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“Boldness”
Although there may be times or situations where “boldness” is not the attitude that should be displayed or appreciated the Christian is to be “bold.” The apostles who are well known for their “boldness” are the apostles Peter and John: (Acts 4:13) “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” However, these two men are not the only ones we read of in our Bibles who were bold. In an effort to encourage each of us to be “bold” I shall list several others! I remember the time when God was angry and was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and a man by the name of Abraham was bold as he spoke to God [Cf. Genus 18:22-32]. If it had not been for his “boldness” everything and everybody would have be abolished. There is also the man by the name of Moses who was very bold as he spoke to God on behalf of the children of Israel: (Ex. 32:31 – 32) “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” I cannot help but to notice the wisdom of Moses; he knew the people had sinned and he also knew how God felt about sin and what the consequences of sin would be. What does he do? He “boldly” went to God and prayed to God to “forgive their sin.” He even put his own eternal soul in jeopardy by asking God to “blot his name out of thy book.” Brethren that required love and most certainly “boldness” was found in his prayer. Would you do the same for your brethren who have “sinned a great sin”? You don’t have to be old and mature to be “bold”; you can be “bold” in your youth! A young man by the name of David was very “bold” as he faced the Philistine: (1 Sam 17:45) “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” David stood before the Philistine who was well equipped for battle; the Philistine had a sword, a spear and he was even protected by a shield. As David stood before the Philistine what was the arson of David? A sling and five smooth stones: (1 Sam 17:40) “And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.” Not only was David brave he was “bold” as he approached the Philistine. What did the Philistine see when he looked upon David? He saw a brave, bold young man: (1 Sam 17:42) “And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.” You can be “bold” regardless of your age! Perhaps you are wondering how you can acquire “boldness’. Let us notice how others acquired “boldness.” One sure way is to trust God. (Isa 50:7) “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” In difficult situations we need to “trust God to help us.” We can trust God to help us in any situation and thereby have “boldness.” Obeying God gave Peter and the other apostles “boldness”: (Acts 5:29) “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” A lesson that might be overlooked here is the fact that they were afraid not to obey God. Do you fear the wrath of God? If you do there is a good chance that you will be “bold” in all of your actions!
Friends, we must express our faith in God with “boldness”: (Heb 13:6) “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” By doing this both men and God will know and see our “boldness!” Can others see that Jesus Christ is in your life by your “boldness”?
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