Category: Boldness for the Lord

Acts 4:8-12                                                          Peter, the Rock

“With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose, ‘Rulers and leaders of the people, if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, I’ll be completely frank with you—we have nothing to hide.  By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole.  Jesus is “the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.”  Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given by which we can be saved, only this one’” (MSG).

 

Wow!  Peter certainly earned his name, the “Rock” this day.  He and John, upon entering the Temple for a meeting, raised a man, crippled from birth, to his feet and gave him the gift of walking through the name of Jesus.  None of the religious leaders liked it, so they arrested Peter and John.  When they were questioned by the religious leaders, the most powerful people of Israel, as it says above, Peter let them have it.  He held nothing back.  He not only said that they healed in the name of Jesus;  he reminded them that they had killed Jesus, and that God had brought Him back to life.  He also took away their authority by saying that Jesus was the only name by which anyone could be saved.

Jesus had changed Peter’s name from Simon to Peter, the Rock, and Peter certainly earned his changed name that day.  The leaders threatened Peter and John never to speak in the name of Jesus again.  We all know how well that worked.  Because of the rock-hard strength given to the disciples of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, we today are blessed to proclaim, as they did, “Jesus is the only way to salvation!”  Lord, help us to speak in the same strength they had on behalf of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Galatians 6:14                               Removed from the Grand Canyon

“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died” (NLT).

 

This cross was at a beautiful spot on the south rim of the Grand Canyon where we saw it in 1964.  Unfortunately, it is no longer there.  The area is set aside as a place to spend time in contemplation of the beauty of the Canyon and appreciation of however each person believes it came to be.  This is just one of the many places in this nation that the cross of Jesus Christ is no longer welcome.  There is concern that it may offend someone.  I imagine it would offend those who are actively opposed to the message of Jesus Christ.  But I and many of my friends are proud to claim the cross of Jesus Christ as the symbol of the sacrifice Jesus made to guarantee an eternal home in heaven with Him.  If you claim to be a Christian, I encourage you, no, I challenge you to boast publicly of the importance of the cross of Christ in your life.  It’s time for us to push back.  Jesus expects us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” Mark 16:15 (NIV).

 

Isaiah 55:12                                                   The Rocks Cry Out

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace:  the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (NKJV).

 

God was not bashful when He created the earth and the stars.  He went at it with grandeur and panache.  The mountains are stupendous, and the valleys shine forth with the beauty of flowers, and there is a canyon so aptly named Grand Canyon.  Look around you and see the many ways in which God has proclaimed beauty in a flamboyant manner.  It’s as if He has said, “Look what I made just for you!”

There’s a song called, “This Is My Father’s World” that thrills me.  It speaks of the wonders of His creation.  In one verse it says, “I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas.  His hand the wonders wrought.”  It’s worth going to you-tube, finding it, and listening.  I’m sure you will enjoy it.

God’s work in creation is almost unbelievable, but we can see it, hear it, feel it, taste it, and smell it, so it must be real.  But His work in creation has not been His most amazing or the most beautiful.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a wooden cross so that our sins would be forgiven and we could fellowship with the God of Creation forever.  He has shown His love for us by the sacrifice of Jesus, and he has shown His love for us by creating such a magnificent place for us to live.

God has not been quiet about anything He has done.  He has been bold, and so should we be bold, be bold in praising Him, extolling His greatness, and making certain that everyone knows Him and returns love to Him.  There’s another song that speaks of what we need to do.  The song is called, “Praise Him!  Praise Him!”  What an appropriate title.  The chorus of the song goes like this: “Praise Him!  Praise Him!  Tell of His excellent greatness; Praise Him! Praise Him! Ever in joyful song!”  We need to be as bold in our praise as God was in creation and in the sacrifice that grants us forgiveness.  PRAISE HIM!  PRAISE HIM!