Courage - Seen and Heard

Hey all,

What does it mean to you to be Courageous in your faith?  What comes to mind?  Most of us think that we have to "lose our life" to
show true courage in our faith.

But check this out.  We don't have to lose our life.  We are called to be courageous and share our story with others.  That is a definition of courage that most of us don't think about.  It is about sharing what we have seen and heard. 

Let's check out the scripture for a reference.

In the book of Acts, there is the story of Peter healing a crippled man at the temple gate (Acts Chapter 3).  After he performs the miracle, the priests and the temple guards came and took Peter (and John) and put them in jail.  The Priests were worried because so many people were talking about the miracle and hearing about how it was done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

The High Priests and Elders called for Peter and John to be brought forward and began to question them......"By what power or name did you do this?" they asked.

Peter responded that it was in the name of Jesus Christ that the crippled man was now standing before them.  The same Jesus that they crucified and then raised from the dead three days later.

"When the High Priests saw the the courage of Peter and John and realized they were unschooled and ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus" Acts 4:13-15. So they let them go but told them to never speak of this again.

However Peter and John replied...."Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard".

You see, having courage in our faith is not just about standing up for Jesus.  It is about our willingness to share with others about what we have seen and heard.  It is about sharing our story.  It is telling others about the before and after "you".  It is what Peter and John were doing that day.  Two unschooled and ordinary men.......showing courage because they knew what they had seen and heard was true.  They had been transformed by Jesus.  They were changed. 

Each of us has a story to share of what we have personally seen and heard in our life.....and how the Lord was there during the suffering, redemption, and celebrations.  We have all seen and heard HIM in our lives.  

We just have to have the courage to share it.

S&H,

-S

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do everything in love.
1 Cor 16:3

Be Strong

Hey all,

First on the list of the 12 "Be's".........is to Be Strong.

The Lord tells us we can be "strong" in Him.  However, our strength does not come from our own physical abilities, but from the protection and strength that we receive from the Father.  It comes from our relationship with Him. 

Check this out.  Our strength actually comes from the heart.  It is not the worldly strength we most often think of when we think of what it means to be strong.  Our strength comes from giving up all of our heart.  It is about our belief and trust in Him. 

Psalm 28:7 says...."The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped". 

When we are protected, then we are safe. And when we feel safe, we feel a sense of security.  It is when we are feeling secure, then we can live in our glory.  We feel a sense of strength.  You see, the Lord is our strength AND our shield.  He protects us and gives His love, grace, and joy. 

Nehemiah 8:10 says ....."for the joy of the Lord is my strength".

Through His endless love, grace, and joy........we are protected.  He is our strength and our shield.

All he wants from us for this strength and protection is our heart.  And when we give it completely to Him, then we are strong.

In Him.

S&H,

-S

Freedom after 56 years!

Hey all,

I was part of something tonight that I have to share. 

I spent the night tonight at the Kershaw State Penitentiary in South Carolina.  I have been blessed to be part of something really special happening there.  Transformation Church, www.transformationchurch.tc,  has a group of men that meets every Friday night and worships our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ as a part of Transformation Church.  It is amazing what the Lord is doing there.

After an incredible time or worship and a great message from our Pastor, Derwin Gray,....there were 31 men who were baptized tonight!  It was awesome.  I have not felt the presence of the Lord many times in my life as I did at Kershaw this evening.

One man who was baptized stood out.  He is 75 years old and has been incarcerated for 56 years.  41 of those years at Kershaw!  About three weeks ago, he gave his life to the Lord.  He was asked by a fellow inmate "why he was so angry?  Where is the joy in your life?"  The other inmate asked.

Tonight, he was baptized as his testimony to the world of his new faith.  Upon coming out of the water, he shared with the over 200 men and volunteers that were in attendance that "after 56 years in prison.....he was finally Free!" He said..."I could not shake what my friend asked me.....I realized that I did not have any joy or happiness.  At that moment, I got on my knees and asked Jesus to save me from the prison in my mind and my heart".

After 56 years behind the gates and walls of prison......tonight he is truly free.

And he went back to his cell.  Changed.  New.

And with the same bars in place.......but Free. 

S&H,

-S

 

The 12 "Be's"

Hey all,

I have been thinking lately about what we are called "to be" as Believers.  God calls us to "be" certain things to fulfill our role in HIS story.

While it is certainly not everything we are called to "be".....I have come up with what I feel are 12 things that HE calls us to "be" in our life. 

I am calling them the "12 Be's".   Here you go.

HE calls us to.....

Be Strong
Be Courageous
Be Brave
Be Faithful
Be Willing
Be Available
Be Open
Be Honest
Be Loving
Be Selfless
Be Serving
Be Generous

I hope to write in more detail about each one in the coming weeks and how each is grounded in the scripture.  Hope you get something out of each.

Strength and Honor,

-S

Denial

Hey all.

Jesus told Peter on the night before he was crucified......."Will you really lay down your life for me?  I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times".

Peter was shocked!  There was no way that he would disown Jesus.  Absolutely.........no possible way.  Peter felt like he had already laid down his life for Jesus.  He had given up everything and had been following him for months already.  How could Jesus say that he would disown him?  I would guess that Peter could not even get his mind around it.  There is no way that he would deny him.  No way! 

But he did.  It happened.  Before the rooster crowed, Peter disowned him not once, not twice, but three times......just as Jesus had predicted.   

How could someone as dedicated to Jesus as Peter ever disown him?  How could he not be fully dedicated?  How could he not pass that "test"?  And if Peter could not pass the test.........then how can we?  I mean really.....how can we?

Check this out. 

Peter was set up.  Jesus knew that he would deny knowing him.  But he also knew that Peter really had given his life to him.  He had given up everything to follow him.  He knew that Peter loved him deeply, but he also knew that Peter was just a man and that meant he was not perfect.  He would mess up.  He knew that he would feel pressure and he would respond to it.  Jesus knew that Peter would deny that he knew the one he loved.  But that did not mean that Peter didn't love him.  He did.  Deeply.  But Peter was a man...and he was broken.  He could not help it. 

Peter was just like us.

We have to remember that although we love Him and would say that we would lay down our life for him..............we are still not perfect.  We will end up denying him too.  But probably not in the way Peter did. Our way is more subtle.  Our way is less noticeable.  We may not deny him with a mob that is surrounding us........but it is still the same.  It is denying Him.  We deny Him with our actions.

We might fail to act on a voice we hear telling us to do something.  We might refuse to give away our talents.  We may not follow our heart when we know it is clearly telling us to act on a certain something.  We may withhold forgiveness.  In doing so......we deny what the Lord is telling us to do.  And in those times.....................we are  "denying him".   It is the same thing as Peter.

We just don't hear the rooster.

Strength and Honor,

-S  

Even if you were told......

Hey all,

Have you ever seen something happen that you could not believe.......even after you saw it with your own eyes?  It was unbelievable.  But it was real. You could not deny it.

Have you ever had someone tell you something about a future event and at the time you didn't believe it.  Then it happened.  It was real.  You could not deny it.

Sometimes.......we can unknowingly fall into a spirit of disbelief.   Simply put......we start to lose our belief in certain things becoming real in our lives.  In good things.  We start to lose belief in those desires and opportunities that we or others see.  We believe that doing "that thing" is just impossible...........that there are just too many immovable obstacles.  We cannot believe "it" can be done.  We all have our own "it" in our life.  It can keep us from moving forward on those things in our life.  Important things...........things that we dream about.  The deep convictions of our heart.  But we cannot see the way to it ever becoming real.............we cannot seem to get our mind around it.  So we don't move forward.  It remains a dream.

But check this out.  God is in the miracle business and what HE can do through us is immeasurably more than we can ever do on our own.  I was reminded of this today by Pastor Derwin Gray of  Transformation Church.

Check out Ephesians 3:20.     

"Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

Notice that it says that HE can do more than all we ask or imagine.  As big as we can make something in our mind......HE is able to do so much more than that.  We cannot even get our minds around what HE can do.  We cannot get our minds to be able to ask or even imagine what HE can do! 

But here is the good news.   If we have the courage to believe that HE is real and that HE can make it real through us.........then we should never fall into a that spirit of disbelief.  Our belief is founded in HIS ability, not our own. 

So the next time you find yourself falling into a spirit of disbelief.......be sure to remind yourself that GOD can do things through us that we cannot even understand.  HE can do things that you probably would not be able to believe.......

......even if you were told.

Strength and Honor,

-S




 

Your time here

Hey all,

I went to the funeral of a work associate and friend this week.  His name was Victor.  He died of brain cancer after a long battle over the last 2-1/2 years.  I was blessed to have known him during our short time that our paths crossed.  I will always remember him and especially his testimony he gave last year at our Christmas party while in the middle of his battle with cancer.

Victor was a man who made the most of his life.  He was a very quiet man but he was on a mission.  Once he came to know the Lord....he set about on a mission to make sure that everyone would know that the Lord he knew was available to them as well.  He had a passion to let others know about his "Jesus".  He was a quiet soldier.  When he was asked by a friend....."Do you ever wonder....why did this happen to me?".  Victor answered......."I have never asked that......instead I asked....Why not me?".  Victor never questioned the plan the Lord had for his life......regardless of the outcome. 

Not many of us will have the opportunity to "plan" our funeral....but Victor did.  He knew exactly what he wanted.  He laid out exactly what he wanted and what he wanted everyone to hear.   It was simple. 

Do you know Jesus?

Do you know that HE loves you?

Do you know that HE is waiting for you?

Do you know that HE is the ONLY way to truly be "free"?

All Victor wanted was to make sure that you know that the same Jesus that saved him wants to save you too.  His love for others to come to the Lord was inspiring.
Victor did all he could in his generation to bring others to know his Saviour. 

I was reminded that this is really all of our shared purpose in this life as believers.

It made me want to do more for HIM in my generation as well.

Thank you Victor. 

Strength and Honor,

-S