Ephesians 6:10-17 (NKJV)10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Sword of the Spirit

There is one piece of God's armor that in addition to being protection, is also offensive in nature.  We can use this piece of armor as a weapon use to attack our enemy Satan and his demonic army. That weapon is the sword of the spirit with is the Word of God. No spiritual battle can be fought and won without our greatest weapon—the Word of God. 
 
The word is a defensive as well as an offensive weapon. We need to speak the word, pray the Word, live the Word, and let it live in you.

To be proficient in the use of this weapon we must practice its use.   We need to know it as well as a soldier knows his or her weapon. They don’t even have to think about it they just use it.  That’s the way we should use our weapon, the sword of the Spirit.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV For the word of God is  living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Psalms 119:105‭-‬112 NKJV Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord , according to Your word. Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord , And teach me Your judgments. My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.

Praise Is A Weapon

God has given us a powerful spiritual weapon.  That weapon is praise. 
 
What is praise?  Praise is the expression of approval or admiration for someone of something.  For Christians God is the object of our praise. Christian praise is the joyful thankfulness and adoration of God, the celebration of His goodness and grace.  
 
Our enemy, Satan and his demons,  despise our praise of God so much that they cannot even be in the presence of anyone who is actively doing that.  So whenever you want the enemy to flee, praise God. It is one of our greatest weapons in the war against him. 
 
Worship Is a Powerful Weapon Against the Enemy
 
Another extremely powerful weapon is praise and worship. The enemy hates your worship of God because his own greatest objective is to get you to worship him instead.

Psalms 86:9‭-‬10 NKJV All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.

2 Kings 17:38‭-‬39 NIV Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

John 4:23‭-‬24 NKJV But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

God’s Grace Is a Weapon Against the Enemy
 
Grace is the unmerited favor of God.  I believe that “Grace is the most important concept in the Bible, Christianity, and the world. It is most clearly expressed in the promises of God revealed in Scripture and embodied in Jesus Christ himself.”
 
The Greek word that’s used most in the New Testament and translated grace is charis (pronounced cars) a) objective - that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard.
 
Romans 1:5 (HCSB) 5  We have received grace and apostleship through Him to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations, on behalf of His name,
 
Romans 3:24 (HCSB)24  They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
 
Romans 5:2 (HCSB)2  We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
 
Romans 12:6 (HCSB)6  According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one’s faith;
 
Fasting with Prayer Is a Weapon Against the Enemy
 
In the Bible, people fasted and prayed before they made important decisions.
 
Esther 4:15-16 (NKJV)15  Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:16  "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"
 
2 Chronicles 20:1-3 (NKJV)1  It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.2  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar" (which is En Gedi).3  And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 
 
Jonah 3:5-6 (NKJV)5  So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.6  Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.
 
1 Corinthians 7:5 (NKJV)5  Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
 
Because spiritual warfare is continuous, we must pray continually. Fasting and prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy. So when you need a breakthrough in any area of your life, fast and pray and see what God does in response. Some things will not happen without it.
 
Mark 9:24-29 (NKJV)24  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"25  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"26  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."27  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.28  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"29  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
​

​Faith Is Not Only a Shield; It Is also a Weapon
 
We cannot do anything without faith—especially please God. 

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV But without faith it  is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Having faith in God is the opposite of trusting in ourselves. Faith means being convinced that God will do as He promised, so we stop striving to do everything on our own.
 
Our strong faith not only serves as our protective shield, but it is also one of our powerful weapons against the enemy.   We must have faith that God hears and will answer our prayers.
 
Mark 11:22-23 (NKJV)22  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.


3 Powerful Biblical Weapons to Banish Your Worry and Fear
By Dr. David Jeremiah

When advice columnist Ann Landers was asked if there was a common denominator among the thousands of letters she received, she replied that their great overriding theme was fear—fear of nearly everything imaginable until the problem grew, for countless readers, into a fear of life itself.

Yet Proverbs 3:25-26 commands, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence.”  It seems two of the most terrible criminals live within our own hearts—the diabolical duo of worry and fear. 

Worry and fear stalk us whenever we board an airplane, open a bill, visit a doctor, walk down a darkened sidewalk, or glance at the clock when our child is late for curfew. Christians aren’t exempt from worry and fear.

Judging from Scripture, God’s people seem to be tormented by the same alarms as everyone else.
Though the disciples had Jesus continually with them, they seemed constantly afraid—of storms, of crowds, of poverty, of armies, of loss of status, of the loss of their leader.

Worry is a particularly virulent form of fear. Someone said that worry is a trickle of fear that meanders through the mind until it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts drain. 

Do I ever worry? Of course I do; I’ve raised four children to adulthood, and I’ve faced serious illness.  That qualifies me as an expert on the subject. But for me, worry is a small town I pass through, not a place to hang my hat. It’s a momentary phase, not a lifestyle.

For many people, worry has become so ingrained in their personalities that, once the old worries are gone, they search for new ones.

That’s why fear and worry are sins.
Worry and fear doubt God’s promises, question His power, disregard His presence, and divert our hearts from His praise. John Wesley said, “I would no more worry than I would curse or swear.” 

How, then, do we lock up the criminals of fear and worry?  Use these three God-given weapons:

1. Prayer

First, let your fears drive you to the Lord in prayer. The “Six Words of Wisdom for Worriers” are: Worry about nothing—pray about everything!

The Living Bible translates Philippians 4:6-7 this way: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.”

Elisha Hoffman met a woman in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, whose depression seemed beyond cure. She poured out her pent-up sorrows, crying, “What shall I do? Oh, what shall I do?” Hoffman told the worried woman to take her sorrows to Jesus. “You must tell Jesus,” he said. 

“Yes!” she replied, suddenly understanding. “That’s it! I must tell Jesus.” Her words echoed in Hoffman’s ears, and from that experience he wrote the hymn, “I Must Tell Jesus” with its splendid chorus:

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Prayer is our primary method for telling Jesus about our worries and, in the process, of recognizing the presence of God. We draw near to Him in prayer, and in His presence is peace. Admittedly, this may take some time.  

It often takes a season of abiding before the Lord before our hearts break through into the fullness of His peace.

Jesus prayed three times about His burden in Gethsemane.

Paul asked three times for relief from his thorn in the flesh.

Elijah prayed seven times for rain to fall on Carmel (Matthew 26:44; 2 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Kings 18:43).

Sometimes peace comes instantly; other times it comes slowly but surely as we linger before God’s throne. In either case, our fear level is a sort of referendum on the closeness of our friendship with God.  It’s a spiritual yardstick, and we grow stronger as we learn to cast our cares on Him in prayer.

2. Promises

Having given your fears to God in prayer, we must pour over the Scriptures, searching out specific promises for our need. Copy them down, memorize them, and meditate on them when rising in the morning, going to bed at night, and working throughout the day.

Here are some verses that have helped me:

Psalm 27:1:“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 118:6:“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Proverbs 29:25:“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

Psalm 37:8:“Do not fret—it only causes harm.”                                         

Isaiah 41:10:“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Those verses are the best fear insurance you can find. Clip them out and place them in locations where you’re prone to anxiety attacks. Hide them in your heart, and let the Word of God fortify your spirit.

3. Perseverance
​
Then, trust Him.

The book of Hebrews was written to those facing persecution in the first century. In chapter 12, we’re told that because believers in earlier generations trusted God with their difficulties, we too should “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV).

Perseverance means we aren’t going to be terrorized by worry and fear. We’re going to trust God, fix our eyes on Christ, and keep going. 

Missionary E. Stanley Jones learned this in India. He arrived on the mission field with a great passion for ministry but battling crippling anxiety that led to periodic physical collapses. Diagnosing himself, Jones admitted to “brain fatigue, nervous exhaustion, and depression.” 

In this state, Jones traveled to the city of Lucknow for a series of meetings.  There, one night while praying, he felt the Lord speaking to him. Though not audible, the Lord's voice seemed to say:

Are you yourself ready for this work to which I have called you?

“No, Lord, I am done for,” Jones replied. “I have reached the end of my resources.”

If you will turn that over to Me and not worry about it, I will take care of it.

“Lord,” Jones said, “I close the bargain right here.”

Just then a great peace pervaded his whole being. Said Jones, “I knew it was done! Life—Abundant Life—had taken possession of me. I was so lifted up that I scarcely touched the road as I quietly walked home that night. I went through the days, working far into the night, and came down to bedtime wondering why in the world I should ever go to bed at all, for there was not the slightest trace of tiredness of any kind. I seemed possessed by life and peace and rest—by Christ Himself.”

For the rest of his life, Jones never forgot what the Lord had whispered in his ear:  If you will turn that over to me and not worry about it, I’ll take care of it.

Are the cruel criminals of fear and worry stalking you? Let your fears drive you to prayer; claim God’s promises; and persevere by fixing your eyes on Jesus. 

If you’ll turn your burden over to Him and not worry about it, He’ll take care of you.

The Lord Jesus Himself said:  “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

​

Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV)1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.3  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

The Good Shepherd

When you truly understand God’s goodness as revealed in Psalm 23, it will strengthen your faith. You will be able to say:

1. God will meet all my needs; there’s no reason to worry.

2. God will help me rest and find peace.

3. God will refresh and replenish me when I am drained.

4. God will guide me to make right decisions.

5. God will be with me on my dark and fearful days.

6. God will protect me and keep me safe.

7. God will support me, even if I am surrounded by conflict.

8. God will give me his favor.

9. God will fill me with more blessing than I can imagine.

10. God will secure my future and take me to heaven one day.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd
 
John 10:11-13 MSG “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.
 
Hebrews 13:18-21 MSG Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we’re doing or why, but it’s hard going and we need your prayers. All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon. May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole, Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant, Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd, up and alive from the dead, Now put you together, provide you with everything you need to please him, Make us into what gives him most pleasure, by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah. All glory to Jesus forever and always! Oh, yes, yes, yes. (emphasis mine)

 Under the Shepherd’s protection we can say, even when we’re in the valley, “I’m here;
 
1. By God’s appointment.
2. In His keeping.
3. Under His training.
4. For His time.”

​

The Lord Is My Shepherd" Prayer - A Prayer From Psalm 23
By Debbie McDaniel

This well-known Psalm is so rich with peace and blessing for all our days. Yet often we can become so “familiar” with popular verses and chapters of God’s word, that they can almost lose the important message that He is wanting to instill within our hearts. Praying God’s words back to Him, and meditating on them verse by verse, can help us to remember his goodness, and be strengthened by his truths.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." v.1 - He leads us, He guides us, He's always with us, and we can be assured and feel safe under His protective care.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul..." v.2-3 -  He knows where true rest and blessings are found, and leads us there, He restores, He refreshes, He brings peace and goodness.

"He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." v. 3 - He leads us to walk in His ways, He draws us to stay close to Him and follow Him.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me." v. 4 - Though life is uncertain and we may suffer with illness, loss, or pain, our God of comfort, our Lord who holds all power over death and disease walks with us. Always. He is the only One who can take us by the hand through life's darkest moments of suffering, bringing freedom and healing from the pain of this life, straight into glory and the hope of heaven that He has reserved for us. We never have to fear, in life or in death, for He is with us, our constant strength and Shepherd.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows." v. 5 - We have a place at His table, He makes room for us, He wants us to stay close to Him. Through history, hosts were expected to protect their guests at all costs. God's protection is real, in the midst of the traps and attacks of enemy forces, we can find security and refuge in His great care. It doesn't mean that we won't ever face huge battles, but that He covers us with His Spirit of anointing and power, to live out our days with His strength and blessing.

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." v. 6 - That word for "follow" means "to chase, to pursue." We can be assured, He chases us today, and all our days, with His goodness and love. And even at the end of all our days here on this earth, He still has more in store, and it's greater than we could ever imagine.

Dear God,

Thank You That You Are Our Good Shepherd And We Can Trust You With Our Lives. Thank You For Your Leadership And Sovereignty. Thank You For Your Guidance And Care In All Our Days. Thank You That You Restore Our Souls, Give Us Peace, And Bring Us Hope In All Of Our Tomorrows. Thank You For Your Protection And Strength That Surrounds Us Like A Shield. Thank You That We Never Have To Fear. Thank You For Your Goodness And Love That Follows After Us, Chases Us, Even When Were Unaware. Thank You Lord, That You Trustworthy And Able, That You Are Our Refuge And Hope.

In You Alone Is Rest And Peace. We Praise You For The Assurance That We Will Dwell With You Forever.
​

One question that I get a lot is; “Pastor do I really have to forgive everything, every time”? I have an answer but before I give it let’s see what the bible says about it? Whenever someone asks me a question dealing with relationships I always defer to the bible because it’s the manual that God gave to guide us on how to forgive.

First let’s define forgive. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Forgive (verb)

• to stop feeling anger toward (someone who has done something wrong) : to stop blaming (someone)
• to stop feeling anger about (something) : to forgive someone for (something wrong)
• to stop requiring payment of (money that is owed)

Synonym - pardon

To forgive is to stop feeling anger toward someone or about something, to pardon them. To forget is to not remember or think or care about something, to unlearn or disremember.

Forgiveness in the Bible

The Bible does, in many places, command us to forgive each other. Here are two examples:

• Matthew 6:14 (HCSB) “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.

​

• Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB) And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Jesus’ comment to Peter when he asked how many times we should forgive implies constant forgiveness without holding it against the one we forgive.

Matthew 18:21-22 (HCSB) 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.

Why should we give anybody a clean slate who has wronged us? Because God, who is our example for how to forgive, does. He forgives and overlooks everything that we have done and do against Him, through Jesus, so that we can have eternal life and an eternal inheritance.

Micah 7:18 (HCSB) Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love.

Forgiveness is an act of the will and since God commands us to forgive we must make that choice. We must forgive even if the person who offended us doesn’t ask for or doesn’t even want forgiveness.

Matthew 5:44-45 (HCSB) 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

​
​Revenge is God's Alone: 7 Lessons from Scripture on Forgiveness
Anne Peterson Poet and Author
Editor's Note: Some full scriptures added by Faith The Evidence

You feel like someone just kicked you in the stomach. You can’t believe how easily they let the words slip from their mouth. And sadly, it wasn’t the first time. Oh, how would you like to pay them back. Wouldn’t it be okay, just this once?

No. God has a different route for you to take.

“See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

God wants us to seek after good, even if we’ve been wronged. Revenge is God’s alone. Here are seven lessons from Scripture on forgiveness.

1. We are to forgive as Jesus did.
Have you ever heard the line, “Do as I say, not as I do?”

Well, you never heard that from Jesus. He lived to please his Father. And he always chose the higher road. God tells us to forgive, just like Jesus did.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

God explains the way we’re to forgive. It’s not that the other person deserves forgiveness. But we didn’t deserve to be forgiven either. God wants us to forgive just as we were forgiven.

2. Forgiveness is not a one time thing.
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” (Matthew 18:21-22)

Peter thought he would put a number on how often we are to forgive. Maybe Peter thought he was being generous asking about forgiving seven times for the same offense. Peter was mistaken.

Forgiveness is not possible apart from God. When a person continually hurts you, it is only by God’s strength that you can forgive. And the more you know the person, the harder it can be. That’s why we need the Holy Spirit to guide us through the process.

3. Forgiveness should be bathed in prayer.
The first step to forgiveness should always be prayer. We need to pray our hearts will be in the right place. We need to pray for the person who wronged us. To forgive without prayer is a bad idea. Let God lead you. If we keep bringing our concerns to the Lord, he is the only one who can truly help us. We’re encouraged to acknowledge him in all our ways. Then he can lead us, making sure our words are drenched in grace.

Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

To attempt forgiveness without prayer is like doing something blindfolded. When God instructs us to do something, he also empowers us to do it. We don’t have to try doing it by ourselves.

​4. Forgiveness is not just for the other person.It’s easy to think forgiveness is only for the one who has wronged us. But God wants us to be free as well. He knows without forgiving, that a seed of bitterness can grow in us.

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31)

If we refuse to forgive we can hold onto those wrongs, continually thinking about them. And before we know it, we are full of resentment. God tells us to “put away” bitterness as well as anger and wrath. It won’t be easy, but God is right there to help.

The enemy of our souls, who revels in discord and dissension, doesn’t want restoration. He likes division and chaos. When you choose to forgive, you are pleasing the Lord and displeasing God’s enemy.

5. Forgiveness is not condoning the wrong one.
Many people struggle with this area the most. If you even bring up the idea of forgiveness they protest, “But you don’t know what they did to me!” Forgiving isn’t saying what they did was okay. Instead, you are making a choice to not hold it against the person’s account.

One time, I remember saying, “But Lord, someone needs to pay for this!” And the Lord said, “I paid.”

I saw that refusing to forgive is saying what Jesus did was not enough. That his payment didn’t cover this offense. The sacrifice Jesus made covered every sin committed. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” he was talking about the payment for sins.

Hebrews 10:12 ESV But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

John 19:28‭-‬30 ESV After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

6. Forgiveness may not be acknowledged.
God tells us to forgive one another. But the results are not up to us. And yet, God still requires forgiveness. If we want to be Christ followers, we need to obey what he tells us in Scripture. Then leave the rest to him. Our job is to forgive; God takes it from there.

There may be times you forgive someone and the relationship is still broken. Then what? Remember your job is to obey. We may hope for a gracious response when we’ve finally taken that step of obedience and forgiven someone. But we must graciously accept whatever response is given.


Romans 12:17‭-‬21 ESV Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (emphasis mine)

I love that God tells us as much as it depends on us. God is acknowledging sometimes it will be difficult, maybe even impossible.

7. Forgiveness is not easy.
Often when we are mistreated, we have a tendency to believe the the action was deliberate. We are hurt and convince ourselves the person meant it. When this occurs, it is crucial to remember Jesus forgave freely. He asked God to forgive those who hung him on a cross even though he had done no wrong.

Luke 23:33‭-‬34 ESV And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.

He even said that his crucifiers didn’t know what they were doing. If we took this attitude when people hurt us, it would make it so much easier to forgive. Wouldn’t you want to be forgiven?

It may be very difficult but God wants us to forgive each other every time just like He has forgiven us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Once we do what it says in;

Romans 10:9-10 (HCSB) 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

God treats us as though we never sinned at all and doesn't hold our sins against us. So, in a sense, He "forgives and forgets everything every time"

In the same way when we forgive need to act as though they never it never happened. We do still remember the offense, and we should learn from it, but to truly forgive, we should treat the person as though it never happened.

Father, I pray for those who are reading this article. I pray if there is someone they need to forgive that you would prepare their heart. I pray that you would go before them and give them the words to say, and help them to simply give forgiveness as Jesus showed us. God, I pray this, not because of who we are, but because of whose we are. For we pray this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Are Christians supposed to have fun? If so, what constitutes fun for the believer? Do you have a “fun theology?” Are you a fun person?
 
Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT2)10  And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
 
Having a good time is not a sin, but we should pay attention to the principles God has laid out for godly living when we do engage in leisure activities. First and foremost is;
 
Colossians 3:17 (NLT2)17  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
 
When we are relaxing and having fun or when we are seeking entertainment, we should always make sure these activities are pleasing God.
 
Fun, like everything else we do, grows out of your heart. What you are on the inside determines how you live on the outside. What you do is who you are.
 
Luke 6:45 (NLT2)45  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
 
James 4:1-2 (NLT2)1  What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?2  You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.  
 
For us it is not about work or play, but about bringing glory to God in all that we do. There is nothing more fun (enjoyable or pleasurable) than glorifying God.
 
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT2)31  So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
 
Fun Killers

These spiritual conditions are fear, discontentment, and anger. If you have ongoing patterns with any one of these things, you will struggle to enjoy life.

Fear – A person who is overly concerned about what others think about them is bound to their opinions rather than God’s view of them.

Proverbs 29:25 (NLT2)25  Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.

If this is the case, they are not free to have fun. Fear stands guard around their hearts, which keeps them in bondage.

Discontentment – Without sound awareness of the freedom that you have in Christ, you will become discontented.  

Your discontentment will grow as you fail to enjoy fullness that the Lord provides. The temptation will be to give tacit acknowledgement to the Christ-life while pursuing “fun” like the world, those who do not understand the gospel. They have not tasted the victory we have in Jesus.

Psalm 34:8 (NLT2)8  Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

If you’re discounted you’ll always look for a quick fix, rather than engaging and enjoying the fullness of God’s blessings.

Anger – The result of fear and discontentment is the frustration. These things working together will make you angry, which is a set up for a trap. In time, you will overreact by throwing off the shackles of religion and begin acting like the world.

Those coming out of a legalistic culture, whether it is a condemning church environment or a critical home, do this. They jump from legalism to licentiousness because they want to have “fun.”

In their haste to get away from a no fun religion, they jump “over the gospel” and fall flat into pleasure-seeking. They would not characterize themselves as angry, fearful, or discontented but if you spend enough time with them, you’ll know..
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Galatians 5:1 (NLT2)1  So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

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A Prayer to Restore Fun in Your Life
By Brad Rymer

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun. – Ecclesiastes 8:15
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What about fun? Is it okay for Christians to have fun? How much fun? What kind of fun?
It depends on what you mean by "fun".God wants us to enjoy ourselves. But pleasure can be serious business. In today's scripture, an assembly of Israelites is instructed to enjoy themselves. They had just listened to a reading of the sacred Scriptures and were crying and mourning over how poorly they had been paying attention to God's Word regarding how to live purposefully and reverently. It is interesting to see how preceding and following a time of pleasure were periods of studying the "Book of the Law"

Nehemiah 8:1-2,13 (NLT2)1  all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.2  So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 13  On October 9 the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail.
 
After hearing the reading of Scriptures, the Israelites were told to have a feast, to celebrate. They were celebrating with the joy of the Lord.
To pursue pleasure sensibly, we need to include God. We need to be grounded in God's life instructions.
 
Consider this…
When we leave God out, we tend to revert to our sin nature. Our priorities get out of balance. Pursuing pleasure can become more important than anything else. We tend to revert to our sin nature and may even pursue evil desires leading to addictive and destructive behaviors.

How do we include God? By finding joy in His love for us and our walk with him. By asking him to help us find balance in our lives. By finding ways to have fun that don't lead to disobedience to the Scriptures. By always putting him first in our lives.
 
Prayer

Father, I thank you that you want me to enjoy times of fun and celebration. You are the creator of fun and you love to see your children enjoying the world and gifts you've given them. Help me not be afraid to have fun. Help me pursue fun in ways that honor and bring you joy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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The Old Testament taught that we should love our neighbor, but nowhere does it say to hate your enemies, so that is an obvious Pharisees add on.

Exodus 20:17 ESV "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." 

Deuteronomy 5:21 ESV "'And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.'

Then Jesus’ goes into a radical concept of loving your enemies. 

Matthew 5:43‭-‬48 ESV "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:44-45 ESV But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.God doesn't bestow special blessings through nature on Christians. God is good and rich unto all. 

How is it possible to love your enemies? 

Jesus says that it is impossible for man to do it alone. 

Matthew 19:26 ESV But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

It is only possible through the Holy Spirit and the fruit He deposits in every believer.

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV) 15  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,16  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.17  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,19  addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,20  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,21  submitting to one anther out of reverence for Christ.  (emphasis mine)

Galatians 5:16‭-‬18‭, ‬20‭-‬22‭, ‬24 ESV But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

We don't have the right to get even.

We can defend ourselves but we are to forgive not get even.

1 Peter 2:21‭-‬23 ESV For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Romans 12:19 ESV Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 

Matthew 5:48 ESV You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  
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​A Prayer For Dealing With People Who Bring You Down
By Carrie Lowrance

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. - 2 Timothy 2:24 (NLT)

We all have people in our lives who try to bring us down. You may have that one parent that tries to bring you down all the time. You could have a boss that is always criticizing you. Maybe you have a friend that is very subtle in tearing you down. It is so easy to get frustrated and angry at people who act like this. It is also easy to take their words to heart, cause them to stop us in our tracks, and never pursue the dream that the Lord has planted in us. As Christians, how should we deal with people like this?

Remember Our Value & Worth
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• We must remember that our worth and value is not in those around us.
• Our value and worth are in the Lord.
• We all have value because we have all been blessed with talents and gifts.
• He has created all of us uniquely and we are all valuable to him beyond measure.

We Must Turn The Other Cheek And Keep Moving Ahead

• When people try to bring us down we must let if fall on deaf ears.
• We need to continue to pursue the dreams the Lord has placed in us and the roads on which He is leading us.
• If we are having an off day at work, forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make, and make an effort to enjoy the rest of our day.
• Listen closely to the Lord’s guidance in our hearts on how to specifically handle a situation.

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Pray For Those Around Us

The most important thing we can do for these people (other than not lashing back) is to pray for them. Take the time to get to know the people that tear you down. Get inside their lives, thoughts and emotions. Then pray as specifically as you can about their situation. Reach out to them and help them if you can. If there is something they have always dreamed of doing, encourage them to go for it. If it is something you know a lot about, offer to mentor them. If they are suffering from past hurts but don’t know how to get past it, research some good, Christian therapists in your area and pass on the information. If they are struggling with a self-esteem issue, point out all the good characteristics and talents they have. Compliment them at least once a week when/if you see them. You never know what will become of the seeds you plant in love.

Pray For Their Salvation. It’s hard to know how to pray for someone when it comes to this matter. The best way I know to pray in this way, is to ask the Lord to reveal himself in a way that is unique to the individual. Ask the Lord to open their eyes, heart, mind and soul in a way that they have no doubt that He exists. In a way that would speak specifically to them.

Dear Lord,

Please Help Me When Those Around Me Try To Bring Me Down. Allow Me To Recognize The Hurts And Issues In Their Lives And How I Can Be Of Help To Them. Help Me To Keep My Natural Human Tendencies In Check And Not To Retaliate Back. Quietly Remind Me Where My True Worth And Value Really Lie. Give Me Comfort In Knowing That You Are Leading Me On A Better Path And Give Me The Strength To Continue Pursuing It. Please Clear My Heart Of Any Issues That Will Hinder Me From Praying For Those Around Me. In Your Name I Pray. Amen.

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1 Chronicles 4:10 (NKJV)10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.
 
Scripture has many examples of prayers that teach us to depend on God and call upon Him.  The prayer of Jabez is one of them but not for the reason that most people think. Jabez was not using prayer as a formula to get something from God.
 
Several years ago the book The Prayer of Jabez was on the New York Times bestseller list. In the two years after it was published in 2000 it had sold over 9,000,000 copies.   I don’t know what the number is today but it may be well over 10,000,000 copies. I never bought a copy and I’ll tell you why later.  
For those of you who bought a copy I hope that it was of some help to you.  Like I said I have never read the book but here’s a description from the publisher;  
 
It’s a timeless prayer that produces timely results! Bruce Wilkinson, the author, takes readers to 1 Chronicles 4:10 to discover how they can release God’s miraculous power and experience the blessings God longs to give each of us. The life of Jabez, one of the Bible’s most overlooked heroes of the faith, bursts from unbroken pages of genealogies in an audacious, fourpart prayer that brings him an extraordinary measure of divine favor, anointing, and protection. Readers who commit to offering the same prayer on a regular basis will find themselves extravagantly blessed by God, and agents of His miraculous power, in everyday life.
 
Again I’m not criticizing anybody that bought the book and really tried to follow the book’s formula for prayer.  It gave instructions on how to pray for God’s blessings.
 
If the Prayer of Jabez book is right and you did it like the book says then everything you prayed for should have happened right?  If it didn’t then you must have missed a step in the program.
 
That's not what prayer is it's not programming some machine to spit out goodies. Prayer is a relationship, it's a lifestyle, is a conversation with our heavenly father
 
Jabez wasn’t asking for material blessings he was calling upon God to accomplish His promises.
 
For a proper interpretation of his prayer, it should be read through a spiritually sound lens, not one of materialism.
 
God’s blessings are the real things that produce real effects. We can but wish a blessing: He commands it.
 
The enlargement of territory Jabez prayed for was deeply connected to the landscape of his heart. He left many disciples behind, not possessions. The territory of his heart expanded and overflowed to those around him.
 
1 Chronicles 2:54-55 (NKJV)54  The sons of Salma were Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half of the Manahethites, and the Zorites.55  And the families of the scribes who dwelt at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Suchathites. These were the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.
 
Supposed to be the son of Kenaz, and an eminent doctor of the law, whose reputation drew around him so many scribes and learned men that a town was called by his name - The Pulpit Commentary
 
Jabez prayed for God to be with him. He also prayed God would protect him from being a Jabez! There is an allusion to his name.  
 
1 Chronicles 4:9 (NKJV)9  Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."
 
The Hebrew name Jabez means "he makes sorrow".  In other words he prayed: “That he would keep him from evil, the evil of sin, the evil of trouble, and all the evil designs of his enemies, that they might not hurt him, nor grieve him, nor make him a Jabez indeed, a man of sorrows

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​Five Lessons Jabez Teaches Us
Excerpted from The Prayer of Jabez - 5 Inspiring Lessons

1. The very first thing Scripture tells us about Jabez is that he cried to the God of Israel. Jabez states God’s lordship and headship over his life.  When you pray, begin by acknowledging who God is!
 
2. “That you would bless me” Jabez not only recognizes God as the one and only true God, he also acknowledges that blessings come from God alone.  Are you chasing broken promises and blessings that the world tries to entice you with? Are you striving toward prosperity on your own strength? When you pray, do it with a heart fully invested in the blessings of God.
 
3. “that you would multiply my territory” – Many think that Jabez is simply referring to physical land when asking to multiply territory. However, if we look at the lineage of Jabez we can understand that he is not merely speaking in terms of wealth and prosperity but in terms of impacting the kingdom of God. He wanted his spiritual territory to increase, to claim generations for the Lord of Israel.  Do you need to claim or reclaim some of the land Satan has taken from you? When you pray, ask God to multiply your territory and to do more through you!
 
4. “your hand be with me” – Jabez wanted God to be in every moment of his day. He understood the power of God’s hand to protect and to lead in the right direction. Blessings will become curses if it is not God's hand providing and guiding.  When you pray, request more than blessings and provision but that God’s hand would lead you through any circumstances and trials that come your way. THAT is the greatest blessing.
 
5. “keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” The name Jabez literally means “born with pain”.  His own mother named him this because of the pain she endured in labor! When Jabez prays, he speaks against the testimony of his name and lets go of the shame it covered him in. When you pray, come to God vulnerable and ready for Him to turn your weakness into His glory.

Tips to Pray like Jabez

- Praise God for who He is. Remember specific answers to prayer, list virtues of His character, and ask to for Him to reveal more.

- Ask God to give us a heart like Jesus and increase the use of our lives to spread the gospel.

- Acknowledge God’s power and reign. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be manifested in our daily lives.

- Pray for God to guard our hearts and for His protection from every evil, both seen and unseen.

- Pray everything in Jesus’ name. Express the desire to align every intention with God’s will.

A Sample Prayer like Jabez’s

Father,
 
You are God of the universe, and my Creator. All creation, and all I am, exist to honor You. Thank You for delivering me from evil, and restoratively setting my feet on the firm foundation of Your truth. Mold in me a heart like Jesus’—compassionate and forgiving. With the gifts, talents, and tasks you have set upon my shoulders, may my diligent work spread the truth of Christ to many who live without hope. Use my life to serve Your purposes. By the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, may I properly reflect the love of my Lord, Jesus. Protect me from evil and deliver me from temptation, forgive me for my continual sin and heal me completely. Bless my life with Your provision and protection.
In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

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You may have already purchased that gift for your father, grandfather, uncle, brother, godfather, mentor, or special man in your life.  I'm sure that they will love whatever you give. All of these men are deserving of blessings and honor for all they do. So in addition to those material gifts how about giving them  the gift of praying for them. Here's a prayer that blessed me and I believe will bless them. It was written for Father's Day 2017 by Rebecca Barlow Jordan. Pray this prayer for them and then share it with them.  As you pray make it personal by saying bless my father, grandfather, uncle, husband, _____________, then call their names.

Dear Lord,

Bless every father and every grandfather with the best of your spiritual blessings today. Let him know he is not alone in the tasks you have given him to provide for and support those under his care. Show him how much you delight in his work, and affirm the value of whatever You have given him to do—both as a father or grandfather and as a child of Yours. Confirm his worth daily so he has no reason to doubt whether he is loved in the eyes of his Heavenly Father.

Create in him a deep sense of trust in You, knowing that He can count on You to help him lead and protect those dependent on him. Let him know that every unselfish act of love and encouragement he has offered has been a gift that You receive gladly. Show him how effective the prayers of a godly man really are, and what a difference he has and can make to those around him, no matter how big or small the assignment.

When challenging times push him beyond his limits, assure him that You can take Him further into the realm of possible impossibility. Speak deep into his spirit the powerful words he longs to hear from You—that nothing can ever separate him from Your love. Help him to grasp firmly the promises of Your Word, standing with faith on the things You declare are true. Reward him for his faithfulness past, present, and future, assuring him that true success and satisfaction don’t lie in his accomplishments or accolades, but in the steadfast, Christ-like character You are forming in him.

Demonstrate to him Your amazing grace and forgiveness as he seeks to love and to know you with all of his heart, soul, and mind. Release him from unwanted burdens of false guilt, and bless him for his willingness to keep short accounts with You, forgiving both himself and others. Help him to see his children or grandchildren through Your eyes, realizing that in Your hands is the safest place they can ever be. Strengthen his confidence in the Only One who can bring good out of any situation.

Teach him how to meet the needs of his child’s life that are within his ability to do so, but help Him to trust You for the rest. Push out any needless fears, and grant to him godly wisdom and spiritual guidance to lead and direct those precious children in Your path, knowing he must also release them into Your hands with prayerful love.

Complete any healing of past hurts or regrets that may interfere with parenting or grand parenting his children. Build in him a sense of joy, humility, and playfulness that draw his family close. When plans don’t develop as he hopes, or dreams are not yet realized, open his eyes to see beyond this world to a greater joy that never disappoints, and to a Father who will never leave or abandon him or his loved ones.

Give him a passionate faith, a persevering spirit, and a powerful testimony that overcomes any weakness or doubt, as he wears the armor of God daily You have provided for him as a spiritual leader and child of God.

Today, on special days, and for all the days of his life, fill him with the best of Your blessings, so that one day he will stand before you and hear Your ultimate words of praise, “Well done, my son, well done!”

In Jesus’s name,
Amen

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​Yesterday I published the post “Salvation Is Eternal You Can Never Lose It”.  Last year I published “Salvation Is Past Present And Future” , but salvation is just the beginning.
 
Romans 10:9-10 CEV So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others.

Today many Christians think that salvation is only about escaping hell after you die.  Of course salvation does involve the wonderful gift of assurance that you and I will not perish after this life, but will forever be with the Lord. Yes it is the end of a life lived in the flesh.
 
Romans 6:6-7 CEV We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know sin doesn't have power over dead people.

Galatians 5:24-25 CEV And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit.

Colossians 3:5 CEV Don't be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don't be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don't be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols.

Salvation is not just an end in itself for this life but it is instead the beginning of a new and great adventure in the kingdom of God.   

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​Brian D. McLaren, pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in suburban Washington, D.C., describes this new beginning in his book,  Adventures in Missing the Point. In the chapter titled “Missing the Point: Salvation, in what he calls the “Parable of the Race.”

Parable of the Race
 
Once upon a time, in a land of boredom and drudgery, exciting news spread. “There is going to be a race! And all who run this race will grow strong and they’ll never be bored again!” Exciting news like this had not been heard for many a year, for people experienced little adventure in this ho-hum land, beyond attending committee meetings, waiting in lines, sorting socks, and watching sitcom reruns.

Excitement grew as the day of the race drew near. Thousands gathered in the appointed town, at the appointed place. Most came to observe, skeptical about the news. “It’s too good to be true,” they said. “It’s just a silly rumor started by some teenaged troublemakers. But let’s stick around and see what happens anyway.”

Others could not resist the invitation, arriving in their running shorts and shoes. As they waited for the appointed time, they stretched and jogged in place and chattered among themselves with nervous excitement. At the appointed time they gathered at the starting line, heard the gun go off, and knew that it was time to run.

Then something very curious happened. The runners took a step or two or three across the starting line, and then abruptly stopped. One man fell to his knees, crying, “I have crossed the starting line! This is the happiest day of my life!” He repeated this again and again, and even began singing a song about how happy this day was for him.

Another woman started jumping for joy. “Yes!” she shouted, raising her fist in the air. “I am a race-runner! I am finally a race-runner!” She ran around jumping and dancing, getting and giving high fives to others who shared her joy at being in the race.

Several people formed a circle and prayed, quietly thanking God for the privilege of crossing the starting line, and thanking God that they were not like the skeptics who didn’t come dressed for the race.

An hour passed, and two. Spectators began muttering; some laughed. “So what do they think this race is?” they said. “Two or three strides, then a celebration? And why do they feel superior to us? They’re treating the starting line as if it were a finish line. They’ve completely missed the point.”

A few more minutes of this silliness passed. “You know,” a spectator said to the person next to her, “if they’re not going to run the race, maybe we should.”

“Why not? It’s getting boring watching them hang around just beyond the starting line. I’ve had enough boredom for one life.”

Other’s heard them, and soon many were kicking off their dress shoes, slipping out of their jackets, throwing all this unneeded clothing on the grass. And they ran – past the praying huddles and past the crying individuals and past the jumping high-fivers. And they found hope and joy in every step, and they grew stronger with every mile and hill. To their surprise, the path never ended – because in this race, there was no finish line. So they were never bored again.
 
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 CEV You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever. I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air. I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.
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2 Timothy 4:7-8 CEV I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful. So a crown will be given to me for pleasing the Lord. He judges fairly, and on the day of judgment he will give a crown to me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power.
 
The Bible says that you and I will have a life beyond anything we have experienced here.  Jesus came to give you salvation for the life beyond this life and a great future that goes beyond anything that we can fully comprehend.
 
John 14:1-3 CEV Jesus said to his disciples, “Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.  There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together.

Revelation 21:18-21 CEV The wall was built of jasper, and the city was made of pure gold, clear as crystal. Each of the twelve foundations was a precious stone. The first was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was agate, the fourth was emerald, the fifth was onyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. Each of the twelve gates was a solid pearl. The streets of the city were made of pure gold, clear as crystal.
 
He came to give you and me salvation (rescue) from the past, new life for the present, and a great future beyond this life.
 
Salvation is just the beginning!