My Personal Race--Testimony

I began my race with Christ over 7 years ago. I found myself at the very bottom! I had failed all of the man-made ethics that made me a "good person." The summer of 1997, I found myself with no where to go.

That is where I met Jesus--the real Jesus that loved me. Not the Jesus preached on TV or in a church I once went to. Their Jesus was one of doom and gloom. He JUDGED and HATED sinners. Sinners should feel ashamed of who they were. This Jesus I wanted to stay away from. But the REAL Jesus called me to Him, without all of the dogma of the modern church.

Jesus welcomed me for who I was--an unrepentant sinner. A man lost without hope! Christ opened His arms and said, "Are you ready?" I then began to interact with Him through the Holy Spirit. I accepted Christ--the loving God who is promised in the Bible.

Today, I have a greater understanding of who Christ is in my life. Rather than the initial reactions of ecstasy, I now have an appreciation of how Christ has saved my life and can save others.

Rather than preaching a Christ of judgment, I preach of a Christ of love. A Christ who only judged those who were judging others, the religious leaders who were self-righteous. I pray that I am a leader of love and caring.

I have not yet completely taken hold of Christ's love, but I continue to stride forward daily to see God active in my life.

God Bless,

was

Worship in the Race

Jesus said the greatest commandment was "Love your Lord, your God with all your heart, mind, and soul." In what aspect does this fit in our race today? How do we express our love for God?

Is it during the worship service at your church? I hope this is not considered the expression of love! I see people ignoring the song, going through the "motions," and people who just are not interested.

"Singing is not my thing," is the typical reaction. I think dying on the Cross was not Jesus's thing either but he sacrificed himself for us. I believe that is why in 1 John 4:10 John writes "This is love, not that we love God, but He loved us first and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin."

So, if the worship service is not the primary place to show our love for God, where do we do it?

Questions to ponder:
1. Where do you worship and how does it look?

2. Why is worship such an important part of our Race?

God bless,

was

What is the Race?

I believe the components of the race are discipleship (training), prayer (being coached), fellowship among other Christians (support), worship (expression of our race), and evangelism (the actual game).

Now, if these are the components I have view, what am I failing at? Evangelism. I have not had the passion of other siblings in Christ. I practice, I have support, I am well-trained, and yet I do not seem to ever get involved in the actual game--leading others into a saving relationship with Christ.

As Christians, we are to evaluate our own journey with Christ daily. This is not to compare ourselves to other Christians, but to hold our record to that of Christ. Only then can our true journey and our true weaknesses can be revealed. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31--

"I die every day--I mean that brothers as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord."


Questions to ponder and answer--
1. What are your weaknesses?

2. Where has your journey led you?

3. How do you die daily in Christ?

God Bless,

was

Running the Race--2 Timothy 4:7

"Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7


Paul used the imagery of a race numerous times. Read the scriptures above. Now the question is what is the race you are running? What is the prize in which Christ has called you to obtain?

Ponder and respond...

God Bless

was

What is Perseverance?

Perseverance is the most controversial words today. What does it mean to persevere?


Read James 1 and ponder this thought.

God Bless

was

God's Allotment for Your Life--Joshua 13

I wonder how many blessings from God I have missed because of my own desires. Rather than listening to the Holy Spirit's lead, I go my own way--with work, ministry, coaching, being a husband and so much more. What if I always followed the call of God and completed the task ahead of me? Unfortunately, the previous opportunities have been passed by never to come back again.

Well, I am not alone in the missed blessings. Read Joshua 13 and find out about missed blessings. In verses 9-14. God told Joshua of His plan to give so much land to the Israelites. But, obviously, for the Israelites, when it came down to driving the people of Geshur and Maacah out, they had already "enough" land or the fear they could not win.

That is so much like today's Christians. We don't pray for "little stuff" because it "doesn't matter." When God calls us to do big stuff, we find reasons not to complete the task.

The question for us today is this--1) How many times have we missed blessings of God because of our own desires? (2) How can we not miss future blessings?


God Bless,

was

A Record--Joshua 12

You are frustrated. You have not seen God work in your life lately. What do you do? Give up? That is what Joshua knew would happen to the Israelites, therefore he included this record of victory. God used this chapter to remind the Israelites how far they had come. God had rewarded their obedience.

That is what God wants you to do. When you are rewarded for obedience, write it in a journal. Then, when you are in the desert you can look back and see how God had worked in your life and how God is working now.

Maybe its your turn to start writing a record of God's successes.

God Bless,

was