Take Courage

Wisdom from William Gurnall – Boldly Profess Your Faith

Part of my devotional reading this morning is worth passing along. If you read through a devotional book to supplement reading through the Bible each year you may want to consider buying and reading The Christian In Complete Armour by William Gurnall, edited by James S. Bell, published by Moody. My wife and I find this devotional book very interesting and timely.

In today’s reading part of what Gurnall says is, “Paul delivered a strict charge to Timothy concerning a steadfast profession of truth: ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness’ (1 Timothy 6:11). While people all around you aim at the world, run after spiritual riches with a chase as hot as theirs.

But what if this business of seeking righteousness cannot be transacted peaceably? Should we close up shop, put our profession on the shelf and postpone holiness until favorable times have come again? Paul’s solution is to ‘fight the good fight of faith’ (v. 12). Do not abandon your profession of truth but put your life on the line to keep it.”

If some Christians today are pursuing friendship with world and all the trappings that come with it they are in good company. Some Christians were doing that back in Gurnall’s day also. There has been and always will be a problem that goes on in the mind, heart and life of a Christian. That tension has to do with being in the world but not of the world.

It should be no wonder to us that so many churches today offer the things that world has to give in order to get the attention of both the saved and the unsaved. The church has believed a lie that says it is in competition with the world. That could be why it thinks it has to offer every form of entertainment and luxury to its attendees that the world would give them. Otherwise they may go somewhere else.

But I think the Church is to be used by God to show His manifold wisdom and make it known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 3:11). Many in the Church have forgotten that real freedom comes from finding your Master. So I ask you O, man or woman of God, what are you fleeing to pursue spiritual riches? Are you pursuing spiritual riches as intensely as your unsaved neighbor pursues his pleasures?

Have you denied yourself, taken up your cross and followed Jesus (Mark 8:34-36)? Don’t aim at the world, you just might hit it! Focus on Jesus and follow Him and the world just may take a swing at you. But it will be worth it because they first took a swing at Jesus. You will be in good company.

Stay faithful and hopeful,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17