IN THE SPRING OF 1519, CAPTAIN HERNÁN CORTÉS AND HIS SPANISH FLEET LANDED ON VERACRUZ WITH A MISSION OF CONQUEST ON HIS MIND. WHEN HARD-SHIPS AND FEAR BEGAN TO GRIP HIS TINY 600 FORCE (500 SOLDIERS AND 100 SAILORS) AND THOUGHTS OF TURNING BACK BEGAN TO GROW, CORTÉS GAVE THE COMMAND TO “BURN THE SHIPS!”
IN CORTÉS MIND THEY HAD PASSED THE POINT OF NO RETURN AND “THERE WILL BE NO TURNING OR GOING BACK, WE WILL ENDURE, WE’RE HERE TO STAY, IN FOR THE LONG-HAUL, AS LONG AS IT TAKES UNTIL COMPLETE CONQUEST TAKES PLACE OR WE DIE TRYING MEN.”
WHY DID THEY WIN? THEIR SHIPS WERE BURNED. THEY HAD NO ESCAPE. THEY HAD NO WAY TO GET BACK. THIS WAS DO OR DIE, BUT ONE THING WAS FOR SURE. THEY WOULD NOT QUIT. THEY WOULD ENDURE!
“BURN THE SHIPS, WE’RE HERE TO STAY, THERE’S NO WAY WE COULD GO BACK, NOW THAT WE'VE COME THIS FAR BY FAITH, BURN THE SHIPS, WE'VE PASSED THE POINT OF NO RETURN, OUR LIFE IS HERE, SO LET THE SHIPS BURN.” —STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
AS A CHRISTIAN – DAUGHTERS AND SONS OF THE MOST HOLY ONE, THIS IS THE LEVEL OF MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT WE MUST HAVE. BY GOD’S GRACE, WE ARE BEING CHANGED DAILY AND BECOMING MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS AS WE TURN AWAY FROM OUR OLD LIFE OF SIN AND CHOOSE TO LIVE A LIFE OF GRACE.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION. BURN YOUR SHIPS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, LUSTFUL PLEASURES, IDOLATRY, JEALOUSY, ENVY AND OTHER SINS LIKE THESE. BEGIN EACH DAY DECLARING WAR AGAINST TEMPTATION OR YOUR SHIPS. BURY YOURSELF WITH SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES LIKE PRAYER, BIBLE READING, GIVING OR FASTING. USE ONLY SPIRITUAL WEAPONS AGAINST YOUR OWN SHIPS. FEED YOUR SPIRIT WITH SCRIPTURE.
IMITATE WHAT CAPTAIN HERNÁN CORTÉS AND HIS SPANISH FLEET DID. THEY BURN THEIR SHIPS. NO TURNING BACK. DECIDE TO SAY NO TO YOUR SINS AND TO TEMPTATIONS. CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS. THIS IS REALLY A STORY ABOUT COMMITMENT. COMMITMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS. NOT A SINGLE ACCOMPLISHMENT IS EVER ACHIEVED WITHOUT IT.
LETS USE THE STORY OF CORTES AND HIS SHIPS TO ILLUSTRATE THE TRUTH OF THE RADICAL COMMITMENT CHRIST CALLS US TO. LET US ALL KEEP OUR HEARTS HAPPY IN GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE.
IN CORTÉS MIND THEY HAD PASSED THE POINT OF NO RETURN AND “THERE WILL BE NO TURNING OR GOING BACK, WE WILL ENDURE, WE’RE HERE TO STAY, IN FOR THE LONG-HAUL, AS LONG AS IT TAKES UNTIL COMPLETE CONQUEST TAKES PLACE OR WE DIE TRYING MEN.”
WHY DID THEY WIN? THEIR SHIPS WERE BURNED. THEY HAD NO ESCAPE. THEY HAD NO WAY TO GET BACK. THIS WAS DO OR DIE, BUT ONE THING WAS FOR SURE. THEY WOULD NOT QUIT. THEY WOULD ENDURE!
“BURN THE SHIPS, WE’RE HERE TO STAY, THERE’S NO WAY WE COULD GO BACK, NOW THAT WE'VE COME THIS FAR BY FAITH, BURN THE SHIPS, WE'VE PASSED THE POINT OF NO RETURN, OUR LIFE IS HERE, SO LET THE SHIPS BURN.” —STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
AS A CHRISTIAN – DAUGHTERS AND SONS OF THE MOST HOLY ONE, THIS IS THE LEVEL OF MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT WE MUST HAVE. BY GOD’S GRACE, WE ARE BEING CHANGED DAILY AND BECOMING MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS AS WE TURN AWAY FROM OUR OLD LIFE OF SIN AND CHOOSE TO LIVE A LIFE OF GRACE.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION. BURN YOUR SHIPS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, LUSTFUL PLEASURES, IDOLATRY, JEALOUSY, ENVY AND OTHER SINS LIKE THESE. BEGIN EACH DAY DECLARING WAR AGAINST TEMPTATION OR YOUR SHIPS. BURY YOURSELF WITH SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES LIKE PRAYER, BIBLE READING, GIVING OR FASTING. USE ONLY SPIRITUAL WEAPONS AGAINST YOUR OWN SHIPS. FEED YOUR SPIRIT WITH SCRIPTURE.
IMITATE WHAT CAPTAIN HERNÁN CORTÉS AND HIS SPANISH FLEET DID. THEY BURN THEIR SHIPS. NO TURNING BACK. DECIDE TO SAY NO TO YOUR SINS AND TO TEMPTATIONS. CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS. THIS IS REALLY A STORY ABOUT COMMITMENT. COMMITMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS. NOT A SINGLE ACCOMPLISHMENT IS EVER ACHIEVED WITHOUT IT.
LETS USE THE STORY OF CORTES AND HIS SHIPS TO ILLUSTRATE THE TRUTH OF THE RADICAL COMMITMENT CHRIST CALLS US TO. LET US ALL KEEP OUR HEARTS HAPPY IN GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE.