Category: Boldness for the Lord

Am I Bold Enough?

2 Corinthians 3:7-13                                        Am I Bold Enough?

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?  If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!  For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.  And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!  Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away” (NIV).

Paul was speaking of Moses whose face shown so brightly that he had to hide it from the people after he had been with the Lord, when Paul compared this glory of Moses with the glory we should be showing because of the new covenant we have in Jesus Christ.  Moses’ glow lessened as the time grew from the time he had been with the Lord.  Our glow should not diminish because God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, resides with us daily—every day.  We need to be as bold as this outstandingly beautiful fall tree with its bright red leaves so different from its leaves before it was changed from the green shown by all the trees.  It needs to be obvious that we have “seen” Christ and have been changed by Him, and the change is bigger than the change this tree undergoes in the fall of the year.  The tree stands out, proclaiming its change for all to see, but it does not force itself on those who see it.  It is merely obvious that it has been changed, and it shows the result of that change in a grand manner.  Lord, help me to be as bold as this tree in proclaiming the change that Jesus has made in me.  No one should have to ask me, “Are you a Christian?”  It should be obvious by my actions and the love I show to others.  I want to be BOLD for CHRIST!

Am I in Camouflage?

Matthew 5:14-16                                               Am I in Camouflage?

“You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).

 

Do you see the roadrunner in the picture above?  God created them with colors that blend into the desert surroundings so that they are difficult to see.  It often takes some degree of concentration to discover a roadrunner in its surroundings.  God did this for their safety.

God asks those who have accepted Jesus as Savior to do the opposite.  As the verse above says, “…let your light shine before others….”  No camouflage for us.  We are to stand out by doing good deeds.  We are not to be hidden for our safety.  We are to shine for His glory.  The result of our good deeds will be the glorification of our Heavenly Father.  So I have to ask myself the question, “Am I easy to pick out as a Christian in a crowd?”  God asks us to, not only be easy to spot, but also asks us to shine forth so that God is glorified and so that others may be drawn to Him.  There’s a saying, “Don’t do as I do.  Do as I say.”  Jesus doesn’t live by that saying.  Instead He says, “Do as I Do and do as I say.”

Melt Me, Mold Me, Fill Me, Use Me

Acts 1:8                       Melt Me, Mold Me, Fill Me, Use Me

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NIV).

 

Daniel Iverson wrote a prayer song asking:  “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on met.  Melt me, mold me fill me and use me.”  Jesus told us in Acts 1:8 what happens when that prayer is answered.  We will be given power, enough power to speak to everyone and anyone about the life, sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said it, the Holy Spirit will “give you power.”

That’s quite a request that Daniel Iverson made.  Let’s look at it one part at a time.

“Melt me” infers that I have things that need changed, maybe radically changed.  My attitudes may need to be changed to properly represent our Lord.  It also infers that I need to be softened.  I need to make myself available to God’s will to the point that who I am may need to be altered until I no longer look or act like I have in the past.

“Mold me” gives God my permission to make me into the person He wants me to be, to blunt the sharp edges of my personality, to form me to be what He wants and needs me to be.  “Mold me” is to ask God to make me into someone who will draw others to Him.

“Fill me” invites the Holy Spirit to come inside me and fill every corner with God’s desires, His love, and His compassion.  It implies that I am giving God permission to move out anything that would get in the way, take up space that is needed for the filling He has for me.

“Use me” implies that I know that God has a use for me, and I haven’t been fulfilling it.  I am asking God to make the best use of me that He can  now that He has melted, molded, and filled me.

If I truly mean this prayer of melting, molding, filling, and using, my life may be radically changed.  And why wouldn’t I want that?  I recognize God as my Heavenly Father who wants the very best for me, and the very best is to be in His will doing what He wants me to do.  If I truly ask and accept this melting, molding, filling, and using, people will probably ask me why I have changed so drastically.  And then, I will be ready to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ everywhere I go.

Peter, the Rock

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.

Removed from the Grand Canyon

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).