RUNNING WITH ENDURANCE
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.” John 12:24
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
You can tell the size of a Christian by what it takes to stop him. Hebrews 12:1 says we are to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” And this word “patience” is not used in the sense that we use the word. It literally means “endurance.”
Everybody knows that a runner is going to win or lose primarily by his endurance. You cannot quit. When it hurts, you cannot quit. When your lungs are on fire, you cannot quit. When your feet feel like lead, you cannot quit. When your sides ache, you cannot quit! You’ll never be a spiritual athlete if you’re a quitter! No pain. No gain.
ACTION POINT:
His power will enable you to run the race and gain the victor’s crown! —LWF.org
What is God’s plan for you? He wants to enlarge you, not indulge you. God is not so interested in making you happy and healthy as He is in making you holy. And so God will allow troubles to make you more like Christ.
Think about the times when you have grown the most. It is when your friend “Trouble” came along. I have grown the most in my own life in times of deepest despair
Hard Mercy
Our world is full of paradoxical truths. Ever notice that being “soft” is actually hard? That it takes toughness to be gentle? That is takes strength to forgive others?
Maskepetoon, a powerful Cree Indian chief, was considered a brutal military genius. But eventually, he became a Christian. The chief was fascinated by the idea of Jesus forgiving His killers as He was being crucified.
One evening, a missionary told Maskepetoon that a former murderer wanted to shake his hand. The chief saw the man, an enemy Blackfoot. He became very tense, but accepted the handshake. Later, he explained, “That was the man who killed my son. For many years I have dreamed of killing him and drinking his blood.” He lowered his head and furiously wept onto the neck of his horse. It took all the strength within him to restrain himself from the vengeance his family had taught for generations.
On another occasion his father’s murderer was brought before him. Instead of taking revenge he gave him his best horse and his most richly decorated clothes. Then he said, “You must now become a father to me. Wear my clothes, ride my horse. Tell your people that this is the way Maskepetoon takes revenge.”
How do we know that genuine strength is found in mercy? We know it because our God is both all-powerful and merciful, at the same time. When we forgive others, it is then that we glorify Him the most.
Take inventory of the people in your life - even those from the past. Who do you need to forgive? Now chose to do the hard thing - allow God’s mercy to flow through you to others. It may be one of the hardest things you have ever done, but it will set you free.
Because God is merciful, pass on His mercy to others.
Discovergod.com
When Jesus came out of that grave, we came out with Him and we have been raised to walk in newness of life.
Are you walking around in the grave clothes of your old life? Shed them, my friend! Jesus came to give you new life! Believe that you are now a new creation in Christ
The Christian Life
6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:6a (NIV)
“The life of a Christian is meant to be a busy and productive life. We are each called to use the gifts we are given to uplift Jesus Christ and help others find the path to His kingdom.
The sooner we come to realize our purpose as a Christian, the more productive, happy and beneficial our lives will be.
Our God given gift may not be the talent that directly leads someone to Christ but the supportive role of the clerk, treasurer, custodian, tract mailer or prayer warrior is of no less importance.
Each individual person possesses a special gift or gifts. Are you using your gift(s) to glorify God? The most content person you will ever see is the Christian who is busy for the cause of Christ.”
-Unknown
Dear Brother,
I wanted to write you to tell you about something that happened to me. Since becoming a centurion I’ve overseen my share of crucifixions, but the one I saw last week has left a real impact on me. We had three men to crucify: two robbers and one guy claiming to be some kind of king, or god. You know, at first I thought he was just some sort of a quack like they all are, but later I learned different.
As we walked toward Golgotha, people were swearing at him and hitting him but he never got mad. Get this, he kept asking his father to forgive them! Can you believe that? I didn’t see anyone in the crowd I thought could be his father. That was when I heard someone call him by name; his name was Jesus.
Anyway, after we got them hung on the crosses, one of the thieves kept swearing at him. The other thief rebuked him and told him they deserved their punishment but not this Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus of Nazareth, have you ever heard of him? Anyway, the other thief said that Jesus had done nothing wrong and asked him to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Then, to my astonishment, Jesus told the thief that he would be with him today in Paradise. That’s right, Paradise!
Well, it was around lunchtime and the sky began to get really dark. It was really weird. It was so dark it looked almost like night. Man what a creepy darkness. It seemed almost like nature itself began to weep. Even the birds sat in eerie silence. You know, I stood there and listened as this Jesus was talking to his father from the cross. He felt as though he had been forsaken, how everyone hated him and how heavy the burden of everyone’s sin was. This guy was really suffering but he seemed to be suffering for someone else. It didn’t seem like he was grieving over his own pain. People continued to hurl insults at him, but he just looked at them with a look of love and disappointment, not a look of anger.
Then I heard him cry out and say “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” Then it happened- his head dropped and he died. It was then I realized that this wasn’t just a man; He was Jesus Christ, the Son of God! I began to weep and tell everyone around me how surely this was the Son of God! THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD! What have we done? We just killed the Innocent Lamb! I heard right after that the temple veil tore from top to bottom as if to be symbolic of something, as though we now have direct access to God through the Lamb.
He was taken down from the cross and buried in a tomb where no person had been buried before. It is here that the story goes from amazing to glorious. Three days after the crucifixion His body has disappeared. That’s right, it’s gone. Many of His followers say He has appeared to them. That’s right brother, he was resurrected from the dead! ALIVE!
I’ve met up with some of His followers and they say He wants them to spread the word of this story and that is what I’m writing you about. Please share this letter with the rest of our family. Tell them we can receive the free gift of eternal life with Jesus if we just believe in Him and in this story I’ve just told you. Just like the thief on the cross, we too can be with Jesus in Paradise. All we have to do is repent of our sins and believe. It’s that simple!!!
I’m going to join up with some of the other believers and start spreading the word. We’re all calling this story “The Gospel.” It means “good news.” It wasn’t good that the Innocent Lamb died but it is good that through Him, we can receive eternal life, and brother, that is the best news anyone can ever be told!! I hope to meet up with you soon, and I hope you will join me on my quest to spread the GOSPEL!
Love,
Your Brother
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory." Isaiah 6:3
