Saturday 14 January 2012

He is watching us




So remember, no matter where we are, we are always under His watchful eye. He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)


We need Refocusing


When you focus on Jesus, all else is restored to it's righful proportions. Thanks to Jesus we can do this through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit, who leads us in all truth and places all things under His authority and loving control. With Jesus at the very core and centre of our lives we are less likely to shift focus. What's your lense fixed on?


Sometimes like a camera lense we can shift our focus so much that our lives are out of whack. But if we just reposition our focus to the Almighty One everything will become clear. Just focus your gaze on Jesus and He will lead the way.

Goodbye guys. Don't be afraid to change your view if you have to.

Friday 13 January 2012

Ready, Set, Go!








Hebrews 12
 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When you run a race, you go through extensive training. It may not be pleasant (at first) but it reaps a harvest of benefits. So my advice to you is joyfully pursue the LORD while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6). Spiritual fitness is key to spiritual growth and even more key to running the race that is set before us, with endurance (Hebrews 12:1).

Now let's look at that second verse.

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When doing any physical training, in the presence of pain and tiresome hard work it is easy to forget why you are doing it unless you continuely set that goal before your eyes. You know what you want, that goal, that slim new figure, or that pay cheque at the end of the month, or those marriage vows, they keep you going. You fall but you keep on going because you remember WHY YOU ARE DOING IT.
  So it is with the spiritual life. If you don't remember your purpose or the One whom you favour with it can be easy to give into the sin that enslaves us and so easily tempts to lead us astray. But we must, we need to stay focused ON CHRIST! He, Himself with give us strength. He is our portion, the strength of our life, our stronghold, our Protector. He is able to keep us from falling and He will do it. He fulifills all of His promises (Psalm 145:13-14).
How does that verse go, in Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And again in Romans 8- "If GOD is for us who can be against us."
Focus on Christ Jesus. He will keep you going. He and He alone can help you to stand. It is in Him that you are saved. He is "the author and perfecter of our faith," and He "for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." He did all this in order to bring about our redemption.

The Christian life is very much like a race. Sometimes you feel worn down and like you can go on. You feel dehydrated until you drink a nice cold bottle of refreshing water and leaves you feeling revived.

So don't get tired and don't give up, just take a long drink from the Fountain of Life. My Jesus. He can keep you til the end.

Watch this video and you'll know what I mean.




The father in this video clip is much like how our heavenly Father looks after us when we fall. He is there to say "Don't worry my child. I'll wait for you. Just don't give up. We'll finish this together. I will never, ever leave your side. Keep going. I'm not going anywhere. I love you, my precious child."

Jesus said of Himself “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”




There are many comparisons of the Christian walk to a race, in the Holy Bible. It is much like a race. But GOD is there.


Galatians 5
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

2 Timothy 4
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

The Need for Self-Discipline
 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

There can be no passive Christians. You are either here or there, hot or cold, ready or not ready for Christ to come immediately and takes us to Heaven.

Are you ready?


 
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