Free and Fearless in July
Deep in the throes of World War 2, with the stress of constant bombardment, the strain of the rationing of basic resources, and the lingering loss of loved ones, the common sentiment in London was that war was indeed horrible. Yet in the midst of these challenges and tragedies, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “if war is horrible, servitude is worse.” There was a greater purpose behind the sacrifice and pain: to stand against slavery and fight for freedom.
Sunday we kicked off our summer series on our theme for the year, Free and Fearless. Our focus these first two weeks are on freedom, what it means and how to fight for it. Colby talked about taking a stand for freedom, especially freedom from sin. As difficult as it can be at times to fight against sin, it’s important to remember that taking a stand for truth is worth it. In fact, if we are not actively standing against sin, then we are likely being mastered by it, as there really is no middle ground.
But we don’t only stand against sin for our own sake. Our fight for freedom from sin also has an outward orientation. Thomas Merton said, “Everyone who loves Truth is in this world called upon in some measure to defend it.” When we stand for truth, we are loving our neighbor.
A Summer Focus
Summer is often a break in routine, a change from the habits and rhythms of life. For many it is a welcomed change, though for some it leads to spiritual apathy. Maybe you’ve found that the wind-down of June has left you lacking focus. What to do? I’ve found a good place to start is a renewed engagement with God’s Word. We need to be inputting truth into our hearts in order to renew our minds.
Tiago Forte, author of a book on how to organize your life, says, “A garden is only as good as its seeds, so start by seeding our knowledge garden with only the most interesting, insightful, useful ideas we can find.” For the believer, the starting place is the Word of God. Early church theologian Jerome said it this way, “Often read the Holy Scripture: Indeed, let the Bible never be out of your hands. Learn what you are to teach; get a firm grasp on the truths of faith according to Doctrine, in order to exhort men in Sacred Doctrine and refute those who oppose the faith.”
Get into God’s Word in July
Here are a few easy and practical ways to get back into the habit of seeding your mind with God’s Word this summer:
- Focus on our church-wide Bible reading plan for the month of July. You’ll read most of the book of Matthew along with a few chapters from Psalms and Proverbs. It only takes about 5 minutes a day.
- If you struggle to find time to read the Bible, try listening to it. You can listen to multiple Bible versions for free on the Bible App. You might try listening to a different version than you normally read just to mix things up a bit.
- Read one chapter of Proverbs a day in July.
- Try reading through the book Living Fearless this summer. We have extra copies available at the church. This is the book we chose to help us learn more about the theme Free and Fearless in 2023.
- Try meeting with a friend once a week to talk about what you are reading in the Bible. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, or by phone, the encouragement can help to build consistency.
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to begin your lunch by reading one verse of the Bible. Try reading just one verse a day from Romans 8 or Romans 12.
My prayer is that we would all come through the summer feeling more connected to Christ and with a renewed hope and vision for hiding His Word in our heart. Our ability to take a stand for truth, and ultimately, for freedom, is directly connected to our understanding of God’s Word. Put in simplest terms, you have to know what truth is to take a stand for it!
Our church is built on the foundation of God’s Word. It is because of His Word stirring in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that doors will open for us to reach all of Southwest Louisville.