Courage

Courage isn't when you do something big, one time for something or some one you really don't care about. Courage isn't doing something you will regret later just for a story or moment. Courage is when you make some small decision and stick with it,  which then leads to those moments where you stand in front of a crowd and something happens. You're not really a martyr if your only dying because you set it up. A martyr is done one who dies when they didn't want to die and are not creating a stage or a scene. They are simply going with it.
The challenge is to be faithful in the small things, which in turn lead to being big things.

Calvinism vs. Armenianism: Part 2

When it comes to an individual who comes to church and then leaves the church even if at some point the individual professed Christ as Lord,  everyone has differing opinions on it.  The Calvinist would suggest that Joe is like Judas and he claimed to be one of God's people but never really was one of them and then left. 
The Armenian would suggest that Joe did accept Christ and was saved but has now rejected God's free gift. 
The problem with both those views is they both come from different passages of the bible.  In a nut she'll,  you can't escape either one,  thus there is a never ending argument in theological circles,  as I stated in part one. 
So here's the thing with the die hards in either category.  They get all hung up on why that guy left but not the fact that they need to get Joe back in the church. 
So here's my plea.  Don't neglect those who don't know Jesus by arguing about them.  Create a safe place for them to come to know Jesus in a very real way.
God warns us a few times about quarreling about things that don't ultimately matter but rather commands to make disciples and teach them all he has commanded us.

Sides: Calvinism vs. Armenianism

When this secondary issue arises amongst Christians you often have two ill informed parties going at it trying to disprove the other one.  If some one asked me,  "Steve,  are you a Calvinist or an Armenian?" I would have to say "yes."
Here's why...  The Armenian says you can reject God and turn from God after knowing him and serving him faithfully or unfaithfully and loose your salvation.  In the Bible we see this many different times. Like when the apostle Paul makes comments in his letters that the people are turning from the God who saved them.
Then there's the Calvinist who says once you have had a true conversion and God saves you,  you can't loose your salvation because you aren't going to walk away from him. Their examples would be Judas the betrayer of Jesus but also verses that call us elect.
There's obviously a whole lot more to both sides. But keep this in mind: I have yet to see a debate where you have two equally equipped theologians hash it out to see the results.
Here's the thing.  Don't make Calvinism or Armenianism a hill to die on.  Strong biblical evidence can be found for both sides....  If one argument was stronger than the other there would be no argument.
Then there's the group that argue about the guy who's been in the church but ain't now a part of it....  PART 2

Who Told You That...?

I remember a time when I was in elementary school and I came home upset and my mom asking me why and I told her "because the kids at school said I was fat." She then asked the question "who told you that you were fat?" I didn't dare tell her that I was honestly the instigator of the whole thing and that I told one kid he was fat, which was where it all started to go down hill. God similarly asks Adam the same question, but with a slightly different twist, "who told you that you were naked?" It is quite honestly a brilliant question. But maybe you need to fill in with a different subject? Like, who told you that you were stupid? Who told you that you would never amount to much? Who told you that you are gay? Who told you that you are... ? Another great question though does come back to you though and it actually falls back on the beginning of the situation, your positioning. What got you in the position to where that subject even came from? Are you hanging out with the wrong people? Were you simply doing something you know you ought not do? What? Ultimately the answer to the question will actually show where your heart is at. But what can change this entire situation is where you find your identity and who you are listening to. What is God calling you? How does he identify you? Maybe you could follow him and you wouldn't have to worry about what the enemy wants you to believe but you will, instead place your focus on the One who does care and is the one who asks the very question "Who told you that..."