07/12/2024
Topic: courage and Grace
To finish strong
"courage" and "grace" are two essential virtues that are intricately linked to finishing well. Here are some key scriptures and insights:
"Courage'
- Joshua 1:9 - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
- Psalm 31:24 - "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
- Acts 4:29-31 - "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in faith despite fear or uncertainty. Courage is rooted in trust in God's presence, power, and promises.
Grace
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."
- Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
- 1 Peter 5:10 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
Grace refers to God's unmerited favor, kindness, and empowerment. Grace is not just a gift, but a dynamic, transformative power that enables us to live a life that honors God.
Finishing strong
- 2 Timothy 4:7-8 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me.