You Have a Race to Finish

You Have a Race to Finish 

by David Brenneman 

‭"And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:22-24

Today I wrapped up a devotional based on a book by Dr. David Jeremiah's "World of the End". 

Taking on the challenges involved with a race requires a lot of commitment. Receiving Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord requires a commitment on your part. He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. His commitment to you is that right there. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them. Get the gist yet?

You, my Dear Reader, are in the race already. Question is are you taking your commitment in this race seriously enough?  

Does learning from the Spirit mean something to you?

Does growing in Christ mean anything to you?

Are the things of God that important to you?

Are you considering the weight of the things of this world as too much and you've stopped running?

Jesus said that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus are going to be persecuted. Persecutions are the hills, mountains, valleys, creeks, rivers, lakes, to go through on our race towards the prize only presented in Heaven by Jesus. 

We are exhorted to run this race as one who wants to win the prize in 1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."

Are you giving your best, your absolute best towards your portion of this race that you are in?  

Paul goes on to talk about how the runner of the race only runs with the bare minimum as far as clothing. Not letting anyone or anything slow him down. 

We made a promise when we came to Christ for salvation to give our best, our very best, to God. Putting off the old self and it's practices, putting on the new self in Christ Jesus.

Take a good look at where you are in your life. Are you truly giving your best, your very best, no excuses best to your Master, Savior and Lord? 

Would you receive a "Well done!" from Jesus?  

All too often we all, myself included, are way too distracted by the world. We get caught up in things because we have a very very crafty adversary in the Devil and his minions. We are among generations of people who have no idea how much of their lives are being influenced by the god of this world. They are in denial of the effects of sin and sinful practices in their lives and the lives of those around them.  

Giving up is what is the god of this world wants Believers to do. Stay out of the race. Start walking rather than running. Be absorbed by distractions. Redefining identities and redefining what the Bible says is sin so that Believers are actually participating in the deeds of darkness. Getting Believers to worship idols by simply redefining what constitutes idolatry. Getting Believers to embrace sinful practices willingly simply by getting them to embrace the idea that God will forgive them anyway.  

Sin is what put Jesus Christ on the cross. Keep God's definition of sin, not redefining it to make your conscience feel better. 

You have a race to run. 

You are in it until either Jesus returns or He calls you home. 

Shed the things of this world that are slowing you down. Regardless of whatever they are.  

Get back in the race. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.