What is it that we find heroic about them. What is it that sets them apart from the rest?

The world rewards and awards its heroes.

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Olympic medals, Nobel Prizes, United Nations Awards, the Queens Honours Lists, George Cross, Victoria Cross, Humanitarian awards, various commendations and certificates; all given to those who we feel have done outstanding deeds.

We like to commend all those who we believe have made outstanding contributions to society as a whole, and rightly so.

Bravery awards are made to all sorts of people, to firemen, policemen, ambulance men, lifeboat men, service men and women. Some of these heroes are so important that we will honour their memory. We name things after them, we build statues and memorials too, even declare public holidays. On the rare occasion we will give them a state funeral, and mint coins!

Every nation has its own breed of hero. In UK we remember people like Churchill, Princes Diana. In history there are others; Richard the Lionhearted, Albert the Great,

Prince Albert consort to Queen Victoria, Elizabeth I, William of Orange.

How do we define a hero? The Oxford Dictionary defines a hero as a person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. [Greek heros]

We see heroes as people who do things above and beyond the call of duty, who achieve things beyond that of the common man!

We admire heroes and try to live up to their example.

Heroes inspire us all to live better lives, to see the best in our fellow man. They show us what we can all achieve with hard work and dedication.

Then there are those heroes who exhibit great courage and conviction. These are the ones who live with principles.

One of the greatest heroes of the last century was a man called Audie Murphy. Most people remember him as a big Hollywood actor. But there are those who are ignorant of this mans heroism. Audie Murphy was born June 20th, 1924 near Kingston, Texas to a poverty-stricken family of cotton sharecroppers, he rose to fame as WWII's most decorated GI, the recipient of 33 decorations, including the Congressional Medal of Honour (the USs highest military award).

He received the Medal of Honour; Distinguished Service Cross; Silver Star with First Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and First Oak Leaf Cluster; Purple Heart with Second Oak Leaf Cluster; Legion of Merit; Good Conduct Medal; Distinguished Unit Emblem with First Oak Leaf Cluster; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star, three bronze service stars and one bronze service arrowhead; World War II Victory Medal; Combat Infantry Badge; Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar; Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar; French Fourragere in Colours of the Croix de Guerre; French Legion of Honour, Grade of Chevalier; French Croix de Guerre with silver star, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm.

On June 7^th 1971, Audie Murphy was buried with full military honours in Arlington National Cemetery. His gravesite, near the Amphitheatre, is second most visited gravesite year round. President Kennedy's grave is the most visited.

Yet for all his heroism Audie Murphy suffered years of Post Traumatic Stress, due to Battle Fatigue and his many war wounds. He was a campaigner for those affected by mental stress in the Military at a time when it was an unpopular subject. In WWI soldiers exhibiting PTS were often shot for cowardice. So we see that Audie Murphy was not a stranger to controversy, and not afraid to stand up and be counted.

He died age 46 in a plane crash.

The Bible is full of such men and women. People who, although afraid, took hold of their fear and stood up for truth.

We see Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, sweating blood yet not giving in to His fears.

We see Moses defying Pharaoh. Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. (KJV)

The prophets standing and speaking out against the sins of Gods people, in spite of their fears and lack of confidence.

God spoke, I want you to do such and such!

The reply, I cant. Im too young, or Im a man of unclean lips, or I cant speak the language! FEAR, FEAR, and FEAR!!!!!!!

When God answered their arguments they plucked up the courage of their convictions!

Will we stand up for Jesus in these days?

Or, will we be ashamed?

Mk:8:38:
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (KJV)

We must not be ashamed, not just of Jesus, but ALSO His words!!!

Too many are ashamed of the message of the Gospel; they have no faith in its message. They hold back essential parts and add things that, they think, will make it more attractive. Yet they forget:

Rom:1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (KJV)

The scripture tells us that:

Ps:138:2:
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (KJV)

hrma 'imrah im-raw' or hrma 'emrah em-raw'

AV-word 29, speech 7, commandment 1; 37

utterance, speech, word

What God says is more than what he is called.

We are told that not even Balaam would go beyond Gods word:

Nm:24:13:
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak? (KJV)

1Cor:4:6:
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. (KJV)

We know that Balaam was not such a good example, but even He knew that he could NOT speak out of his own understanding, but in accordance with the Word of God.

Too often we hear people sharing what they believe, yet they cant:

1Pt:3:15:
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (KJV)

People need a reasoned answer. It is not enough just to believe what we believe, but also WHY we must believe! How will you,Give an answer to every man!?

As Balaam said, what the LORD saith, that will I speak!

Unfortunately this will often bring us into conflict.

1Cor:1:18:
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (KJV)

1Cor:1:21:

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1Cor:1:23:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

We must take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17)

We are often told that there is a time and a place for everything. This is true, but when it comes to the spreading of the seed of Gods word we are told:

2Tm:4:2:
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (KJV)

Both in and out of season. In the parable of the sower the farmer wasnt concerned with where the seed landed, he scattered the seed EVERYWHERE. He knew that at least some of the seed would bear fruit.

Preach the Truth, Gods word!

Especially in these days of so many false Gospels and erroneous teaching we must KNOW why we believe what we believe. The ins and outs, its repercussions and the ramifications of it!

These are perilous days, days of Great Apostasy within the churches!

Who were the noblest of people in the Bible? The Bereans! Why?

Acts:17:10-11

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.