Shoulder To Shoulder #1277 -- 2/7/22 ---- "Facing The Future With Fortitude (part four) -- Act With Courage, Not Cowardice"
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1277 -- 2/7/22
Title: "Facing The Future With Fortitude (part four) -- Act With Courage, Not Cowardice"
My Dear Friend and Co-Laborer With Christ:
I greet you again in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ from the sunny and mild Sonoran Desert and Yuma, AZ. We are now in our fourth month of ministry at Chapel de Oro and are faced with only eight more weeks remaining in this season before we make preparation to minister to Greer Chapel in eastern Arizona's White Mountains. As we near the conclusion of our fifth season here, we will begin our seventh season in Greer. What a delight these two fellowships of believers are to us!
God continues to faithfully and powerfully move in our services, and I know it's because of the prayers of many of God's people both here in the Chapel and elsewhere who have been interceding before the Father's throne. If you have been praying, thank you! Keep it up. If you haven't, please do!
Once again we had the highest attendance of the season this past Sunday -- the fourth consecutive week in a row. While we are still running only about 60% of what we normally ran "pre-COVID", it is still a miraculous rise above last season. What amazes me most, though, is the impact of what God is having in personal lives. That's where it really counts. And, so far out of the previous fifteen Sundays of this season, we have had first-time attendees in eleven of them.
More than that, though, is the sense of "family reunion", deepened fellowship, and a greater sense of compassion that is expressed on a weekly basis. I have to tell you that pastoring resort chapels has been the most enjoyable season of life for us, second only to the years we spent with the amazing believers in Ukraine. As I approach my 84th birthday in just four or five weeks, I couldn't ask for a more blessed way to spend my time.
There is much happening around our world these days, and a significant amount of it is troubling, to say the least. Almost daily I receive reports from many parts of the world where Christians are being severely persecuted -- and even killed. Even here in the United States the disdain, ridicule, vehemence, and hatred toward followers of Christ is increasing, sometimes, it seems, exponentially.
I have been struck most recently by the question God asked Jeremiah when he began to complain, questioning God's way of doing things. I particularly love it in the Amplified Translation ----
[But the Lord rebukes Jeremiah's impatience, saying] If you have raced with men on foot and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if [you take to flight] in a land of peace where you feel secure, then what will you do [when you tread the tangled maze of jungle haunted by lions] in the swelling and flooding of the Jordan?" (Jer 12:5)
That's actually a pretty good question -- an appropriate one, wouldn't you say?
If what you are facing today tires you and drains you, what will you do when things really begin to unfold as God begins shaking a little harder?
Continuing our look at living in a chaotic world and experiencing the first tremors of God's shaking as described in Heb 12:18-29, we need to be men and women of extraordinary courage. And, I want to share some thoughts about that right after you consider . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ GoFundMe -- Never Used Them, Will Never Use Them: -- Yesterday, I posted the following on my Facebook wall -- "If you are using GoFundMe to raise money for Anything, I have one question: ---- WHY??????? They are just another part of big tech with a goal of profit and an agenda toward globalism. They support far left voices and suppress conservative values and organizations with which they do not agree. Their gigantic blunder over the Canadian truckers roundly exposed their values and agenda." I've run across a couple recommendations in articles I read on GoFundMe antics, but failed to remember them. However, I did a search and found several articles on the topic. Here is one that list sixteen alternatives. I know nothing about any of them, and am not recommending any. However, you can check them out for yourself. We've been praying for you and Ira, as well as the school and so many others we know and love in Ukraine. If you have other recommendations, I'll be happy to pass them on. In the meantime, to see those listed as "Top Sixteen", go to https://blog.fundly.com/gofundme-alternatives/.
+ John Calvin's Final Sermon: -- 458 years ago last Sunday -- Feb 6, 1564 -- immobile John Calvin was carried on a chair to church where he preached his final sermon. Most people think of the reformer Calvin as the source of Calvinist theology, but he also helped shape the democratic process many nations enjoy by applying his ideas of church government to society in general. To read a brief sketch of Calvin's influence, go to https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/the-last-sermon-of-john-calvin-11630007.html?utm_source=This%20Week%20in%20Christian%20History%20&utm_campaign=This%20Week%20in%20Church%20History%20-%20Christianity.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=6004047&recip=521085018&aps=ee6ee118c65d61227d7de5c8fd96ff3df9e60ff816177dd8e91327686af0d297.
+ Missionaries Remaining in Ukraine: -- I have known Rick Perhai for at least 15 years. When we left Kyiv in 2008, Rick even bought some of our "stuff" we had available in our moving sale. My heart goes out to Rick, his family, the church, the seminary, and hundreds of other friends and ministries who either were or still are part of our lives. Incidentally, the accompanying picture is an areal view of the Lavra, a walled complex of numerous churches, monasteries, and the famed bell tower, all situated atop the ancient "catacombs" along the Dnieper River bank where monks, priests, and others would live -- sometimes for decades -- to escape the "things of the world." We have been down in them numerous times praying for the people so deceived by the practice of ancestral worship. For Rick's insight, go to https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/threat-to-missionaries-ukraine/.
+ Dealing With Biased Big Tech: -- It seems like many corporations like YouTube, Google, Facebook, AT$T, Apple, etc., are systematically become more and more biased and far more left-wing radical in their values, support and censorship. I tried to leave Facebook two years ago, but almost none of my 1600+ friends would go with me. I tried Parler, MeWe, and a couple others, all to no avail. Some I haven't bothered to try simply because they, themselves, are also far too political. It leaves me with a question -- "What did you do for communicating and cell phone service before these big increasingly-controlling services?" A second question -- "Have you considered going back to what you did back then? If not, why not?" As Christians, we need to think long and hard about how we use -- and, therefore -- support them. If we did without them before, why can't we now? Here's a commentary on the matter by Dinesh D'souza -- https://rumble.com/vu8q2p-the-fall-of-facebook.html?mref=23gga&mc=8uxj1&fbclid=IwAR0tVXZeRlVwU4LPWeID42Jy6D0LpXcElKAmqCdDud2yFQQ-04uM4bU9_cw.
+ Communications Privacy and Security: -- Just about everyone agrees that internet and cell phone usage is generally a very unsafe world for private messages and personal information. Not only is it unsafe from foreign countries, but even from certain areas of our own government along with homegrown hackers and spies. While I still use on occasion some of the typical services such as Messenger, text messaging, and What'sApp, I am moving more and more toward Signal, a service used by many missionary, NGO, and other agencies because it uses an entirely encrypted system that will let you communicate with both Signal users and non-users, but with the assurance that your communication is not being hacked or read by someone besides the one/s with whom you are communicating. You might want to check it out.
+ Explaining the 1619 Project: -- Probably like me, you've never bought in to the claims of the 1619 Project that said the United States was created as a racist slave state in 1619. The claim is absurd for a number of reasons. One of the better explanations that lays out the actual facts is one I think was written by American historian Tim Barton. If you are like many who want the actual facts but don't have the time to do all the research, you might want to check this expose' out at https://patriots.social/2022/02/07/the-true-story-of-1619-and-americas-origins/.
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> "Living with courage doesn't mean you can feel better about a situation, but rather that you can do something about it." -- T. Allen Robburts
> "Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith (your conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it). Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength!" -- Apostle Paul (I Cor 16:13 AMP)
> "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened." -- Billy Graham
> "The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh." -- Oswald Chambers
> "The fear of the Lord tends to take away all other fears... This is the secret of Christian courage and boldness." -- Sinclair B. Ferguson (Scottish theologian, Chancellor at Reformed Theological Seminary)
> "Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." -- Moses (Deut 31:6)
> "Courage must have a cause. If there is no cause -- no reason for courage -- then courage is mere bluster and unused motivation." -- T. Allen Robburts
> "The heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God's voice and then developing the courage to do what he asks us to do." -- Bill Hybels
> " Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!" -- King David (Psalm 31:24)
BOLD COURAGE:
When I began this current series on "The Shakings" (Heb 12:18-29) on January 10th, I concluded the first letter by listing five things I felt we needed to do in order to go through the current and coming shakings --
+ Live With Conviction, and not by Compromise or Tolerance
+ See with Clarity, not with Confusion
+ Act with Courage, not with Cowardice
+ Live with Consistency, not with Contradiction.
+ Minister with Compassion, not with Callousness.
Today I want to address the third of the five -- Act with Courage, and not with Cowardice. In thinking about the topic, my mind is filled with many images both from the Bible and from history -- some even from my own childhood -- when courage powered through my cowardice and fear forward to new plateau's of victory and joy.
Two childhood occasions come to mind:
1. The first took place when I was a seven-year-old second-grader in the four room Sailor Springs Elementary school. There were about 50 students in the entire K-12 school. Following World War II, we had moved from the steel mill city of Granite City, IL, where my father had pastored a thriving church, to "The Springs" with a population of 125 people. We lived in a tiny four room parsonage next door to the little square white frame church building where Dad pastored a grateful congregation and did itinerant evangelism throughout the Midwestern states.
As "the new kid on the block", and also being "a preacher's kid", not everyone at school was impressed. It wasn't long before a big lumbering 5th grader decided he'd put me in my place. One day before school he ran up behind me and pinned my arms to my sides with a big bear hug, essentially immobilizing me. I expected him to wrestle me down and shove me into the nearby ditch.
Tommy, one of my friends from Sunday school, was watching it all, wanting to come to my aid but afraid to engage the bully towering more than six inches above either of us. My first thought was, "I'm gonna get hurt really bad!" My second thought was that I didn't want to lose face in front of Tommy and the other kids who went to church with me.
When my friends pleaded for him to stop, other kids prodded him on. The only recourse I thought I might have was to quickly bend over as far as I could, thrust my hips backward and my elbows outward, hoping I could dislodge "bully boy". To my shock -- and everyone else's impressed amazement -- not only did I dislodge him, but he flipped forward over my back head over heels and landed on his chin in the ditch.
Not only did "bully boy" never harass me again, but he never touched any of my friends.
Where did that courage come from to do battle with a kid four years older and twice my size? I don't know that it really matters. What does matter, though, is that somehow I gained enough courage -- I know it wasn't from anger because I was basically terrified -- to stand my ground and take action. Today I was reminded of a biblical principle embedded in Philippians 1:14 where Paul described the value of his own imprisonment, stating, . . .
". . . and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear."
2. The second experience took place just a few years later in 1948 after we moved to Springfield, IL, and my father had taken a pastorate there in a brand new church startup. My new friend, Joe Cleaver, had rescued me from the pranks of some local boys who had tied me up to an abandoned flag pole at the corner of a busy street where we lived in a 2 1/2 story house being used as our home and as the building for the brand new congregation to gather. Joe and I became lifelong friends, and a few years later I had the thrill of being instrumental in his coming to faith in Christ.
One day Joe and I had gone to a local park near Enos Grade School where both of us attended. We gathered there often to play football, taking turns wearing an old "Knute Rockne" style leather helmet much too small for any of us to wear comfortably. Once again, I was that "new kid on the block" and "the preacher's kid" all rolled into one. An "outsider" to our game and a couple of his friends broke up our game and decided to challenge me to fight him. Since I was "the preacher's kid", he insisted that prove that I wasn't a "sissy".
After several minutes of taunting, he demanded that I either fight him or he would "hit you, you sissy!". Again, having been taught that Christians don't fight but also not wanting to appear weak and cowardly to Joe and my other friends, I did a preemptive strike on the kid, hitting him right smack on his nose.
Tears welled up in his eyes as blood trickled from his nose. Startled and taken aback, he and his two friends turned around and walked away as they both consoled him and tried to deal with the blood -- and the tears. In all the remaining years we lived in Springfield until we moved to Gary, Indiana, I don't remember any occasion where someone bullied me. I do remember, however, the wrath I faced when I got home and my mother found out I "had been fighting".
Today there are many examples of courage being played out in our own culture and in other places around the world. For example, whether your approve of their reason or motive or not, the courage of truckers in the United States and Canada to rise up for a cause in which they believe is now being seen in other far away countries such as New Zealand and Australia. Then there's the courage of social media personalities such as Joe Rogan to stand strong and firm for his rights, and the growing courage of listeners and supporters to confront big tech companies who provide the platform for such personalities when they threaten to silence them.
And, of course, I cannot possibly forget the hundreds (literally) of friends and ministries in Ukraine who are willing to remain in the country despite the ominous -- and many believe eminent -- threat from Russia. Nor can I fail to mention the hundreds of thousands of Christians who have had the courage to withstand the persecution and onslaught against them in countries like Afghanistan (now the most dangerous country in the world in which to live), North Korea, China, Iran, Cuba, and so many others.
It may well be that we are seeing greater evidence of courage around the world than anytime in decades.
Courage is an odd thing that can be triggered by just about any situation. But, it seems that courage is more often than not released when a person faces an impossible situation, an overwhelming challenge, or an insurmountable task. It has a way of harnessing one's fears and releasing a flow of "adrenaline" that motivates you to a level of courage that causes you to take action. Courage doesn't do away with fear; rather, it thrusts you through it. It seems that circumstances cause either cowardice or courage, and those in turn result in either flight or fight.
COURAGE REQUIRES A CAUSE:
Quite some time ago the Lord had rekindled the flame in my heart to do everything He gave me to do to call the Church in America back to repentance and obedience. I feel the same today as I did then, even more so ---- it looks increasingly like a "do or die" situation for our nation. It seems like the rise in immorality, political corruption, abuse of power, economic weakness, and secularism in general have finally awakened the conservatives and evangelical Christians out of lethargic inactivity to the fact that we are rapidly losing our country as it once was. Hopefully, courage will motivate them to action.
This deterioration has been a steady process that began in the early 20th Century, and then accelerated with an alarming rate about 60 years ago. However, it seems to have nearly hit critical mass around ten years ago and for the past five or six has been streaking with the speed of light toward a devastating collapse. To be brutally honest, I'm not so sure but what we as a nation may have "reached the point of no return"; yet I cling to the hope that it is still not too late, and there still may be "room for repentance". I would love to think that others who believe another great awakening is on the horizon are, in fact, correct.
In my heart of hearts, I do not have the assurance that such a revival is going to happen. When you look at all the heinous sins America has committed over the past fifty or sixty years -- sexual immorality, the murder of over 63 million innocent babies, the destruction of the nuclear family, the practice of blaspheming God through gender perversion, -- how dare we not anticipate a great and thunderous shaking!
We, for generations, have been sowing to the wind, and it looks like now we are in the early stages of reaping in the whirlwind. If we are granted yet a few more years to repent, it will be solely because of the vast mercy of God. He has every right to obliterate us from the face of the earth. Why He has not is mind boggling to me. What a merciful God He is!!!
Our nation was born out of the blazing fervor of the First Great Awakening in the 18th Century under the influence of George Whitfield, the Wesleys, and Jonathan Edwards. The Second Great Awakening restored a nation reeling from the immorality and debauchery that accompanied the Industrial Revolution during the 19th Century. The birth of Pentecostalism as well as the overflow from the Welsh Revival and Evan Roberts at the beginning of the 20th Century helped undergird and restore us as a people.
Then came the healing movement of the 1940's, the student-led revivals in the 1950's, the Jesus People movement and the lay renewal movement of the 1960's and 1970's, The Asbury Revival, and so forth, all of which had major impacts on our nation though not as thoroughly and wide spread as some of the others. We have not seen a truly national revival in well over 100 years.
If God chooses once again to be longsuffering and merciful with us, certainly a great spiritual awakening can possibly happen again, and it seems to me that the growing burden and sense of desperation that is slowly rising in the hearts of Christians today gives evidence that, in spite of my own personal doubts, it could happen again.
So, that being the case, and to quote Francis Shaffer in his classic book, "How shall we then live?" How shall we??? Must we, as I wrote three letters ago, live with Conviction and not with Compromise. Must we begin to See with Clarity and not with Confusion? Peter asked the early followers of Christ the same question. His wording was a bit different, but the question remained the same:
". . . what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, . . . (II Pet 3:11-12).
Well, I believe with all my heart that, among other things, we are to be people of Courage and Boldness.
As far as I can tell, there are at least three ingredients in the past that have fueled major territorial moves of God upon a people ---- 1) genuine brokenhearted repentance expressed from hearts of desperation, 2) passionate pleading intercession erupting from people driven by confident faith, and 3) bold courageous witness and expression of the Gospel by people of great courage.
One of the best descriptives of courage in the Bible is on the occasion when Joshua assumed leadership of the Children of Israel following Moses' death. Let's look, then, at what God told Joshua as he assumed leadership of the Children of Israel:
"Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
"Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 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 1:2-9)
So, just as God did with Joshua, I call you to be a person of both great courage and boldness. In both the Old Testament and the New, two words characterized the people of God . . . courage and boldness. While they are similar in nature, they are clearly not literal synonyms; each is distinct in definition and application. Both words deserve our consideration.
BOLDNESS AND COURAGE -- THE CONNECTION:
Even as I write today, I am seeing an extraordinary connection with other words. Courage itself never stands alone. There is a cause and effect that surrounds the concept. Think about it for a minute. If there is no reason to be courageous, then why does one need to be courageous? If there is no reason to be filled with courage, then what is the point in being bold?
I'm still trying to think this through, but let me throw this out for you -- Courage must have both a reason and also a result. So, consider this: -- Courage must first have a cause. There must be a cause in order to be courageous. Joshua was commanded by God to be bold and courageous, but why was that necessary? It was because there was a cause -- lead the Children of Israel out of the wilderness in which they had survived into the land of promise where they would thrive. If God had no intention of not only bringing them "out" and then bringing them "in", He would not have commanded Joshua to be courageous. Why would Joshua need courage if he were not to use it.
So, without covering each word in the detail with which I would like, contemplate this sequence:
Cause initiates a Command. A Command requires a Commitment. Commitment must show Consistency. Consistency requires Courage. Courage generates Conflict. Conflict produces Conquest. Conquest produces the Crown.
Through it all, the spirit of boldness to take the next step rises to the surface. There seems to be an interesting link between the ideas of boldness on the one hand and courage on the other. I don't want to belabor the point, but the fact that the two words are used in tandem in so many scriptures and so frequently seems to indicate the importance of looking at each one through the lens of the other. So, . . .
Boldness:
+ Old Testament Use: -- The word "bold" appears only four times in the Old Testament, two of which relate to one who is trusting in God. Isn each case though, there is actually a different word used. In Psalm 138:3 the Hebrew word, "râhab" (pronounced raw-hab') is used. "On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul." The word indicates being "severely and intensely emboldened so as to even appear insolent in overcoming behavior and action". In other words, to be so bold as to appear arrogant and abrasive, with no concern over personal reputation or the misunderstanding of others. It's the picture of someone who has been so impacted by God as to have fully counted the cost and risked everything for the sake of the objective.
The other verse is Prov 28:1, which reads, "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion." I love the Hebrew word here, "bâṭach" (pronounced baw-takh'), because it portrays who is so trusting and confident that he appears carefree, willing to relax or willing to run after the prey, whichever is appropriate. It is a total confidence so strong that the lion is free to be and do whatever is needed and appropriate for the occasion.
+ New Testament Use: The word "bold" is found only five times in the New Testament, all five of which relate to the believer, and all five of which are spoken by Paul. The first is in Rom 10:20 when he quotes Isaiah description as God being "Bold" in revealing Himself to people not looking for Him. He uses the Greek word, "apotōlmaō" (pronounced ap-ot-ol-mah'-o) to describe God has having "ventured plainly, obviously, and clearly" in revealing Himself.
In II Cor 10:1-2 where the word is used twice, Paul justified his optimism and straight-forwardness that was necessary when he wrote to them in abstentia as contrasted with how he ministered to them when with them in person. He used the Greek word, "tharrheō" (pronounced thar-hreh'-o) as to being very confident ---- confident in what he had written, and confident in how they were to receive it. So this boldness describes his ventured confidence in both.
In contrast, later in that chapter (II Cor 10:12) and twice in 11:22, he uses a different word, "tolmaō" (pronounced tol-mah'-o) to explain that he used great care in not being "extreme" in his boldness to the point of hurting the believers. He explained that he had no intention of being extreme, offensive, or abrasive by bragging about himself as others seem to have done. In other words, he used confident boldness in proclaiming truth, but not in promoting himself to the extreme of arrogance and pride. He simply said, "I dare not do such a thing!"
The word, "Boldness" is used an additional six times (Acts 4:31, II Cor 3:12, Eph 3:12, Eph 6:10; Phil 1:20, and I Thes 2:2), The word is "parrhēsia" (pronounced par-rhay-see'-ah) the first five times. It is a pretty good description of the preaching and teaching of those early believers, and means "confident and free outspokenness, that is, frankness, bluntness, plainness". In other words, while the message was shared with compassion and in love, it was clear, precise, and to the point. In Acts 4:31 this describes the actions of the disciples after they had spent time in prayer following their arrest. Paul used that word to describe the attitude of the believer when coming to the Father and also when sharing the Gospel.
The final usage in I Thes 2:2 is "parrhēsiazomai" (pronounced par-hray-see-ad'-zom-ahee), and describes more of the believer's spirit or demeanor from which the message is to be declared and the ministry is to be performed.
Together, then, we see that the believer is to live a life of boldness that comes out of a spirit of love, compassion, and humility, all rooted in that absolute inner confidence that enables the person to "speak the truth in love", no matter the circumstances or the consequences. He has no regard for his own reputation, his own welfare, or his own future. He is driven by "the hope that is within [him]" (I Pet 3:15). It is perfectly portrayed in Acts 4:31 ---- "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."
Boldness, then, is the ability . . . no, the willingness . . . to say or do what is necessary, regardless of the outcome. It is "to take the initiative". While courage is to "have" the initiative, boldness is to "take" the initiative.
Next, . . .
Courage:
The words for courage, encourage, discourage, etc. are found 89 times in the Bible, 36 of them in the New Testament, and for the most part they describe the people of God and their respective disposition toward things they faced.
+ Old Testament Use: Two Hebrew words dominate the Old Testament idea of Courage. I especially like reading the Old Testament narratives regarding Joshua. God told Moses on two occasions (Deut 1:38; 3:28) to encourage him because he would be the one to lead the people in victorious battle. He said, "encourage Joshua!" He used the word "châzaq" (pronounced khaw-zak'), which means to "cause him to become strengthened and courageous and even obstinate to the point of conquering and being victorious" -- and be that way constantly, consistently, and forcefully -- "be the man!"
After Moses had done his part and had left the scene, then God Himself confronted Joshua at the beginning of his new assignment as leader of Israel. Right up front, as Joshua prepared to lead the people into the land of promise, God told him four distinct times in the first chapter to "be strong and [very] courageous" (verses 6, 7, 9, and 18). The Hebrew word is "'âmats" (pronounced aw-mats') and is a powerful command in itself, for it means to "be filled with a disposition of courage, be steadfastly minded, strong, stronger than the opposition, established and well fortified, hardened, prevailing, obstinately and stubbornly strengthened".
+ New Testament Use: "Courage", "tharseō" (pronounced thar-seh'-o) is not so much used as is the word, "encourage", which is "parakaleō" (pronounced par-ak-al-eh'-o). Both words, however, mean essentially the same thing . . . "to be drawn near for the purpose of bring comfort, consolation, cheer, and motivation". In other words, as we see in the life of Barnabas and Paul, but especially Barnabas, believers are to come alongside one another to spur each other on in the work of the Gospel. This effort is to be intense, so much so that it can be seen even as beseeching, pleading, . . . even begging ---- "Don't give up! Don't quit! Hang in there! Too much is at stake! Run the race! Finish the course!"
Summarizing: Bringing these two words, boldness and courage, together, we get a clear picture of what God wants from us in serving Him. It isn't an assignment for the faint of heart or the quitter. It is the command to be like an athlete that persistently endures both training and competing . . . be like a farmer that consistently plows, plants, waters, and harvests . . . be like a hardened soldier that doesn't give up in the day of battle, even if it looks like a losing situation. In our day we must be both bold and courageous.
Courage is the disposition, . . . boldness is the action. One without the other is incomplete . . . counterfeit. Boldness without courage is impudence and brashness. Courage without boldness is a false claim and wasted energy.
BOLDNESS AND COURAGE -- THE SETTING:
I must be brief in addressing this, but as I examined the settings of many of the biblical episodes where boldness and courage were seen, I saw some significant features. For example, . . .
1. They seem to take place in seemingly Impossible situations, circumstances, and opposition: In Joshua's case, he was being called to replace the man who had led Israel out of 400 years of slavery into a new opportunity, and had been called of God to give them the commandments and laws by which they were to live. He was replacing a man who had performed miracles and had faced rebellion and mutiny more than once. He was a person who knew both the man who was faithful and the people who were stubborn and rebellious. He was also a man who had been to the land of promise and had seen with his own eyes what was there, but also knew the ominous size of the giants and the incalculable enormity of the task of getting them there. Getting them out of Egypt had been one thing, but getting them out of the wilderness and into the land flowing with milk and honey was another.
In the case of the early Church, they had seen their hopes dashed as Christ had been crucified, had seen new vision and hope rise as He was raised from the dead, had faced the future with nothing but a promise as He ascended into heaven, and had already so soon faced the ire and hatred of those who had hated their departed leader just as He had said they would. And yet, they were filled with boldness and courage. And notice throughout the Book of Acts as well as the Epistles that the more difficult, threatening, or impossible the challenges seemed to be, the greater was their levels of courage and boldness. It appears that they never backed down.
2. It seems that boldness and courage emanate from The power of the Word: In both the Old Testament and the New, it appears that boldness and courage always emerged from the truth of God's Word, whether it was written or audible.
+ Moses found both in God's command, -- Deut 6:1-3 "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey."
+ Joshua was strengthened by the written law of the Lord, for God had spoken clearly to him. -- Josh 1:8-9 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 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."
+ The early Church was strengthened by all that Jesus had taught them, and more than 34 times the phrase "The Word" is used in Acts alone, plus scores of times in the Epistles -- more than 96 times in total.
> Acts 2:42 -- "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching . . ."
> Acts 4:31 -- "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 6:2,4 -- "So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "'t is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. . . .But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'"
> Acts 6:7 -- "The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith."
> Acts 8:4 -- "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word."
There is something mysterious -- something magnificent and majestic -- about God's Word. There is power in it -- supernatural power. That fact tells us something still more; -- there has to be power behind your courage and boldness. That's the sharpness needed. God's Word sharpens everything. As "the sword of the Spirit" (Eph 6:17), that is what pierces and "divides asunder" the obstacle you face (Heb 4:12).
No wonder Moses passed on what God had previously said to him ---- at all cost and in every situation, remember, rehearse, and apply God's commandments!
3. Boldness and Courage were stimulated and propelled by The presence and work of the Holy Spirit: Under Moses' leadership, the presence and work of the Holy Spirit clearly motivated him and those under his leadership to bold and courageous obedience -- Bezalel who supervised the construction of the tabernacle (Ex 31:3; 35:31), the seventy elders who helped him lead Israel (Num 11:17, 25, 26), Joshua the son of Nun (Num 27:18; Deut 34:9), and others throughout the Old Testament where you see people like David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, and more, gaining their motivation, power, and boldness from the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In the early Church it was the same way. Jesus taught strongly on the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit and the necessity of His presence in their lives (John 14 and 16), and the work of the Holy Spirit is noted in 24 of the 26 chapters of Acts (Peter, John, the disciples, Philip, Stephen, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, etc. -- almost always evidenced the Holy Spirit's presence by boldness and courage), and in most of the Epistles (especially Paul's) the operation of the Holy Spirit is clearly present.
Undeniably the presence and work of the Holy Spirit is directly linked to the issue of boldness and courage. It is impossible for any Christian to have the courage and boldness he will need if he is not under the leadership, empowerment, and control of the Holy Spirit. Don't even think about doing anything without His presence and ministry!
4. Boldness and courage often were manifested as a result of Prayer: One feature many people fail to recognize is that in most cases where serious prayer is recorded in the Bible, some degree of manifestation occurs; most of the time it relates to vision, direction, boldness, and the like. This is seen not only in the life of Moses and Joshua, but also in the lives of others such as Gideon, Jabez, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Daniel, . . . the list is endless. Likewise, in the New Testament we find that where prayer abounds, boldness and courage emerge.
> Acts 2:42-47 "They were continually devoting themselves to . . . prayer. . . and . . . awe . . . signs and wonders . . . and the Lord added daily . . ."
> Acts 4:31 "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."
So, here we see at least four elements that are connected with the issue of boldness and courage ---- impossible situations and circumstances, the authority of the Word of God, the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, and fervent prayer.
BOLDNESS AND COURAGE -- WHAT IT TAKES:
The kind of boldness and courage we need for today must be extraordinary. How long has it been since you read any biography of Christians who have gone before you? How long has it been since you thought seriously about some of the great saints who influenced you? If you look closely, you will find that courage and boldness where present in them. They didn't necessarily demonstrate it in bold face print, but it was there. Often those with the most courage and greatest boldness were also the quietest and unnoticed of them all.
The boldness and courage needed today must be the kind that sent William Carey to India, the kind that sent Hudson Taylor and later Lottie Moon to China, that sent praying John Hyde to India, the kind that thrust Billy Graham into the most astounding evangelistic ministry of all time, the kind that sent five families to the jungles of Ecuador to give their lives, . . .
We need the boldness that kept the early Christians from flinching at the sight of torture and death, that kept Brother Andrew faithful in Communist prisons. We need a boldness and courage that keep us faithful in the little things of every day life and not just in the "crisis" moments. Now that we understand what gives birth to that kind of boldness, what is required on our part?
There may be other things to add, but I think of at least these five . . .
1. Uncompromising Conviction This is where we started. If you do not have conviction over what the Bible says, if you are not absolutely convinced that it is absolute truth, it will never be possible to generate the courage that endures. You will give out before the battle is won, before the task is complete, before the goal is reached. You must drive a stake down and establish your uncompromising conviction if you are to make an . . .
2. Undying Commitment: There must be a decision time where you jettison all the excuses and remove all the obstacles and choose. Like Joshua before entering an unknown land filled with undefined obstacles and unseen challenges, he told the people . . . "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." If something about following and serving the Lord is disagreeable to you, don't bother asking Him for boldness and courage. Today is "choosing" day. And that, my friend, requires His . . .
3. Uncontested Lordship: Jesus asked some people an odd question regarding their assumption they didn't understand ---- "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Lk 6:46) Apparently they either didn't know what "Lord" meant, they didn't understand what His Lordship meant, or they were being intentionally deceptive trying to gain the accolades of others. He had explained that situation on another occasion ---- "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' (Mt 7:21-22) But, . . . He was not allowed to act as Lord in their lives. It was all show . . . all talk. In such lives as that, what they perceive as boldness, is nothing more than arrogant brashness . . . and they can't tell the difference.
There's a fascinating exchange of conversation between Christ and Peter in Acts 10. Jesus appeared to Peter in a vision while he was waiting to eat at Cornelius' house, telling him to eat things that weren't kosher. Peter's reaction was a bit surprising, -- "By no means, Lord!" (10:14). The KJV translation is a bit more abrupt -- "Not so, Lord!" In less than a handful of words, Peter managed to make two absolutely contradictory statements -- "Not so!" and "Lord!". His courage was displaced so much so that he displayed a loyalty greater to the law than to the Lord. That is a danger still existing today.
You can't say, "Not so!" and "Lord!" and mean them both. It is one or the other, but never both. If you say, "Not so!", He is not Lord! If you say, "Lord!", you can never say, "Not so!" To be sure, one has to sort that out and see a distinct difference and make a defined decision -- "Lord!", or "Not Lord!". To make it wisely and correctly, you will need an . . .
4. Unwavering Faith: Needless to say, not only can we not please Him apart from faith (Heb 11:6), but we cannot receive true boldness and courage. It will be nothing but bluff and bluster. To better understand what He is telling us, let's substitute another word for faith ---- let's try "Trust". Faith has many meanings, and most people stop with an intellectual faith in Christ, but never volitionally "trust" Him. They believe he "can", but aren't confident He "will", and won't trust Him "to". So, if we really don't (or won't) actually trust Him fully, do we have any right to expect He'll bestow upon us the boldness and courage needed for this day? Hardly. You must believe God can, believe He does, and believe He will. Such faith in your life will inevitably be demonstrated by . . .
5. Consistent Obedience: If you are not prepared to obey Him in any direction or assignment God gives you, then you have no need for either boldness or courage. So, don't ask for it until you have made a conscious decision to obey Him, wherever it takes you and whatever it has you doing. Obedience is the litmus test of commitment . . . of His lordship over our lives . . . of the genuineness of our trusting Him.
There is a revealing story in the life of King Saul, found in I Samuel 15. Samuel had instructed Saul that God had commanded that they take no booty from a battle they were to have with the Amalekites, the descendants of Amalek, Esau's grandson. This was going to be the litmus test for whether or not Saul would be Israel's legitimate king.
Saul disobeyed God's command, not only contaminating Israel with things from the descendants of a man that characterized living by the energy of the flesh (remember that Esau sold his right to the blessing of his intended inheritance to his brother, Jacob), but also disqualified himself to be a worthy king over Israel. The problem was not with the booty, but with Saul's disobedience. In Samuel's condemnation over Saul's action, he declared, . . .
"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king." (I Samuel 15:22-23).
What an indictment against King Saul! And what a troubling thought it is for many Christians today! Samuel equated disobedience with rebellion, and in the next breath went even further to equate rebellion with the practice of witchcraft! That is a major "shot across the bow"!
And, believe it or not, Saul didn't learn his lesson because some time later, he was so disobedient that he even went to the witch of Endor (I Sam 28) to consult her about another battle he was about to face. It seems that Saul was so oppressed with demonic influences that he was attracted to their adherents like flies to honey. He is described as one who had a "kindred spirit" with that witch. Further evidence is found throughout the narrative of his life as he experienced drastic mood swings back and forth. And, just as Samuel had prophesied, following the death of the prophet, Saul died at the hands of the Philistines, along with King David's closest friend and Saul's own son, Jonathan.
I want to actually address this matter of obedience and disobedience in my next letter because far too many Christians have concluded that God's commands are to be comfortably treated as mere suggestions or recommendations. Nothing is further from the truth. It's a simple fact -- to fail to obey is to disobey. To disobey is to rebel. To rebel is to practice witchraft. That should whet your appetite.
When Peter and the disciples were confronted by the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem and commanded to never speak in the name of Jesus again, their response was immediate -- "We must obey God rather than man." (Acts 5:29). If a follower of Christ is to live courageously in all of life's challenges, he will have to practice consistent obedience. Otherwise, courage will wane -- because like an unused muscle, courage weakens and wanes when not exercised.
FINALLY:
Well, my friend . . . . there you have it ---- the issue before us. Our world needs courageous people of boldness. Our own nation surely needs people of courage and boldness. Our towns . . . our churches need such people who are both unapologetic but also compassionate and loving, to declare truth without compromise, live Christian lives void of hypocrisy, and be examples both in word and deed to what the world needs most ---- Jesus.
Courage doesn't determine the outcome, but it does determine the way in which you approach, endure, and accept it. Courage isn't so you can feel better as you engage in a situation, but so that you can do something about the situation.
Neither of us know what the future holds for us. We have virtually no control over that. But, with whatever calling He gives us, whatever place He sends us, and whatever challenge He prepares us to face, we can do it with courage and boldness . . .
. . . IF we choose to do so.
Stay "plumb line true" to God's Word. Live constantly in His presence. Rely fully on the power and provision of the Holy Spirit. Trust God explicitly. Intercede passionately and persistently. Obey Him immediately.
The future depends to a large extent on how and what we choose.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright February, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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