Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Running the Race


Hebrews 12:1-4 Running the Race David Gunn 6/10/06
Life is a marathon not a 100 yd dash. (Click on David)
Bro Richard & Pam are working, preaching & witnessing, Bro Bo is watching and praying, Bro. David & Kathy are Building / sending mail and Witnessing, Bro Phelps is praying & Laboring in the harvest, Bro Jim and Vicci are doing Surgery and teaching & Praying, Bro Bob & Virginia are Mowing, cooking, cleaning, praying& witnessing. But we are all in a RACE!!! Not a sprint, but a marathon.
The Bible teaches very clearly that life is / a race / a battle / a walk / a journey / -
Some people don't even know that life is a race, so they just stroll through life aimlessly.- some people are in the race but never finish, because they get sidetracked, distracted, disqualified without ever becoming what God intended their life to be. But some are running to win, prepared for the long distance, Focused, and determined. Nevertheless; we are all in a Race for our Lives.
We all know about the Olympics, of course Paul has described our life’s journey with God as a marathon.(1968, Olympics in Mexico) man from Tanzania. Said my country did not send me 7,000 miles around the world just to start in the race, but to finish in it. (Paul said I have finished my course!!) I have kept the faith, I have a Crown.
Are you in the RACE this morning? Have you finished your RACE? If you’re not dead then you haven’t finished the RACE.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, ( Hero’s of Heb 11) 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, focusing on sin doesn't help me get rid of the sin, you get rid of sin by keeping your eye on Jesus and then your not distracted & overcome by it.
Rules of the race. Stay Focused on Jesus. Heb12:1-4 > says
1 - Someone has already successfully won the race, so you can too. (Cloud of whiteness) They are not just observing you; they stand as a faithful witness of God’s grace faithfulness and Sovereignty.
The stress is not on the idea that they observe us, but rather that we look to them as those who set the pace for the endurance in faith for the race. Heb 11: hero’s of faith.
2 - The race is long, lighten your burden. Lay aside weight & sin that besets us (Thwarting) sidetracking us.
Pam, Richard, Jim Vicci when bicycling wears those lightweight tight clothes what do you call them? ha!! The light weight is not for speed, but for endurance.
3 - Run with patience / that says it’s a long run - let us lay aside - let us run with endurance - looking unto Jesus.
The instructions are for a long distance race, not the sprint. In a race, the runners divest themselves of anything which would hinder them. They run to win!!
4
- God has designed the contest and the course. God has set it before us. It his idea, don’t get the idea it all up to you, he started it and he will finish it, and he will sustain you in it.
Heb 12:2 God is the author and the finisher of our faith. Ph 1:6 He that begun a good work will finish it.
1st Corinthians 9:24 says, "You also must run in such a way that you will win. 9:24 says Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, and one receives the prize. So run that you may obtain. Run to win!!! Bro. Richard tells us we are not competing against each other. We have one opponent, we are to run the race, we are to observe the rules, we are to finish, and we are to receive a crown. On the course and in the race there are obstacles.
As a Gideon speaker I’ve spoken to some congregations that was not real friendly. You're looking out there, and you have the sense that almost no one's is with you. They're thinking, "Who is this guy? What is this stuff that he's talking about?" Bo says. I look for a friendly face.
Sometimes there only one, nodding, and agreeing with me. I keep my eyes on them, if I'm going to make it through my Gideon Report. Overcome the obstacles, keep focused, and RUN!!
That's why it's important to keep your eyes on Jesus. He's with you. He's that friendly face. He won't give up on you until he completes the work that he's started in you. He loves you He endured the cross because of what it would accomplish in our lives.
Acts 20:24 Paul said Troubles do not move me because, I do not consider my life dear to myself So that I may finish my course with joy!!! Testifying of the gospel of God’s Grace.
1st Timothy 4:7-8 At the end of Paul's life he said, "The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful, and there’s a Crown. Will we be able to say this as Paul?
I don't know how you're running the race right now. But I do know it's not too late to finish well. I do know it's not too late to get rid of the distractions. Keep your eyes on Jesus the Author & Finisher of your faith. Be not weary in well doing because you will reap IF you faint not!! Amen!!
Go here for Dillard Munsell> http://1amimybrotherskeeper.blogspot.com/
Your brother in Christ, David Gunn

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