Christ’s Call to Courage | Speaking up for Truth

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library and free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith culture today is virtually what is culturally going the wrong say what the Bible so cancel culture, resist pastor Greg Laurie points out, we have a message that must deliver a warning counsel works in the morning without long-ago coffee that would be nearly global opposition hundreds of years because they have never coffee people oppose lots of them come to embrace them warmly today on Greg Laurie points out how we need to realize people need the message we share to find the courage to share even in the face of opposition. My last message from the book of God was vital how to live a meaningful life. We saw the apostle Paul saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus.

It was his final message to them and they said I want to finish my race with joy. So he began his journey and he ended up staying with the evangelist Philip where he encountered a very colorful prophet name Al Gibbons who bound himself up and said this is what happened to you Paul if you go to Jerusalem, I like don't go causing acute renal little dramatic, but you get the point. But I know what you're saying so you're saying I would be arrested, to be put in the chains right yes that's it. Paul don't go numb. Paul says address the next 21. Why do you weep and try to break my heart.

I'm ready not only to be bound, but to even die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ numb. Remember one thing about Paul. He had already died and gone to heaven. Remember he was stone back in the stone and that's probably the moment when he was caught wind of the third heaven that he wrote about that second Corinthians and and saw amazing things that he cannot even describe. So this is a man who's been the glory in his return and he later wrote to the church at Philippi. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better but the Lord called me to stay here with all y'all.

And I have a ministry to fulfill so also afraid of death.

Paul is not afraid of suffering regular guy okay whatever my life is in God's hands and so he's trusting the Lord how do you stop a man like that answer. You know, and we need more men and women like this that understand that their life is in God's hand.

So Paul ignored the warning of the prophet address and sure enough when he lands in Jerusalem.

He is arrested and he's put in prison and here's what happened here is what the Lord did to encourage his servant asked 23 starting in verse nine, there arose a loud outcry and the scribes of the Pharisees party arose and protested, saying we find no evil against this man, but of the spirit are an angel and spoken to him. Let us not fight against God. Now there arose a great dissension of the commander, fearing that Paul might be pulled to pieces by them commander the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him to the barracks and the following night the Lord stood by him and said, be of good cheer. Paul Reeve testified of me in Jerusalem, and now you can also bear witness in Rome. There, so here is Paul in prison again.

I need Paul's middle name could have been trouble was always something with him everywhere he went.

It was either a riot or rope 50 there is.

There was never a dull day hanging around the apostle Paul, but I think here. He was probably discouraged. He was probably feeling down, and it's no wonder reason a Roman dungeon and now the Lord comes to him and brings these encouraging words. Verse 11 says the following night the Lord stood by him. Maybe he second-guessed his decision to go to Jerusalem and he thought II shouldn't have done this. Maybe I should've listened to Agnes after all. And the Lord appears to him and encourages him and the Lord says to him, Paul. Be of good cheer. Good cheer. How can you have good cheer when you're in a dungeon, you know it's like when someone comes to when you're feeling down on the say hey man smile put on a happy face right gray skies are going to clear up put on a happy face no stop shut up you slop them know don't slap you know you maybe felt like it at times right so it tells you the chirp when you're feeling down. That's not what you say to someone is feeling down, we get the Lord says good cheer to you. Be of good cheer, but actually if we look at the original language, we find a better translation would be, have courage, and it makes a lot more sense. So here he is in this Roman prison cell and the Lord comes to him. The Lord himself. Not even an angel dispatched Jesus comes to him.

The Lord stood by him to realize that the Lord stands by you wherever you go.

That's so important. It gives you courage when the Lord is there years ago when I was a little kid living in New Jersey. I was walking down the street with my little cowboy outfit had a little cowboy hat couplet guns on my holster, not real guns.

Of course, little Guns and shooting them. Have a good time. These like to call these guys are like hoodlums that come up.

You wouldn't go to your will and what they take my guns push me on the ground. So I went home and I found my big brother and I said could you help me get my guns back and he's pretty big lot bigger than the other kids so I went back and I saw them in their shoe. My guns laughing. I said that there he walked over the immediately surrender the guns to get.

I had a lot of courage.

Why because I had someone much bigger with me now to protect me. That gave me the courage, the Lord stands by you wherever you go. So this is what the Lord did for Paul. Good courage is courage is been defined as bravery, fortitude, the ability to confront fear, uncertainty or intimidation, physical courage and bravery in the face of physical pain or even the threat of death.

I don't know that it necessarily comes naturally to anyone because were all afraid at times, but courage is a willingness to act in the face of fear. One person put it this way and I quote, courage is fear that his sentence prayers." Like that. Mark Twain said courage is the mastery of fear not the absence of fear.

Mastering your fear. We all have moments of fear. Courage is dominant get control of this those in service on law enforcement have courage to put that uniform on every single day because they don't know what's going to happen. Those that serve in our military. This saying they put that uniform on their serving our nation. I think of the story of a soldier named Ross McGinnis. He was on duty in Iraq in 2006, and Pfc. McGinnis was perched on the gunners hatch of a Humvee when a grenade whizzed past him into the truck carrying four of his fellow soldiers in a split second, McGinnis did the unthinkable. He threw himself on top of the grenade absorbing its impact. He was killed immediately, but all four soldiers survive. That's courage. That's courage and were amazed by how long did he have to think about what he did this incredible thing, but there's other kinds of cursors moral courage as well.

It takes courage in our culture today, especially to speak up for what is true because culturally were going the wrong direction on so many fronts for you to stand up and say what the Bible says is something that is not expected that took courage for young Stephen to not back down and share the gospel right before he was stoned. It took courage for Daniel to pray when a law was passed that no one could pray to Wendy God, but to the leader of Babylon. It took courage for Shadrach me shack and Abednego to not bow down before the golden image of the king when everybody else was a we need that courage today I got a warning if you speak up for what is true. You might get canceled or worse, but stand up for what is true. Have courage. That's what Jesus said to Paul, that's what he says do you have courage. Have courage in the place where you're at right now. Don't back down from what you know is true. It takes courage to honor your valves that you may do your husband or wife to be and to be faithful to them. It takes courage to remain sexually pure as a young person then not succumb to the allurements that come your way because everyone else is doing.

It takes courage to Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment. Many listeners write or call us sharing their stories of how these daily studies in God's word make an impact on lives through your a lot of true medical appointment. I keep the radio on your end of your word for the very first and have you give your life who found in the word that were giving your very much God bless. What an encouragement to know that pastor Grace messages or touching lives in some unexpected ways. Do you have a comment to share with pastor Greg. If so, call 1-866-871-1144. That's 866-871-1144 pastor Greg is presenting a message today from acts chapter 23 titled Christ's call to courage.

Let's continue now when Jesus said, be of good courage, it's a unique phrase that is used multiple times in the Bible, each one showing a different facet of how to find courage in our lives. The first is the story of a man who was a paraplegic. In Matthew nine he was carried by his friends to Jesus and Jesus looks at this guy who is unable to walk and he says to them, be of good courage, your sins are forgiven of the guy was probably thinking will I allocate. I am glad my sins are forgiven, but actually like to walk. That was kind of why I was brought here to you, and there's a protest among the religious leaders who can forgive sins but God alone. All I hear what you guys are saying, Jesus says, but just so you know that I the Son of Man have the power to forgive sins I say, your sins are forgiven and get up and walk, and that man got up and walk with Jesus use this phrase be of good courage to him and this is the thing we remember the forgiveness of Christ brought courage to that and we can be crippled by our sense, unable to walk, unable to move. Unable to do anything in a we fail we semi failure right I should just stop praying.

I don't even shouldn't even read the Bible anymore or go to church at that's the devil lying to you. Jesus says, be of good courage, your sins are forgiven you in on the book of Revelation we read about those believers that come from the tribulation. On their martyr and it says they overcame Satan by the blood of the lamb the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives until the debt but they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. So when you said you go to God and you say Lord forgive me of my sin.

And you put your sin in your past and walk into your future with courage because Christ has forgiven you. Don't miss this point because I know I'm talking to somebody right now is crippled by their sin. You don't have to be anymore. You can have a fresh start. This phrase, be of good courage is used of a woman struggling to get to Jesus and crowd of people. She had this physical ailment and she reasonable I can touch the come of his garment all be healed and she reaches the end she touches him.

And Jesus stops and says who just touched me on the fact is everyone a touched who touched me.

Is this right perceive that power is gone out of me, and there's a woman and he says that her be of good courage. You are made whole. So in this particular case it was his power that gave her courage.

My power is gone out of a lot of times were afraid to share our faith were afraid to speak up for what we believe but there's a promise in the beginning of the book about that. We all look got together where it says you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you to be witnesses for me. That same power that was given to the first century, causing them to turn their world upside down is available for us today in the 21st century church turn our world upside down. This power gives courage. That's why it's always a good idea to start your day and just say Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit give me boldness give me courage to speak up for what is true and so his power gave that courage and that power is here for us now.

It's also going to be there for whatever you're about to face sometime to see someone go through a crisis was a man of that happened to me. I think my faith would just collapse if I was told I have cancer or of a love one die unexpectedly or if this other thing happened.

I couldn't handle it. Listen to this God will give you what you need when you need it. Okay, just know that give you what you need when you need it, you won't give it to you necessarily before and never give it to you after but when you need it to give you what you need. So until that time. He just says have current number three the third time this phrase is used is when the disciples on the storm tossed sea of Galilee, and they thought they were going to drown.

And suddenly they see some form coming to them walking on the water and they thought it was a ghost but it wasn't Casper. It was Christ coming to them and what is Jesus say to them, he says, be of good courage, it is me don't be afraid. He put himself between them and the thing that frightened Jessica parents would stand in the way of danger. I was with my granddaughter Allie a few months ago and and we were walking along and there's some guy was a dog off the leash and the dog came out as growling and snapping and in Allie's getting very afraid and I stepped in front of her and I said to this guy very nicely put a leash on that dog right now and unfortunately he did it, and afterward she said Popper you see my life. I don't think I saved your life and thank you for that. But yeah I just did instinctively what any parent or grandparent would do you put yourself in in the way of the person you're protecting. That's what Jesus is saying he's there in the way of whatever is coming our way. So let's review his forgiveness gives courage is power gives courage in his presence gives courage. Verse 11. Again, the Lord stood by him. Paul later wrote that those that he love had abandoned him. Have you refilled it so you been abandoned by her family by your friends by someone you trusted. That's how Paul felt at one point, everyone's abandonment of the Lord is with them the Lord as an abandoned him and remember when Jesus hung on the cross and bore the sins of humanity. He cried out these words, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me what is that all about. That is the moment most believe that the sins of the world were placed upon Christ who was dying and our place as a substitute. So what he was describing was reality. He was temporarily forsaken by God, so I will never be forsaken by God. You'll never be forsaken by God, because Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you. And so I spoke with the man in the hospital on the phone last week and his vital organs were feeling him and he said I feel as though God is abandoned me and I said God is not abandon you. He's with you in that hospital room right now. I shared some scripture with them and we pray and he committed his life to Christ. There was a sister that asked me to call him and sometimes I'm very reluctant to call people when someone else asked me to call because then I call this person. Like why you calling me. I don't want to talk to you right and I with this guy was happy that I called women and I said go tell your sister what you've just done it the sister contacted me and said my brother just called me.

He was all excited.

He said he felt the presence of God because he's re-committed his life to Jesus. So that's of the Lord to give always in a dungeon with the Lord was with them. Better to be in a dungeon with Jesus than anywhere else.

Without him better to be in a storm with Jesus and anywhere else. Without him and then here's another point God knew where Paul was and why he was there that brought courage as well. Paul Jesus is a buddy I know you're here and I'm here with you. I'm sending by your side because Paul probably second-guessing this decision. Sometimes we feel like all God's forgotten about me know. Never he always is aware of us. Talking to somebody right now that is gripped with fear and worry the words of Jesus. Do you are don't be afraid, be of good pivotal chapter in the book of acts Pastor Greg Laurie titled today study here on a new beginning Christ's call to courage and love. A final comment in just a moment. Pastor Greg listeners to a new beginning our Bible students.

They know the Scripture, but there's a lot of symbolism in Bible prophecy, you studied the subject. A great deal yes how much of that symbolism. Do we know for sure what it means and how much of it is open to interpretation were godly people do disagree well I think it's very important to understand Bible prophecy.

There are constant expectations to understand these things Jesus when he was speaking of an event called the abomination of desolation said, let the reader under stand in the book of Thessalonians. Paul writing to the believers there.

He says brothers I would not have you be ignorant.

Then he went on to talk about the rapture so we don't want to be ignorant. We want to understand and the very word revelation means to on veil now. There are different ways that we can view these truths and I think godly people can and they do frankly disagree on some of these think know my position is I believe that there is an event called the rapture that could happen at any moment. I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. Now the tribulation period is last seven years starts with the emergence of antichrist. It ends with the return of Jesus Christ.

I don't believe we as Christians will go through the tribulation. I believe will be ruptured before that time comes now that belief alone will affect you in the way that you live because if you believe you could be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and you see the signs of the time showing how close the tribulation. Could potentially be you realize of the tribulation period is close, then the rapture of the church is even closer so I can use the illustration of sing Christmas decorations up and you know the goats overly now.is it August or something. I can't believe Christmas decorations are up against. What if I see the decorations for Christmas going up. It says this Thanksgiving is coming casino.

Greg gets his Christmas is coming know, I know. But if Christmas is coming Thanksgiving is coming even sooner because Thanksgiving precedes Christmas doesn't it. So the point of it all is if I see signs of the times out there telling me that the tribulation period is coming and that means that Jesus is coming even sooner for his church.

That belief alone will affect you in the way that you live I talk about that a lot more in this book called revelation, a book of promises.

It's hard cover. It's a thick one. This is going to be a resource that you keep it home and hopefully you consulted again and again in my prayer and my hope is it will help unlock this great book.

The final book of the Bible, the only book of the Bible. I might add it as a special blessing promised to the person who reads cheers and keeps the words of it and I want you to get this book I've written simply called revelation of book of promises will send it to you for your gift of any size and hears Dave to tell you more. What I do very much yes or substantial commentary from Pastor Greg more than 400 pages in length. If you been less than clear in your understanding of last days events. You need to get this resource hey Dave, let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this book. Revelation the book of promises but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation. In the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark shortly set out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now. Yeah that's right it comes automatically to get in touch with your donation today and will thank you with a copy of Revelation, a book of promises just ask for it is your call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will next time more insights on how we should take courage when trials and opposition threatened to bring our Christian growth to a standstill. But before we go. Pastor Greg comes back with these final words I have this these little trackers I think they call in air attacks made by Apple and you can put them in your wallet or you know in your briefcase or your purse or wherever and if you lose it you can find it so I misplaced my wallet so I pull out.

That's fine my wallet.

You knowing that and I'm looking and then finally, I realize it's like 1 foot from me as it was under my backpack, I think, which is kind of embarrassing but a work of God is more sophisticated techno that he always knows where you are as the psalmist said. Where shall I flee from your presence. Go to the heights of heaven you're there I go to the depths of hell you're there. God is with you and aware of where you are working ever. You know will buy harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God learn how to become harvest partners sign up for daily devotions and find resources to help you grow in your faith harvest.org