Archives for January 2015

Jan 31, 2015

MY FRIENDS, GOD’S PROMISES ARE ASSURED, WHAT ABOUT OUR PROMISES TO HIM?

“God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19 (KJV)

My friends have you noticed, we have no problem breaking our promises to God, Lord not my will but thou will be done, Lord I’m going to pay a faithful tithe, Lord if you just heal me or get me through this storm then I am yours until I die.

And the list goes on and these are promises we initiated, God did not force you to make them, like Ananias and Sapphira Peter tells Ananias “While it remained unsold (speaking of the land they had promised to give God all of the proceeds from once it was sold), did it not remain your own?

And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” In other words you made the promise to God no one force you to do this and with that deception, Him and his wife paid with their life.

My friends, what is so amazing, our favorite statement is; well God said He will never leave or forsake me, I can’t understand why this mountain is so hard to climb or this storm is still in my life. My friends where I need you to focus at today is our relationship with God cannot be a one sided relationship.

We have no problem breaking our promises to God not realizing, because of God’s love He does “let the sun shine and the rain to fall on us” each day like everyone else and it is God Himself who has made it personal as He wipes our tears away as He brings each of us safely through the trials and storms in our life.

In addition every problem, and troubling situation we as Christians face in this sinful world, He takes us through because of His promises in His word. Yes the Lord is our shepherd and His children shall never want.

He makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside quiet waters as He restores our soul; He also guides His faithful in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. And at times when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we need not fear any evil, for our God is always with us.

His rod and staff, they are our comfort. and then at the end of the day, He prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies; as He anoints our head with oil; which indicates we are His. In addition our cup overflows, with His love grace and mercy.

And that is why I will personally follow Him all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, even throughout the ceaseless of eternity.” Ps. 23 (Paraphrased)

But we must also remember trials sometimes are allowed by God who has a specific purpose, or reason far greater than what appears to be happening as we face the storms of life. My friends It is God personally that guides the process of transforming our character into the likeness of Christ.

Our faith is being tested each and every day, But we must remember “God is not a man, that he should lie” if he says it he will do it and if he speaks it, he will make it good.” And my friends the same must go for us, as we say not our will but God’s will be done, we are telling God we will do whatever you want, because we said it and if we speak it, we will make it good.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 30, 2015

MY FRIENDS, YOU ARE AT THE CROSSROADS, “SO CHOOSE YE THIS DAY”!!

At this moment, there are many of us who stand at the crossroads of life, where each of our situations and circumstances require a choice that takes us down a path that we either want to go down, or we have some reservations about the timing of making such a choice.

Do I go to college or take my chances in The Armed forces, do I get married or should I wait. But today as vessels, chosen by God, we are going to use our crossroads as a critical point in each of our lives as Christ second coming in our lifetime is becoming more of a reality than ever before.

Many of our decisions from day to day are trivial and irrelevant, but some are life-changing, but The most critical decision we will ever make in this short period of probation we have on this earth is our relationship with Christ, because such a life changing decision determines our eternal destiny.

In addition, it is when we get to that crossroad, Christ personally through His Spirit bids us to follow Him, while at the same crossroad, the god of this world and his forces are also making their presentation “All this I will give you,’ …’if you will follow me.”

So today you have two roads, one leading to our Savior Jesus Christ and life eternal and the other is leading toward “Babylon the great! a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.”

In addition, choosing our Savior can be personally painful and difficult at times, because to choose Christ means making a sacrifice that changes our lives completely as we begin to confront ungodly attitudes, carnal living, and selfish motives from within that we must eliminate from our life.

In addition, “it keeps our minds focused on things above and not on things of this earth” Col 3:2 (ISV) Also, the secret of making the right choice is to always have a close and personal relationship with God, any other attempts to do otherwise will only amount to us making a decision that is not in accordance to God’s will.

Let’s take the rich young ruler in Matt 19 who had everything any human could possibly want but when he got to his crossroad and Christ tells him “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

He made the choice, not today because “he had great possessions.” Matt 19:21-22 (NKJV) also he had a form of godliness but denied the presence of God, who was the one who stood before him and made the request.

My friends “the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)

On the outside the rich young ruler was a perfect Christian who kept all the commandments. But one he failed to keep, the first one, thou “shall have no other Gods before me, because he had made the things of this world his god.

Friends, the main point I would like  you to focus on today is the love and mercy of Christ in reaching as far as he did to pull us to Him when we were sinking deep in sin to bring us to our crossroad which allowed us to focus on God’s saving grace and the promises in His Word as we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,”

As we follow Christ down that narrow road, and if we have faith and endure till the end.” We will “experience life more abundantly and when Christ comes He will say “Well done, good and faithful servant! You choose the right road that lead to life eternal; I will now put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matt. 25:23 (NIV)

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

July 29, 2014

MY FRIENDS, THE BATTLE RAGES OWN, WILL YOU BE A CONQUEROR?

My friends the power of Satan to control our actions once his rhetoric overwhelms us into focusing our attention on the things of this world instead of Christ and His precepts of  love. In other words, the god of this world convinces us like Eve to try this, watch that, go here, “You surely will not die!

For God knows that in the day you [begin to enjoy the world that I control] your eyes will be opened, and you will be wise, knowing good and evil.” And once we cross that line we then convince ourselves, it is all good. Blinded by the fact that Satan’s “way appears to be right, but in the end it only leads to death.” Prov. 14:12 (KJV)

Dr. Ralph Sockman writes about an experience he had while standing on the edge of Niagara Falls one clear, cold March day. Wrapped in white winter garments, the falls glistened in the bright sun. As some birds swooped down to snatch a drink from the clear water.

Sockman’s companion told how he had seen birds carried over the edge of the precipice. As they dipped down for a drink, tiny droplets of ice would form on their wings. As they returned for additional drinks more ice would weigh down their bodies until they couldn’t rise above the cascading waters.

Flapping their wings, the birds would suddenly drop over the falls into the abyss. And that my friends is an example of the seduction of sin. A droplet here a droplet there until dreams are lost and lives are destroyed for “The wages of sin is death.”

In addition, the more we sin the more we become immune to the bidding of the Holy Spirit who “will guide you into all truth.” But my friends, If we would only seek the presence of our God daily through His word and stay in heartfelt prayer, our faith is then constantly being sharpened as a sword that will equip us for each and every battle we will face.

But we are not along, Christ is always at our side against  the forces of evil. consistent with this, we must also remember, our victory over every sin that we have to face was conquered at the cross and there is nothing that can destroy the faithful Christian who has put his entire faith in Jesus Christ and him Crucified.

Paul says it best in Romans 8:35-37 (KJV) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” The truth is that the strength to endure every painful trial lay’s in our total dependence on Christ. If our eyes were opened to view the spiritual battle that is raging each day for our soul’s we would also see the army of the living God totally surrounding and protecting His faithful children with weapons outstretched in our defense.

But it is our choice and our Salvation to seek God’s protecting hand where our hope of victory will be secure if we are faithful and endure. My friends, God is an own time God who will never “leave or forsake us.” Remember it was God who said, “Let there be light;” and there was light. And it was God who saw that the light was good; and it was God who separated the light from the darkness.”

And my friends it is God who will separate the darkness out of our life as He lets the light of His love grace and mercy shine throughout, not only today, and tomorrow, but throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, if we believe.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 28, 2015

MY FRIENDS, “IF WE CAN HELP SOMEONE ALONG THE WAY” WOULD YOU?

Today, let’s focus on the talents and resources God has blessed each of us to acquire throughout our life, as we ask the good Shepherd where among his flock can we make a difference? In addition, How can we get you to brag on us and say “Hast thou considered my faithful Children?

There is none like them in all the earth, blameless, upright men, and women, who feareth God, and shuns evil and because they love as I, they indeed bear fruit and yield in my vineyard, in some cases a hundredfold, in others sixty, and in others thirty, but no matter the number, they all have gotten up and gone out to serve.

A quote from Colin Powell, tells us “the quickest way to kill communication whether leading soldiers or running the state department is to park yourself behind a massive desk” My friends we will never be able to help one of God’s Children, if we are sitting at home in front of our TV.

The Harvest is not at our house or in our church buildings. But it is at our jobs, in our neighborhoods, wherever there are souls who seek hope in a world that has lost it’s spiritual compass. In addition, We will never be able to have an impact on someone’s e life if there is no contact or interaction.

But first, self must die daily while allowing Christ to transform our lives until His Spirit has total control and then with a passion our main focus in life will be to help someone along the way on this journey Christ has placed us on to the promise land.

My friends, as we approach the final days of this life’s history there will be a sharp contrast from a child of God and those who follow the forces of evil. For Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: (NASB) “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.”

But as a Child of God in these last days, our testimony comes from John 13:34-35 (KJV) when Christ tells us. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So my friends if you allow the power of God’s love in your life then along the way on this journey you will become the “salt of the earth” and the fruits of the Spirit will be your legacy, someone who is kindhearted, loving, joyful, compassionate, and humble.

All attributes that we acquired once we decided to take the focus off of self and what we want, and placed it onto others “If we can help someone along the way, then our living shall not be in vain”

My friends, as we keep looking over our life and the sunset of the time God has given us reaches its peak, what will be said about our life? Did we make a difference to someone along the way? And will our legacy have a positive and loving impact on everyone we meet?

And will everyone be able to say, I am a better person because we were a part of their lives? My friends today through God’s anointing power, as grace still abides with us, remember the harvest is plentiful and if we stay seated and don’t respond “and keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 27, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT SOMEONE, JUST PRAY!

As God’s children, we have to begin removing every weight of sin that does not allow us to walk in the footsteps of Christ, that is all sin’s that “so easily beset us, as we run with patience the race that is set before us, while looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;” Heb. 12:1 (KJV)

My friends, each day that we give Satan entry into our life through our mouth, only gives him bragging rights among his forces of evil as he tells them, they are now my sheep that I have personally lead to be slaughtered, I now control their destination because of their “idle talk and rumors, especially about the personal and private affairs of others.”

In addition, I have conquered another from the grace and mercy of my enemy. My friends remember before you say anything about another child of God ask yourself as a Christian “Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?” And would God approve of what I am saying about one of His Children that He has shed His blood on Calvary for.

A story is told about a young lady going to a dance as a teen. “My mother was waiting for me when I came home,” she wrote. “But instead of telling her I had a great time, I regaled her with a scathing description of some incredible nerd who’d tried to dance with me.

In essence, I said that this guy had a lot of nerve to expect anyone to dance with a person as weird and ugly as he was.” When I finished my tirade, my mom said, “You know, this boy you find ugly and weird is some mother’s pride and joy.

She waited for him to come home, just like I waited for you, hoping to hear he’d had a nice time at the dance. But when he came home, she saw his face, she knew someone hurt him, and it broke her heart. So the next time a boy asks you to dance, before you turn him down or make fun of him, just remember: Every boy is some mother’s son.”

So My friends, when we speak about another, just remember they are a child of God that He loves just as much as He loves us that He is also looking forward to seeing in his kingdom because we are all God’s Children. So if you can’t say something nice about someone, just pray!

John 3:1 (KJV) tells us “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God;” So what that text tells us is “God does not show favoritism…” “that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their Creator” with love, grace and mercy and Salvation if we believe.

Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) tells us too “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of our mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.” As I look at the world today there is such a grey area in our mind about what we can and cannot say, but certainly not in God’s sight.

My friends lying and gossiping is an abomination to God. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV) There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: and the four that I  would like to bring to everyone’s attentions today is;

A lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked schemes, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”’ John tells us in John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” And my friends with that love just remember, if you can’t say something nice about someone, just pray!

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 26, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IT’S LIKE BLOODY SUNDAY BUT WE “AIN’T GONNA LET NOBODY TURN US ROUND”

“Selma was the spark of a civil rights movement that helped ignite the desire of leaders with dreams. These dreams created goals of equality.” In addition, thousands fought and died just for the right to become First-Class Citizens, which included the Right-To-Vote.

It started February 18, 1965, 500 peaceful protesters who left Zion United Methodist Church in Marion Ala., heading a short walk away to the Perry County Jail where SCLC field worker James Orange was being held.

The City police, sheriff’s deputies and Alabama State Troopers met them and began to beat the protesters, they ran, with police following in pursuit. 26-year-old Jimmie Lee Jackson, his mother and grandfather ran into Mack’s Café behind the church.

The troopers followed and attacked them in the restaurant, Jimmie Lee, who was unarmed tried to protect his family, one thing lead to another but not in Jimmy lee’s favor, he was shot and died eight days later in the hospital.

Enough!! was the cry,  the blood of another innocent black man prompted the call for a march from Selma to Montgomery. On March 7, 1965, Six hundred peaceful marchers paired in twos started that journey out of Selma on US  Route 80 to the state capitol.

But, it ended the same day, as they crossed over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Where once again “local lawmen attacked them on horse back with billy clubs and tear gas. This was known as “Bloody Sunday.” A second march was formed, It began on March 9. The marchers sang “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round”.

The Alabama state troopers met them when they reached the bottom of the Edmund Pettus Bridge once again. The marchers dropped to their knees and prayed, but left to avoid another confrontation with the state troopers.

Finally a Federal Court granted permission for the Selma to Montgomery march and on March 21, over 3,500 people of all races, including ministers of all faiths, leaders from major civil rights organizations and celebrities headed to Montgomery.

Yes my friends God has always had a plan for His faithful Children starting with in the beginning Gen 1:1 (KJV) and Ending with John’s vision, when he tells us “I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” Rev 7:3 (NIV)

In addition, like the originally 600 peaceful protesters who set out from Selma to Montgomery only to encounter brutal opposition, but stayed focused on their goal, not Selma, or the Edmund Pettus Bridge, nor Montgomery was their goal. But their goal and promise land on that day was the passage of the Voting Rights Act. 

And with a passion they sung and believed “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round.” My friends, the faithful in Gods word who decided to follow Christ no matter how brutal the opposition from Satan, they also decided “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round”

Now it becomes personal, we are at the threshold of the promise land and everyday is like “bloody Sunday” and Satan along with his forces of evil are “taking no prisoners” there are many who are “fearful and trembling,” because they have heard the word…, yet it had no root.

They endured for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises…, they immediately turn away. Also some who hears the word, but allowed the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

But those who “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn them Round” hears the word and understands it. They indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matt 13:18-23 (ESV)

My friends what about you, are you willing to give it all to the Master and with faith and endurance and with a passion from within “Let no principalities, or rulers of the darkness of this world,” “Turn you Round” as you prepare to cross into the promise land.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 25, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IT’S PERSONAL, “OUR TEST AND TRIALS COME TAILOR MADE” OH WHAT LOVE!!

“Lord, You know what each day will bring, For You designed my destiny. Each test and trial comes tailor made for me….As I lay prostrate In the middle of the floor. Lord, I call out Your name, I am not ashamed to say I am At the end of my rope, and you are my only hope.” So today may I lean on You, because I’m too weak to stand on my own, (Maurette Brown Clark, lean on you)

My friends, these heavy burdens, every day a new trial, a different heartache, and each day we cry out “oh lord can I lean on you.” I know I should be able to handle what I am going through because I know, “Each test and trial comes tailor made for me.

In addition, my faith tells me I can handle this, I am special in God’s sight, it has become personal, because it is about my salvation, so we lean on our Savior for comfort and hope.

My friends, as we lean we must also search our heart because we must understand, with these trials comes a responsibility of the cross we must carry on this Journey Christ has placed us on.

Consistent with this, He is “the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2 (NKJV) Now if we are disciples of Christ we now have our on cross we must now endure so that we may also sit with our “father which art in heaven.”

But we must have a passion to have an intimate relationship with Christ, a love that transcends all others, like the love of a newborn child that clings to a mother with only a feeling from within that tells this child, I know this feeling “will never leave nor forsake” me.

That is what makes the statement so awesome “Each test and trial comes tailor made” because no greater love, then that of a parent, who will not allow [their child] to be tempted beyond what [we] are able, but with the temptation [they] will provide the way of escape,” 1 Cor. 10:18 (KJV)

In addition, we will be able to endure our trials, because God knows in order for our character “to be safe to save” and to “shine forth as gold amid the dross and rubbish of this world.” We must have a story to tell of how we got over and how our “tribulation produced perseverance; and [how our] perseverance [produced], character; and character, hope….” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV)

And my friends that hope [will] not disappoint, because one day “soon and very soon” “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,….the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 14-17 (NKJV)

We shall always be with the Lord my friends, that is a promise from the one who has brought His faithful “thus far by faith” Consistent with this, as these trials continue, we must continue on our journey, we cannot run for shelter in least it is in the arms of our Savior.

Remember “these trial comes tailor made” so that we can continue to study, pray and work as our God remains in the midst of our storm to guide us as we take the good news of the gospel to a world whose spiritual compass is pointing to the road that leads to perdition.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 24, 2015

MY FRIENDS, NEW WORD; “GAMESMANSHIP” OLD WORD; ALL SINS ARE AN ABOMINATION TO GOD!!

My friends, it is only “gamesmanship” the NFL says the balls should be between 12.5 and 13.5 psi, somehow 11 of the 12 playing balls were at 11.0 psi now the mystery is who dunnit or did it. Consistent with this, the fine for such atrocity if you are caught is $25,000. With such a minor punishment, the NFL even thinks the rule is trivial.

Tom Brady’s net worth as of today is 120 million, with a guarantee of another 24 million in the next three years. So New word, the hype over “ballgate” is no big deal it’s not murder. old word, “Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 20:10 (KJV)

New word minor transactions, old word “thou shall not bare false witness against thou neighbor” “thou shalt not steal” New word; it is just the nature of the competitiveness and competition of the world we live in, old word; There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12(NKJV)

My friends if you listen to the world you would think God’s word was obsolete and void of any real consequences if the precepts in them were not adhered to, the all knowing God has been reduced to a trivial being, if we live within the grey areas of life we will be all right, if you are a good person.

“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.” And as you continued in Acts 5 you will see his wife Sapphira had the same fate.

“An honest man, according to Christ’s measurement, is one who will manifest unbending integrity. Deceitful weights and false balances, with which many seek to advance their interests in the world, are abomination in the sight of God…. Firm integrity shines forth as gold amid the dross and rubbish of the world.

Deceit, falsehood, and unfaithfulness may be glossed over and hidden from the eyes of man, but not from the eyes of God. The angels of God, who watch the development of character and weigh moral worth, record in the books of heaven these minor transactions which reveal character. (E. G. White Testimonies For The Church 4:310.)

My friends nothing is trivial in the sight of God. In addition, God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.” ” For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Num. 23:19 (NIV) Matt. 5:18 (NIV)

My friends we know the world is not serious about Salvation, but if we are a Child of God we must all recognize that nothing in God’s word is trivial and all sin is an abomination to God the Psalmist speaks of six sins our God hates in Proverbs 6:16 (ESV) and “a lying tongue,” is one of them.

“Trust and obey my friends, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” God’s Grace is still extended to His children. Please take advantage of it and give it all to the Master today, as we all tell the world that God is not a trivial God, but He does save.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 22, 2015

MY FRIENDS, THE STORMS CONTINUE, THE PAIN IS EXCRUCIATING, BUT REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE FINISH LINE.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Cor. 9:24-27

A couple of years ago I ran a half marathon, I practiced for months so I could compete and complete in the race. Race day came, but there was a continual torrential rain coming down, in fact it continue throughout the 3 hours it took me to finish.

As we started things went well until 30 minutes into the race, my achilles became irritated to the point where I thought the heel of both feet were on fire. My goal was to run the race in two hours but the more I ran and the more it rained, the more I would continue to ask, was it worth it?

Why not just stop? The pain is excruciating. But my focus was not on a one mile race, or a six mile race, or even a twelve mile race, but my focus remained on the finish line 13.1 miles and as I came into the final stretch in spite of the rain and pain, I crossed over and received my prize.

My friends the race of life has been very long for some of us with a continual torrential storm, along with excruciating pains, of the death of friends and love ones, sicknesses, money and family problems, or just the fast moving pace of life itself,.

At times we ask ourselves, is Salvation worth it? Why can’t I stop now!! But at this point is not where the race ends, the finish line is still ahead. But If God is all knowing, all powerful and Omnipresence why does He not just stop the Pain? Why does the storms continue?

My friends it is all about our Faith, endurance and staying focus, because we all need to feel from within the high price paid for our salvation so that we will be “safe to save” as Christ prepares our character to live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity in a place no man has the mental capacity to imagine what has been prepared for the redeemed.

Consistent with this, it is all ours if we believe, But we still have to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:14 (KJV) John 1:12 (KJV) tells us “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

So if I understand that text correctly my faith in a Crucified Savior gives me the right to be a Child of God, even a wretched sinner like me “amazing grace how sweet the sound” Psalm 8:4-6. (KJKV) tells us “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.”

My friends, that text tells me in spite of the torrential storms and excruciating pains, God is telling us we are His, So “Be strong and courageous [for the pain will only last for a season]. Do not be afraid or terrified [of the storms], for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” And one day soon His faithful will go and live with him throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY