Boldness

Boldness

“There’s a light at the end of the darkness

And it shines for all the world to see

It will shine on your heart if you will let it

I was blind when it finally shined on me

There is hope in that Light for the hopeless

And a soothing balm for pain and misery

It’s as near as your faith but sometimes seems fleeting

I was blind when it finally shined on me.

There’s a Light at the end of the darkness

So look up when you are down and try to believe

Sometimes we have to be knocked down to make us look upward

I was looking up from the bottom when it finally shined on me.”

(An old Gatlin Brother's song)

My first trip to the holy land, outside the walls of Jerusalem, my guide said, “We will drive in at the Damascus gate.” I said, “Wait, I want to walk in.”

Only those with spiritual eyes can see. Only those who know Jesus can feel what I felt as I walked into the city of Jerusalem, walked the streets where Jesus and other saints had walked, stood near the wailing wall as Jews written prayers into the openings of the walls of Solomon's temple.

Years later, I participated in a conference where an army major general, wearing full military uniform, the two stars sparkling on each shoulder, gave his Christian testimony. He said, “I was an infantry officer, men killed around me, I never had an army chaplain speak to me about the welfare of my soul. How many Chaplain's ever deal with soldier’s souls?” When one loves enough, there will be boldness. Not only in discipleship but concern for those around us.

We go to our doctor for a periodic physical examination, to see if our body is functioning correctly. One's body is God's temple. If saved, chosen, elected, committed 100% to Jesus Christ. “Mutual you can not be” and, if Christian, can never get enough of God's word. Someone asked this writer, “How can you tell if anyone is Christian?” There is one sure way, not what they say or do, but what they read. A Christian can never get enough of God's word, The Bible, hymns, books relating to The Bible and like the ant that has found a drop of syrup on your kitchen cabinet, soon there is a whole line of ants because they are sharing the news of their wonderful discovery.

Oceans and skies do not have signs. Highways have signs. The pilot in the sky or on the ocean must depend on mathematical calculations. But, on the way to the bottom, there are always sign posts: the most obvious, carelessness and neglect, whether a plane falling out of the sky, a ship hitting to the bottom or a civilization intent on fall-decline. With man, falling to the bottom, the first sign is usually spiritual neglect through prayer. In the disciples prayer, taught by our Lord, he said, “Yield us not into temptation” (Mat 6:13) and, this old blind writer is convinced that their should be a corollary there that we should not put temptation in the path of our fellow man. Such as the sewer of television, the sewer of pornography, the world-wide loss of integrity.

When I attended church, I must admit that I was judgmental to the extent that I often fought the quandary of skepticism if many even understood why they were in the church, worship, baptism, Lord's table. I was a member of one Baptist church for many years where the baptistry was never used. Contrast this with the great Belview Baptist where during his long ministry, Dr. R. G Lee baptized an average of 20 new Christians every Sunday night. “We are buried with him, like Jesus, raised to walk a newness of life. Jesus when he was Baptized went up, straightway out of the water.” I would get depressed listening to T.V preachers such as Joel Osteen, large crowds laughing, clapping. But, at least they were there. We do what we do because we believe what we believe. I believe there is a chance of reaching someone within a place of reaching. If God wants them, he will do the rest. Thank God there are still men and women led to the mission field. I can not understand a fascination with Ellen White, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, C.T Russel and their books. (42 million Watch Tower magazines printed each month). At least these people have a HUNGER. If God wants them, he will do the rest. “[It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]” (2 Timothy 2:11).

My father was just a dirt farmer, he could not get over the fact that he was a joint-heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). He would use this message in public prayer, express it to everyone...the awe of being on the same level with Jesus, the son of God, the creator of the world.

Every morning of my life, around 5 am, I have my time of communion, small piece of bread, small taste of wine, realizing, recognizing, that Jesus saved me from sin and heals me of all disease. (Isaiah 53) God wants and expects boldness in our belief system. We can face the day knowing that greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)