ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Think of ways you can be courageous for Christ and work on one way each day.

4. Write down the blessings that came from being a bolder Christian.

5. Plan to tell the class about a time you were bold and courageous and what happened or about a time you allowed cowardice to drive your actions and what resulted from it.

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DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: 2 Timothy 1:7; Acts 4:29,31; 1 Thessalonians 2:2	PRAYER THOUGHT: God, help me to be strong in difficult times and to remember that fear is one of Satan's tools.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Genesis 34:25; 1 Corinthians 8:10; Zephaniah 3:5 PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, help me never to be bold in violence or evil or in causing others to sin.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: John 7:26; Acts 4:13; Mark 15:43 PRAYER THOUGHT: Master, help me to follow the examples of boldness in the Bible.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Acts 9:27,29; 13:46; 14:3; Ephesians 6:18-
20	PRAYER THOUGHT: Creator, help me to use my mouth that you created to boldly speak for you.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:28; 31:6-7	PRAYER THOUGHT: Lord, help me to encourage others to be bold and courageous for you.

SATURDAY - VERSES: 1 John 4:17; Hebrews 4:16; 10:19
PRAYER THOUGHT: Judge of All, help me remember that following You will allow me to pray to you boldly and to be bold at judgment.

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I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. - Nelson Mandela

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Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. - John Wayne

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 97

BOLDNESS - 6-22-14 to 6-28-14

SCRIPTURE - Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

COMMENT - Life can be frightening at times. It is often tempting to cower in a corner and hope we go unnoticed. The devil certainly wants that, but we can't give in to him. We must continue to put our faith and hope in the Lord, and not be afraid.

SONG - ANYWHERE WITH JESUS

1) Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go, Anywhere He leads me in this world below, Anywhere without Him dearest joys would fade, Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.

2) Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone, Other friends may fail me, He is still my own, Tho' His hand may lead me over drearest ways, Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise

3) Anywhere with Jesus, over land and sea, Telling souls in darkness of salvation free, Ready as He summons me to go or stay, Anywhere with Jesus when he points the way.

4) Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep, When the dark'ning shadows round about me creep, Knowing I shall waken nevermore to roam; Anywhere with Jesus will be home, sweet home.

CHORUS: Anywhere, Anywhere! Fear I cannot know; Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go.

THOUGHTS

According to historical documents, Polycarp, a second century martyr, boldly proclaimed his unwillingness to deny Christ before his death and then prayed the following prayer aloud:

O Lord God Almighty, Father of you beloved and blessed Servant Jesus Christ, through whom we have received full knowledge of you, the God of angels, powers, all creation, and of all the race of the righteous who live before you. I bless you that you have counted me worthy of this day and hour in order that I might participate in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of your Christ, for the resurrection of eternal life of both soul and body in immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among them before you today by a rich and acceptable sacrifice, even as you the unlying and true God prepared, showed forth, and fulfilled. On account of this eternal and heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, you beloved Servant, through whom to you with him and the Holy Spirit be the glory both no and in the coming ages. Amen.

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Never be afraid to stand with the minority which is right, for the minority which is right will one day be the majority; always be afraid to stand with the majority which is wrong, for the majority which is wrong will one day be the minority. - William Jennings Bryan

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FAITH OF OUR FATHERS - FREDERICK W. FABER

Faith of our fathers! Living still,

In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;

O how our hearts beat high with joy

Whene'er we hear that glorious word:

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to thee till death!

Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,

Were still in heart and conscience free;

How sweet would be their children's fate,

If they, like them, could die for thee!

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to thee till death!

Faith of our fathers! We will love

Both friend and foe in all our strife;

And preach thee, too, as love knows how,

By kindly words and virtuous life:

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to thee till death!

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One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the foundering child. Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child's arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray's free hand felt something--possibly a rock-- protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away. "If I can just hang on until help comes," he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew. Ray Blankenship can't swim. - Paul Harvey, Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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DISCOURAGED?	AUTHOR UNKNOWN

As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to watch a local Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile.

"Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look very discouraged."

"Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."

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COURAGE TO STAND

L.S. - WE NEED COURAGE AND BOLDNESS TO STAND . . .

I. FOR __________________.

II. AGAINST _______.

III. WITH ________.

IV. IN THE ____________.

V. IN SPITE OF _______________.

VI. AT GOD'S THRONE IN ____________.

VII. BEFORE GOD IN ________________.

COURAGE TO STAND

INTRODUCTION

A. Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

B. 1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

L.S. - WE NEED COURAGE AND BOLDNESS TO STAND . . .

I. FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

A. 2 Chronicles 15:7-8 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. [8] And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

B. COURAGE

MAX PATTERSON

The true story is told that brother B. M. Lemmons, an old-time gospel preacher, was preaching in a meeting near Mammoth Springs, AR. A woman approached brother Lemmons and told him that if he came back again, she would be at the creek with a gun and would shoot him. His family was disturbed and hated to see him mount his horse and ride off. However, when the time came, sure enough the woman was at the creek with the gun in her lap. Brother Lemmons rode up to the creek, right off into the creek, and right by her, and never stopped. That is what I call courage!

Recently I was in St. Louis participating in the 18th annual St. Louis area-wide lectureship and was told a similar story about Sterl Watson. A certain man's wife came forward in a meeting to be baptized. The woman's husband told brother Watson that he would be at the place of baptizing with a gun and would shoot brother Watson. Sure enough, when the crowd gathered at a certain ditch to observe the baptizing, there, on the other side was the man with his gun. Someone later asked brother Watson what he did, and he replied that they walked off into the water and he baptized the woman, and the man who had made the threat never did anything. That is what I call courage. (A footnote to this story is that this man also was baptized into Christ about two weeks later).

Sometimes one has to stand up and be courageous in all kinds of circumstances. As Paul said, "Be a man" (1 Cor. 16:13). If these men of days gone by can be courageous in the way they were, surely we can be courageous in standing up for the truth. The Lord told Joshua, "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or the left, that you may prosper wherever you go" (Joshua 1:7).

II. AGAINST SIN.

A. Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

B. THE NEED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF GOD

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

During the Adolf Hitler regime in Germany, Rabbi Joachim Prinz served the Jewish community in Berlin. Rabbi Prinz said he learned many things: "But the most important thing I learned under those tragic circumstances is that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problems. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful, and the most tragic problem is SILENCE. Many years before, Edmund Burke echoed the same sentiments when he warned, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to DO NOTHING."

C. EVEN AGAINST AUTHORITY - Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

III. WITH OTHERS WHO ARE DOING RIGHT.

A. Numbers 14:6-9 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: [7] And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. [8] If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. [9] Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

B. Acts 28:14-15 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. [15] And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

IV. IN THE MINORITY.

A. Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

B. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said,

"Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. So from this day forward, think before you speak.

V. IN SPITE OF SUFFERING AND EVEN TO DEATH.

A. Hebrews 11:32-38 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: [33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. [35] Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: [36] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

B. Leonidas, King of Sparta, was preparing to make a stand with his Greek troops against the Persian army in 480 B.C. when a Persian envoy arrived. The man urged on Leonidas the futility of trying to resist the advance of the huge Persian army. "Our archers are so numerous," said the envoy, "that the flight of their arrows darkens the sun." "So much the better," replied Leonidas, "for we shall fight them in the shade." Leonidas made his stand, and died with his 300 troops. Today in the Word, November 4, 1993.

C. Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

VI. AT GOD'S THRONE IN PRAYER.

A. Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

B. "Prayer pulls the rope below, and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give but an occasional pluck at the rope; but he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might." - Charles Spurgeon

VII. BEFORE GOD IN JUDGMENT.

A. Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

B. Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

CONCLUSION

A. I was walking down a dimly lit street late one evening when I heard muffled screams coming from behind a clump of bushes. Alarmed, I slowed down to listen, and panicked when I realized that what I was hearing were the unmistakable sounds of a struggle: heavy grunting, frantic scuffling, and tearing of fabric. Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked.

Should I get involved?

I was frightened for my own safety, and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn't I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?

Although it seemed an eternity, the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the girl's cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. How could I walk away from this?

No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman, even if it meant risking my own life. I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don't know where I found the moral courage and physical strength -- but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed.

I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman. Grappling, we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped. Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl, who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing. In the darkness, I could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock.

Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance. "It's OK," I said soothingly. "The man ran away. You're safe now."

There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement. "Dad, is that you?" And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Katherine.

God has a way of allowing us to be in the right place at the right time.

(Ecclesiastes 8:1) Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

(Mark 15:43) Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

(John 7:26) But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

(Acts 4:13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

(Acts 4:29) And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

(Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

(Acts 9:27) But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

(Acts 9:29) And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

(Acts 13:46) Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

(Acts 14:3) Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

(Acts 18:26) And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

(Acts 19:8) And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

(Romans 10:20) But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

(Romans 15:15) Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

(2 Corinthians 7:4) Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

(2 Corinthians 10:1) Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

(2 Corinthians 10:2) But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

(2 Corinthians 11:21) I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

(Ephesians 3:12) In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

(Ephesians 6:19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

(Ephesians 6:20) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

(Philippians 1:14) And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

(Philippians 1:20) According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

(1 Thessalonians 2:2) But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

(1 Timothy 3:13) For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

(Philemon 1:8) Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

(Hebrews 4:16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

(Hebrews 10:19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

(Hebrews 13:6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

(1 John 4:17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.