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"The
Challenges Of
The Race"
Message summary: The providential hard times in the race are ultimately a part of God’s disciplinary work in our lives.
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"They (Paul
and Barnabas)
preached the
good news in
that city
(Derbe) and
won a large
number of
disciples.
Then they
returned to
Lystra,
Iconium and
Antioch,
strengthening
the disciples
and
encouraging
them to remain
true to the
faith. 'We
must go
through many
hardships to
enter the
kingdom of
God,' they
said" (Acts
14:21,22).
This
week we are
looking at
lessons we can
learn from
"running the
race" since in
several
instances the
Bible
describes the
Christian life
as running a
race. As we
run the race
for Christ
sometimes
everything
seems to be
going great;
runners
describe this
by using the
terms, “having
the wind” or
being “in
pace”.
But at other
times the race
is really
tough. It may
have lots of
hurdles. It
may be like
the famed
“heartbreak
hill” in the
Boston
Marathon.
These providentially
hard times are
ultimately a
part of God’s
disciplinary
work in our
lives. We will
groan in
despair if our
emotions and
focus are
solely fixed
upon our
painful
discipline.
Instead we
must, through
eyes of faith,
look ahead to
the “harvest
of
righteousness
and peace”
that are a
result of our
unshakable
walk with God
in the
shakable
events of
life.
In
today's Bible
text Paul,
along with
Barnabas, are
on their first
missionary
journey
returning to
some of the
cities where
they had
earlier
established
churches.
Their basic
purpose in
returning to
these young
churches is
summed up in
this phrase: "strengthening
the disciples
and
encouraging
them to remain
true to the
faith"
(Acts 14:22a).
But Luke sums
up the essence
of their
verbal message
in a single
phrase, "We
must go
through many
hardships to
enter the
kingdom of
God" (Acts
14:22b). This
portion bears
careful
attention in
an age when
the call to
follow Christ
is often
presented to
unbelievers as
"simple" or
"easy". Most
all of us
would be
hesitant to
share the
above verse
with those we
are seeking to
lead to
Christ!
Notice the
part, "you
must go
through".
This hard
reality seems
to be an
acknowledgement
that in life
this is no
race free of
hurdles.
Testings of
all kinds are
present from
our childhood
to our final
breath.
Thankfully,
during our
times of
hardship, we
can "approach
the throne of
grace with
confidence, so
that we may
receive mercy
and find grace
to help us in
our time of
need"
(Hebrews
4:16).
Some of you
today are
dealing with
hurdles and
wonder how the
particular
troubling
matter is
going to work
out. We must
remember the
timeless
message to the
early
believers in
Lystra,
Iconium and
Antioch. Like
the Apostle
Paul, we seek
to provide
teaching for
you, Christ's
followers in
our own
generation,
seeking to
strengthen you
and
encouraging
you to remain
true to the
faith as, "we
must go
through many
hardships to
enter the
kingdom of
God".
I choose Christ when everything around me says give up
I choose faith, I choose to trust
to believe He is good,
He'll come through like He said He would
every time, oh I choose Christ.
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, the
spiritual race
may have its
twists and
turns, its
potholes and
inclines that
obscure the
finish line,
but by faith I
will stay the
course because
You give me
power when I
feel faint and
uplift me with
strength when
I am
weak.
You do not
grow weary or
faint; Your
understanding
is vast beyond
measure and
Your might
gives me
strength when
I grow weary
and hope when
I am
discouraged
helping me to
rise as though
I have wings
as eagles.
Help me to
soar above the
hurdles along
life's
congested
highway and
give flight to
those worries
that would
otherwise
weigh me down.
I ask this in
the name of
Jesus. Amen.
This
week our
series will be
on lessons on
running life's
race:
Monday:
"The
Start Of The
Race"
"The Start Of
The Race" Tuesday:
"The
Steadiness Of
The Race"
Wednesday:
"The
Challenges Of
The Race"
Thursday: "The
Co-Runners In
The Race"
Friday: "The
Finish Of The
Race"
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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