Too Bold to Be Told
When's the last time you can honestly say you were bold for Christ? Maybe it was knocking on that door to share a pamphlet with someone, perhaps it was telling a friend that you will not be joining them at the mall because it's your Sabbath day. Boldness is something I struggle with because I'm a guy that likes to avoid conflict. What's ironic is that God called me to be an assistant dean, so I'm pleading with Him to help me with boldness on the daily. However if you look into the scriptures, there are plenty of Bible Greats that show us what it means to be bold. Why don't we look at our good brother Elijah.
1) Boldness claims no apology
Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
In this situation God basically tells Elijah to rebuke Ahab and let him know that the rain is going to cease until God gives His word. That's a pretty bold comment. As I read Ellen White's comments on this story in the book Prophets and Kings she writes, "Elijah made no apology for his abrupt appearance. A Greater than the ruler of Israel had commissioned him to speak; and, lifting his hand toward heaven, he solemnly affirmed by the living God that the judgments of the Most High were about to fall upon Israel."
Imagine what that would look like today. I imagine elijah walking right into the white house past the guards into the oval office, grabbing a mic., looking president Trump in the face, then he proclaims his message and drops the mic. Shortly after the message he leaves to the local river. He was really asking for it, because the king and queen wanted him dead as he left that office. But what is interesting is that no apology was made, or any sign of uneasiness was seen. I'm not saying you should be rude about the gospel, but if you know you're proclaiming the truth and it is not marred by sin or selfishness, then say it with no regrets. Don't be like, "ummm, you know I was talking with my Lord and I think He doesn't want me to work on the Sabbath, so if I can get a day off that would be great......but it's up to you boss." Naaaugh, Boldness claims no apology.
2) Lack of Boldness leads to a loss of souls
1 Kings 19:1-3
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
The basic context is that Elijah just went to Mount Carmel and God sent fire from above to consume Elijah's offering, so he killed all the worshipers of Baal. Shortly after, Elijah guides Ahab to the front of his house, castle, or whatever you want to call it. Jezebel hears and sends a messenger to tell Elijah that he'll be dead by tomorrow. Once Elijah hears this he runs for his life. It's interesting because, a little while back he had the boldness to go up to the king and proclaim his message, but at this moment he lost his boldness and ran. Ellen White also comments that if Elijah were to stay, God would have preserved him and great reformation would have taken place. Now think about that for a second, if Elijah was bold at this very moment, souls would have been saved.
What does that tell us? Quite simple really, the moments in which you lose boldness and go the easy way, souls are being lost! So the next time you're driving your car and the homies are bumping that music that you know you shouldn't be listening to, be bold and step up to the plate. Because your boldness shows them a little something about the God you serve. I don't know about you but I don't want to show them a God that loves being walked all over.
In the end of the day, boldness isn't something that we can receive if we try hard enough. You really have to plead with God for it. I used to stutter every time I had to tell one of my kids (12 boys, so yes, I'm a father of 12) to re-clean their chore. But with daily pleading, I've come to realize the God I serve and the reason why I'm in this position, and He's helped me through it. Now I ask them to clean my car on the daily, jk, I don't do that. But in a more solemn note, ask the Lord for boldness on the daily and He'll help you to stand though the heavens fall. Blessup folks
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us who can be against us. Romans 8:31
