|
While watching a NCAA March Madness tournament game the commentator excitedly declared “That player is amazing! He has heart!” What did he mean? Obviously, the outstanding player has a physical heart. But the heart the broadcaster was speaking of was his positive mental attitude, laser beam focus, intense drive and singular desire to win the game.
The player had a heart for winning a national collegiate basketball championship. The Bible has a lot to say about heart. There are over seven hundred references to “heart” in the Old and New Testaments. Here is just a sampling of a few.
Physical heart health is, and rightly so, an important issue in our society. You and I are exhorted and encouraged to eat a heart healthy diet (Sorry folks, no Broccoli, Brussel sprouts or Asparagus for Steve!). Exercise regularly. Watch your weight. Do not smoke. Moderate alcohol. See your physician for heart check-ups regularly. Heart healthy applies to our spiritual life as well as our physical life. Spiritual heart health is even more important than physical heart health. When my physical heart stops beating, that’s it. I am dead. All she wrote. But my spiritual heart, beating for or against God, determines whether you and I spend eternity in heaven or hell. That is pretty serious! I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that God, my Creator and Redeemer, looks on my heart. My head (thoughts), my emotions (feelings), my mouth (words) and my behavior (conduct) can land me in trouble in a hurry. Ask my wife of nearly forty-nine years! What a relief that the Lord looks past my thoughts, emotions, mouth and behavior to my heart. Make no mistake about it our thoughts, emotions, words and behavior matter, but the heart of the matter is our heart! I believe when our heart is right thoughts, emotions, words and behavior will fall in line to glorify God and minister to people. We discover what the heart God honors is found in His Word. It is so good to know and be grateful for when you and I mess up, God looks on the thoughts and intent of our heart. The condition of our heart is what matters to the Lord. Heart Examination In life our “heart” is what counts most.
So how is your heart today? Healthy or unhealthy? Is your spiritual heart beating wholeheartedly for God and His good, acceptable and perfect will for your life? (Romans 12:1-2). Maybe it is time for a heart check up! “Who shall ascent to the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has cleans hands and a pure heart…” Psalm 24:3-4 A Word For Your Week: Keep your heart spiritually healthy. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul opens the books of Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, and Titus, with the words “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Eleven of Paul’s thirteen letters that he penned by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begin with grace and peace. Have you ever wondered why? It is because you and I need God’s grace and peace everyday of our lives. GRACE and PEACE. Grace, the unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor of God, is the oil that smoothes life’s friction and frustrations. Peace, the sense that everything will be all right when things don’t make sense, is the salve that soothes restless hearts in troubled times. Grace and peace steady hearts and calm the storms of life. Grace and peace produce joyful living. Grace makes it possible for us to begin anew each day. Grace erases our mistakes. Peace settles what is unsettling. Peace makes it possible for us to rise victoriously above all circumstances through faith in Jesus Christ. Christian joy is a byproduct of God’s grace and peace in our hearts. Please note carefully that the source of grace and peace is God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Only in God do we find grace and peace. There is no grace or peace without God. The world system is what I call “grace bankrupt” and has no clue where to find lasting peace. Unbelieving man’s search for peace dead-ends because Jesus is our peace. The Lord alone gives peace, His peace (John 14:27). The God of peace gives us peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7, 9). People without Christ’s peace-producing presence end up ungracious, judgmental and condemning of themselves and others. Steve Roll needs grace and peace. I need to know that God forgives my mistakes and covers my sins with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. I need His peace that consoles, comforts and strengthens my spirit when life turns south. I need assurance that in spite of my shortcomings, of which I have more than a few, that God still and will always love me. Because of grace, the Lord will continue to believe in me, equip me and use me to glorify Him and further the work of His eternal Kingdom. Knowing this softens the hard edge of life and produces peace, sweet, restful peace, that nothing can surpass. People I come in contact with need grace and peace. People you know need grace and peace too. Grace-less, peace-less people surround us. So many people in our society feel condemned and restless. Worry and fear pummel their mind and heart with anxious thoughts and negative feelings that often lead to desperate actions. Hurting people beat themselves up and mess up their relationships. Weary eyes and shaky voices tell the true tale of lives being lived without God’s grace and peace. If you don’t believe me, take a few minutes to listen to people vent their frustrations and heartaches. Application of this word for the week is pretty straightforward. First of all, are you walking in God’s grace and peace? Have you received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? If so, do you look to the Lord each day for a fresh dose of His grace and peace through the Holy Spirit? Is there anything hindering the flow of God’s peace and grace in your life? Be honest. The flow of God’s grace and peace will be interrupted if we are not living right. Secondly, who do you know who needs to know about God’s grace and peace? Who do you know who is hurting and searching for answers to their problems? When you walk into a room, does God’s grace and peace enter with you? Are you a bearer and sharer of God’s grace and peace in crisis settings, at business meetings, family gatherings, church fellowships and social functions? Would people you know say that you bring grace and peace into their lives? Imagine what your and my day would be like if we by walked faith employing and enjoying the grace and peace that God provides. Imagine how you and I could make someone’s day by sharing God’s grace and peace with them? What would our world look like if we all chose to receive grace and peace from God and let it flow freely and abundantly through our lives each and everyday? I believe we would dwell in a much more gracious and peaceful world. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we greeted everyone we meet with the words “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ?” Certainly worth considering isn’t it? My fellow Christian, walk in grace and peace. Share God’s grace and peace with others. “The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9a A Word For Your Week: Grace and peace is yours in Jesus Christ. God’s holy, eternal, authoritative Word is revealed in the Bible.
Preachers of the Good News love to preach. There is nothing like preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I have always said that if a preacher cannot preach the resurrection, he can’t preach! In the past I preached a message at Easter entitled “Good News From The Graveyard.” I shared with the congregation that Easter emphatically declares that you can put Truth in a tomb but you cannot keep Him there! An angel of the Lord, bright as lightning, sat on the stone at the opening of the once sealed and guarded tomb of Jesus. Grinning from ear to ear, the heavenly messenger told the two Mary’s who had come to look at the grave that “Jesus whom you seek is not here. He has risen, just like He said he would! (Matthew 28:1-8). JESUS WAS ALIVE! Hearing this glad announcement and having collected their spiritual and emotional senses, the women “with fear and great joy” went to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive and they would see their Master soon. Good news from bad news! The tragedy of Golgotha turned into the triumph of the graveyard. Crucifixion became resurrection. Death gave way to life. A huge stone, Roman seal, squad of soldiers, religious hypocrites, Satan, sin and death could not hold Jesus back! Jesus is risen, and guess what, all who believe in Him are too! Paul writes in I Corinthians 6:14 “Now God has not only raised the Lord but will also raise us up through His power.” I Corinthians 6:14 Paul declares that not only has God raised the Lord, but He raises us up also! How? Through “His power.” The very same power of the Holy Spirit that resurrected His Son Jesus resurrects us. Absolutely amazing and totally true! Because He lives, we live! Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, His power is our power. The supernatural power that raised Jesus from the dead raises us up to abundant and eternal life! Hallelujah! IT’S A BIBLICAL FACT: Christians are resurrection people because of the resurrection power of Christ. Do you realize if you call yourself a follower of Christ that you have been raised from sin, death and the grave just like Jesus was? You are not dead in trespasses and sin. You are alive in Christ! The redemption He purchased for you through the shedding of His precious blood on the Cross and Jesus’ powerful resurrection from the tomb means you and I are resurrected too! Glory to God! Therefore, as resurrection people with resurrection power nothing can hold us back either. Heaven shouted and hell shook when Jesus rose again. Heaven shouts and hell shakes when we rise up in faith and live for Him! Knowing this, is your life a vibrant and influential witness of resurrection power? Is your Christian testimony and lifestyle one of power and victory? It should be. Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that His followers (that is us) would receive power through the Holy Spirit and be His witnesses throughout the world. What kind of witnesses? Dynamite ones! The Greek word for power is dunamis and means dynamite. Shaking things up is what dynamite does! Dunamis is resurrection power. There is no place for powerless Christianity. How do we know? THE RESURRECTION!!! There is an empty tomb in Jerusalem where Jesus once laid for three days. But on the third day, just as the Lord said He would, Jesus rose in power and glory to never die again. The Living Savior walked out of that tomb and walks into our hearts when we receive Him by faith! As a resurrection person with resurrection power through Jesus Christ:
*******How about a loud shout of praise and thanksgiving for resurrection power to live triumphantly and joyfully for the Lord and the Kingdom of God? My brothers and sisters in Christ, live your life with vibrant, confident faith in the power of the resurrected person of Jesus Christ. “That I may know Him and the POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11 “And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33 A Word For Your Week: Be a resurrection person by tapping daily into Christ’s resurrection power! Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Boldly and joyfully, the Bible declares God’s Son is alive! And so are the sons and daughters of God! “He is not here; for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying” (Matthew 28:6) The angel’s out-of-this-world, early morning announcement to the despairing disciples on that first Easter morning changed forever the lives of Christ’s fearful, feeble followers. Paralyzing fear gave way to potent faith. Believing in Christ’s resurrection, the disciples were transformed into resurrection people. Previously powerless, Christ’s followers became spiritually powerful. Through Jesus’ mighty resurrection power, they turned their world upside down and right side up (Acts 17:6). The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:10-11 “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11 Paul longed to know Jesus and “the power of His resurrection”! Paul’s supreme desire was to personally experience the person of Christ (“that I may know Him”) and to live his life with His resurrection power. Paul’s ultimate spiritual goal was to be raised from the dead himself (“attain to the resurrection from the dead”). While journeying on this earth, fighting the good fight of faith, the apostle’s heart cry was to endure and overcome suffering for Christ (“the fellowship of His suffering’) and conquer the power of death (“being conformed to His death”) through the resurrection power of Jesus. Personally knowing God. Daily experiencing His resurrection power. Overcoming suffering and conquering death. That a prescription for victorious Christian living! Paul hit the proverbial nail on the head: Christlikeness and Christian living is all about Christ’s resurrection power in us. What a way to live…the only way to live the Christian life! Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead provides power for the powerless…. hope for the hopeless…. help for the helpless…. and abundant, eternal life for the lifeless. THE RESURRECTION IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. Without resurrection, death rules and reigns. Resurrection destroys the power of death…. and life reigns! How about you? What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you? Are you living your life according to the power of His resurrection? Do you experience spiritual power on a daily basis? Does resurrection power empower you to overcome life’s difficulties and live a victorious Christian life? Christians are resurrection people with resurrection power for resurrection living! Here are some thoughts worth meditating upon regarding Christ’s resurrection power.
Considering the above truths, how can we possibly live powerless lives when the power of Christ’s resurrection is available to us every day? Think about it. If I am walking through life without power, what does that say about my faith in the One who provides all the power I need to overcome through His resurrection from the dead? Fellow Christian, we are alive in Christ! You and I are powerful persons. Filled and empowered with resurrection power! His power! Formidable, life-changing spiritual power for overcoming life’s trials and witnessing successfully for Him. Resurrection people should live productive, powerful lives, not pitiful, powerless ones. Away then with powerless lives and non-productive living! Do not be pushed around by life. Never allow thoughts of despair, defeat, disaster, destruction or death to trouble you. YOU ARE ALIVE IN CHRIST AND HAVE POWER OVER DEATH! So boldly lay hold of Christ’s resurrection power…. and His power will lay hold of you. Settle for nothing less than a powerful, productive life in Christ that is powered by His resurrection. Rise up today in resurrection power as a resurrection person and bring resurrection life to people who need the Lord. Glory to God for Christ’s resurrection power! “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I Peter 1:3 A Word For Your Week: Live your life with resurrection power. “It is finished.”
God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, uttered these three last words as He voluntarily and sacrificially died on the Cross (John 19:30). We humans tend to pay attention to and give homage to people’s last words. We memorialize and even immortalize “famous” final words. As Christians, I believe you and I should humbly, reverently, thankfully and joyfully acknowledge the last words of Jesus which are the greatest last words of all time. This week set apart some time to read the account of Christ’s crucifixion in all four Gospels (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19). Meditate upon the narrative of Jesus’ last moments. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew within you a fresh understanding of what really happened when the Lord declared “It is finished.” “It is finished” meant mission accomplished. Jesus, committed to do His Father’s will, came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). That’s you, me and all who choose to believe in Him. What was finished? Salvation. Atonement. Redemption. Forgiveness for our sins. A reconciled, restored relationship with our Father in heaven. What happened that memorable day on the Cross on a mount named Golgotha (Place of the Skull) in a singular moment changed human history for time and eternity. As Jesus suffered on the Cross, being in unimaginable spiritual, physical, mental and emotional agony, His wounds pouring out His precious life blood, the boisterous, devil inspired, disrespectful, irreverent crowd at Calvary, led by the religious hypocrites, trash-talked, taunted and mocked Jesus. If you are the Son of God come down off the cross. Look, He saved others, but cannot save Himself. The spiteful, hateful, heart-piercing words of deceived, spiritually lost men and women only drove the cold metal spikes further into His wounds. The Lord’s response to the abuse: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Forgiveness based on God’s love was the suffering Savior’s offer to those who hated Him. My friends, there is power in the Cross of Christ. The power of God’s love. The power of hope. The power of forgiveness. The power of salvation. The power of restoration. The power of a new beginning. The power of death to life!!! The Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:2-5 “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” Paul’s ministry was founded upon the central themes of the Cross of Christ and the Lord’s resurrection. In the Cross, Paul saw the power of God unto salvation. Paul was faithful to preach Christ and Him crucified in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus humbled Himself to the death of the Cross (Philippians 2:8). The Lord endured the Cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Why? So you and I could be saved. His death in our place made it possible for us to be forgiven and restored to the Father. That is power!!!! Pure power from the throne of Almighty God! What do you think about and how do you feel when you consider the Cross of Christ? I know how I feel. I am deeply moved with a mixture of overwhelming sadness and soul-wrenching heartache for my tortured, brutally beaten, abused, bleeding, beloved Savior and a deep, inexpressible well of undeserved gratitude for His sacrifice for a sinner like me. Where would I be if Jesus had not stayed on that Cross? I would still be spiritually lost, dead in my sins, headed for hell, not heaven. I would not know the power, freedom, peace and joy of the unconditional love of my heavenly Father. The hymn says it well. “I will praise Him, I will praise Him, praise the Lamb for sinners slain, Give Him glory all you people, for His blood has washed away my stains.” Lord Jesus, my precious Savior, thank You for shedding your holy blood on the Cross for Steve Roll. As we prepare to celebrate the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, remember there is no resurrection unless there is a death first. Jesus died so you and I could be forgiven and have eternal life. He sealed salvations’ deal when He rose from the dead! THE CROSS AND AN EMPTY TOMB IS GOD’S WAY OF SAYING I LOVE YOU! Because He died and lives, we live! “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:13 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greeks.” Romans 1:6 A Word For Your Week: Glory to God! “It is finished”! If there has ever been a time for Christians in America to be courageous, it is now.
A tempestuous, terrifying tsunami of unrestrained evil is sweeping across our nation with a vile, vicious, ferocity not seen before. Our culture is coming unglued, pulling apart at the seams because many good, God-fearing men and women are hiding out in the coward’s closet. Where in the world are courageous followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who will unashamedly take a bold, firm stand for all that is holy, righteous, sacred, honorable, respectful, decent, truthful and right? Edmund Burke hit the nail on the head with his famous words “All that is required for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I hope not, but you and I may be witnessing the destruction of our republic right before our eyes. A nation is heading over the dark, bottomless abyss of self-destruction when morality takes a backseat to politics, when truth is gleefully trampled upon by lies, when rebellion against and arrogant defiance of God’s Word, and disdainful disrespect for the rule of law and lawful authority produces a culture of disorder, confusion, chaos, violence and anarchy. I am gravely concerned about the future of America. First and foremost, my allegiance is to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him with all my heart, believe the Bible is the truth and do my best to obey His good, acceptable and perfect will for my life. I am a wholehearted, fully devoted, committed Christian who also loves his country that was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles. I am a legal citizen, military veteran, a proud patriot whose blood flows red, white and blue. The Bible has a lot to say about nations. Our Creator laid out how nations should conduct themselves if they desire His blessing. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12). “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to a people.” (Proverbs 14:34). Righteousness, being right in God’s sight and doing what is right, exalts a nation. Unrighteousness, what is not right, destroys a people. Personal and national sin is disgraceful. God calls the nation blessed who calls Him Lord. II Chronicles 7:14 is God’s gracious invitation for restoration of a nation. “If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven, forgive them of their sin, and heal their land.” Sad to say, many American people have become degenerate cowards in the face of challenges, gutless wonders when confronted with destructive forces, and whiney wimps that hide out and hope the seeds of self-implosion we have sown won’t reap a whirlwind of devastation. The Christian community is not exempt. Why? Because we have turned our backs on God and each other. In the book of Joshua, we have these words to Joshua who would lead Israel into the Promised Land: “Have I not commanded you be strong and courageous? Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord Your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). Three times, in verses 6,7 and 9, Joshua is commanded (not a suggestion!) to be strong and very courageous. It would take courage and strength to fight thirty-nine battles in securing the Promised Land. The Lord gave two assurances of success for Joshua and the Israeli nation. One, God would be with them every single step of the way. No man could stand against them. Two, Joshua would be strengthened and gain courage by meditating on and obeying God’s Word (Joshua 1: 8). The Word of God builds faith. Faith in God and His Word produces courage. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is faith confronting and overcoming fear. Faith is courageous in the face of fear. Could it be, we professing Christians are cowardly and not courageous at times because we are not studying, meditating upon and obeying the Bible? Could it be our faith is weak because we don’t build it up with the Word, then put into practice in our daily lives? Bottom line: Faith in Jesus Christ produces courage. My brothers and sisters in Christ, our country, our families, our neighbors, our fellow citizens need us to be courageous. I think about my adult children and little grandkids. What will life in America be like for them if some godly folks like you and me don’t stand up and fight the good fight of faith for their future? Do you and I want the generations following us to witness the spiritual/moral/economic/relational implosion of America? Rubber meets the road: If we do nothing, we lose everything dear and near to our hearts. If we do what God would have us to, we preserve what we hold dear. God didn’t just call Joshua to be “strong and courageous, very courageous.” He calls all His chosen people in Christ, you and me, to be full of faith and courage. So, what does that look like in our day? I am asking myself these critical questions. How is my Christian faith? Growing? Deepening? Strong? Courageous? Unshakable? Do I have courage, no matter what the cost, to stand up and stand fast for what I believe? When under pressure to compromise my convictions, do I cower or boldly proclaim what I know is true? If no one else stands with me, am I willing to be courageous in the face of persecution? Do I have courage to confront evil in our culture? Do I have the courage to be a moral man in an immoral culture? Do I have courage to protect the innocent from injustice? Do I have the courage to repent when I have sinned and done wrong? Do I have the courage to make things right when I have wronged someone? Do I have the courage to witness to an ungodly, aimless, deceived culture that has lost its way? Do I have the faith and courage to rebuke and resist the devil in Jesus’ name? Do I have the discipline to meditate on God’s Word every day, knowing my success as a Christian is dependent upon the truth guiding my life? Do I have courage to lead my family to follow Jesus? Do I inspire courage in my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ? Would those who know me best call me courageous or cowardly? These are soul-searching questions that each of must address if we desire that God use us to win a hurting, wayward world to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Courageous or cowardly, which will you choose? I am asking God to help me be strong and very courageous as Satan seeks to destroy the souls of men and women and our great nation. These are difficult, desperate, defining days in our national life. It is high time for professing Christians, like you and me, to seek personal revival and renewal. TO FALL ON OUR KNEES, REPENT OF OUR SINS, BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OBEY THE WORD TO WALK IN HOLINESS BEFORE THE LORD AND MEN. Time for followers of Christ to stand up. Stand out. Stand firm with courage through faith in Jesus Christ. “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10 A Word For Your Week: Be strong and courageous in Christ. Imagine with me for a moment.
You are near the end of your earthly life and have been taken to stand before the President of the United States. Your lifelong enemies have ridiculed your faith in Jesus Christ, slandered your good name, and labored relentlessly and ruthlessly to ruin your reputation. You have been brought before the most powerful person in the country to defend your belief and behavior as a Christian. What would you do? How would you handle yourself? What would you say? What would the news media report about you on their bottom of the hour breaking news alert? Something to think about, huh? While we are thinking, our word for this week reveals to us what the Apostle Paul did when he was dragged in chains before the Jewish King Agrippa to give account of his Christian faith. “And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:22-23 Paul stood tall, testifying boldly about his personal belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Read his whole testimony in Acts 26. What stands out to me is that Paul not only stood before King Agrippa, but he stood up to him. He stood boldly and unashamedly as a courageous, confident Christian who almost persuaded Agrippa to become a believer in Christ (Acts 26:26-29). Note Paul says that “to small and great” he gave witness of his faith in Christ. No matter if the crowd was large or small; the person(s) important or unimportant according to the world, Paul stood up and spoke boldly about Jesus. Under immense personal pressure from Jewish religious zealots and powerful Roman governing authorities, Paul could have shrunk back in silence. He could have compromised his convictions. Or he could have denied his faith. He did none of these things. On the contrary, Paul stood up boldly for what he believed in when it was neither popular nor personally profitable to do so. Where did Paul get his boldness? Our verse says he stood boldly with God’s help. Look what he writes in II Timothy 4:16-18. “At my first defense, no one supported (stood) with me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. BUT THE LORD STOOD WITH ME AND STRENGTHENED ME; in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Don’t you love what Paul says? His words get my spiritual motor running! Though no man stood with Paul, God did. The Lord supported, strengthened and delivered Paul from men because Paul stood boldly for God before men. A man can be bold when he knows God is standing by his side. I believe bold belief produces bold behavior. If ever there was a time for Christians to be bold about their belief, it is now. Our sad, sin-sick, spiritually, morally lost world needs to hear good news from bold believers who trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Courageous Christians need to heed God’s call to stand against the high tide of unbelief washing over our culture, country and world. Falsehood, deception, and outright lies run rampant and unchallenged in the daily chatter of our fellow countrymen. Satan has pulled out all the stops in his bold, bullying tactics to steal the souls of men and women. Christian boldness is the need of this critical hour in history. But barriers to boldness keep too many Christians from standing up for Christ in our society. Some of these barriers include:
The enemy of our souls and his evil forces are bold, so why aren’t God’s people as bold, if not bolder? I John 4:4 declares “Greater is He (Jesus Christ) that is in us, than he (Satan) who is in the world.” If the greater One is in us, shouldn’t we be the boldest? Boldness begins and ends with our relationship with God. Boldness comes from closeness to the Savior who was bold on our behalf when He suffered for us on the Cross and rose again from the dead. When we know Him, we can show Him to the world. Christian faith is not for pansies. It’s for courageous men and women who are willing, out of love and devotion to God, to put everything on the line to stand up, stand tall for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Fellow believer in Christ, I urge you and encourage you with all the passion in my heart: believe boldly, behave boldly, stand up boldly. Pray for boldness. Pray for opportunities to be bold. Prepare to be bold when opportunities come. Do not two-step with your faith. Stand tall. Be bold. Be counted for Christ. Someone you know needs to hear about Jesus from you, a bold believer. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 “Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.” II Timothy 2:8 “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with BOLDNESS.” Acts 4:31 A Word For Your Week: Be bold about what you believe. Stand up. Stand tall for your faith. The first Christians were persecuted for their faith.
Professing Christians were forbidden, then ordered by government and religious officials to not speak in the name of Jesus (Read Acts 4:1-31). Sounds a lot like 2023 in America. If your head is not stuck in the sand as many are, you know how the name of Jesus and those who profess Him are under attack. Publicly and privately, believers in Christ are ridiculed, mocked, laughed at, shouted down, smirked at, vilified, demonized, marginalized and ostracized. Dare to talk openly about Jesus, then watch how “mainstream” people will respond to you. Cancel culture will swing into high gear. So how did our first brothers and sisters in Christ respond to their persecutors? With boldness! “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31 No pity-poor-us party for our Christian ancestors. Banding together, they prayed for boldness. Every time I read this scripture I get spiritual goose bumps. The meeting place was supernaturally shaken. What was that like? I have not experienced our church building shaking when we pray. How about you and your church or small group Bible study? Everyone praying was filled with the Holy Spirit. Refreshed and recharged with resurrection power, the Spirit-filled Christians exited the prayer meeting to speak boldly for Jesus. Acts 4:33 states “And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord, and abundant grace was upon them all.” I would love to have been part of their Spirit-anointed, Spirit-empowered evangelistic outreach. How about you? Christ’s followers could not and would not stop sharing what they had seen and heard. How could they possibly deny the Savior who loved them and gave Himself for them? Thank you 1st century Christians for setting the standard for courageous, winsome witnessing for Christ. Shouldn’t you and I follow their example today? My fellow Christians, if you have not noticed, the devil’s crowd is bold. Obnoxiously so, mocking our Savior and the faith we have in Him. But I have good news. Awesome truth. Jesus’ crowd can be BOLDER. Why? “Greater is He (Jesus) who is in you, than he (Satan) who is in the world.” I John 4:4. The Holy Spirit overwhelms, overcomes, overpowers and soundly defeats the devil every single time. Praise the Lord! So, what are you and I going to do when we are told to be quiet or silent about Jesus? I suggest we SPEAK BOLDLY! When we are ordered to sit down and shut up, STAND UP AND SPEAK UP BOLDLY! Choose to refuse to be bullied by unbelieving, spiritually lost, worldly people. When the law of the land contradicts the law of God, you and I must choose who we will serve. Joshua declared. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father’s kingdom, BE BOLD. Never, never, never cower in fear or cave into oppressive opposition. Stand firm in faith. Courageously share the good news of Jesus Christ that people who are spiritually blind and morally misled need to hear. Christians, Pastors and churches, gather together. Pray for courage to stand up and speak up for Christ. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Be anointed with fresh oil (See Psalm 92:10). Then speak with fiery, passionate boldness that comes from heaven above. Maybe, just maybe, if we prayed a little less about personal prosperity and a little more about being bold to share our faith, our lives would be truly rich and satisfying. Could it be that you and I who confess Christ need shaken up? How about personal revival and renewal? A fresh, daily dose of the Holy Ghost would set our lives on fire to be courageous for Christ. Now my friends, not someday down the road, is the time to be bold. Now is the time to be heard. Now is the time to be confident and courageous in Christ. Now is the time to turn an upside down world right side up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you and I do not stand up boldly for the Lord, who will? “And do not get drunk with wine for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 A Word For Your Week: Be bold about your beliefs. What do you believe America needs most at this critical, pivotal time in our nation’s history?
Concerned citizens across our country readily (sometimes without thinking!) offer up their personal remedies for our national ills and troubles. “America needs income equality. America needs tolerance, diversity and inclusion. Americans need to throw out career, establishment politicians. America needs a global outlook. America needs a female president. America needs more coffee, donuts and chocolate. “ I would like to suggest, because I believe this with all my heart, that America’s remedy is revival. To revive means to restore to life. To bring back to life that which is dead or dying. Revival is a sovereign act/move of God. Never man-made or worked up. Revival is sent down from heaven through the Holy Spirit. AMERICA IS DYING. Revival must begin with the church of Jesus Christ. Sadly, in some quarters, the church is near death, on life support. Our nation’s soul is sick. Sin sick. Sick unto death. Franklin Graham wrote in Decision magazine “The Scriptures say that “sin is lawlessness” (I John 3:4). Sin corrupts. Sin rebels. Sin destroys. Sin deceives. Sin kills.” The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin’s payday is always the spiritual, relational death of individuals, families, nations and the world. My friends, fellow Christians and concerned citizens, our deepest problems are not political, economic or global. They are spiritual and moral. The shocking truth is a vast majority of Americans have individually and collectively turned their backs on the Almighty Creator and Redeemer of the Bible. “We the people” are choosing to openly and unashamedly defy the moral laws of God. “We the people” arrogantly rebel against His Word. ”We the people” mock and blaspheme His holy name, dismissing and rejecting His plan for our lives. Death of the innocent unborn, abominable, perverse, immoral sexual behavior, life-enslaving substance abuse, malicious violence against lawful, God-ordained authority and disrespect, prejudice and hatred towards people we disagree with are a few of the many sins we commit against the Lord and one another. Shame on us that sinful, premeditated misconduct is the modus operandi of so many of our citizens. America does not need to be reformed. The United States needs to be revived! “Revival is nothing less than a new beginning of obedience to God.” Charles G. Finney. ”Revival is a renewing and a reformation of the church for action.” Max Warren. “The church does not need to be white-washed; it needs to be washed white! We do not need so many new members as we need the old bunch scrubbed up.” Vance Havner “The best definition of revival is “times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” J. Edwin Orr. News bulletin: no individual person, political party or governmental institution can fix America. A new president will not save us. Billy Graham has said “No matter who is elected, America is not going to be saved unless we have a moral and spiritual revival”. Dr. Graham is right on the mark. God alone can heal the soul of our nation. A revival that turns people to Jesus Christ is our only hope because He is the only Savior of the world. (John 3:16-17). II Chroniclers 7:14 reveals a biblical formula for people of faith who desire to see the church and America revived. “If My People, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land.” This verse is an if-then proposition. God is speaking directly to His people. “My people” today is the worldwide church. The body of Christ. If those who confess Christ humble themselves, pray seek God and turn, notice turn, from wicked ways. “Wicked ways” by wicked, evil men and women abound in our society. Is it possible that “wicked ways” can be found in the church? Sadly, they can and are. There is hope in this scripture. Good news. God says that if you, My people, will do the above, I will hear from heaven, forgive your sins, and HEAL YOUR LAND. Healing of God’s people’s hearts and land is the goal of God’s invitation to make things right with Him. Also take note that forgiveness of sins precedes healing of our nation’s soul. Here is a troubling, terrifying thought: No humbling, no seeking, no praying, no turning from wickedness….God will not hear, forgive or heal our land. Not a good picture for America. Revival, restoration, renewal, and salvation comes when God’s people ask Him to forgive their sins. All of us are sinners (Romans 3:10-18, 23). All of us need forgiveness (Ephesians 3:1-8). All sinners, including you and me, will be forgiven when we confess our sins. (I John 1:9, Romans 10:13). National revival begins with revival in the church. Oh Lord, wake your people up. The church has fallen asleep on watch. Holy Spirit move Your people to seek Your mercy and forgiveness before it is too late for our beloved nation. Evangelist Gypsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered “Go home, lock yourself in your room, and kneel down in the middle of the floor. Draw a chalk mark all around yourself and ask God to start a revival inside that chalk mark. When He has answered your prayer, the revival is on.” Be encouraged Christians. Throughout our nation’s history, spiritual/moral revival has come every time when believers in Jesus turned to Him, got their lives right with Him, and then reached out with evangelistic fervor to win their neighbors to Christ. Father in heaven, send revival fire one more time! Revival: Why not me? Why not you? Why not now? Why not find a piece of chalk and ask the Lord to breathe new life into your soul through a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit? “Will Thou not Thyself revive us again, that Thy people might rejoice in Thee?” Psalm 85:6 A Word For Your Week: Seek revival for yourself and America. Difficulties have a way of knocking on the door of our lives.
But there is a wide difference between being overcome or being an overcomer when life hits the proverbial fan. In Revelation 12:11 our arch enemy Satan is identified as “the accuser of the brethren.” “And they overcame the accuser of the brethren by the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.” Revelation 12:11 The devil takes immense pleasure and goes to great pains to point his foul, evil finger of condemnation and judgment at those who believe in Jesus Christ. His unholy purpose is to overwhelm and overcome God’s children with guilt, shame, discouragement, failure and defeat, rendering believers victimized and powerless. Not so fast enemy of our souls! The devil and his hellish horde of rebellious angels were thrown down from heaven (Revelation 12:7-20) and are scheduled soon to be thrown down again. This time into the lake of eternal fire to be tormented forever (Revelation 20:10). Burning forever in hellfire. Sounds to me like the devil and his crowd are the overwhelmed and overcome ones! A Christian’s position in Christ is overcomer even when we feel overwhelmed and overcome. Paul writes “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Read the list of “all these things” in Romans 8:31-39 and decide if life conquers you or you conquer life. By the way, “overwhelmingly conquer” means we are super, super, super, super, duper conquers in Christ! Praise the Lord who has made us overcomers of the devil and life’s difficulties! According to our scripture, two things guarantee us victory over the enemy.
Rejoice believer! Every time the enemy accuses us of sin and wrongdoing, the blood of Jesus Christ is our defense. Satan points to our sin. God points the devil to our Savior who paid the price for our sin. Case dismissed! 2. The testimony of believers. Testimony is our word. Witnesses testify in a courtroom to what they have seen and heard. When the devil comes as prosecutor to charge us with sin, how do we plead and answer? Because of Christ’s blood, we plead not guilty and we stand up confidently to declare why. The overcome forget who they are in Christ and sheepishly say so. Overcomers in Christ remember who they are in Him and SAY SO BOLDLY!!!
Courageously and confidently, they conquer challenges, faithfully advance through adversities, valiantly triumph over trials and joyfully plant the flag of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the devil’s hill! Hallelujah! Refuse to be overwhelmed and overcome by Satan’s attacks. Choose daily to rise up as a blood-bought, blood-covered (I Corinthians 6:20) Spirit-filled, spiritually equipped (Ephesians 6:10-12) overcoming child of the Living God who always triumphs in Christ (II Corinthians 2:14)! Overcome or Overcomer is our choice. Overcomer in Christ sounds good to me! How about you? “For you are from God little children and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4 “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” Revelation 17:14 A Word For Your Week: Your testimony determines whether life overcomes you or you overcome life! |
Archives
January 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed