Weakness

Weakness. This is a word that many of us are uncomfortable with because when we see that word it reminds us of the weakness we have. None of us really thinks we are without fault. We may put on a brave face and act strong, but inside, where our self-deceptions do not reach, we realize the truth--that we all have weakness. Now, those weaknesses may vary from person to person, but we all have weakness. Saul of Taurus, or as we know him, Paul, had a weakness. In the Scriptures we see him talk about that "thorn in his flesh," and though we may not know what that weakness was, we can all relate to it. Paul saw his weakness in a different light that we usually do though. While we see weakness as a terrible thing and something to be hidden and avoided, Paul saw his weakness as an opportunity. In the book Pivotal Praying, they say it this way, "The difference is clear. Paul began to love his weaknesses, because they reminded him he was always in over his head. He had nothing to prove, nothing to lose, nothing to hide. When he stared at huge challenges, he'd boast about God's strength..." How awesome is that! We do not need to be ashamed of our weakness, because it is in that weakness that God is shown strong, and through that weakness we get to tell of God's strength. We will never face a situation that we cannot handle, because God is with us. Next time you seem to face insurrmountable odds and feel weak, remember that in your weakness God is strong, and take heart!

The Bible teaches us that God has great plans for each of us. God gives each of us who follow Him a dream and a plan which is custom made for us. And so many of us fail to realize that dream, fail to even really seek after it. The reason for that is simple. We are comfortable where we are. We don't want to leave our comfort zone and go after that dream, because it is scary.
When we hit that wall of fear that comes with leaving our comfort zones, too often we freeze up and give in to that fear, or tell God that we will be happy to go when he provides the way and removes the fear. But God doesn't take our fear, rather he tells us to take courage and to not be afraid. The true definition of courage is not the absence of fear, but rather choosing to
act in spite of it. When we realize who the God we follow is, those walls of fear will crumble before us, because we will realize that no matter how large the wall is, our God is bigger! This coming week, we have a lot of people from this church who are leaving their comfort zone to go and live out part of God's dream for Hagood Ave Baptist Church. I pray that any wall of fear we might run into there, or here back home would be met with
courage.

"Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didn't at least one of the six hundred guys think about giving up, and joining with the other side? I mean, valley of death that's pretty salty stuff. That's why courage it's tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you're doing something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either do something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too. "

I saw The Blindside for the first time this weekend, and this quote from the movie stood out to me. To often, no matter what our position, we forget to think about what the "other guy" is going through. Courage is a hard thing to find in many situations, and is impossible to fabricate. You can maybe fake it for a while, but when the pressure is on, your facade will fall. True courage, true honor, and true power is found only in Jesus Christ and His resurrection, and that is why we celebrate Easter with such vigor. With the Resurrection, we can have courage and honor and power in the face of even death itself, because our Lord has already defeated him. Next time we face a hard situation, we must lean on Christ and His resurrection power. HE IS RISEN!

Freedom

Wallace: I AM William Wallace. And I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do without freedom? Will you fight?
Veteran soldier: Fight? Against that? No, we will run; and we will live.
Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live -- at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!!!

This is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies. It is absolutely an amazing scene in Braveheart. And what really stands out to me is that final questions he asks them. "Would you be willing to trade all days from this day to that for one chance to stand up for your freedom." We are faced with situations in life so often that are a challenge to get through, and sometimes, in those situations, there are easy ways out. However, sometimes, to take the easy way out you give up some of your freedom, you place yourself into bondage to something else, just to avoid the trial. How often do we make that comprimise? How often do we avoid pain and danger by slinking away and running? God doesn't want His followers to live that life. In Gal. 5:1, Paul says this, "1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. As Christians, have been set free through the work of Christ, which is so awesomely enacted in the Passion Play. We must cling to and stand up for that freedom, and never trade that freedom for a life of bondage again. We must not live a life of regret, but rather, one of boldness and power.

Fear

I've been reading a book called "The Chronicles of Nicodemus" where the premise of the book (a historical novel) is that Nicodemus and Joseph (who secured the tomb to bury Jesus) when out after His resurrection to talk to various witnesses to the events and chronicle the events of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. It has been a very cool book so far, and i would like to share a section of it with you. This section comes from the discussion with Peter, and this is what Peter says; "Fear, it was fear that motivated His execution. Religious charlatans crucified Him for fear He would expose their hypocrisy. Out of fear they posted a gaurd at His tomb. Even in death, they wer tormented by His life. Out of fear, the Temple Gaurd trembled at the angel's message of 'He is Risen.' Faithful women left His empty tomb with mixed emotions, both fear and joy. He allayed their fear with His words, 'Do not be afraid...' Fear stalks each of us like a cunning assasin. At the end of life awaits our greatest fear, death. One day regent Death will point his caustic finger at each of us and say, 'Your turn.' Death offers noone an appeal. Our peace is found in the fact that He defeated death and demonstrated by His resurrection there is life beyond the grave. Regarding death, the greatest fear, He said... 'Fear not.'" (The Chronicles of Nicodemus, page 141) Now, does the author not hit the nail on the head with this section. We as human beings live so much of our lives in fear, and make so many decisions we make based on fear. There are many people who get married just b/c they are afraid to be alone, and that often leads to much heartache for both parties involved. Sometime we put way too much time into our job, b/c we are afraid of losing it, and that often comes at the cost of family. Many young ladies in the world give up their virginity and innocence with some boy, just b/c they are afraid to lose him, and often with disastrous consequences. Many people get involved in drugs or alchohol b/c they are afraid to stand up and say no, and others still do so to cover up some other fear or hurt which they are going through. And then ultimatley, we all end up doing something stupid and fear death, simply b/c we don't want this life to end. Fear is sadly one of our biggest motivatiors as human beings.... But what does Jesus say about fear? He says, "Fear not!" What an amazing comfort and encouragment to us who follow Him. Paul goes on to say that we were not given a spirit of fear, but of boldness and of power. If you are a Christian, you are indwelt with the very spirit that calmed the waves, created the universe, split the veil, drove out demons, died on the cross, nullified the power of hell, and spat in the face of death and said, "NO MORE!" Don't let your flesh make you live in fear, but live in the power of that spirit that endwells you. Now, if you aren't a Christian, then you don't have that spirit yet... you still have the human spirit of fear, and I encourage you to seek out someone to help you meet the Jesus that I serve... the Jesus that told death it would no longer have the victory over His people....

United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night
America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping Will we be sleeping
United States of America Looks like another silent night

These lyrics are from a song called "While You Were Sleeping," by Casting Crowns. I was listening to this song this morning and I was struck by it. The beginning of the song talks about how Jerusalem and Bethlehem slept through the arrival of their King (Jesus) and did not have anything for Him. But it is the above lyrics that really struck me. We in America are blessed with material blessings, with great freedoms and with wonderful ability to worship freely. These blessings are not b/c of anything America has done, but b/c God has ordained and allowed it. And b/c of these freedoms which God has allowed, this country has taken it upon itself to pass laws to save trees and at the same time allow the slaughter of millions of unborn children. We have used our material blessings to uplift and endorse ourselves, rather than be a blessing to those who are around us and around the world in need of things we could so easily supply. I am afraid of the direction which this country is heading, and afraid that if we as Christians do not start to make some stands for Christ, then the same fate that befell Jerusalem will befall us as well. I would challenge each of us to get the names and addresses of our congressmen and senators, and let them know that we are not going to stand for these things anymore. We have to stand tall for God. God has blessed us, lets be a blessing to everyone else!

There's a day that's drawing near When this darkness breaks to light

And the shadows disappear And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed

The victory is won He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain

I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees And rise I will rise

These are some lyrics from a song that we sang a lot at camp last week. I was just singing it a few minutes ago b/c it was stuck in my head, and I got to thinking about the words. How awesome is it to know as a follower of Christ that there is a day drawing near where our faith will be our eyes. We are one day going to see Jesus in the flesh, so to speak. Faith will be obsolete at that point because we won't need it! And then to realize that He has overcome one of the most "final" things in the human experience, death and that because He has overcome it, we have the Resurrection in our future. Death is not the end, we can even rejoice in death. It is b/c of those facts that I think we can sing that chorus with such ease, "I will rise, when he call my name." With a God that has overcome death and given us new life, how can we help but to rise when He calls to us. I want to challenge each of us to pray through this song, and really tell God what the song is saying.