“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” ~1 Corinthians 16:13

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” ~1 Corinthians 16:13

‘Standing firm in the faith’…this reminds me of a book I recently heard of, written by Oswald Chambers called “Our Ultimate Refuge”. He was a WWI soldier who wanted to have a Bible study to help other soldiers prepare for war. He was scoffed at, being told, “No one would ever come!” Well, guess how many attended his very first meeting? Four hundred!!! Four hundred young men with a mixture of terrified excitement, unprepared for what was to come - the bloodiest war in history.

Mental and Spiritual preparation is as important, if not more than the physical. Both Chambers and Paul knew this, separated by thousands of years but bound by Christ into one that is timeless. That ‘one’ includes us!

How can we stand guard? David would pray, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” [Psalm 141:3]. We read in Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Any time God asks something of us, He provides the tools, the power and the motivation to do it. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. A friend of mine said she prayed Psalm 141:3 every single morning because her mouth could get her in trouble.

When we know God is on our side, it is easier to be brave. Read the story about Elisha and the angel armies in 2 Kings Chapter 6. Or when Jesus was asleep in the boat during a raging storm [Mark 4:35-41]. Or Daniel. Or Gideon or Sampson or David. Examples are plentiful and they are recorded for our benefit! How great is our God!

“I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the LORD your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” ~Joshua 1:9