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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS (don't write about the song) (05/14/15)
One Step Forward
2014 rolled into eternity five months ago and we have marched into the middle of another brand New Year. What advancement have we made in our Christian experience during these days? Are we in the same place as we were last year or have we made any progress? Have we marched forward as disciplined soldiers or have we fallen down by the wayside as weaklings?
Failure of electricity was a common occurrence where we lived long ago. At such times when everything was dark, my little girl would shout "Mommy". As soon as she hears my voice she will be satisfied and will make her way towards the voice. The assurance that I was there calmed down her fears of the darkness. Yes, if we have the trust that little children have on their parents we also would not be afraid of the dark swirling waters of trials that seem to engulf us. We will be able to sing songs even in the darkest moments of life.
Truly the greatest antidote to fear is the knowledge that God is with us. In Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV) we read."Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
Courage! How much of it is needed in every walk of life and in every period of earth's history! It is needed by youth as they witness for the truth among companions who follow the ways of the world. It is needed by the church leaders as they lay bold plans for the growth of the church. It is needed by all, young and old to say, “No" to Satan's temptations.
When Moses the great leader was about to turn over the responsibilities to Joshua, he told the people to have courage and not to be afraid. Then he added, "For the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee." Here Moses revealed the secret of true courage, which is being conscious of God's presence. David was brave as he faced Goliath because he knew that God was with him. Daniel was brave as he was thrown into the lions' den because he knew the God to whom he prayed morning. noon and evening was with him. Esther walked bravely into the King's court even when she was not invited because she trusted the God to whom she and her maidens fasted and prayed. The apostle Paul stood fearlessly before King Agrippa because He who spoke to him on the road to Damascus was with him. It was this knowledge that kept Elisha from being afraid when he was surrounded by the Syrian army at Dothan. The knowledge of having the living Savior by his side kept Paul fearless in a stormy sea. It kept Peter from being afraid in prison, though he faced possible death at the hands of Herod. This is the same courage that sent so many martyrs smiling and singing to their tortures. And today, every fear will be conquered as we sense God's presence with us and we may face every danger with courage because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the Commander of our army.
With this consciousness we must also remember one thing as each day goes by, as each year runs through we are a step closer to the coming of our Lord. We are almost home but will we enter there? We can almost see the lights of the heavenly city. Many of our loved ones have crossed the sea of life and are waiting in their places of rest for the call of the Life-giver and we are looking forward to a glad reunion with them. We expect to march safely through the dark night of sin into a dawn of eternal day. Will this be our joyous experience? Yes, if we heed Christ's counsel on Luke 12:40 which reads, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”(KJV) We must not become weary; we are marching to Zion as soldiers of Christ. We are so near the end of the journey. May we have the consciousness that we are very near our Heavenly goal and may God grant us the privilege to be with our Commander Jesus Savior who will guide us safely through this enemy camp.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/27/15
I think your biblical examples of courage in the face of fear were the perfect examples for this week's topic. They were all human, and it is natural to be afraid. Jesus knows this because he became human. It's wonderful to worship a God who truly understands human emotions.

Remember not to start a sentence with a number. You could fix that easily by saying The year 2014 rolled in months ago. Also, you may need to go through and manually hit return in the entry box to give the reader that need white space. Always hit preview before submit so you can see what your story will look like to the reader.

This devotion will definitely encourage everyone who reads it. Your message is a great one and the ending brings it full circle.