I Am Resolved

I love contemporary Christian music. In fact, that’s about all I listen to. As I have mentioned several times, I am a child of the 60’s and 70’s, which is when that genre of music first got its start. However, I grew up with a dad who always sang bass in a Southern Gospel quartet and in a Baptist church that instilled the richness and history of the great hymns. So, I am eclectic when it comes to religious music – I enjoy them all.

 

I had not thought about one of my favorite hymns in a long time until I recently began studying the life of the Old Testament hero, Daniel. “I Am Resolved” popped into my head as soon as I read verse 8 of Daniel 1. The ESV says, “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank….”

Immediate flashback:

I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delight; things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have alluded my sight. I will hasten to him, hasten so glad and free, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

 

I loved the marching beat and the bass repeats in the chorus – my dad’s part! And I loved the words, the message. But like I said, I hadn’t thought of that hymn in years! Until…..I read that Daniel resolved…..

For background and context, let’s look at Daniel’s backstory. From the first seven verses of Chapter 1, we learn several important facts about him. He was a devout Jew from the nobility or royal class in the southern kingdom of Judah. As the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar won victory over Judah and caused the eventual fall of Jerusalem, Daniel and three close friends were taken captive, along with others, and taken to Babylon. Theologians agree that these young men were 15 to 16 years old when taken. Scripture tells us he was very handsome, highly intelligent, physically fit, and very devout in his faith. Daniel and his friends were just the kind of young adults King Nebby wanted. Once he broke their faith and allegiance to their God, he would put them to work in his very sophisticated society steeped in history, science, mathematics, architecture, and engineering. Babylon was the most dominant, advanced, and powerful kingdom in the world at that time in history. The king always took the best and brightest from the kingdoms he conquered to continue to build his empire – and to keep them from rising up against him.

The King’s formula for all these talented young men captured and brought under his thumb was the same. They were stripped of their Jewish names and renamed with Babylonian names, most of which were in reference to one of the Babylonian gods, they were isolated from other captives not in this same course of training, and they underwent an intense education for three years. Their academic program included learning a new language, mathematics, astronomy, history, science, and magic. In effect, the king’s goal was to strip them of all things Jewish and remake them (or brainwash) in all things Babylonian. The king put Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, in charge of this academy, and one slip up on his part, and it would be off with his head! Everything about their lives was controlled by Ash, even down to their diet.

Food! Of all things going on, it seems (to us, at least) that food would be the least of their worries. However, that was where Daniel and his three friends drew the line! You see, in their Jewish faith, food played an important part in obedience to the Lord God. He had put forth certain laws pertaining to the kinds of food they could consume and how those foods were to be prepared. Eating forbidden foods or defiled food made one unclean, and thus, unclean to God. For Old Testament believers in Almighty God, that was the ultimate worst thing – to be unacceptable to Him.

So Daniel resolved…But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8 NAS

Have you ever come to that point in life where enough is enough! Where you think, “I cannot do this, cannot go there, cannot cross that line!”? Maybe you’ve been pushed, maybe swayed, or maybe just plain out tempted, and you given in bit by bit until you decide it’s now or never; time to draw the line. Take a stand for what you know is right; what you know is honoring to the Lord Jesus.

Time to be RESOLVED. No longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delights….

 

You Are Adequate!!!

I cannot begin to count or chronicle the times in my life when I have felt inadequate. Overall, I am a confident person - I think. However, when I look back at various stages and experiences in my life, I remember that nagging feeling of inadequacy. Not being good enough. Not being smart enough. Not being pretty enough. Then, as I got older, thoughts turned to: I can't be a good mother; I am not smart enough to be a teacher; I'm not...I can't...


You get the idea - because you've probably been right there with me in some of those vulnerable times.


Spiritually speaking, our enemy is smart - he knows right where to pounce to make me feel like I can't do something, or that I am a failure, or that I am not good enough. So think with me for a minute about this issue of adequacy and let's see what God's Word says.


Okay, do NOT quit reading after my first statement or you will leave feeling beat up. 


1) You may be inadequate in some areas! I am inadequate in some - we all are. If we weren't, why would we need a Savior? But I can promise you this, based on scripture, that whatever He calls you to do or wherever He calls you to go, you will be adequate because He is more than enough!


Remember Moses? His feelings of inadequacy and inferiority are described in Exodus 3 and 4. God called Moses to return to Egypt to bring God's people out of slavery and into the Promised Land - a pretty scary and daunting task.

• But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" Ex. 3:11
• Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?" Ex. 4:1
• Then Moses said to the Lord, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in times past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." Ex. 4:10

God continually reassured Moses that He would go with him, and He showed him evidence of His mighty power. But Moses continued to wiggle and doubt until Ex. 4:14 says, "Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses..."

It's not like Moses didn't know the power and awesomeness of God. He had just met Him at the burning bush for pete's sake! As the story continued, Moses did go to Pharaoh, but he took along his brother Aaron to do the talking. God did use Moses, but I wonder what blessings he missed because he was not totally submissive to God. 

But, friend, we are so like Moses, listening to the enemy whisper those lines of inadequacy and insecurity in our ears. 

2) You are adequate - if Jesus is your Lord and Savior - for whatever He calls you to do and wherever He calls you to go. I am adequate! WOW! If He has called you to further your education, you are adequate; if He has called you to be a parent, you are adequate; if He has called you to a particular job or profession, you are adequate; if He has called you to minister to your neighbor, you are adequate. 

Here's what I've learned (not that I am perfect at living it out!): I am adequate because He is more than adequate, more than enough! My adequacy is in Him.

• Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God who also made us adequate... 2 Cor. 3:4-6
• But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption... 1 Cor. 1:30

We are  told in 2 Tim. 1:9 that He has saved us and called us with a holy calling - not because  of anything we have done or can do, but because He has a purpose for us and gives us the grace to fulfill that purpose through Jesus Christ.

You see, He's not going to give us a job to do and not equip us to do it; He's not going to put us somewhere and not give us what we need to live there. That's not His character - not who He is.

So, friend, we all have times when we don't feel adequate for the task before us. But that's just what it is - a feeling. The facts rest in Jesus, and because He is my Savior, He is all the adequacy I need. 

• Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Brash or Bold?...

I live deep in the heart of Texas (and am a Proud Texan!), and for four days, we've been frozen in one of the worst ice and snow events in many years. It has been in the teen's since Monday night (I am writing on Thursday) with just enough ice on the ground to bring nearly half of Texas to a grinding halt. Schools have been closed, and we've experienced rolling blackouts due to excessive energy needs across the state. Where we live, this is a rarity! My dogs really don't like this weather! Neither Lily, our Bichon, or Sis, our Rat Terrier, want to go out and do their business! You would think they are the most meek and mild little dogs in the world - until the Schwann man rings the doorbell. Then they morph into these dastardly beasts who bark and snarl like they are going to have the guy for lunch! Their brashness always amazes me, and frankly, wears me out! The only way I could get them to go outside this morning was to let them out through the garage. For some reason, an opening to the front yard spells freedom. They got so excited and start jumping and barking. I guess they didn't realize it is as cold in the front as it is in the back! So I opened the garage door and off they went, racing with each other to see who could get to the grass first. Only our driveway is still a solid sheet of ice, and when their little paws hit it, they both went sliding down the drive and into the street! That made me laugh!

However, there is another side to our dogs. For example, when I am kicked back in my recliner and Lily is laying across my lap, her bark becomes a growl, and she is one serious pooch who is filled with the "don't mess with my Momma!" mentality! If another dog even thinks about sniffing my feet, Lily strikes the "at attention" pose and really will try to take down even the biggest of dogs - like Rambo, our daughter's blue heeler. Her boldness to go against this dog who weighs probably five times her weight amazes me! BTW - I think she is more interested in protecting her territory than her master!

After reading the last chapters of Luke and the first few chapters of Acts, I started thinking about the difference between brash faith and bold faith. When you look those two words up, you find them both described as "confidence." But digging deeper into the nuisances of the words, you'll find a subtle but important difference.

Brash/brashness is the appearance of confidence. Cocky and reckless are its synonyms. (Dictionary.com)

Bold/boldness is confidence. Courageous and resolute are its synonyms. (dictionary.com)

It was Peter who recklessly cut off the ear of one the soldiers who arrested Jesus, and it was that same Peter who cowardly denied even knowing Him three times before He was murdered. Peter was a hot-head whose appearance of boldness was dimmed by his fear. Before he experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit, Peter's "faith" was iffy - at best. Obviously, there was something about Jesus that captivated him and caused him to alter his life and follow Him for three years. But his relationship with Jesus was not deep enough to alter his character.

That all changed with his Pentecost experience. When the Holy Spirit filled that upper room and filled those 120 people, it literally altered personalities! Peter went from the cocky, reckless young man who would fade when the pressure was on, to a courageous Apostle who perfomed supernatural works and resolutely proclaimed that there is no other name by which one might be saved but Jesus. He became a powerful preacher whose fearless faith allowed him to stand before thousands of people as well as the same officials who had crucified the Christ. Just as Jesus had said, Peter became the rock upon which the Christian church was founded.

Peter was transformed from brash to bold - by the power of the Holy Spirit working in his life. That kind of boldness requires courage to press on through our fears and do what we know is right. How can we get that kind of boldness? - the courage to proclaim the name of Jesus without backing down - no matter what...

The answer? Do what the disciples did:

1. pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage. Read the first four chapters of Acts and count how many times and how much time they devoted themselves to prayer!
2. look for opportunities in your family, social relationships and work circles to talk about Christ - and do it! When Peter and John were ordered by the officials to not talk about Jesus anymore, they said whether it is right in the eyes of the government or not, we can not NOT talk about Jesus (my paraphrase!).
3. realize that rejection, social discomfort, and embarrassment are probably going to come your way. Scripture tells us that Satan is the Prince of this world - and he HATES Jesus. It's not going to be easy to be a bold believer. and
4. start where you are by being bolder in small ways. The more you practice telling others about your Jesus, the more natural it becomes.

If you want to be a Brash christian with a little bite - don't worry about it. Most of us are already there! But if you want to be a Bold christian with a big impact for the Lord, roll up your sleeves, get down on your knees, and pray for the Holy Spirit to alter your character.