1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 10:38, 12:2, 11:26-27
We are walking in today: On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. What to run?! The race, marked out for us! It is the race that others have run. It is the race that He has marked out for us. It is the same race, the race of faith--a life of radical obedience, God rooted in a deep trust that all that is in His heart for us, is good. It is a life of radical obedience because all of our suspicions of God have been overcome by the gospel race, but each of us has a different course. He has ordained this course for you. This race of faith meant some experienced the sword fail and some experience the sword fall. Your course, your story is going to be different from others. How to run? With endurance. This race is not going to be an easy one. Long obedience in the same direction. Faith is not a phase or fad, but an unbending course of life. Endurance is the theme of this book. It is the evidence, of genuine faith--you will not inherit the promise of eternal life, without it. Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. We are saved by grace through faith, but that the faith that saves us is a preserving faith, only those who preserve in faithful love and loyalty to Jesus will be saved in the end. On your mark, get set, go! So stay the course, your soul and eternity is riding on this! This means you have to run with intentional focus! Not the lazy or flippant--we can't dabble in the things of God or take a casual approach to Jesus. Run with the intent of finishing your race well. Can you envision your life in 30 years from now!? Continuing on being faithful to Jesus, serving His purposes, loving His people? If you are going to run well, and finish--laying aside every weight, stripping away anything that would hinder and hold you back. The Greeks would typically compete in races naked, to reduce the resistance down to zero. This stripping away of the clothing was to increase the ability of the runner to run the race. We must do the same, removing the things that would distract or entangle us. Sin is something that can and could do both. We don't want to run this race with something clinging to us, slowing us down or distracting us from the goal. The things that can cling to us, that could be a hindrance to completing the race. We must rid our lives of the things that would cripple us in this race--sin, lust, greed, lies, pride, etc. Small things that overcome us and remove us from the race. The call is to eradicate these things before, they eliminate you. Be done with them, before they do you in! Jesus said if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off. Wait, but some things are not sin! But they are a distraction. They can weigh us down, things that are not sinful but can be excessive. That take up too much space and time--pushing Jesus to the borders and margins of our thinking, thoughts and feelings. This should not be so, Jesus is primary and central to our success! He is why we are able to come to the Father, because we are washed in His sinless, perfect blood. Fiveamprayer, we have to rid ourselves of distractions. Looking to Jesus continually, to direct our attention to Him to the exclusion of everything else. Consider Jesus, give careful thought and reflection towards Him. Think about Him, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith! He is the Founder because He is the trailblazer, He has set the course for us. The one who has run this race perfectly. He is the Perfecter, because He is the one who finishes our faith. In other words the one who brought us into this race, blazed the trail to follow and helps and strengthens us. Stay the course and finish it. He is our Hope, endured on the cross for us. He is our Hero, He is the ultimate example of faith. He wanted God's will over everything! Hebrews 12:2 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. Fiveamprayer this is for the joy set before us! On your mark, get set, go! There is a prize at the end of the race, exalted at the Father's right hand. The problem is that we live in a culture that exalts the visible and immediate and has killed it's capacity to imagine and dream about what is unseen and future. Hebrews11:26-27(KJV) 26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Look at this scripture in the Amplified--26) He considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense). 27) [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.
This has been a week, God told us on Monday that we will see, on Tuesday, 2012 the year of glory, Wednesday, that we are moving forward, Thursday, there is a mark or goal. Then today we have the weekend meditation--on your mark, get set, go! Come on and move toward your promises, move into this new year! Forget the things that are behind, press toward the mark of the high calling of Jesus Christ. You better get up and know that the race is not given to the swift. Hold on fiveamprayer! Hold to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith! We are to run the race, which is not given to the swift--endure fiveamprayer until the end! Run the race with patience, running toward the mark set before you. No matter what you are faced with into 2012, face it with a new mind--revelation, manifestation and we will see all that God has promised us! On Your mark, get set go! Hold on to the prize--press towards the mark! We have an Author and Finisher of our faith. We know that faith without works is dead. Walk out on faith, we have an anchor for our souls. Move forward--we will see His grace and mercy. We will see that we are more than overcomers--we will stay the course! Stay in the race, fiveamprayer! Give Him glory! Give Him praise! We lift up fiveamprayer, God is telling us to finish the race, finish the course. The race is not given to the swift, but to he that endures until the end. We lift up prayer requests, those known and unknown. Have them to know Lord that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith! There is nothing too hard for Him, He can do above what we could ask or think! We come to repent this morning. We must put all of those distractions away and place Jesus back in the center of our lives where He belongs! We are asking for forgiveness, Lord. Teach us to forgive, to totally let go of unforgiveness.
We seal this prayer in His precious blood: We know we will see your glory! That You have already blessed us and enlarged our coast. You have kept us from evil that we are not grieved. On your mark, get set--go!
Welcome to the overflow...
He has granted us every request. Keep running! It is sealed in His blood! Thank You God! You gotta keep on running in this race. This is not the time to throw in the towel. God is more than able--run with patience. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith! Press towards the mark--God is doing a new thing, in a new year! Get ready, set, go! We are to take off after Jesus! We have a Father that has gone ahead of us, making the crooked straight. Fight the good fight of faith, keep on running for Jesus! The more that you run, the more power that He gives. It is the Lord that strengthens us day by day. Don't sit down in the middle of the race. Keep moving and pressing towards the mark--stay the course. Get up this morning and tell God, "I got my running shoes on!" He has given us power to run all over the enemy! The enemy is under our feet! Keep on running, fiveamprayer!! Seek Him first and all these things shall be added unto you. Don't worry, keep on running. Jesus endured the cross and came to give us everlasting life! Run the race. Don't get tired. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. What are you running for?! Jesus! He is the prize!! The true treasure, hidden in plain sight! Seek Him while He may be found! There is nothing to go back to, press forward!! He has given us power in 2012. We have been expecting God to do something for you--endure, be patient, keep running fiveamprayer! We have been running for Jesus and are not tired yet! God has given us all power and authority! On your mark, get set--go! He knows the end from the beginning. Run the race, run it all! Don't give up, the devil wants you to give up, he is a liar! On your mark, get set, go! He knows the end from the beginning the beginning from the end. Put on your running shoes, tell everyone you meet that you are running for Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith! Run in this weekend meditation! Run into church on Sunday and tell someone you are pressing toward the mark of the high calling of Christ Jesus! Visit us on facebook. Take some time out to read the scriptures for yourself! Have a supernatural weekend. On your mark, get set--GO!
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