CampfireTALK: May 7th, 2014

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WORD CHURCH is a church, a ministry, and a fellowship, even an outreach, where like in the days of the Apostles and Acts, the people joined together! 

Our vision and our goal, is to bring churches together in the unity of the faith, to help them to begin to bring together the gifts and talents of each separate church, and to share those gifts and talents with each other, that we may be better and more effective in teaching and training the Body of Christ, for the word of the ministry, to tell the World about Jesus!    .... Learn More

Have you ever met someone who is so bold that you maybe thought they were walking in pride?  Would you know the difference? 

Today we want to briefly touch on the issues of pride vs boldness ...





I have had people tell me that I come off as proud sometimes.  I really am surprised when I hear this because my very nature is one of a very shy, reserved person.  When I step out and share my feelings, to me (at least) it's like running naked through city park!  It takes all that is within me just to be bold, when it comes to sharing my feelings.  But I have learned over the years that it is important to God that I be open and forward, and not so reserved. 

When I was young I was very shy, right up to my high school days.  And the funny part is, I worked at the local radio station, as a "D. J." of all things!  I read the news, cut commercials, and talked on-the-air before thousands of people!  But ... put me in a crowd and I would seal up tighter 'n a drum!  I was withdraw to myself, and unless I had friends around to lean on, I would eventually sneak outside to get some "alone space" and quiet!  In fact, sometimes even today when I am in a large group of people, I will find myself needing to step out and to take in just a few moments of "alone time". 

God, though, somehow worked me through this, and got me to a point where I can get up in front of people and be bold and confident.  I don't know how he did it, but it just comes naturally now.  I don't have to have a script or anything!  And now, to some people I come across as being cocky or proud. 

The truth of the matter is, I am an "introvert" who pretends to be an "extrovert".  In other words, I have somehow learned to step out of my shyness and (for lack of a better word) cowardice, and to be bold and confident.  The Word of GOD helps me a lot with that! 

One time I got before GOD and I was upset because my brother's names were in the Bible, and mine was not!  One brother's name was "Michael", like the archangel ... the angel of warfare!  It means "one who is like God".  The other's name was "Stephen", like the spirit-filled, bold young deacon who was stoned for the anointing on his life!  Stephen often stands for "wreath, crown, or reward", and it is usually a highly honored name when given.  My name is "Richard". 

So, I went to GOD about it.  He told me to look my name up!  And when I did I found, "Richard:  bold, courageous, powerful ruler" and then I found "Alan:  handsome, charming, with charisma".  So, after this I realized that I had truly been blessed with two very wonderful names!  And over the years, that "boldness" and the courage and strength that came with it, gave me victory over being shy and introverted. 

So, if you are shy does that mean you are submissive?  Often this is true, but more often it just means you are shy, and not at all confident when in front of people.  Well then, if you are bold and dynamic, does this mean you are proud?  Not usually.  Pride comes from a sense of one's own worth being higher, to a form of laying any/all modesty aside and just plain being "sold on yourself".  Humility, in a like manner, does not always mean you are meager and quiet.  Humility means that you know how to submit to authority, and how to restrain your not-so-heavenly urges so that your spirit man can prevail, and you can master your flesh. 

You will find that after you have had time in the Word of GOD, and you become more aware of what GOD has made available to you, that you will have a boldness and a sense of strength come upon you.  Jesus was bold!  In fact, HE was such a bold speaker that there were those in the Bible who said, "We would like to see this Jesus".  They really just came to see HIM speak!  His boldness and dynamic method of speaking got the attention of HIS listeners! 

Jesse Duplantis, a minister of the gospel who had an opportunity to visit Heaven tells that when Jesus was speaking before the angels, HE was so bold that Jesse thought to himself, "Man!  Shambach has got nothing on Jesus!"  (R. W. Shambach was known for his boldness and his powerful preaching style)  But Jesse was so impressed at the powerful boldness and the awesome presence that Jesus presented when HE preached! 

When you spend time with GOD, and in fellowship with Holy Spirit, I promise you, YOU ARE GOING TO COME OUT BOLD!  It just "is" that way!  And when the devil shows his ugly head in an attack against you and what GOD has called you to do, "humility" and "meakness" is the very last thing you should have on your mind!  You need to be BOLD AS A LION!  YOU have authority that has been given to you by Jesus Himself!  Use it ... with BOLDNESS!

When you get the Word of GOD in you, and you start talking about GOD like HE was real, and telling folks, "Well, GOD told me this the other day ..." you are not being proud or haughty ... not any more than a young boy who is proud when quoting what his father said to him!  And you should be proud when you quote your Father, and when YOU stand on what HE says!  You will win more battles being "bold" in GOD than you will sheepishly coming before your enemies and expected them to have any respect of GOD's authority in your life.  The Bible tells us, "the Righteous are BOLD as a LION!" 
'Nuf said. 

If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness."  In order to remain holy and clean, before GOD, we must avoid sin, and when we do sin, we must confess those sins before GOD, so that we can be made clean again.

2.  Study the Word - Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "If you continue in My word, then are you truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  Folks, rare is the time you will ever see someone skip eating for the day, let alone days upon end.  But we do that all the time spiritually.  The Word of GOD is food for our spiritual bodies!  We need that spiritual food, for spiritual energy, and for the faith that we need ... to live the life that GOD has called us to live, here in the Earth.  When we study and meditate the Word of God, our spirit man grows strong, in much the same way as a battery is charged!  (Romans 10:17)  But when we do NOT study the Word, our spiritual battery begins to run down, and the natural man begins to surface.  We act more like our "old self" than like the renewed man that GOD created us to be.  In other words, the "flesh" wins out. 

3.  Pray in the Holy Spirit - Paul teaches us that we are to pray in the Holy Spirit.  "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the spirit."  [Jude 1:20 - AMP]  Our supernatural energy, our faith, is charged and built up when we spend time in the presence of GOD, and when we "pray in the Holy Spirit".  We are told in Ephesians 6 to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might", putting on the whole armor of GOD.  We cannot be strong if we do not spend time in GOD's presence, and in supernatural prayer! 

ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS: 
"This is YOUR day ... YOU control it, how it goes, how you deal with the obstacles that come, and how you finish it!   Master it!  And don't let the day, or the little bumps that come with it determine how "YOUR DAY" is going to be.  This is "YOUR" day!" 
Master it!  Conquer it!  MAKE IT ... what your Father wants it to be!

-pastor rich-