COURAGE FOR JESUS
J. Allen Blair
Christian friend, do you use opportunities to give a bold witness for Christ, or do you shy away and maybe change the subject?
A little boy, after seeing his first puppet show, said to his father, "Daddy, I am glad I am not one of those pretending persons who has to be told what to do."
God isn't interested in pretenders. He wants genuine people in His service who are willing to take a stand for Him.
Many in our churches are pretending to be something they are not, like puppets on a string with no will of their own. God says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, Stand fast in the faith; in Galatians 5:1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free; in Philippians 1:27, Stand fast in one spirit; in 1 Thessalonians 3:8, Stand fast in the Lord. Don't be a weak, spineless Christian, afraid to bear a courageous witness for Jesus Christ!
Stand fast means to be bold for the Lord, regardless of what others say. John the Baptist stood fast for God. He stood firmly and boldly for God, even though his life was in danger. Later, when Jesus spoke to the multitudes, he commended John: What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11: 7,11).
Horace Bushnell said, "There are two great virtues of life: to bear and to dare. Every follower of Jesus Christ would do well to incorporate these two words into his daily living. He needs to bear a consistent testimony for Jesus and dare to be faithful to God in sharing the truth. Bear and dare-this is it."
In the days when the ruling passion of the Roman Emperor, Nero, was the extermination of Christians, there lived a stalwart band of soldiers known as The Emperors Wrestlers. In the great amphitheater, they upheld the arms of the Emperor against all challengers. Before each contest, they stood before the Emperor's throne. Then, through the courts of Rome rang the cry, "We the wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Emperor, to win for thee the victory, and from thee the victor's crown."
When the great Roman army was sent to fight in faraway Gaul, no soldiers were braver or more loyal than this band of wrestlers led by their centurion Vespacian. But news reached Nero that many of these men had accepted the Christian faith. To be a Christian meant death, even to those who served Nero best. Therefore, this decree was dispatched to Vespacian: "If there be any among the soldiers who cling to the faith of the Christian, they must die."
It was with sinking heart that Vespacian, the centurion, read the Emperor's message. Yet he knew that he had to perform his duty. He called the soldiers together and asked the question, "Are there any among you who cling to the faith of the Christian? If so, let him step forward." Forty wrestlers instantly stepped forward two paces, respectfully saluted, and stood at attention. Vespascian was surprised. He had not expected so many. He read the decree from the Emperor and pled with the men to denounce this "false" faith.
Not one of the forty moved. "All right," said Vespascian, "I command that you march out upon the lake of ice, and I shall leave you there to the mercy of the elements. Fires will be waiting to welcome any who are willing to renounce this false faith." The forty wrestlers were stripped, silently fell into columns of four, and marched onto the ice. As they marched, they broke into chorus with the old chant of the arena. "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory, and from Thee the victor's crown."
All through the long hours of the night, Vespacian waited by the campfire for the men to return. As morning drew near, one figure, overcome by exposure, crept quietly toward the fire. In the extremity of his suffering, he had renounced his Lord. But still, faintly but clearly out of the darkness came the song: "Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory, and from Thee the victor's crown." Vespacian looked at the figure drawing close to the fire and then out into the darkness whence came the song of faith. Once again, he looked. It was very possible that he saw a greater light shining there in the darkness. Off came his helmet; down went his shield. He sprang upon the ice crying, "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory, and from Thee the victor's crown." And again, the number of God's Forty Singing Wrestlers was complete.
Child of God, do you belong to this faithful body of men who were undaunted by the temptation to deny Jesus Christ? Or have you been ashamed of the Savior? In silence, you have professed to be one of His followers; but in the crowd, no one knows it. You have found it much easier to be a crowd-pleaser than to bear a consistent testimony for your Lord. Consequently, you have led no souls to Christ. You have reaped little joy from your salvation. You are bogged down by the cares of this life, not knowing the liberty of the cross. Don't sell out to Satan. Sell out to Jesus, for in Him the rewards are not only real, but everlasting.
Maybe you are afraid you will hurt your business or lose your job if you do things for the Lord and speak in a manner that pleases Him. Maybe you have been dishonest with your customers, thinking, "This is the only way I can be successful." Don't be deceived.
God says in 2 Corinthians 8:21, Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. Nowhere in the Scriptures does God give anyone the right or the privilege to deceive.
If it is a requisite where you work to be dishonest, quit your job immediately! "Where would I get another job?" you ask. "In days like this, I might go hungry." My advice is, go hungry. It would be far better to starve to death than to betray God. If you put the Lord Jesus Christ first in your life, and vow to honor Him at any cost, He will take care of you.
David wrote, I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Psalm 37:25). God takes care of His own and keeps all of His promises. Don't be afraid, Stand Fast.
And if you don't know the Lord, I urge you to come to Him right now. Take Christ into your life, and God will lead you every step of the way.
Alcohol and The Christian
If you know much about Glad Tidings, you probably know that Dr. Blair's boyhood home was wrecked by alcohol. His father, George, was a kind and responsible man, until he lost a great job and began using alcohol. That was the beginning of a downward spiral. Dr. Blair has written a message and we have it in tract form: Should a Christian Drink? Write to us this month for a free printed copy.