Happy Sunday! Happy Labor Day Weekend! Hope you are enjoying yourself! Last week Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached, "Focus on the Finish!" It was a word in due season. I've been feasting on it all week.
He wanted to dispell some misconceptions and misinformation we may have received during this journey. Do you remember that song, "Every Day With Jesus"? The song says, every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. Yes, there is some awesome truth in the song. But we may have believed that in order for every day to be sweeter things had to be getting better. NOT! This life is full of contradicitons. Even popular culture picked up on it. Smokey Robinson sang a song, "I Don't Like You, But I Love You". Is it possible to love someone or something and dislike that person or thing at the same time? Yes, it is!
Bishop wanted us to realize that life is hard, but God is good. We must FACE, CONFRONT, and CONQUER! Bishop used Hebrews 12:1-2.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
The writer of Hebrews uses an example from track and field. He wanted us to invision all the heros of faith in the stands watching us compete. Think about it! When you face the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of a loved one JOB is in the stands, cheering you on! He's yelling at the top of his lungs hoping you will hear him. He wants you to know that God brought him through it all and he came out with more than he had before. Job 42:12, God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life.
When your family mistreats you and doesn't understand what you've been called to do, JOSEPH is in the stands cheering you on. He wants you to know that even though his brothers sold him into slavery, Potifer's wife lied on him, and he went to prison, God brought him out on top. Genesis 50:20 (New Century Version) You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.
When you feel like you've been thrown in a lion's den. Remember that Daniel is there cheering you on. He wants you to know that you can rest and trust God to protect you in any situation. Isaiah 54:17 (Message Translation) No weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged. Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar. This is what God's servants can expect. I'll see to it that everything works out for the best."
In my sanctified imagination, I invision some other people in the stands cheering us on! There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, god-parents, husbands and wives, soldiers and teachers. Millions of people who have experienced life, lived it with Faith and were successful in this race.
They know that you can make it! So do I!
He wanted to dispell some misconceptions and misinformation we may have received during this journey. Do you remember that song, "Every Day With Jesus"? The song says, every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. Yes, there is some awesome truth in the song. But we may have believed that in order for every day to be sweeter things had to be getting better. NOT! This life is full of contradicitons. Even popular culture picked up on it. Smokey Robinson sang a song, "I Don't Like You, But I Love You". Is it possible to love someone or something and dislike that person or thing at the same time? Yes, it is!
Bishop wanted us to realize that life is hard, but God is good. We must FACE, CONFRONT, and CONQUER! Bishop used Hebrews 12:1-2.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
The writer of Hebrews uses an example from track and field. He wanted us to invision all the heros of faith in the stands watching us compete. Think about it! When you face the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of a loved one JOB is in the stands, cheering you on! He's yelling at the top of his lungs hoping you will hear him. He wants you to know that God brought him through it all and he came out with more than he had before. Job 42:12, God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life.
When your family mistreats you and doesn't understand what you've been called to do, JOSEPH is in the stands cheering you on. He wants you to know that even though his brothers sold him into slavery, Potifer's wife lied on him, and he went to prison, God brought him out on top. Genesis 50:20 (New Century Version) You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.
When you feel like you've been thrown in a lion's den. Remember that Daniel is there cheering you on. He wants you to know that you can rest and trust God to protect you in any situation. Isaiah 54:17 (Message Translation) No weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged. Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar. This is what God's servants can expect. I'll see to it that everything works out for the best."
In my sanctified imagination, I invision some other people in the stands cheering us on! There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, god-parents, husbands and wives, soldiers and teachers. Millions of people who have experienced life, lived it with Faith and were successful in this race.
They know that you can make it! So do I!
Focus on the Finish! Have a wonderful week! Love, Cynthia
No comments:
Post a Comment