courage – La Vista Church of Christ

Men Wanted

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:48:21 +0000

by Kenneth Frazier
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong" (I Corinthians 16:13). Of this verse, Thayer says the meaning is: "to make a man of or make brave. To show oneself a man, be brave." W. E. Vine says it derives from a word meaning "to play the man."

In addition to distinguishing the male of the species, this word describes the type of male desired by God. What is needed ever so greatly are men who are mature, responsible, and courageous in conduct. Moral or spiritual cowards would not qualify as men according to I Corinthians 16:13.

There may be a greater need in today’s society and in the Lord’s church than mature, responsible, courageous men, but I am not aware of it. So many of society's ills would be corrected if men would just "play the man."

A sad day in Israel is seen in I Samuel 4. Israel was defeated by the Philistines. The solution to yet another defeat, they decided, was to bring the ark of God from Shiloh into the camp. God would then be with them, and they would be victorious over their enemies. When the ark came into the camp, the earth rang with their shout of joy.

The Philistines, upon hearing the great shout, were afraid. They remembered how God had delivered the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. To bolster their courage and spirit, the Philistines called upon their soldiers to "be strong, and quit yourselves like men, and fight." When battle was again joined with the Israelites, the Philistines defeated them and took captive the ark of God and slew the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. A sad day indeed in Israel! The Philistines conducted themselves like men! Brave, responsible, courageous, and valiant men!

The home will not function as it should if men do not behave as men. God has delegated headship to the man (Ephesians 5:22-25). There is just no way the home can be what it ought to be if men will not accept the role of husband and father and "play the man." Read that passage carefully, men. It doesn’t say to be a dictator, tyrant, or brute. It does say to love your wives as Christ loved the church.

Neither will the church ever be what it should be if men will not accept responsibility for leadership. Elders, deacons, and preachers will develop out of men who are sincerely endeavoring to fulfill the responsibilities God has placed upon them. When the church in Jerusalem needed seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, they were there. When the church in our day needs men to serve in equally important works, will they be there?

The Backbone of the Church

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:54:06 +0000

by Micky Galloway

In referring to the backbone of the church, I have in mind the firmness, the moral courage, the stand for truth, the spine of the church itself. There are certain "straws" that we should be alarmed about because they are breaking the church’s back. What are some of these "straws"?

Sin is Ignored

Worldliness is not rebuked, and lukewarmness is prevalent. In I Corinthians 5, Paul rebuked the Corinthians because fornication was among them, and they were not alarmed. The apostle Paul tells them, "And ye are puffed up and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you" (I Corinthians 5:2). Lukewarmness is not to be tolerated. God certainly will not tolerate it. Revelation 3:16 says concerning the church at Laodicea, "So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold I will spew thee out of my mouth."

Lack of Conviction

Men either act from conviction, because they believe a thing with all their heart, or from convenience, because a thing is as easy to do as not to do, and there is an advantage to be gained from doing it. Why do you attend the assemblies? Is it because you want to worship God (cf. John 4:24)? Is it a matter of conviction (cf. Hebrews 10:24-25), or are other things more appealing because they are more convenient? Have you obeyed the gospel from the heart (Romans 6:17) or have you not found a convenient time?

Conviction is illustrated in the decision of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they spoke to King Nebuchadnezzar. When asked if "is it of purpose … that ye serve not my god nor worship the golden image which I have set up?" These brave young men responded, "… be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3:16-18). These people were determined to do what was right regardless of the consequences. May the Lord increase their kind.

Changes in Preaching

Efforts are being made to change our preaching, remodel the gospel, and modernize the church. I was in the audience when a young man spoke disparagingly of those who would preach on such things as "adultery, instrumental music, and institutionalism." This young man stated that "these things are not relevant to salvation anyway." Others have stated, "God does not expect us to be completely doctrinally correct." Statements such as these emphatically illustrate the truthfulness of the apostle Paul’s statement to Timothy, "Preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lust; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables" (I Timothy 4:2-4).

What is the Cause of Such Dangerous Tendencies?

Possibly, it is success that makes it easy to outgrow our plea for simple New Testament Christianity. Maybe it is that we have less opposition. Once, it was hard to be a Christian because of great hardships and persecutions, which apparently strengthened the early church (Romans 5:3-5). There is little indoctrination that is certain to result in tragic consequences. The church is filled with people who know little about the doctrine of Christ and thus fail to abide in His doctrine (II John 9). Maybe compromise with our religious neighbors in terms of doctrine and morality has contributed to these modern trends within the church.

What is the Solution?

The solution lies in greater respect for the authority of the scriptures and firmer adherence to New Testament Christianity. Consider: Jude 3; Ephesians 4:14-15; Titus 1:13-14; Galatians 1:6-9. From these, it is evident that truth is fixed, unaltered, and unchangeable. Preaching truth may disturb some. Yet Paul told Timothy to preach the word (II Timothy 4:2). Paul commanded the Ephesians to "stand" (Ephesians 6:13-14). One cannot stand for something and not stand against something, for truth stands against error.

There is a valuable lesson to be learned from the past. Apostasy soon emerged in the first-century church, as prophesied (I Timothy 4:1-3; II Thessalonians 2:3-4). What has happened can happen again if we allow too many worldly straws to collect on the backbone of the church.

The Bold Life of Disciples

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 23:30:49 +0000

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by Jeremy DeHut

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Acts of Disciples

Esther: “Such a Time as This”

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 19:57:27 +0000

by Keith Greer

A great king, after subduing Egypt and Babylon, determined to have a feast. He invited all the princes of his empire. From the text, we learn that "wine flowed in abundance." The king's wife, Queen Vashti, was a very beautiful woman. After the feast, he commanded that she come and parade her beauty before the drunken men. What did she do? "But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command brought by his eunuchs; therefore, the king was furious, and his anger burned within him." (Esther 1:12) In his rage, he listened to his counselors and decided to remove Vashti from the throne and to replace her with another woman who would be his queen. Later, after he was sober, he regretted his decision.

So 400 virgins of the kingdom were prepared. From among them, the king would choose a new queen. One of these virgins was a young Jewish girl named Esther. Mordecai, her uncle, following the death of her parents, was raising her as his own daughter. He instructed her not to tell anyone of her Jewish heritage. After a year of preparation, she came before the king. "The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti." (Esther 2:17). So Esther became queen.

The king promoted a prince named Haman to the chief position. One day, as Mordecai sat before the king's gate, he overheard a plot against the king. He informed Esther, and she told the king, who, upon confirming that indeed there was a plot, hanged the men. The event was recorded in the king's chronicle. Haman demanded, and received, homage from the people by having them bow before him. But Mordecai would not bow.

Haman's anger went far beyond what he felt for Mordecai. "But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus--the people of Mordecai" (Esther 3:6). He tricked the king into signing a decree against the people whom Haman claimed were not keeping the king's law. It was determined that, at a set time, they would all be killed. Haman intended to rid the land of the Jews!

When Mordecai heard of Haman's plot, he was greatly distressed, as were all the Jews in the land (Esther 4:1-6). Mordecai sent Esther a copy of the decree. He wanted her to go to the king and ask him to set it aside. She replied: "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days" (Esther 4:11). Mordecai replied: "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). Esther must choose between her own life and the lives of her people. "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" (Esther 4:16).

In preparation, Esther put on her royal robes and stood outside the king's court. The king saw her and held out the golden scepter. "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said." So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared" (Esther 5:4-5).

Why have a banquet for the man who plans to kill your people? Esther had a plan of her own. "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done...If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said" (Esther 5:6,8). Haman is joyful because the queen wants to have a banquet just for him and the king. But his joy turned to anger at the sight of Mordecai. Haman's wife and friends make a suggestion, "Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made" (Esther 5:14).

During the night, the king could not sleep. He commanded the king's records of the chronicles to be read before him. "And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus" (Esther 6:2). The king wanted to know whether Mordecai had, in any way, been rewarded. He asked who was in the court. Haman had just entered the outer court, intending to ask for Mordecai's life on the gallows. They brought him before King Ahasuerus to answer the question: "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" (Esther 6:6). Haman, overcome by his own pride, thought surely the king must be talking about him. "For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!" {Esther 6:7-9} The king thought Haman had an excellent suggestion; so he commanded him to follow his own instructions to the letter--for Mordecai! What a sad turn of events! Haman must parade his enemy through the streets of the city--which he does. He then goes home in mourning with his head covered!

Now, it is time for the banquet. Haman and the king are present, and Esther makes her petition. "For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss" (Esther 7:4). The king demands the name of the one who would consider doing such a thing. Esther names Haman! Haman is terrified, and the king leaves in a rage. Haman pleads with Esther to spare his life; the king returns and finds Haman sprawled out before Esther. What did the king do? "So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided" (Esther 7:10).

The decree is altered, and thanks to the courage of this faithful woman, God's people are safe. May we ever have the courage to stand up for the Lord, no matter what opposition arises. Esther's love for her people was stronger than her concern for herself. Who knows what may be in store for us to accomplish in the Lord's kingdom?

Dear reader, what will you do when "such a time as this" comes during your work and service to God? May we all have the courage of Esther!

Bravery

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 19:52:26 +0000

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: I Samuel 14:6-14

I. When we were teenagers, my brother, after a history class, pointed out that wars are cyclic. They tend to break out once per generation.

A. If a war appeared glamorous and popular, the next war would come sooner

B. If a war was bitter and carried heavy losses, the next war would be long in coming; though within the life of the next generation. Time dims the memory of the horrors of war

C. The idea makes sense.

1. On the one hand, wars appear glamorous. Men find honor in serving their country. Often a noble cause is found to justify a country’s participation in the battles.

2. But once the reality of war sets in, once people realize their loved ones will never return to them, once they sense that these young men and women who leave may never be seen again, then fear grips the people of the nation.

D. War is a scary business.

1. During World War II, General George Patton was met by a military governor who praised his bravery in battle. General Patton replied, “Sir, I am not a brave man – the truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands.”

2. How could such a man function with these fears?

3. Many years later Patton wrote in his autobiography, “I learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears.”

II. The Bible records the amazing deeds of David’s closest friend, Jonathan

A. In a rash and daring move, Jonathan decided to cross the lines of battle into enemy territory.

1. The Philistines had tight control over the iron market.

2. No Israelite was allowed to work as a blacksmith - I Samuel 13:19-22

3. Farm implements were available, but the charge for these tools was so high that few could afford the price.

4. When Saul lead the Israelites in rebellion against the Philistines, only Saul and his son Jonathan had swords. The remainder of the army used sharpened farming tools.

B. It was during this war that Jonathan and his armor-bearer approached a garrison of Philistine soldiers who had sealed a pass between Israelite and Philistine territory.

C. Jonathan and his armor-bearer walked boldly up to the Philistine camp.

D. A Philistine sentry spotted them, seeing them alone, decided to have some fun with these silly Hebrews. He invited them to come up into the camp to “tell them something.” Jonathan had already determined that this would be a sign to him from God as to where to wage the battle. He entered the camp and slaughtered 20 armed men in a small section of ground.

E. What gave Jonathan the courage to attack an enemy garrison by boldly walking up to it?

1. It was his faith in God. Moses told the people - Deuteronomy 20:1-4

2. God fought alongside of Jonathan, sending an earthquake that so terrified the enemy that they began to kill each other - I Samuel 14:15, 20

III. God wants us to be brave

A. With God on our side, there is no fear - Deuteronomy 31:6

B. With God near, there is no fear of death - Psalms 23:4

C. Jesus gave us his peace, not outward peace that the world looks for, but inward peace - John 14:27

1. There is no fear

D. God has not given us a spirit of fear - II Timothy 1:7

1. Thus, we must bravely teach God’s Word

IV. Developing Courage

A. Most of our fears come from our own imaginations - Psalms 53:5

1. At times, what we fear is actually a blessing

a. Recall what happened to Joseph. Much evil happened to him, but in the end, Joseph told his brothers - Genesis 50:19-21

b. Recall Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They were thrown in a furnace because they defied the king, refusing to worship an idol - Daniel 3:28-29

2. Righteous wins in the end - Romans 8:28

3. Fearing God is safety. Fearing men is a snare - Proverbs 29:25

B. Fear from a guilty conscience - Proverbs 28:1

1. With God’s salvation, there is no fear - Isaiah 12:2

C. We need to face the things we fear

1. Paul fought the fight - II Timothy 4:7

2. Timothy was told to be a good solider - II Timothy 2:3

“Do you fear the force of the wind,

The slash of the rain?

Go face them and fight them,

Be savage again.

Go hungry and cold like the wolf,

Go wade like the crane:

The palms of your hands will thicken,

The skin of your cheek will tan,

You’ll grow ragged and weary and swarthy,

But you’ll walk like a man!” (Hamlin Garland)

V. There is no need to fear men

A. Against God, what can man do? - Psalms 118:6

B. I can be in the middle of a battle and not fear - Psalms 27:3

C. Even when surrounded by thousands, there will be no fear - Psalms 3:6-8

D. This is why David was fearless in facing Goliath - I Samuel 17:32-37

E. Courage is a sign of salvation - Philippians 1:27-28

Our Anchor

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 19:28:51 +0000

by Zeke Flores

When the waves won't listen and the sky won't clear, faith becomes the anchor that holds.

Acts 27 has Paul in a dangerous storm at sea along with 275 other people. The great difference is that while the majority of the other passengers were scared witless, Paul had Christ in the storm.

While Jesus may never visit us personally as He did Paul on that stormy night, He does promise His presence through His promises in our own storms.
The storm may still rage, but the Prince of Peace can calm His child.

"Therefore, keep up your courage men, for I believe God ..." (Acts 27:25).

The Need for Courage

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:11:28 +0000

by Zeke Flores

C. S. Lewis said, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."

When Jesus called out to His disciples on a stormy sea and said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), He may have been alluding to their need for bravery against more than the mere elements. He called them to have courage in the face of some frightening situations.

They would have the arduous task of taking the life-saving gospel to a stormy world that threatened them with more than wind and waves.
They would stand before hostile Jews and Gentiles, men and women, kings and paupers.
They would need the courage that Jesus urges, and more.

What was true for them is true for us. While most of us may not travel the world taking the gospel to hostile foreign lands, we live in a land that is becoming increasingly antagonistic to Biblical faith and the people who hold it. They will mock you, insult you, antagonize you, and humiliate you all to shut you up and shut you down. Just as it’s been throughout history, it’s imperative that Christians stand firm and hold up under the onslaught of opposition, never giving ground to the devil and his minions. That takes determination, guts, and courage.

The opportunities you encounter to uphold biblical faith may frighten us, and it will be tempting to simply shrink back while saying and doing nothing. But remember, God makes us strong in our weakness; He provides courage in cowardice.

Today's culture has blurred the blueprint for what it means to be a man. Or a woman, for that matter. Be gutsy. Hold fast.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong" (I Corinthians 16:13).

Standing for Right

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:42:28 +0000

by Paul M. Tucker

Standing for the right is very demanding of us. It is not easy. It may be very inconvenient. It may even lead to loneliness. On the mountain peak of spiritual experience, it can be a lonely place; we may even find ourselves alone.

"At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me," wrote the embattled Apostle Paul, speaking possibly of his defense before the Roman court (II Timothy 4:16). He had no defensive legal counsel, there was no crowd of the faithful packing the courtroom to encourage him or plead his case. As a man, he stood alone. "Not withstanding the Lord stood with me," he wrote. There he stood in a hostile court with no comforting presence of sympathizers. But the Lord was there.

It takes courage to stand for the right alone; Noah built the ark alone. Neighbors likely smirked at the simpleton, Noah, and they perished in the flood.

Abraham wandered and worshipped as a lonely leader of his family. Sodomite neighbors gave no credence to his righteous example. They followed the fashionable popular crowd into folly and flames. Lust and peer pressure led them to fiery destruction.

Daniel prayed alone, Elijah sacrificed alone, and Jeremiah wept alone. Jesus died on the cross alone, except for the company of two thieves.

The higher one climbs up the mountains of spiritual achievement, the more rarified the atmosphere and the crowd, and the more lonely one becomes, but the Lord stands by His own, with an invisible but powerful presence.

What we need in the church are men and women, young and old, who have the courage and the conviction to stand for the right (alone if necessary), at the cost of fame, fortune, and friends. We need congregations under the leadership of elders who will lead the congregation in the right direction, even if it means isolation from other congregations who are departing from the faith.

The powerful pressure of popular pride challenges us. Sins of all sorts are glamorized, glitterized, and glorified to appeal to fleshly folly. False doctrine, fancy fables, and changing alternative worship styles are made appealing to the worldly-minded. But the Lord stands by His own. With His help, we shall stand, and the wreath of victory will be ours.

In our search for worldly goods, we climb the highest mountains and toil across the hot sands of the desert, forgetting the words of the wise man Solomon, "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22).

Who Can Stand?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 02:02:27 +0000

by Ryan Boyer

In Revelation 6, Jesus (the Lamb) is opening the scroll's seals one by one. The first four are the famous four horsemen of the apocalypse. These are not only punishments against people who have persecuted God's people but also wake-up calls and opportunities to repent (like the Egyptian plagues). They are also purifying trials for God's people who get caught up in the whole mess.

When Jesus opens the fifth seal, we see martyrs crying out, "How long!" before God will finally avenge their blood. The sixth seal answers that question, which is something like, "Don't worry. I will judge my enemies, and when I do, it will be cataclysmic."

That cataclysmic judgment results in its victims crying out, "Who can stand!" Revelation 7 is an answer to this question.

The first part of God's answer to "Who can stand?" is that God will mark his people before judgment so they will not be swept away by the wicked. God's people being sealed on their foreheads in Revelation 7:3 refers to Ezekiel 9:1-5. Ezekiel 9:4 says, "Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."

I want to draw attention to the fact that those marked out to stand on the day of judgment are not the wicked sinners who make the city such a morally terrible place. They are those who look at the sin in the world around them and are sick about it (i.e., sigh and groan). These are the people whose souls are sealed for God.

There is an example of the opposite later in Revelation. When Babylon falls in Revelation 18, the kings of the earth weep and wail over her destruction because they committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her (Revelation 18:9). The merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her since no one buys their cargo anymore (Revelation 18:11), and because they gained wealth from her (Revelation 18:15). "All shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea" cried out because the party is over (Revelation 18:17).

All these did not necessarily do the sin of Babylon. Still, they participated in it, and rather than sighing and groaning over her depravity, they sighed and groaned when she fell, and they couldn't benefit from her any longer.

This is my main takeaway: Those who are sealed or marked as God's people are disgusted and appalled by Babylon's sin. The solution is Revelation 18:4: "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues." If we participate in Babylon's sin, we also participate in her punishment.

Be Not Dismayed

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:15:55 +0000

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

I. Jeremiah came in the worse days of Judah’s history

A. Corruption was everywhere - Jeremiah 6:13-15

B. Jeremiah was told from his youth to preach the truth - Jeremiah 1:4-8

C. But that didn’t make it easy. Jeremiah was opposed most of his life

1. After a prophecy in the Temple - Jeremiah 19:14-20:2

2. And Jeremiah condemned him on his release - Jeremiah 20:3,6

3. While Jeremiah showed a strong front, it tore him to his soul - Jeremiah 20:7-18

D. Jeremiah knew that God would win and he would be vindicated; yet, he still suffered.

II. Stand firm, in one spirit and one mind - Philippians 1:27

A. Unity in our attitude and teaching

B. Do not fear what you will suffer - Revelation 2:10

C. Rejoice when persecuted - Matthew 5:10-12

III. In no way alarmed by your opponents - Philippians 1:28

A. Joshua told to follow God and don’t be afraid - Joshua 1:5-9

B. It isn’t just external enemies. There will be enemies within the ranks of those who should be God’s people

1. Do not fear the reproach of men - Isaiah 51:7

2. A face like flint - Isaiah 50:6-7

3. Ezekiel told to be tough - Ezekiel 3:4-9

C. Fear God instead of men - Matthew 10:28

D. No timidity or shame - II Timothy 1:7-8

E. Do not be surprised at the ordeal or be ashamed - I Peter 4:12-16

IV. A sign of destruction for them - Philippians 1:28

A. Intimidation boomerangs when the victims are unbowed

1. Consider the effect of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego on Nebuchadnezzar - Daniel 3:16-19

2. Their boldness was a slap in Nebuchadnezzar’s face

B. Persecution is an indication of God’s righteous judgment - II Thessalonians 1:5

C. Putting the persecutors to shame - I Peter 3:13-16

V. A sign of salvation for you - Philippians 1:28

A. A privilege to suffer for Christ - Philippians 1:29

B. Rejoicing after scourging. Worthy to suffer for Christ - Acts 5:40-42

C. If we suffer with him, we will be glorified with him - Romans 8:17

VI. A sign from God - Philippians 1:28

A. God rescues - Psalms 68:19-20

B. God comforts us. Why be afraid of men? - Isaiah 51:12

C. God values you, so do not be afraid - Luke 12:4-7

D. God is my helper. I will not fear - Hebrews 13:5-6

E. I will trust God - Isaiah 12:2

VII. The righteous contends with the wicked - Proverbs 28:4

A. Not denying the Savior - Matthew 10:32-33

B. Not ashamed of the gospel - Romans 1:16