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Risk - Definition, Types, Adjusment and Measurement

What we know: With faith comes a risk. “What if ….”, we think. What if God doesn’t answer. What if we look silly. We can have a whole bunch of “What ifs” rattling through our thoughts. We need extraordinary courage to believe God will intercede.

The big picture: God is faithful. When we step out in faith, take a risk, show extraordinary courage, He responds. God is God, good and great. What an amazing God we serve. All we need to do is believe Him. He will heal us and make us whole.

Will we have courage and believe our Master Jesus the Messiah?

Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.”  Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter, your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment. | Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Matthew 9:20–22). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Am I ready to be bold and have confidence when I approach Jesus in prayer? Jesus is my great high priest. Jesus is on His throne. Jesus is not only priest, but Jesus is King of God’s country. Now that is worth a shout out!

We can be confident, courageous, and of good cheer because of Him.

“Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared” (Proverbs 3:25-26).

Here is the promise of God’s superintending care for us, a care that is absent from the lives of those who reject Him. But for those who have placed their faith in Jesus for salvation, we are to have no fear because “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

In this great promise lies the basis of our confidence, our courage, and our good cheer.

We can come boldly into the presence of God and get the help we need. No trial is too great, no temptation is too strong, but that Jesus the Messiah can give us the mercy and grace that we need, when we need it. “But He is so far away!” we may argue. “And He is the perfect Son of God! What can He know about the problems of weak sinners like us?”

But that is a part of His greatness! When He was ministering on earth in a human body, He experienced all that we experience, and even more. After all, a sinless person would feel temptations and trials in a much greater way than you and I could ever feel them.

Jesus was tempted, yet He did not miss God’s goal (aka sin); and He is able to help us when we are tempted. If we fail to hold fast our confession, we are not proving that Jesus has failed. We are only telling the world that we failed to draw on His grace and mercy when it was freely available to us.

The word translated “confidence” is παῤῥησία parrhēsia, par-rhay-see´-ah. It means a state of boldness and confidence, sometimes implying intimidating circumstances — ‘boldness, courage.’

  • Hebrews 4:14–16 (NASB) —Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
  • Genesis 18:27–28 —And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Master, although I am but dust and ashes. Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
  • 1 Chronicles 17:25 — 25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You.