Category: Blog

Run the Race Looking Unto Jesus

Hebrews 12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Surrounding us are a cloud of witnesses who will testify to our life.  Those witnesses include our children, our families, our co-workers, our acquaintances, the check out girl at a store, the people at church, and pretty much anyone we come in contact with.  For that reason we are called to lay aside every weight and that sin which doth so easily beset us.  Each of us have an area of sin that lures us away or that presents itself in our lives over and over again.  It generally begins with some emotional need or feeling that attacks from many sides such as loneliness, self-loathing, pride, anger, jealousy, envy, or guilt to name a few.  But, if our true purpose on this earth is to testify to a dying world of Christ, then we must lay aside all these weights and sins by looking unto Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith.  Remember that He endured the cross so that you might be justified, so that His joy in sharing His love, hope and joy with you might be accomplished.  Is there anything encumbering you today that you wish to cling to?  Cast it away so that you might run the race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUcrJqGdPSg

Where Mercy Begins

Psalm 32:

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Psalm 32
[A Psalm of David.] A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.

4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]—then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

6 For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray—pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.

7 You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

8 I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

9 Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.

11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Confession of our sins and failures before God is a vital part of our daily walk with Him.  It is key to our being glad and rejoicing.  When we try to bury our sin or cling tightly to our guilt, we are buried in sorrow.  God has promised to guide us, teach us, and counsel us each step of this journey.  Yet, some of us who know Christ have had to be lead like the bridled mule at some points in our lives.  We may at times hold tight to our sin believing that if we hide it well enough perhaps God won’t notice.  Instead, we become further depressed and frustrated.  God places the tight bridle to prevent us from falling deeper while we struggle and fight against the bit.  Then we suddenly realize that we are the one breaking God’s heart with our insolence–we fall before Him broken, with a contrite heart that only seeks Him.  He wraps His mercy around us and suddenly hope and joy floods our heart with praise and rejoicing.  That is what mercy does for us.  That is His unending grace for our lives. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju447_6gHt4

Find us Faithful

119 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

We are saved by Grace and not works.  Does that fact make us sometimes complacent to the need to strive to live a life that reflects righteousness?  Or do we sometimes want to give up the fight because we seem to fail so often?  Is there some particular area of weakness that you might want to say, "Oh, well, God loves me in spite of my failure to keep all the commandments?"  Do you get plagued by guilt or pride or jealousy or anger?  Love, gratitude, and honor of God should push us every day to pick up the Sword of God’s truth and His word so as to continue to battle against sin in our own lives.  David in his plea to God has given us some key strategies in this battle against sin in our hearts.  One would be to seek Him with our whole heart.  Do you truly see Him as Your greatest treasure?  Do you take the time to talk with Him in prayer every day?  Do you plead before Him with all your heart–"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!"  Can you truly say to God "with my whole heart have I sought thee:O let me not wander from thy commandments." Do you diligently study and seek His word so as to hide it in your heart?  Finally can you stand before Him, praise Him and ask Him to teach you, guide you and to forever allow His righteousness to be lived out in your life.  After all, how can we be a testimony to a world that is lost if we are not willing to battle the sin in our own lives so as to present Christ to them.  May all who come behind us find us faithful.  Below is a beautiful song written by Jon Mohr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zesV09UAytk&feature=related

We’re pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
REPEAT CHORUS
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

He Is Able

2 Timothy 1: 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

From a prison cell and wrapped in chains, Paul has sent this letter to Timothy to encourage him to continue on preaching the word of Christ.  When others reject you because of your stand for Christ, do not fear.  Our purpose is to continue on teaching and preaching His word.   Christ abolished death for the believer.  When we leave this earthly home, we have a home seated with Him.  What suffering is too great for the salvation of one soul?  Stand firm, knowing in whom you have believed.  Do not waver or compromise the truth of the Gospel for anyone.  Christ is the one who will hold you up when all else crumbles around you. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxviwvjyg1w&feature=g-vrec

Fear Not

Isaiah 41: 9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Chosen by God and not cast away.  He has chosen us.  Let that sink in. I have been chosen to serve Him. Certainly, I was not chosen for any particular strength of my own.  He recognizes that those who can glory in their own intelligence, power, and righteousness can never recognize their need of Him. Their own vain pride blinds them to His Glory.  He chooses the weak and the foolish.  He then proclaims:  "FEAR NOT, FOR I (THE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH) AM WITH YOU.  There is nothing and no one that we should fear.  God in His omnipotence is with us to face whatever trial we confront.  BE NOT DISMAYED; FOR I AM THY GOD.  He is our provider.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. His resources are endless. He created everything and reigns over the earth.  Let His voice reign eternal with His joy overflowing in our hearts.  He is a joyous God with Love overflowing.  I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA I WILL HELP THEE.  These human bodies fail sometimes.  We become tired.  These last few years I have begun to feel the strain of all the illnesses I have battled and the effects of all the years of working long hours.  I become fatigued quickly; yet, the strength to continue the strenuous hours that I work–that strength comes from God, Himself.  All of that I find amazing. But the most amazing truth is that He has promised, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.  His righteousness is stretched forth holding me.  Just like a father whose hand stretched forth prevents his toddler from falling or from running out into the dangerous traffic, God is holding me steady with His righteous right hand. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noIqO2sS9W0&feature=g-all-lik