The side effects of spending time with relevant people...


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 (...) they took knowledge of them, 
that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13b

There are people with whom it is so worthy spending time! The opposite can also be true though. But the truth is: we will never regret spending time with this one Great Friend who counted us to be WORTHY of him laying down his life for us. 

No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. John 15:13

The disciples experienced the power of being with Jesus to the point of having their attitude changed from one extreme to another. Peter, for example, from being a fearful man before a maid at Jesus' arrest, became such a bold man before the authorities of Israel!

Now when they saw the confidence and boldness of 
Peter and John, and perceived that 
they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled. 
Acts 4:13a

There is a side effect of spending time with relevant people! As we spend time with Jesus, two things become tangible: confidence and boldness!

Being fully persuaded that 
God had power to do what he had promised. 
Romans 4:21

Confidence speaks of knowing the One who backs you up and relying on his veracity, integrity and all of his virtues. It is about putting our trust (faith) in Him who is greater than us. Confidence is not based on who we are, but on who is the One we trust! 

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: 
but the righteous are bold as a lion. 
Proverbs 28:1

On the other hand, boldness is the natural consequence of confidence! Boldness enables us to overstep usual bounds! It speaks of having an unusual courage before circumstances that were seen as limitations at first.

Confidence opens up our eyes to see God as the Almighty One; and as we realize He is 100% for us, we start seeing that nothing can hold us back: no failure, no past, no sin. 

 If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

So let us pray that our eyes may be opened so that we SEE who Jesus really is in us... confidence and boldness will arise and nothing will be able to hold out against us. 

 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; 
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Joshua 1:5

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