Boldness Part 2

BOLDNESS
Vineyard Church NW - Jody Burgin

BOLDNESS vs. Fearfulness
Courageously saying or doing what is true, right, and just
“I will…”

not be afraid to speak the truth.
support others when they are right.
be willing to stand alone.
fear God not man.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8)

James doesn’t mess around. He goes for the jugular with a sharp scalpel. Right up front he warns us against being “double minded.” He tells us that when we are, we become unstable in all our ways.”

Double-mindedness is a common disease that leaves its victims paralyzed by doubt … hesitant, hypocritical, full of theoretical words, but lacking in confident, bold action. Another symptom is lots of talk but no guts. And it shows up as one who is insincere and insecure. Again, James says it best: “… let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.” God deliberately holds back when the double-minded person prays. I call that serious.

How much better to be single-minded! No mumbo-jumbo. No religious phony-baloney. No say-one-thing-but-mean-something-else jive. The single-minded are short on creeds and long on deeds. They care … really care. They are humble … truly humble. They love … genuinely love. They have character … authentic character. God doesn’t hold back from a courageous prayer of single-mindedness like:

Lord of reality, make me real not plastic, pretend phony - an actor playing out his part, a hypocrite. I don’t want to keep a prayer list but to pray nor agonize to find your will but to obey what I already know. I don’t want to explain the differences in love but to love. I don’t want to sing as if I mean it but to mean it. I don’t want to think another needs me but to be there else I nor him are complete. I don’t want to tell others how to do it but to do it. I want to admit when I’m wrong instead of insisting I am right. I don’t want to be a distracted, uninvolved person but a friend. I don’t want to be insensitive but to hurt where other people hurt. I don’t want to scorn the clichés of others but to mean everything I say including this.

Lord, use these few quiet moments to enhance my knowledge of you. Take first place in my heart. Reveal yourself more clearly to me today.