Father God let this encourage someone not to give up and to move forward in all that they say and do for Your glory today in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
What is cool about walking with God is that we don’t go where we think we are going each day. Each day is a new day full of blessings worth being thankful for. Life happens God’s way.
( Apostle Paul is laser-focused on the race, the goal, and the finish line of his journey of faith.)In the Christian life, we run the race of faith. We don’t strive for the crown that only one can receive. We strive to finish strong in our faith. God makes us all winners when we cross the line.
“Crossing the starting line may be an act of courage, but crossing the finish line is an act of faith. Faith is what keeps us going when nothing else will. Faith is the emotion that will give you victory over your past, the demons in your soul, & all of those voices that tell you what you can & cannot do & can & cannot be.”
{“The finish line is the culmination of a journey. As such, we should never pay it so much attention that the culmination of the journey becomes the whole of the journey at the expense of the journey.” © Craig D. Lounsbrough quote)
Walking in faith is choosing to believe God long before the finish line is in sight. Walking in faith is demonstrating faithfulness to show up and faithfully serve God with what we’ve been given. Trusting that if He is going to work the miracle He will do it using the limited offerings we bring.
It reads in Philippians 3:13-14 NIV Brothers and sisters, 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 me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
We cannot interpret these words to mean that for Paul the past counts for nothing. Rather this is a statement about the overall outlook of Paul’s life. On balance, the future was more important to him, more in his thinking, than the past. The way this is recorded in Scripture, suggests that this should be our outlook too.
It reads in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ~ Do you not know that in a race all the 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 someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
{Let’s Pray}
Father God, I thank You and praise You that I am Your child. I want to live my life the way that You have ordained and run the race that You have set before me. Guide me to press on towards the goal of my calling in Christ Jesus, trusting in Him to overcome every problem, disappointment and challenge I may face. I believe that in the power of Your Holy Spirit I may conduct my Christian life in spirit and in truth. Guide me to exercise self-control and to consider the needs of others before my own. Guide me to endure patiently in the trials of life, life godly in Christ Jesus and run the race that is set before me in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse}
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
Proverbs 6:6
"Only Life Changes" 