At church, we have a new series called, AUDACIOUS FAITH.   This series just started a few weeks ago, and at first I wasn’t sure what it was all about, not to mention I didn’t even know what “AUDACIOUS” or  “GIMPER” meant.      However, today, February 5, 2012, after listening to the sermon, I have an understanding of what it means.  AUDACIOUS is one who is bold or daring, especially with confident disregard for personal comfort or conventional thought and to be a GIMPER means one hates mediocrity and status quo; one who does more than what’s required. This series of AUDACIOUS FAITH is based on looking at Jabez’s life and what he went through.  He is an example of a GIMPER and one who demonstrates AUDACIOUS FAITH (1 Chronicles 4: 9-10). 

Today, we studied  Joshua who was a  GIMPER  with AUDACIOUS FAITH ( Joshua 1:1-9 and 10: 1-11) I began to ask myself during the sermon as I was listening, what would it look like to have AUDACIOUS FAITH and to be a GIMPER?  As I listened to how Joshua lived his life, lead the Israelites into battles and with his courageous faith trusted God that he would spare their lives, it all started to sink in and amaze me of his faith and mostly his faith in action.  Joshua was a man of courage that he built his faith on God and his trusting Word.  Time and time again, God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)  God is telling us the same thing.

I started thinking to myself, what would this look like and what would this take of me to be more of a GIMPER who has AUDACIOUS FAITH?   As I wrestled with this in my head, it started to make its way to my heart and then to the Spirit of God who is in me. (“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.”  Romans 8:11) At this moment, the sermon was just about done, and the pastor had asked us to close our eyes and think of something that we think is impossible of our own strength and pray a prayer of ADUACIOUS FAITH, just like  Joshua who prayed an AUDACIOUS prayer.   As a few tears were rolling down, I begin to first feel the presence of God near me, not that he was ever far, but because my own faith has been dry lately.  As I felt God tug at my heart and my spirit, he broke me and showed me that through him nothing is ever impossible.  It starts with faith, AUDACIOUS FIATH.   In Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”  I read that and remembered how powerful faith is and through faith I can trust God.  I can trust him that he KNOWS my deepest desires.  So, I prayed that God would help me specifically in two areas of my life that to me are impossible, but with Him are possible!   Until then, I will not doubt but remain steadfast in Him, in His Word and in Faith!  So I choose to believe, with AUDACIOUS FAITH, that he will fulfill these desires, at the proper time, his time.   And I choose to be more like a GIMPER!