Bold and Stouthearted

December 10

(Psalm 138:3-5 NIV) “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. {4} May all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth. {5} May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great.”

(Acts 4:23-31 NIV) ““On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. {24} When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. {25} You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? {26} The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' {27} Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. {28} They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. {29} Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. {30} Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." {31} After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.””

One of the most needed qualities in the church today is boldness. Many have great knowledge. Many have good and generous hearts. But we lack the boldness necessary to share the gospel with those around us. We have the words. We have the songs. Now we must pray for stout hearts to speak up and speak out. When Peter and John were threatened and told to silence the gospel, they did not comply. Instead, they prayed that God would enable them to speak even more boldly. They praised God that they had been found worthy of persecution. They were thankful that their message had been clear enough and strong enough to be seen as a threat to the status quo of spiritual darkness. They asked God to help them be even bolder in their proclamation. For many, the answer to their prayer would mean martyrdom. But it would also mean salvation for millions. Pray for boldness! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day