Face Up With God - Stay the Course

Stay the Course

John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name.

Coming to the cross for Jesus meant hard decisions. As He prepared Himself and the disciples for this juncture a rare truth came forward.

Stay the Course

Jesus talked about the need for a seed to die in the ground in order to grow. Then He declares the tempest in His soul. What will I say? Will I hold up to the challenge in front of me or ask for release? He stayed the course. We are glad He did. Great gain can mean great pain. He had suffered much. More was ahead. To endure takes leaning on God's faithfulness.

Stay the Course

My friend, Jeff Mitchell, is celebrating his 15th anniversary as pastor at Tabitha Baptist. At a supper in his honor from the congregation, it impressed me the love and wisdom and suffering he has lived in staying the course. Not many endure. The joy and love in that body is evident every time I am with them. He has passed an heritage through his faithfulness and continues to build.

Stay the Course

At the annual Character Counts breakfast for Boy Scouts of America in Oklahoma City, a retired navy commander spoke of standing responsibly in the face of adversity. A tragic accident cost lives and his lifelong dream career. Integrity held him on course with truth. We need such men who stay the course.

Stay the Course

Character First is a consortium of men and women in all areas of society. Our county sheriff publicly stands for character. Businesses like Kimray stand for character. Men and women gather to focus themselves and our city to continue in moral character. I remember attending church with Tom Hill, the visionary, 28 years ago. He and his family were on course then. He is staying the course still. Nations are impacted.

Stay the Course

At our quarterly business and community leadership luncheon, we honored coaches. There were great and faithful Christian men in attendance. The Jim Thorpe Association partnered to bestow honor on whom honor is due. These coaches have given their lives to influence character in others along with coaching a team. They have stayed the course and influenced lives constructed with character.

Stay the Course

In a recent eclectic gathering of leaders in Oklahoma City, stories were shared from around the world of interventions of God. From the Arabic people of the Middle East, the Ugandans in Africa, the Waodoni of South America and teens of North America came stories of the fruits of staying the course. Bearing Fruit Communications and partners are rifle focused to impact our present generation with moral and ethical integrity. In the context of lives that have been lived in His service for decades come great changes in societies and people.

Stay the Course

Pray to stay the course. Pray for others to stay the course. Your metro needs it. My metro needs it. Our metros need it.

Let us Pray:

Father, You are ever faithful. Your mercies that strengthen us are new every morning.

Help us stay the course.

Encourage faithfulness to timeless moral principle to shake our societies to sensibility.

Help us stay the course.

Encourage faithfulness to moral purity to provide a secure and holy embrace of fidelity to us and our friends. Work in us that our thoughts, words, and actions would be consistent with Your will.

Help us stay the course.

Encourge faithfulness to family to stick in our minds that we would bring blessing not cursing to generations.

Help us stay the course.

Encourage faithfulness to justice and mercy and everlasting truth in us that we might stay the course.

Help us stay the course.

Encourage faith in our leaders in business, community, congregations, government, and education. Let it be real faith that holds under pressure. Let it be long suffering faith that does not wilt. Let it be faith based on Your Living Word, Jesus, the Christ.

Help us stay the course.

Help us to stay the course that others might see and embrace this same Christ alongside us.

Help us stay the course.