Braveheart

In the movie Brave heart one of my favorite quotes is:
“Why does your army run?  Run and you may live, at least for a while, fight and you may die but many years from now when you are dying warm in your beds would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that day, for just once chance, just one chance, to come back here and fight for your freedom?”

That scene is a very powerful one if you truly think about what it means. Let me put this into context, God is calling many of you now to abandon yourself completely to Him and His purposes.  He is calling you to a dangerous type of love. A love that doesn’t run from risk or hardship, but a love that runs to it for the sake of His Name.

Running away from danger and the risk that it takes to be strong in His name is the culturally appropriate path of safe and secure Christianity. This is the type of Christianity that comes without suffering and by choosing this path you may eventually achieve the American Dream. Embracing the cross can be scary and it may cost you dearly, it may cost your life, but many years from now when you are old and wrinkled, surrounded by the best that life has to offer you, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that day to come back here and lay it all down for the King of Glory?  Are you ready to choose a life of dangerous love?

For many of you God has been deeply at work the last couple of weeks, months and perhaps even years to bring you to a decisive point in your lives. He wants you to take deliberate steps to move toward danger and not away from it. Listen again to the strong words of the Savior: “Fear not, you can only be killed!” I want to give many of you the opportunity to take the next step in God’s Great purpose of making disciples in every nation. Taking a step of preparation to GO as missionaries to the unreached and the less reached peoples of the world does this. I’m not asking for impulsive or emotional responses and I’m not trying to freak any of you out but hear me out. There will be casualties, let me repeat myself there will be casualties!  Because the places that need the Gospel the most are the most dangerous places on the planet. I’m not even asking if you’re only willing. I think many would say, “I’m willing!” I’m asking for those who are prepared to take decisive and deliberate steps of action to be thrust out into the harvest. Hudson Taylor said  “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.”

Dave Eubanks of Free Burma Rangers wrote,

“To do anything good, risks must be taken. For us the difference between risk and gamble is this: A gamble is when we decide what to do, then ask God to help us do it. A risk is when we ask God what to do, and then ask God to help us do it. We want to be obedient always, to take risks when needed, to be joyful and careful only of our souls.”

Are there any risks in your life that God is asking you take right now?  I’d encourage to step forward, for if God is in it, the results will be worthwhile!
“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”  Thomas Aquinas, 13th century.

For more information about Sixteen:Fifteen and how we can help your church become UNLEASHED to discover and use its unique gifts to make Christ known among all nations CLICK HERE, or e-mail a church missions coach at info@1615.org, or call to talk directly to a coach at 505.248.1615.