Enough to Go Around

I John 4:7, 8:  “Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love.”   

I have two little friends at church—the little girls in families with whom I have recently spent some time Christmas toy shopping.  Both of them like to “give sugar” and I am rather fond of carrying them around on my hip.

I have noticed one thing about these two little ones.  These two little girls understand that the fact that they are both special to me doesn’t reduce the store of love I have for each one separately.  Some adults have long ago forgotten the childlike simplicity of this approach to love in the Body of Christ.

You see, outside of the exclusive relationships in Christ’s Body (marriages, parents with their children, other family), love multiplies and shares very well among a multitude of recipients.  In fact, God is love and those of us in relationship with Him would have to act in some pretty unnatural ways to inhibit the natural, constant flow of God’s love and grace over us and onto everyone around us.  His love simply flows 24/7.  If we do nothing, that is the default setting.  We have to actively work to inhibit God’s love producing fruit in our lives.  If we just walk with Him, the fruit will show up, no thanks to us, all thanks to His grace!

So, why do so many adults act as though love is a zero-sum commodity (zero-sum  means, according to my stockbroker husband, that there is only so much of something, so if you have some of it, I or others will lack that thing in proportion to the amount of it you have )?  Love isn’t zero-sum.  There is no need to compete for a pastor’s attention or a pastor’s wife’s attention. There is enough love to go around.  It grows and expands outward to include more and more people in its circle because it originates with a God who is love personified.

And there is certainly no need to discredit another person in order to try to ingratiate ourselves into someone’s love.  That is a trick the world uses (because the world doesn’t know the true agape love of God), but it is also, unfortunately, a trick used far too often by Christians to booby trap each other’s lives.  It usually backfires, too, so that the pastor or person whose affection we desire may not only believe our bad report about the other person, but may write us off as a hopeless gossip, too.  Everyone loses that way.

It is a contradiction to talk of the agape love of God and to try to keep it away from some people in the Body of Christ.  It is a contradiction to try to hoard love for ourselves.  God’s love is tenacious, wooing sinners all their lives until such time as they would accept Him.  We need to let God build the same tenacity into our agape love.  Sure, there will always be people who are special—who are a lot like us, or a lot like our spouse, or who just inspire our respect in a unique way.  We will feel a special affinity to these people.  But love naturally flows out to everyone in the Body of Christ, not just those special few who are close in to us.  There is enough to go around for everyone.

Daily Strength

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 33:24,25

Text: Deuteronomy 33:25 “As thy days so shall thy strength be.”

These are the words of Moses in his last benediction to the tribes of Israel. He is leaving a blessing to each one of the twelve tribes before they go into the Promised Land and He goes to heaven. These blessings are in the form of prophecies regarding how God will bless each of these tribes in the future. When Moses comes to Asher, who was the eighth of Jacob’s sons, born to Zilpah, the handmaiden of Leah, he gives this blessing found in these two verses. The blessing is greater than just our text but it is the text that has become the famous promise so treasured by many of us; “As thy days so shall thy strength be.”

I used this text recently with our teaching staff from Harvest Baptist School. It just seemed to me that everyone was stressed out and under a lot of pressure. So I said to the Lord, “Lord, where in the Bible do you deal with this?” This scripture came to mind. God deals with everything we go through, we just have to find where He deals with it and study it! This rich promise has three implications that can help us when we are stressed out!

I. It implies that we are weak in ourselves

Actually the nearer we are to the Lord the more of our own weakness we see. When we think we are strong we are really weak. I am only as strong in the Lord as I am weak in myself. Second Corinthians 12:10 says, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” It is when we are weak and know it that God has a real opportunity to work in us and through us. I Cor. 1:26ff “For ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God has chosen the weak things of this world…” Again, Isaiah 40:29 “He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”

Now, by weakness we don’t mean a “lack of preparation” or laziness for God never condones laziness. But by weakness we mean a realization of our inability and insufficiency to cope with the pressures of life in ourselves. Put all the ingredients together in all the right proportions and you and I will not impact men for God. But, put those same ingredients in with dependence and faith in God and God will work miracles through us! Pablo Cassals, the famous cellist, was teaching a student. The student was playing when Cassals stopped him and said, “You are playing all the right notes but you are not playing the music!” How many times is this true of us in our service for Christ? We are going through the motions, doing all the right things, but missing God’s desire for us to be in constant awareness of our need of His strength.

God often allows us to become stressed out for us to realize how weak we are in ourselves. Paul said to the Corinthians, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” Perhaps the reason for Paul’s weakness and trembling at Corinth was that he had just come from Mars Hill (Acts 17) where he had used his learning to try to win philosophers to Christ and he had failed. Men are not won by our learning but by God’s power! So when he went next to Corinth he says, “I was with you in weakness…”Sometimes for Christian school teachers and pastors, the best year of their ministry is the first one! Why? Because that was their most dependent year! But when we get to the place where we know all the answers and have the curriculum down pat and know what to do next, but forget to fall on our faces and beg God for His power; and lift our voices many times in a day to ask Him for help, then we fail. Our text implies that we have daily need of strength because we are weak in ourselves.

We have seen that an implication of our text is that we are really weak in ourselves. Thus, stress is simply an indicator that we are realizing our weakness. Another implication of the text is:

II. We have daily needs. The text says, “As thy days…” It does not say “As thy weeks” or “As thy years”. You see, we cannot store grace. God gives “grace to help in the time of need.” We have to get grace for today and the needs we have today. So many times we want to gather enough grace on Sunday to last all week, but mine usually runs out about Monday afternoon! The manna that God gave in the wilderness could only be gathered day by day and if it was left over, it bred worms. You can’t get strength for two days, just one day! How many, many times the Lord speaks about our walk with Him being a daily walk! We are told to ask for “daily bread” in the Disciple’s Prayer in Matthew 6.  Luke 9:23 says, “Whosoever does not take up his cross daily…” Acts 17:11, in speaking of the Bereans says, “they searched the scriptures daily…” Paul said in First Corinthians 15:31 “I die daily.” So many times at the beginning of an endeavor like the beginning of the school year, we have meetings and challenge teachers and they vow to die to themselves for the year. The problem is that we can’t just die once and for all; we have to die daily. Hey, when is the last time you consciously died to yourself? Our text is a marvelous promise for stress because it teaches us that we must seek the Lord on a daily basis and not allow our problems and burdens to pile up on us! I have needs today for which I will need grace today just like I eat each day to gain physical strength for the day!

III. God’s strength is equal to God’s load. “So shall thy strength be.” God always supplies enough strength to fulfill His commands. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “God puts omnipotence in back of His commands.” In other words, God will not tell you to do something He will not give you the strength to perform. But I have found in my ministry that the best Christians usually try to do too many things! Some Christians will hardly do anything but good Christians sometimes, nay, many times overload themselves with things that God has not commanded! I would not want to throw cold water on anything God has commanded you to do, but do not get so over burdened that you are not enjoying serving God! “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17) God told us to “Go” but He did not tell us to “Go-go-go!” Sometimes I need to be reminded that God got His work done before I came along! Remember, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” (Psalm 37:23) Just make sure that what you are doing has been ordered by God and not by someone you desire to please beside God! God is not the Author of a nervous breakdown, so, if you have one you will have take the responsibility for it! On the other hand, don’t be a shirker! Don’t have misplaced priorities so that you do everything besides God’s work and then can’t get God’s work done! Don’t be lazy and disorganized so that God’s work gets the blame for your “lack of time to get everything done.”

Are you a nervous wreck? Are you, as they say, “stressed out”? Then remember to spend quality time in God’s Word each day and time in prayer. It is much better to spend 15 minutes of quality time with God each day than to spend 3 hours at the end or beginning of the week. “As thy days so shall thy strength be.”

Points to Ponder

The secret to staying close to God is in our sense of need. Thus, stress should be a signal that we have not heard His voice that gives peace today!

Grace

“And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:” 2 Cor 9:8

Grace seems to be in the spotlight lately.  That’s great, I love reading and learning more about the grace of God.  After all, I am just a sinner saved by grace through faith.  As of late, I’ve noticed the next generations of Believers feel the need to redefine grace and put a new hip face to Christianity.  The encouragement for getting the latest tattoos and piercings seems to be taking the place of encouraging others to get the gospel out.  I don’t know about you, but the manner in which grace has been defined lately, is disturbing to me.

Have you observed the latest shift that is taking place across America?  I’ve read articles, supposedly about the grace of God, that are laced with profanity and have a focus on being a “hip” Christ follower.  Instead of grace filled warnings about the dangers of alcohol, the author is found encouraging a fellow brother or sister in Christ to join them in drinking away the stress of the day, after all, that’s what grace is for right?  Don’t “judge” them either, just because they sin differently.  What?   According to these fellow Saints, I’m no longer a relevant vessel through which the work of God can flow- if my pursuit is holiness vice authenticity.  It is also my understanding, in my reading and in personal witness, that authenticity is “letting it all hang out”.  This is where the grace comes into the skewed picture they are painting: that God knows we are just sinful humans and grace affords occasion to embrace and explore the sinful nature we have inherited.  “Why fight it?”, they appear to say.   As my flesh acknowledges the tempting alternative being offered, my spirit mourns within me and I woefully ask the writer, “Is this indeed, grace?”

I know that grace filled living will always bring glory and honor to God.  Using it as an occasion to knowingly stumble is most assuredly a grace trampled.  It is shameful to admit that I have been there, as many others have as well, but then, after being chastised for my rebellion, forgiveness and mercy were afforded for my repentance!  Grace is unmerited favor, yes, but what does it look like in action?  The following comes to my mind:    Grace filled words are timely, true and sensitive to the reader or hearer who may be struggling with sin or discouragement.   Grace filled thinking will stem from a true love for the Lord Jesus and His work.  It develops an understanding and a compassion for the lost which compels us to share the gospel.  The Believer who relishes the grace of God will seek an opportunity to humbly come alongside a fellow brother or sister and encourage them to walk rightly.  Grace filled action is demonstrating love when we don’t feel the person deserves it.  God’s grace was freely given and I believe we can always improve in this area as Christians.  I believe that the perversion of how grace is being defined has been borne out of our lack of grace in dealing with one another and the lost.  It pains me to examine my own heart and think of the price I’ve put on grace.  What exactly must someone do to earn our grace? Are we then, at the opposite end of the same stick that is perversion of grace?

Dear reader, may we renew our minds daily in the truth of God’s word so that we may exhibit the grace that God abounds toward us.  The Bible says there is a time to admonish and also to rebuke, but even that should be done with the knowledge of the grace that was extended to us.  May our every word and deed drip with grace so that our warnings will be heeded.   Let us live in such a way that there needs to be no redefining of what it is to be a grace filled Christian today.  True grace is always relevant!

Triumph in Hard Times

Many times a person finds himself between a rock and a hard place.  What can he do?  Should he do what popular opinion says to do?  After all, who is going to tell?  Who will know?  Isn’t everyone doing it?

But my God sees me.  He is holy, All-Powerful, All-Knowing.  He has already commanded me what to do.  As a believer, I should search out God’s Word.  What does He say?  I should not go with popular opinion, not even what some “spiritual” person may say if the advice is contrary to the Word of God.  The believer needs to search the Scriptures.  What does God say?  “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”  John 8:32   God will honor and bless the believer who is obedient to His Word.

 

But My Family is So Different From Anyone Else’s . . .

John 9:1-3:  “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.  And his disciples asked him, saying, ‘Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’  Jesus answered, ‘Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:  but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

I have a friend who recently married into a blended family situation.  When issues first arose with one or the other of the children, she wrote that she and her husband needed to “find our new normal.”  I love that.  Not only do I love it for my friend’s family, I love it for my family, and I love it for every brave, struggling Christian family out there.

Normal looks so different in every home.  While there are inviolable principles of Scripture that should instruct every home that claims His Name, there are also matters of personality, personal preference, giftings, and limitations that make every family unique.

That is why we offer each other grace in the matter of our families and don’t elevate personal preferences into issues on which we judge other people.

Our family’s uniquenesses can almost fill the fingers of one hand:

I, the mama, was an active duty naval officer up until our son was a year old.

My husband is from overseas.

Our son, an only child, has high functioning autism (Aspergers syndrome).

I celebrated my 50^th birthday by rejoicing that I could keep a cookie down four days after my first chemotherapy session for breast cancer.

Though I know plenty of other families in each of those categories, we are the only one I know that is in all four of them.  Each person reading this could make a similar list of four facts that, combined together, make his or her family totally unique.

Sometimes the uniquenesses in our families can become a matter of comparison with other people, particularly if they involve someone with limitations.  Those comparisons are always unwise, as the Bible reminds us in II Corinthians10:12 (“”they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”).

I remember many years while our son was young that it was hard for me to relate to some of the mothers in groups I attended because I seemed to be missing so many of their skills with cooking, decorating, and just plain making a house a home.  I didn’t so much feel sad about the extra challenges posed by raising our son (I have always said that, given a list of characteristics and a chance to order my child from a catalog, I would have ordered the exact same child I got).  But what I did feel sad about was that my day had only twenty-four hours so, in choosing the things that were right for our son, I chose to not pursue a lot of the interests of my peers.  Not in that season of life (but I have rich, rewarding interests in all of those things now).

During those years, I found the John 9 passage, above, and clung to it as to a life raft.  God said it wasn’t my fault or my husband’s fault or our son’s fault or anyone else’s fault that our son had to struggle with learning basic self-help skills when he was young.  God said it was no one’s fault that our son has a hard time figuring out how to appropriately give-and-take in a conversation with one of his peers.  God said that the reason our son was born with difficulty regulating himself emotionally is that God Himself might be glorified in the growth our son exhibits (and maybe in the growth we exhibit through parenting him). God designed a challenge for us  before He ever created the world.  We would be allowed to raise a child whose very accomplishments, hard won, would bring glory to God.

That said, almost every parent has something (or someone) that falls into this category.  Special needs are concentrated in certain individuals, but we almost all have a few of them.  I believe special needs are one of God’s reminders to us to extend grace to others (because we all have areas where we need others to do the same for us).  In this all, we grow together and God is glorified.

Your family is unique, by God’s design.  You have challenges I will never face, but God intends to lead you to victory through them.  They are your new normal!  Give Him free reign to make you, and your family members, into what He created them to be.

Accepted

We all want to be accepted by those around us. No one likes to be left out. Some people are completely consumed with worrying about what they look like and how they present themselves, all to be accepted by people around them.

“I will accept you, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel 43:27

What an amazing thought – that the Lord God of heaven would accept us. This statement in Ezekiel comes right after a detailed description of the temple and the altar and the directions for consecrating the altar. The priests and the people had very specific instructions from the Lord concerning what must be done when offering sacrifices. All of this was a picture of what was to come when Jesus Christ was made our Ultimate Sacrifice.

How exciting to know that we are accepted by God, not because of anything that we can ever do in and of ourselves. We can never do anything that will make God love us any more, and we can never do anything that will make God love us any less. Our acceptance by God comes when we accept Jesus. When God looks upon us, He sees the precious blood of Christ that was shed for us on the cross. What wonderful hope to know that as Christians, we will always be accepted by the Lord.

Apology

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

– I Peter 3:15 –

“I apologize…” Have you ever had a conversation that started with those words?  Have you ever been the one starting it?  We typically hear it being used in the sense of telling someone sorry for an action that occurred.  In that sense it is a precursor to and sometimes a way of asking for forgiveness.  However, that is not the original meaning!

The term originated in the Greek language by the combination of a preposition (απο – apo) and a noun (λογος – logos) with a basic meaning of “expression from/for.”  There is debate as to which would have come first, the state form of a word (noun) or the action form of a word (verb)…either way when the idea is used in the verbal sense it provides the description of the action of “giving an expression for” something.

When Peter penned his first epistle, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it was this word that he used and then later translated by the KJV translators as “to give an answer.”  Another way to say it in English is “provide a reasoned defense” (a logically flowing thought pattern) as it is used in a court setting.  This verse gives us the command to be ready at all times to provide a reasoned defense of this hope…confidence…trust which is within us, as Christians, to anyone who might ask it of us.  This is where the term apologetics originated.

However, it does not stop there!  There is a proper method to use in apologetics.  That method is one of “meekness and fear.”  Meekness has been given many different definitions, however, the one that best describes the concept is “gentle strength” or “strength under control” giving the idea that the strength power ability to do something is present, but it is utilized in a manner that is gentle or under proper control.  Correlating this idea with other Scripture passages brings immediately to mind Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.”

The second part of the method is “fear.”  What kind?  It certainly is not the fear of reprisal from the one asking as Peter addresses that idea in the context.  It is the fear in relation to Psalm 19:7-9.  It is the idea that we have the knowledge, the truth, the revelation of the LORD, our Creator, our God and we must use it properly.  Along with that goes the idea that our communication in providing the answer plays a role in the state of the existence of the soul with whom we are communicating!  It is eternity that we are dealing with; we must deal with it properly; we must deal with it in accordance with Scripture!

A Sunbeam for Jesus

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Last night, I got to see my oldest son, Jake grow up just a little more. It was his first night in Pee Wee Patch. We talked about it all week long and by Sunday, he was extremely excited about his first performance. My regular choir rehearsal is at 4:30PM on Sunday afternoons. We arrived at about 4:10 and walked through how he would go from the front pew to the steps where he would be singing “The Sunbeam Song” as he calls it. He showed me how he would walk slow, not run or jump, and how he would stand once he got to his spot. I watched his 5:30 rehearsal as if it were the dress rehearsal at an opera house. His first performance went off with out a hitch, though he did remove his hat to be a better “sunbeam.”

Last night, though, was about so much more than a Pee Wee performance. It was what I hope will be the beginning of a lifelong commitment to serving the Lord. It was, I hope, the first of many choirs in which he will sing; the first of many times he will sing about Jesus; the first of many opportunities he will have to publicly identify himself with Christ.

I still remember the children’s choirs that I was a part of growing up and how they affected my life for the better. It was participating in worship from an early age that I believe set me on the path that I am on today. I was blessed to see Jake so excited last night to be up there with his Pee Wee friends. I get the same feeling when I get to perform with the adult choir. God has given us all opportunities and talents with which we are to serve him. That may be music, helps, encouragement, etc. No matter what our ability or talent is, the cry of our heart ought be, “I’ll be a Sunbeam for Him.”

Planted by the Rivers of Water

In Ohio there is a lake that was dug completely by hand.  It is ten miles long and four miles wide and was dug to supply water to the Miami-Erie Canal which ran from Toledo to Cincinnati, OH.

In the late ‘60s, early ‘70s our family used to go camping at a campground on the south side of the lake.  This campground had a unique layout .  Of course there were roads leading to camp sites but between roads and sites were channels which led to a main canal, which led to the lake.  The campground was very popular because you could park your car on one side of your camp site and your boat on the other.  The campground was popular for another reason.  All of the trees in camp were large and full providing shade and cooling the breezes off the lake.  The trees were full and  healthy because of the ready supply of water provided by the boat channels.

In Psalm one, the God fearing person is described as a “tree planted by the rivers of water”.  There are two lessons that we can gain from this passage.

One is the fact that the trees are “planted”.  They are not there because of the haphazard scattering of seeds by the wind but were purposefully planted.  Regardless of our situation, God has us where He needs us if we belong to Him.  We should be willing to “ blossom where we are planted”, to do all that we can for God where we are this moment.

The second is the fact that the trees are by the “rivers of water”.  The word translated “rivers” speaks of channels or ditches as in irrigation.  Not only has God placed us where He wants us, He also provides all we need to flourish for Him.  Our God of provision has planted and provided for His beautiful orchard.  Let us bear fruit accordingly for Him!

A Race to Run

Hebrews 12:1-3

I want to tell you a story that happened in my life years ago and try to share with you a biblical truth that the Lord will not let me get away from. I remember a certain race I was in as a high school student. I was waiting for them to announce my heat when a man came over and began to talk to me about long distance running. He smiled at me and said, “Do you want to win?” I said, “Sure”. That was silly to ask. He then took his hands and put them on my shoulders, turned me face to face and said to me, “If you really want to win this race you need to listen very carefully to what I am about to say.” I said, “Ok”.
He said first you have to take off anything that will weigh you down or restrict you from running. Your jacket, sweat pants, extra shirts and most definitely those shoes. I thought this guy is a little nuts. It is cold out here and I need to stay warm. The shoes I have are all I have. I told him this and he asked me what size of shoe I wore and he took me to his car and gave me a pair of running shoes. I remember putting them on and was shocked on how light they were. He told me that he would be cheering for me and that he would give me instructions as I ran. I remember going to that starting line and hearing the one runner who was better than me say, “You are going down Bell!” I thought to myself, not today. The gun sounded and I stayed in the middle of the pack. I remember coming around turn three and seeing my new friend. All he said was, “Stay focused!” laps 2 and 3 I heard him say, “You are doing great, stay focused!” Lap 4 came around and I pulled in behind the lead runner. It was the guy who predicted my race of failure. As I made that 3rd turn I heard him say, “You are in great position. Now remember what we agreed to do.” I pulled alongside of him and sure enough he tried to stay out in front. I would drop back. I did this about three or four times.

When I got to lap 6 I could see all kinds of people on the sidelines. They were screaming and waving their arms. Run faster Tim you can do it! What are you waiting for? As I came to my favorite turn, I heard him shout move in front! My mind was saying, he won’t let me but ok, here goes. I began to move around him and the look on this guy’s face when I past him was priceless! Turns one and two I began to pick up the pace even more. The crowds of people were going crazy and my adrenalin was in over drive! I saw my friend in turn three and he shouted, “Now Tim!, Now!, Finish strong boy!” I took off like I had been shot out of a cannon.

I remember crossing that finish line with my hands in the air and people all around me with congratulations for running a great race. I tell you this story because there are so many similarities to this event and Hebrews 12:1-3. We were created to run a race. Each one of us is created in His image and has the ability to run. I speak metaphorically. The lives that we live are the race and the place we run is on this earth. We are told to lay aside the weights that so easily beset us. What are these weights that slow us down? I feel they are sins that are external and internal. The outward sins can be obvious to us. The gossiping tongue, the wondering eye, the weight of pride, these are very much outward weights. Christ tells us that we all struggle with the Lust of the flesh, Lust of the eye and the Pride of Life. Those are the external weights that will hinder us from becoming a successful runner for Christ.

What about the internal sins. How about the weight of bitterness, hatred, foolishness, hypocritical attitudes, the holding of grudges, a non-forgiving spirit, these are sins that can slow us down to a grinding halt. We are to cast these aside like the blind man did with his garment when he came to Christ in Mark 10:50. Get rid of the weight that is holding you back from coming to Christ or running the race for Christ. The apostle says that these sins so easily beset us. In the Greek it means sins which stand around us or the idea that they are clinging to us. He says to cast them aside. Let them go. They are only slowing you down and keeping you from becoming effective for Christ in this race.

He then gives us instructions on how to run this race. Be patient. We might say, “Well I am done. Forget it.” I cannot be patient. Notice it says to run with patience. This is saying to endure. Have endurance as found in James1:12. When we run with endurance we will receive a Crown of Life which the heavenly Father will give us on that day. What should be our focus? We are to look unto Jesus, sitting on the Throne of Glory waiting for us to finish the race strong. He is our author, our leader, our Captain the lover of our souls and He has gone before us as the originator of our faith. It is His example that we are to follow. It is His game plan that we should lay before us. It is found in the word of God. We look to Him. He showed us how to begin a race of life, run the race and finish the race. He is our focus. He is our “perfecter”.

What did Christ do when He ran His race? He endured the cross and despised the shame. He, under great pressure, moved forward. He endured the suffering and agony and the humiliation of the cross. I love that phrase, “the author and finisher of our faith.” Wow, what a statement! He finished the race strong. He conquered death, hell, and the grave. He has dominion over them now. Do you realize that our leader, our captain, our coach if you will, has all the experience that we need to draw from as we run this race that He has set before us?

The title is “A Race to Run”. We all and I do mean all are in this race. Some call it the rat race of life. Well I know that we are in a race and if we are to run effectively, and with a purpose, we are to lay aside the weights that slow us down. We are to patiently run and keep Him as our focus, our Author, our Finisher of our faith.