Cop-out

“Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words”

St Francis of Assisi

I was thinking about this inspirational quote tonight. This quote has been a comfort and encouragement to many Christians over the years, myself included, and I still think highly of it BUT....

I realise that this quote holds me back sometimes, like it's okay not to tell people about Jesus and the amazing things He has done because I can just do it through my actions. I justify my silence by telling myself that it's okay because surely I am showing them through my actions.

Whilst we need to shine the light of God through our actions, it doesn't make up for or replace speaking the amazing truth of Jesus into the lives of those we run into, whether one-off's or regularly.

Of course we must remain wise and must never be forceful with this truth. If people don't want to know then we should pray for them and wait for God to bring them to a point where they are interested and be ready then.

But we should also remember that people we know and love are going to miss out on eternity, and that's a truth I cannot bear. I'd rather risk people's hatred now for trying to help them find God than risk them not being in Eternity.

Telling people takes courage, being a Christian takes courage. Pray for me and those who know he truth of Jesus that we may have courage and the right words to lead people to the best news in the world - Jesus Saves.

Courageous Christianity

I must begin with apologies for the lack of blog action recently. I have been very busy and sometimes it is also nice to have a break and refresh myself, watching Cardiff City get to the Carling Cup final last night being a particular highlight since my last post!


Last year I made the theme for my blog, 'Love' and whilst I didn't write every post about that I really hope that my posts inspired you to increase in your love for God and your love for the people He created.


This year I want to start a different theme (but please be encouraged to keep up the love!) and it is one I feel very passionate about.


We live in a world today that is very resistant in an almost militant way towards Christianity and we also live in a world where we see Christianity represented so badly by many. I feel it is time for Christianity, the people of God, to be brave. That's why this year I want to write about Courageous Christianity.


Mark Twain sums up today's world by saying, 'It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.'


To understand more clearly what I mean by courage I have a few more quotes:


Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.  ~Ambrose Redmoon


Courage is doing what you're afraid to do.  There can be no courage unless you're scared.  ~Edward Vernon Rickenbacker


I think Dan Rather sums up courage the most accurately in my view 'Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow'

There are many things in life that demand our attention, that demand our reverance and priority. I know in my own experience that I can get so swamped with my hobbies that I forget to pay significant attention to the really important thing in my life, which is Jesus. 

I feel that too many times in my life I hold onto things instead of God, I focus on other things that comfort me instead of God. This may comfort me but it doesn't give me the joy that focusing on the One who Loves me perfectly and gave His own life to save me. It's easy to let the emotions of music and a football match, whether positive or negative take us over. I need to be courageous and fight the inbuilt selfish desire for an easy life and let God reign over all. 

Paul puts it wonderfully in 2 Corinthians 10:5, 'We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.'

This probably doesn't sound very courageous but I really think it is, let's make it our effort in 2012 to give all of our lives, thoughts including the comforting rights to God, the one who truly cares and has the power to take care of all our worries and stresses.

The blessings of Prayer

Tonight was the first night of achieving one of my New Year's Resolutions to spend one night of my normal week with God in prayer, Bible study and reading. It went very well I am pleased to say and I am feeling the blessings already. When I commit time to God I always feel more at peace and always learn something about myself, about what I need to do/change or am just really encouraged by God.

I wanted to share a quote that really blessed me and challenged me about the benefits prayer brings :)

'Where was it that Jesus sweat great drops of blood? Not in Pilate's Hall, nor on his way to Golgotha. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane. There He 'offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could cave him from death' (Hebrews 5:7). Had I been there and witnessed that struggle, I would have worried about the future. 'If he is so broken up when all he is doing is praying,' I might have said, 'what will he do when he faces a real crisis? Why can't he approach this ordeal with the calm confidence of his three sleeping friends? Yet, when the test came, Jesus walked to the cross with courage, and his three friends fell apart and fell away.'


Haddon Robinson quoted in 'Prayer' by Philip Yancey


Don't fall apart or fall away, be strong and courageous in Jesus :) Last year my official theme was Love, this year it will be largely be courage. I want to be more courageous in serving God and I hope you can join me on this journey.

Encouraging Courage

Thanks to Tim Middleton for sharing this on Facebook today :-)

"Courage is defined by mission, it is to be called to something

To be couragous doesn't mean I am not afraid. I will always look couragous if I draw more upon my Father's resoures than the strength of man.

I would be justified in being fearfull if God was not sufficient for every problem. But He is... so there's no excuse :) "

Extracts from Loritts courage sermon