To be a Christian means to be like Christ. Christ was never timid about anything, He did everything boldly. We have been given the same Spirit “for God gave us a Spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” 1 Timothy 1:7. Often, we forget about the power of the God that dwells in us. If He commands us to stand out, stand up, or take action, we can act boldly with full assurance that He is with us.
Look at the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7, he was weak and timid until the Lord called him out into his true identity, we cannot let Satan attack our identity and stand by and do nothing about it. Or look at Peter, the same man that denied Christ three times on the night of his betrayal became a leader of the early church once he had the Spirit of the Risen King inside of him. We are chosen, we are mighty warriors for God’s kingdom that He has raised up for a time just like this! Our perspective can be thrown off by Satan’s attacks, but we must remember who we are in Christ. Our perception doesn’t matter, the perception of those around us doesn’t matter, the only perception that matters is the perception of our King, and He tells us that we are mighty and we are one with Christ. As Brother Yun puts it in his book Living Water, “I exhort you in Christ: please do not forget your identity. You are a redeemed one, chosen by the almighty God to be His child. Your heavenly Father wants you to be a bold warrior who depends on His mighty power. He wants you to be as bold as a lion. Amen!”
So go, be bold and confident in who God has called you to be, He will change the world through His children, why not be a part of that great transformation!
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Solid, solid. We've got to live into what he has called us to be, not go at it half-heartedly. Thank you for presenting the challenge to be bold. I definitely need that reminder going into this week.
ReplyDeleteHello Josh,
ReplyDeleteI am going to take the BOLD initiative and tell you this post is disturbing on many levels. Firstly, when you say we are to be "like Christ", do you hold to the belief that Jesus is our pattern? Remember, Jesus was (Gal 4:4) born of a woman, made under the law. Paul explains to us in Romans 6 our position is that of being under grace, and not the law. Also, your profile states you as a "follower", can you honestly say that is true based upon the commands of Jesus to His disciples such as Mathew 23:1-3 and Mathew 5:42 to name just a small example? If your answer remains you follow Jesus, I would ask of you all that you have in your bank account and the use of your automobile for an unspecified time in accordance with Mathew 5:42.
Secondly, more than once, you referred to Jesus as "our King". This statement is made only by those who believe they are Israel in one form or another, either spiritual or replacement, both being sorely wrong, for we are the "new creation" which is neither Jew nor Gentile. Also, when a person uses this nomanclature, as the night follows the day, you must also go to the OT books of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John for you doctrine which places you smack dab in the middle of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is not the same as the Gospel of the Grace of God in this present dispensation of the grace of God. Christ has been made the head of His church, which is His body. A person can walk away from a King, but nobody can walk away from their head. Kingship and Headship are as different as black and white. This makes for a great study and I urge you to dig in and be fully persuaded in your own mind.
Thirdly, and I will end here although I could continue quite a wile based on the doctrinal blunders of your post. The Bible declares but two entities as the "elect". One is the nation Israel in Isaiah 45:4 and Jesus in Isaiah 42:1. You made the statement, "we are chosen" which screams off the page the Calvinistic error which is ravaging the modern church machinery. A careful examination of the scriptures declares God's purpose is that which was predestined and never any individuals.
Hopefully my "boldness" did not come across offensive, but it probably did as I am quite "rude" in speech. When Paul made that statement it was declaring his rudimentary approach. It is all about doctrine. That is also my approach with you. The doctrine given to Paul from the resurrected Jesus Christ stands at odds with that of the "little flock" of Israel seeking their "kingdom at hand" message given them by Christ. The terms of salvation are different as well as the marching orders for daily living. Oh yes, you can answer the few questions here, or email me so I can give you my address in order for you to mail the check and deliver your car in respect of Mathew 5:42. If you would also fill it with gas, that would be nice! Bold huh?
Dean Hewitt
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
You could talk for a "while" not...wile.
ReplyDeleteAnd, one can NOT do something in a hopeful manner. It is, "I hope".
Since you are caught in little things, Mr. Hewitt, we might as well all do it.
Great stuff man! Can't wait for the retreat! Living Water is expouding upon stuff God's been teaching me the last two years!
ReplyDeleteSuch a needed reminder of how we need to act as Christ followers. Yes I said follower. Although we are to lead people to Christ, we are still "followers" of His way.
ReplyDeleteAnd the last time I checked the gospel books were in the "New" Testament, not the "old".
Meagan: Thank you for the spelling and grammer corrections and the reminder the Judgement seat of Christ is about doctrine and not whether I misspelled a word.
ReplyDeleteSingtotheking: Is the page in your Bible that says "NT" the inspired word of God? or is Hebrews 9:15-17 in your Bible the inspired word of God? On the authority of Hebrews 9:15-17 which declares MML&J to be indeed OT, I prefer to trust God's inspired word over anything a Bible publisher inserts . How about you? Also, if you maintain to be a Christ follower, I must assume you are using a someone's computer that isn't following Christ because a Christ follower would have already sold everything that thou hast according to Mathew 19:21. What say you? In the same passage, Jesus tells of "His way" as one that would keep the commandments in order to "enter into life". How is that working out for you understanding that there are no less than 613 commandments and statutes?
You see, sir. I wasn't correcting your grammar mistakes to show you the differences between Christ's judgment and a grammar lesson. My friend, the writer of this blogpost wasn't caught up in the things that you even pointed out within your response. You were caught up in things that are off-topic; and I figured that if you were allowed to do it, that so was I.
ReplyDelete