Be Strong, Live Courageously
Imperfect thoughts from an imperfect man trying to follow a perfect Christ who calls us to a perfect mission
The fellowship of the unashamed
Last night Jim Denison (www.denisonforum.org) shared this By Dr. Bob Moorehead … love it …
I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit
Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has
been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow
down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense,
and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight
walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions,
mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or
popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by
patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my
way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted,
or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the
pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.
I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed
up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a
disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop,
preach until all know, and work until He comes.
And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My
colors will be clear for “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..” (Romans 1:16)
Encouragement
Those in our lives who appropriately challenge us should be the same ones who encourage us when we are feeling fearful or discouraged. Our spouse can play a significant role here. I know this is a big deal for guys. I am so grateful to have an encouraging wife. God uses the believers around us to help us in times of need. The mission is long, hard and worth it. Today, right now, God is encouraging us to “Be strong and courageous”. God tells Joshua this three times in the opening chapter. To be VERY strong and courageous. In 1 Cor 16:13-14 we see this same message again from Paul. Paul is instructing the Corinthian church to be on their guard, stand firm in the faith and to be strong and courageous. To do everything in love. I love God’s consistency and his heart for us. I want to be strong and courageous (to stay focused), but I need God and others to help me. It is too hard to go at it alone. And just as importantly, how am I doing encouraging those in my life today who need it?
What are your squirrels?
Went for a jog with Sweetie (my dog) this morning. She so badly wants to chase squirrels. They seem to be everywhere gathering nuts for winter. They like to mess with Sweetie. They jerk their tails around and try to agitate her. In our backyard they walk along the top of the fence and attempt to demonstrate their superiority. They even yell this clicking sound at her. If they could talk I think they would say something like, “you stupid dog, you have no idea the time you are wasting, but you chase me anyway, I’m just going to sit up here, move my tail and mezmorize you”. We jog along this path with a park full of trees and grassy areas on my right hand side and a busy street on my left hand side. Sweetie has been trained to stay on the path with me without a leash. She knows to stay on my right hand side and to not venture too far off unless I release her with one of the commands she knows. There is a reason for this. First of all, I kind of like it. But more importantly, it is for her safety. If I let her chase squirrels it is only a matter of time before one of them darts off into the street with Sweetie trailing closely behind. And the cars, well, they do what they do. Sweetie listens to my voice. She knows my commands. She knows I love her. When a squirrel is trying to distract her I will issue instruction and she immediately looks away, back on the path, right by my side. I love that dog. The way she listens to me. The way she understands all I want for her is to stay on the path and to enjoy the journey with me. Such freedom. No leash. Fresh air. Green pastures. Fellowship with her master.
Pic of Sweetie http://ow.ly/7lxou
The world is full of squirrels. What are yours? Don’t let them distract you from your mission or the Father. Listen to His voice. Enjoy His presence and the freedom found in Christ. (John 8:31-32)
