Core Value: Courageous Obedience
Courageous Obedience: because following God’s leading in the small things enables us to accomplish greater things.
SUMMARY
Courage is not the absence of fear, but trusting more (by faith) in the promises of God rather than giving in to fear. Obedience is an act of devotion to God, not because we must, but because we seek to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed,
for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9
Scriptural Foundation
Proverbs 3:6—In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Esther 4:16—And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
John 14:25–27—“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Romans 16:25-27—Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Why is this important?
The life transformation we seek for the women of Ruth Harbor happens through obedience to the Word of God by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
It is easy to be obedient when what we believe mirrors what the culture believes; it is easy to be obedient when God’s will aligns with our own will; it is difficult and costly when God’s will opposes both the culture and our own desires, yet He calls us to obedience. This requires courageous obedience.
Americans do not understand persecution, and our obedience to God’s Word has never been tested.
Courageous obedience tomorrow requires strong convictions and obedience in the small things today.
Application to Ruth Harbor:
Jesus harshly condemned the Church of Laodicea. Why? Because they were neither cold nor hot but lukewarm. Jesus said he would vomit this church out of his mouth (Revelation 3:15-16). There are many parallels between the Church of Laodicea and the American Church today. The word that defines the Laodicean and American church is not courage, but compromise.
As a Christian ministry, the temptation to compromise is always in front of us. Churches are tempted to stay relevant to draw a crowd and ministries like Ruth Harbor are tempted to water down the gospel to broaden the donor base. Compromise leads to destruction.
We must resolve ourselves to be courageously obedient in the following areas:
The exclusivity of the gospel. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Many Christians today want to blend social justice with the gospel. Social justice is considered relevant today, and the exclusivity of the gospel is deemed divisive. The gospel is not about what we can do for Jesus but what He did for us.
The Bible’s clear definition and teaching regarding sexuality and gender. There are many so-called Christians today who openly disregard entire sections of Scripture simply because they disagree with what the Bible teaches. At the same time, our institutions are demonstrating an increasingly hostile and intolerant posture towards Biblical Christians. The progressives today, whose father is the devil, are not content to let contrary beliefs coexist with their beliefs. They are striving for a form of satanic fundamentalism that will lead to totalitarianism unless God chooses to halt their advance. Gender and sexuality are the leading edge of the sword Satan wields to bring division and destruction to our culture today.
Love Jesus passionately and suffer well for His name. When talking about the endtimes, Jesus said, “because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Like the Laodicean church, many Christians today are lukewarm in their love for Christ and comfortable in their compatibility with the world system. The two are not compatible. We cannot love Jesus and feel at home in this world (1 John 2:15-17). Throughout church history, suffering for Jesus has been the norm, not the exception. We American Christians have experienced a unique season of free speech and freedom of religion that has allowed us to live in obedience to the Bible without suffering persecution. Unless God intervenes, those days are ending. George Orwell said it well: “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.”
