Steps to Courage
1. Get Right with your
Maker. If you do, He will give you His (Deep Inner) Peace, and you will
no longer Need to Fear Death -- simply because Jesus Christ holds the Keys of
Death, and can (and will) give Eternal Life to all who trust Him, and Call
upon Him for Salvation. Rev.
1:18; I
John 2:25; Rom.
10:13; John
10:27-30. Not only that but Everyone
MUST die sooner or later, as it has been "built into" this life, as
a result of the curse that was placed upon mankind when Adam sinned. See also These
Links which will tell you how to
obtain Peace with God via a Personal
Relationship with Your Creator. Here are a few
Scriptures
that also stress the need to obtain that Personal
Relationship with -- God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
2. Read stories about Great men
and women of Faith, such as:
Joan
of Arc, a
17 year old girl, who could neither read nor write, and yet
left her family
and friends, and the small village she grew up in, to obey God, and lead the
despondent French army to victory over the invading armies of England. Her very
presence and courage is what turned the whole war around and inspired the
French people. And that courage and confidence she had (almost
certainly) came from God -- as that is what she claimed, and because
"Jesus" was the last word she is said to have spoken as they burned
her at the stake. In fact, the same Roman Catholic Church
who condemned her, vindicated her only a few years later, and condemned her
accusers instead. And 500 years later they declared her to be a Saint: something that is (according to Scripture) True of every (born again)
Christian. Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1.
Polycarp
was the bishop of Smyrna in the second century, and was
a very famous Christian man at that time (sort of like Billy Graham, or Dr.
James Dobson, or Dr. D. James Kennedy, or J. Vernon McGee, or Dr. David
Jeremiah are today). He was also martyred in his
old age (i.e. 75-80 years old), simply because he refused to bow down and worship Caesar.
However, the way in which he died is also amazing, and speaks volumes for the
power and nearness of God during times of great need.
Against
All Odds... The Life Story of Chuck
Norris: a Christian man who gives God the glory, and to Jesus Christ, and to
his mother, and many others (such as Billy Graham) who helped him become
the man he is today, and for the many amazing things he has accomplished -- in
spite of the odds against him.
George
Washington: Who was he, and why was he such a
Great Leader?
Buy
the Book.
Who were the five Christian missionaries, who went down to South America
in the late 1950's, and were killed by the local natives? And
why would they take such great risks with their own lives? Buy
the Book.
3.
Read and memorize various passages of Scripture, and do what the Lord prompts
you to do -- always allowing His Inner Peace, and the principles of Scripture
to guide you. Col. 3:15; Isaiah 58:11.
4.
Attend a Bible-teaching Christian Church, and begin studying it yourself as
well.
5.
Check out stories of other Great
Christians from the past.
6.
See also A
Life That's Refreshing and Victorious.
If you have any questions,
feel
free to ask. Also,
be sure to ask and seek the Lord's guidance on everything you do.
Matt. 6:31--7:11; Col. 3:15
Sincerely
in Christ,
Randy S. Berg