Anyone who has ever run a marathon knows that it is a grueling race. You don't wake in the morning and say, "Oh the Boston Marathon is today, I think I'll run it." No, in order to run a marathon one must train and prepare physically and mentally for the race. Endurance is required and must be developed in order to successfully finish a marathon . The marathoner commits to rigorous training, changing habits, diets and routines to prepare for race day. Life is sometimes described as a race in the Bible. ...let us run with patience the race that is set before us...(Heb 12:1b). I have fought a good fight, I finished my course - IITim4:7; Ye did run well...(Gal 5:7a). Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain -I Cor 9:24. This race of life is not a sprint but rather a grueling marathon.The race is not to the swift (Ec 9:11). Hebrews 10:36 makes it clear: For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise. ' The word patience in that verse means hopeful endurance. Just like the marathon runner prepares for the race and commits to rigorous training to develop the necessary endurance, we have be spiritually prepared for the race of life if we are going to finish well. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible - I Cor 9:24-25. Our training involves spending consistent time in the Word, praying, worshipping God with other believers, and being instructed in the Word of God. Our daily diets must change, feeding on the word day and night. These practices strengthen our spiritual muscles. In addition to our plan, God has a training plan called tribulation and testing that we must go through so that endurance can be developed in our lives. Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience, and experience hope. God allows trouble to come into our lives so that we learn how to depend upon Him and persevere through difficulty. We endure hardship, experiencing the faithfulness of God, and His strengthening power; while He develops character and endurance in us. James 1:2-4: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience, but let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Every time we are faced with irritations, difficult bosses and people, God does not want us to run away from the situation; instead, we are to let patience finish her workout because these tests are developing our ability to endure, so that we can finish our course. Life requires perseverance because there are some rough stretches on our course... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33b). Now thanks be unto to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ (II Cor 2:14a)! Time to train! preparing for the race, Diane P.S. Examine your training routine. Are you practicing reading His word? Do you need to incorporate more time praying? How about worship? Does your diet need to change? Do you find yourself feeding on social media and entertainment more than the word? I am so glad we are still on our way to becoming the people of God that He has called us to be, created for His glory. We are all a work in progress (Being confident of this very thing , that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ - Phil 2:6). Sometimes, however, along the way we lose perspective, making choices, allowing things and personal pursuits to hinder our efforts to live out our divine purpose. We have to be reminded: we didn't choose the Lord, He chose us. We were chosen by Him for divine and eternal purposes, not for our own agenda ( Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain - St. John 15:16) and (According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love - Eph 1:4). God has not only chosen us but He has set us apart, and continues to set us apart from the mundane, the ordinary and temporary things that have been consuming us in order to produce through us things that have eternal value. Because He has ordained us to bear fruit, we should not be surprised when frustration with the material life sets in, or when the voids and vacuums in our lives can't seemed to be filled by the very things we have pursued. He is in the process of chiseling us, crafting us into vessels fit for His use (But now O Lord, thou art our Father, we are the clay, and thou our Potter, and we are the work of thy hand - Is 64:8). When the chiseling gets uncomfortable, and it will get uncomfortable as God uses difficulty to build character into our lives, just know that we are in the hands of The Divine Artist who is in the process of creating masterpieces to portray His glory (For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them - Eph 2:10) and ( He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold - Job 23:10). We have been chosen for this journey. We will be chiseled through our circumstances. We are being crafting into masterpieces - portraits of His glory. On our way together, Diane p.s. this week spend some time meditating on St. John 15:16 and consider the implications this verse has on your life. Being chiseled? Be encouraged, the Divine Artist is creating a masterpiece, and you shall come forth as gold! Our journey continues. I hope by now you have become quite comfortable calling on the name of Jesus. We get comfortable through practice; our confidence, however, develops by reading and meditating upon the Word of God (So then faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word of God - Rom 10:17). Last week we focused on getting comfortable, this week we will work on our confidence. Here are three reasons we should be confident when we call on the name of Jesus. The first reason we should have confidence is because He pays attention to our cry. (I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live - Ps 116: 1-2). When we call on the name of the Lord He inclines his ear - bends His ear toward us. When you call, imagine the Lord telling the angels in heaven to quiet their praise, as he leans forward and bends the tip of His ear so that He can hear your cry - Hush somebody is calling my name. Another reason we should confidently call upon the name of the Lord is because there is protection in His Name. (The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it, and is safe - Pr 18:10). His name provides the protection of a strong impenetrable tower so that in the midst of danger, defeat or temptation when we call on the name of Jesus we become out of reach to whatever is chasing us. Whether we are being chased by foe or our own fears, calling on the Name of Jesus prevents them from overtaking us. When you need protection and you call upon the name of the Lord , see yourself being elevated to the top of a tower and looking down at whatever is chasing you as it stands at the foot of the tower without any means to get to you. A third reason to have confidence when we call upon the name of the Lord is because there is provision in His name (Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth - Ps 124:8). He is indeed Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides himself. All that we need is in the name of the Lord. When we call on the name of Jesus He shows up with everything He is: power, wisdom, truth, deliverance, strength, mercy, grace, comfort, hope ... So when we call upon His name this week: let's be confident that is He paying attention to our cry (inclining His ear toward us), He will protect us (His name is a strong tower) and He will provide what we need (our help is in His name). your travel partner, diane p.s. I said it last week and I will say it again #Say the Name ! Enjoying the journey? Invite a friend to join you. Just joining us, read previous post to catch up. Subscribing helps you keep pace. Distraction, discouragement and doubt meets us all at some point along the way. Although we have not turned back, we certainly have been tempted at times to give up. Remember we are on this journey not just to make it in, but rather to live out the purpose for which we were created (just for His glory) and to experience the abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). The enemy's job ( and we do have a spiritual enemy - named Satan) is to discourage our faith, rob us of our joy and to destroy our testimony. That's why we must keep our focus (...and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith - Heb 12:1b-2a). We are encouraged to remain determined to keep going even when we feel like giving up. Yes this faith journey, and specifically the track we have chosen is demanding, and may seem impossible, that's why we must keep looking to Jesus. Our eyes must be fixed on Him (I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth - Ps 121:1-2). The moment we take our eyes off of Him and begin to focus on our feelings we are destined for trouble. If we are truly going to live for His glory, our faith in who He is and what He is able to do in us, for us and through us must supersede our feelings. This kind of faith is radical yet practical. It's the kind of faith that requires us to fix our eyes on Jesus and challenges us to stop operating based upon how we feel or what we think; instead, we are challenged to respond to life's situations based upon His promises and His principles (Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thine ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths - Pro 3:5-6). In other words, we no longer say or do things just because we feel some kind of way, but we look to Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith for His wisdom, His perspective, His way and His words. Did I mention that this journey gets difficult and would challenge us to change? Will you stay the course? I pray you will. How can we keep our eyes fixed on Him even in the midst of difficulty? We have to learn to call on His name. Truly there is power in the name of Jesus so say the name! Get comfortable calling on His name. When you are confronted with drama, anxious about anything, frustrated with everything, or irritated about something, fix your eyes on Him and say the name. Traveling with you, Diane P.S. practice calling on His name this week when you are faced with difficulty, frustration, or irritation before you react. #Say the Name Just joining us? Check previous posts to catch up, and if you have not done so already, please subscribe to keep pace. Yes, every journey does have a beginning. My journey began with a conversion experience at the age of 14, followed by an almost immediate deviation from the straight and narrow. Our spiritual journey begins when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior (If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved - Rom 10:9). I chose to travel down the road of rebellion instead of the path of righteousness during my teenage and early young adult life. Except for the deep ache in my heart that I would feel when I was not under the influence, there was very little evidence of my salvation. (But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us... Eph 2:4.) Because of His grace, love and mercy the Lord began to draw me back to Himself. When the Lord begins to call you to Himself, nothing will be able to sedate you or satisfy the ache in your heart for purpose in your life. I don't know your story, but I wholeheartedly believe that you are on this site, not by accident, but rather by divine appointment. This journey is not about religion, but relationship. The Lord is calling us, and continues to call us into a deeper relationship. A relationship with a real and Almighty Awesome God, who loves us with HUGE love (...that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God - Eph 3:17 -18.) So my prayer for us is that we will get delivered from religion, with all of its rituals and things done out of mere habit or just because that's what we were raised to do; and instead, ushered into intimate relationship where we begin to experience the HUGE love of Christ. I pray also that we will learn how to love Him back (Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment - Matthew 22:37-38). And so, our journey continues as we learn to: live out our purpose, experience His love and love Him back with passion. Until the next time, Diane P.S. Imagine how our relationship would change if we began to see the Word of God as a love letter instead of a rule book. If you would like to receive a personalized love letter written from the Word of God (and it is a personal relationship) send a request from the contact page, put love letter request in comment block. |
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