I'm sitting in the coffee bean, starting to doze off... how does this happen while I'm drinking coffee??
Do I fight against this urge or just go with it? If you know me, you would probably guess go with it - you're right.
I hide my face and relax in the 3-5 minutes of dream world - until I am so rudely awakened by my phone ringing.

Just before I drift off I’m reading through a few chapters in Romans. As I hang up the phone I look down only to get smacked by this verse...

"The hour has come for you to Wake Up from your present slumber,
Because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." (!)
(Romans 13:11)

Ha! I literally got my wake up call!
So what is my reaction?

A.  Be offended by the rude timing
B.  Get excited for the awesome verse as I drift back to sleep
C.  Get up out of any area of comfort & passivity to fight - for REAL

As I begin to ponder on it I'm faced with the reality that lately I've been waiting in rest for His return, but not anticipating through battle. How can you truly anticipate something if you're already comfortable?

I can’t help but be reminded of one of my favorite movies – Glory.
Robert Gould Shaw was the Colonel in command of the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. A regiment is needed to lead the attack into Fort Wagner the following morning. Realizing the casualties would be great, Colonel Shaw requests the “honor” for the 54^th to lead the attack. Brought to mind that his men had just returned from a 2 day battle with no sleep, Colonel Shaw replies…

~ There's more to fighting than rest, sir. There's character. There's strength of heart.
You should have seen us in action two days ago. We were a sight to see!
We'll be ready, sir. When do you want us? ~
Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

The most tempting times for rest is after a great victory. The enemy may even give you a victory in what seems to be a great battle just to lull you to sleep through the battle that he's really concerned about.

What would happen if we saw the battle as an honor rather than a duty?

~ It's not true is it? I mean about not being allowed to fight.
The men are living for that day. I know I am.~
Copal Thomas Searles

Can others smell the stench / fragrance of war on you?
Or are you merely a reporter on the sidelines - getting the applause for a great story which the real men have fought for.

The God of Peace will Soon crush Satan under your feet!!
(Romans 16:20)

Returning to the battlefield with anticipation!

Boldly Insecure or Insecurely Bold???

It just doesn’t go together. To even try and conform the two words into one statement makes me feel... ick.

Yet it seems to me that I try and live this statement out all too often as I try to live bold with my insecurities remaining in tact & comfortable – probably causing others to feel “ick” around me….

“The righteous ARE as bold as lions.”

Proverbs 28:1

This verse woke me up one morning – as in I was already meditating on it before I realized I was awake – pretty cool.

Naturally when I think of a lion, I picture Mufasa at the peak of the mountain roaring as the King of the jungle. But today I’m not going to be blogging about, “The Circle of Life” although there are many great points from that movie! (maybe tomorrow)

Intimidat-ed or - ing??

So what should the righteous really look like?

My perspective...

They have Nothing to hide, Nothing to be ashamed of.

Their complete confidence is in God Alone!

They have witnessed His faithfulness to them so they have no doubts In Him.

Therefore, there are no fears in confrontation against ungodliness –

The righteous desire righteousness and detest compromise!

They walk in the confidence of their King.

Meaning that they have trashed all of their own confidence in themselves!

~The righteous / confident expose the insecurities of the unrighteous.~

(Of course this is proven through Jesus relationships with the Pharisees.)

Q: Do I/you tend to steer away from the righteous – intimidated by their UNcompromising love for their King?

You won’t compromise for what you love wholeheartedly.

So then, what I’ve given my heart to…

My reputation or God’s?

My desires or His?

Imagine the life of an insecure lion…. The results…

Simba, living with a gassy wart hog who’s educating him on the lazy, unrealistic life of “Aku-na-mata-ta”, as this lion continues to run from the purpose for his life and from his true character.

Other than that, I would say that an insecure lion goes together as well as bold and insecure.

They are created with boldness as a character trait – it’s just in them!

He knows his strength and power –

therefore he knows that everything else is intimidated by him.

So bottom line for me...

Focus on UNcompromising righteousness.

Everything else will develop in my character,

Making me more like the Lion that

He IS!

"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'" (Matt. 25:42)

I got to meet Jesus last night in a couple of "strangers"... no words could express how beautiful he is. The experience reminded me that Jesus is so beautiful and glorious on the streets, in the prisons, through the needy - because in those places He's found only by those who truly want him... no matter what he looks like.

"How you believe God perceives people will determine how you respond to them."
~ Jacquelyn K. Heasley~

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." ~ David Livingstone ~