Be Brave, Be Bold, Be You!

30 Jun Be Brave, Be Bold, Be You!

Be Brave, Be Brave, Be You!

June 29, 2025

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. 12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. 13 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:10-13

Found this little note card with the title of today’s message while sorting and shredding old mail. It was from one of the ministries we partner with. 

I put it down, but it kept showing up here and there. Not only did the card keep showing, but so did the need to take the advice written on it. 

Be Brave

Bear Grylls says, “Being brave isn’t the absence of fear. Being brave is having that fear but finding a way through it.”. 

We find several examples of bravery in the Bible, including Esther, David, Abigail, Deborah, and Caleb. They did what needed to be done against the odds. God told Joshua, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” We have all faced situations where we had to be brave and find the courage to do something. 

Age makes no difference; it may require physical strength like that of Samson or the armed forces

Or to bring it closer to home, a man needing a better life for his family, and he heard the steel mills in the north were hiring. Or mental courage to speak up, step down, or move away. Go back to school, face a bully, or a boss who owes you a raise. Or something spiritual like committing to tithe 10% of your income. That one was a big one for me. It all takes courage, but know God is with you every step of the way. 

Be Bold

Let’s look at the book of Acts, chapters three through four. Here we find Peter and John going up to the temple for the hour of prayer. There’s a lame man there who is begging for money. Peter tells the Lane man to look at us. The layman gives his attention to them, and Peter says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” The lame man is healed and goes into the temple, leaping and praising God. Peter and John move on to Solomon’s porch and begin preaching on Jesus and the Resurrection with boldness. This gets them arrested, brought before the Sanhedrin, and threatened and forbidden to teach or preach in the name of Jesus. It does not stop them. In verse 4:29, they pray for more boldness. 

Step out of your comfort zone and pursue your dreams. Boldly declare what is going to happen. When my brother was in the hospital, sick, the doctor came in and told us that he would probably be dead in about 45 minutes. My response to him was “hasta mañana,” meaning I’ll see you in the morning. My brother did pass, but not that day. Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali always said he was the greatest and is remembered as such.

Be You – You are an Original

You are original, not a copy or an imitation. Back in the day, we used to say, “No one looks better than us; just different.” Somewhere, we knew we were originals.😊 Look at what the creator of the universe says.

Psalm 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Don’t ever think down on yourself. God gives us everything we need and has specifically designed how you look, your personality, and your talents. 

Genesis 1:26 MSG “…God created human beings;he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature.” Some of His characteristics are love, grace, faithfulness, mercy, holiness, to name a few, and as believers, they should be found in us too. He also gave us dominion, so we are leaders too! Myles Monroe says, “You become a leader when you decide to be an original and not a copy.” 

So, everyone, embrace and be who God created you to be. Brave, Bold, You! 

Remember, you can only experience the fullness of who God intends you to be if Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.