Courage and Boldness

We just completed a 3-week series on “courage” at our church. As we concluded the series the question ruminated in my soul, “are you a person of courage?” Courage as we defined it is “a boldness that is willing to do God’s will in the face of persecution or potential personal loss.” After all isn’t that what Jesus demonstrated for us?

Early followers of Christ inspired by the courage Christ displayed for them, in return displayed courage “to speak His name.” That type of courage was the ability to “speak openly, without concealment, without ambiguity, free, fearlessly, and confidently about the name of Jesus Christ.

Have you ever noticed how the name of Christ brings a sense of uneasiness to those whom you talk to? You can talk about anything, but when the name of Jesus comes up, reluctance sets in? Peter and John faced that in Acts 4:1-20 when they were arrested, imprisoned, taking before the leader and commanded NOT to speak any longer in the name of Jesus.

The leaders were specific, “don’t speak in the name of Jesus.” Because the leaders knew that, that one name was the source of a lame man walking, that name was the reason for 5,000 men believed, that name produced miracles that could not be denied, and that one name is the name that can and has changed our lives.

A dear friend of mine came up to me after church on Sunday and she is in the process of reading a book that speaks to this issue in one of the chapters, and I believe it is the attitude that we as not just believers, but as BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST must have. Based on Acts 4:23-31 when Peter and John were released from prison all of their friends prayed and rejoiced and instead of retreating, they prayed that Christ would give them more courage and boldness to speak His word all the more. She described it as such:

God sends fresh infusion of the Spirit. The Apostles grow. God sends His Spirit, but not to keep them safe; to make them more dangerous.

Make us more dangerous than the safe places.

The courage of Christ is calling you out of your safe places, so that you can be dangerous for Christ. In a country where Christianity is on the decline, it only takes courage to see it grow.

This week “SPEAK OUT and SPEAK UP”

Pressing On

In preparing for my sermon the other day, I continually found myself amazed at the level of humility and transparency the Apostle Paul share with his church in Philippi.

I am following a sweet friend's journey to lose weight (http://abrowngirlsdiary.blogspot.com/) and I have been thoroughly encouraged by her transparency, and honesty. She continues to inspire me and I feel it right take the journey with her. We all have a journey set for us and a prize at the end, but it requires us to have a perspective like Paul.

Philippians 3:12-14

He told them:
I haven’t already obtained the prize. (vs. 12a)
I’m not perfect (vs. 12b)
I do not consider myself as having taken hold of it. (vs. 13)

Paul seemed to understand that he still had a ways to go, he wasn’t perfect, and that he needed to give a true picture of where he was.

This gives a sense of relief in my soul to know that while we strive for perfection in Christ Jesus (which is the goal), we must be brutally honest with God, ourselves, and with others on where we really are.


“We will never strive, if we think we have arrived.”

Today give careful consideration to where you desire to be in life, assess where you truly are and with the power of our Savior “Press On!”

Blessings,

Darryl

Waging War

“As our church prepares for time of prayer and fasting, as well as our Victory Weekend (a time of spiritual cleansing of the soul and a time to seek God for deliverance from some of greatest challenges), I have found myself looking internally at the things I know God desires to relieve and release me from. While this is a normal blog, I desperately desire that God would create in me and in others a “Vision for Victory.” Join me as we consider the war that lies ahead.”

If you are like me, then you love to see a classic battle. Whether it’s military battles that demonstrates all the strategic and tactical efforts necessary to win a single battle out in the theater of war, or a classic clash of the titans on the athletics fields and/or arenas through out this world, or even the proverbial super bowl commercial wars that draw just as much attention as the game itself. There seems to be a natural attraction by many to see competition at its highest level, by fierce opponents who both want to win.

In Romans 7:7-25, the Apostle Paul talks about the most fierce battle we will ALL participate in, and that is the battle with “SELF.” Later we will look in greater detail at some of the wars Paul mentions, but before that I would love to ask something personal. “What are the wars that wage within you?” “Who is your enemy in your wars, and what is your strategy for VICTORY?”

If I may use my limited military terminology, there seems to be battles in life that we fight over and over again. There are certain battles that we have been deployed and redeployed to fight over and over again. But shouldn’t we grow tired of just fighting in the battle? Does something inside that cry, “I want to win the war.” Do you want the spoils of victory, or a badge for being in the battle? Do you desire to know what victory tastes like? If so then it starts with us.

Our greatest battle will be with ourselves. We must constantly battle our emotions, thoughts, past, pains and lusts, to name a few. Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher says, “ I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.” In my life this is so true.

The ultimate outcome matters not on how hard the struggle may have been. Regardless of the tactical mastery or even the sheer guts and determination displayed in war; what matters most is that a war must be won. We must desire to find Victory in self before we can experience victory anywhere else.

I ask that you join me in this journey to find a “Vision for Victory.”

Blessings,

Darryl