could possibly

muster up, he preached the truth in the midst of opposition he

did so with great wisdom as he went back in time to prove and

to demonstrate that, the God that he served as a Christian

was the same God that the children of Israel should have

served but disobeying He talked of how God had sent a deliverer

named Moses and led the children of Israel out of Egyptian

bondage. He reminded them to of how their

fathers would not obey and how they turn to Aaron and said make

us Gods before us, because we don't know what's happened to

Moses. We don't even know where he is.

Make us Gods before us that we might worship.

And we know the story of the golden calf.

You know what Stephen said about that?

And when they made the calf, they marveled at their

workmanship that they made by their own hands, they miss the

whole point, they rejected the entire Point verse 51 of X7

under great opposition. This is what Stephen said.

He said you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.

You do always resist the Holy Ghost as your father's did.

So do ye he asks them, he says, which of the prophets have not

your father's persecuted. He tells them you are now the

betrayers and the murderers for you have received the law of

this disposition of angels and you have not kept Will you know

about that time? That was about all they could

stand. The Bible says that they ran

onto him and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

But then that narrative tells us that Stephen being full of the

Holy Ghost. He looks up to heaven.

And then he says this. He says, for I have seen, and I

have saw up into heaven. I have seen Heaven opened, and I

have seen Jesus, he calls him, the son of man, standing on the

right hand of God. Well, I'll tell you if there was

any ounce left of restraint, it was gone now.

They rushed on him and they pulled him outside the city and

they stoned him to death. You know how I know that what he

was doing with the right heart the right motive, the right

attitude and all of that is in all the things that he preached

so sternly and so strictly and Stouffer and so firmly I know

his heart was right because at the very end right?

Before he died, he prays to God and he says, lay not this sin to

their charge and with those words he gave up the ghost.

And he died. In conclusion, let me say this.

We live the Christian Life from day to day and we will make

decisions our lives are full of decisions.

They really are It's hard. Sometimes to make the proper

choices and sometimes the reason they're hard is because we're

afraid, there's nothing wrong with fear.

The only thing that's wrong with it, is when we yield to it, we

give into it and we don't do that, which is right.

So being afraid is okay. But let's be like those that we

talked about tonight and demonstrate how we are going to

have courage in our life and do that, which is right.

As I close, I leave you with the words of a man wrote one time

about this very thing. He said whatever you do.

You need courage, whatever. Course you decide upon, there's

always someone to tell you that you're wrong.

There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to

believe that your critics are right to map out a course of

action that follows to the very end requires.

Some of the courage that a soldier needs you see piece has

its victories but it takes brave men and women to win them.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

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