10 04 07 Not the Old Way, but the Bold Way

“When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem.
Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.
Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion
and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.”
(Daniel 6:10-11 NET)

Most of you who know me well, know I am prone to do the unusual, the non-typical, the rather risky things in life. I am not very fond of the politically correct way and my wife needs to constantly remind me of when it is appropriate to stay in line, in protocol. Put me in a suit and in a formal program and I get really nervous. I am most comfortable out in the elements, in sweat pants and a t-shirt, rubbing shoulders and working in the trenches.

I guess the Lord just wired me this way and with the gifts He’s given me and the experiences He has allowed in my life, I prefer the bold rather than the old! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy lengthy and animated sermons that are straight from the Word of God. I need strong disciplined discipleship. I cherish the old-fashioned family times and Holyday get-togethers and traditions.

But I also appreciate the modern ways of teaching the believers, reaching the lost, if it is biblical! Many modern preachers and so-called teachers are just motivational speakers who make us feel good about ourselves and God and they get rewarded financially for doing just that! However, there are also some very biblically sound rap artists, poets, and new-style preachers who are right-on (oops, that’s an old saying!)

What I am saying here is that like Daniel and his friends, we need to first be grounded in the Word, so when we are faced with new challenges, we can be bold for Christ. Daniel didn’t flinch when faced with a new and challenging situation. We can’t rely upon tradition (our mamma or grandma’s ways) or modern-day peer pressure to keep us from an intimate relationship with our Father or sharing Him with others. We need to follow the Spirit’s timing and the time-tested Truth of the Word.

Door-to-door evangelism is not as effective as it once was, for many reasons, but it still might work at the right time. Old-time revivals may be played out, but we do need to be revived as a church body at times today. Home Bible Study and family time is a topic we run and hide from today due to horrible experiences, yet our families need this basic building block to foster unity, self-worth, and mutual respect. What worked for me may not work for the 11-year-old kids on the playground that I pass by every day. I understood the way I dress reflects upon my family and my God, but today a teen will ask, “How do my clothes or my music effect you? Where does it say that in the Bible?”

On top of these issues, we have the government, our employers, and even our schools saying we can’t speak concerning God or the Bible. This is where boldness comes in. We have to seek the Lord to not only guide us as to when to act, but even how to act. “Do I need a new approach? How can I combine some old trusted methods with new, bold and unique messages? How can I be biblical if the Bible is rejected? Do I have to risk breaking the rules?”

No doubt the apostles faced these decisions just after Christ went back to heaven. When questioned by the Sanhedrin concerning their public teaching of Christ, we read the following concerning Peter and the apostles:

“But Peter and the apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than people’”.
(Acts 5:29 NET)

Here is the bottom line: We need to obey God and follow His lead. His way has never been THE OLD WAY, but always THE BOLD WAY!