run the race with endurance

Erica and Mike prepare for an early morning start. They as Corinthians would well know the full bearing of every illustration derived from the triennial Isthmian games, which were the chief glory of their city, and which at this period had even thrown the Olympic games into the shade. We need to run the race with endurance, looking away unto Jesus to be infused with all that He is and be enabled to run the heavenly race and live the heavenly life on earth! And let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher of our race and our faith. Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1 to 4. We have been looking for someone to run the marathon in the next Olympics. Let’s endure to the end. We can’t let the deceitfulness of riches attach a golden ball and chain to our legs that will keep us from running the spiritual race. Running a road race requires significant endurance. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). My first step in preparing for the 26.2-mile race was making a commitment to a 17-week training program. I didn’t have my glasses on, so I kept asking, “Can you see the finish line yet?”. God is the One who will never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Heb 12:1-2 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the ...read more. Sin clings closely. Nonetheless, it is possible for us to finish the race successfully. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting and fellowship are spiritual disciplines that help us grow. This is an image of an athletic competition, of Olympic footraces familiar to the original audience of this book. 15. I bought lightweight shoes and socks and chose not to take a water bottle (they have water stations every mile) or even my glasses. - Know ye not that they which run in a race run all? There is a race in the life of a Christian, and there is a proper way to run it. In fact, I took 2,166th place! (Hebrews 12:1) I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for … 1, 2. Jesus talked about several of these dangers in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:22. Scripture tells us to look to the author and perfector of our faith, Jesus. Because of our inability to see the future and our temptation to forget the Lord we need endurance for the race set before us. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2. He wants us to endure all things out of love. Every ounce counts in a foot race. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. But I know that if I get winded in the first half mile, already struggling for oxygen and fighting muscle cramps, I will have a much harder time enduring to the end. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. Repentance is also necessary for us to escape Satan’s clutches. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the … The cares of this life can be even harder to control, because we all do have cares and worries and things we have to do. 1. The race set before us requires faith, stamina, commitment, and discipline in order to live faithfully (1 Corinthians 9:25–26; Philippians 3:12–14; 1 Timothy 6:12). Used by permission. 5:7. Obeying God keeps us from the sin that so easily entangles us (2 Timothy 2:4-5). They train hard and avoid eating or drinking too much. Paul is not saying that only one Christian will “win” salvation—just that we should put in as much, if not more, commitment, training, temperance, endurance and self-discipline as these athletes. God is the One who can and will help us up when we fall. He is also the One who will help us when we are weak and weary. You have probably figured out by now that I did not win the marathon or take first place in my division (though my daughter did take first place in her division!). Amen! Try it FREE. January 23, 2015 • Cambodia. Lecture 12, Run the Race with Endurance: The Christian life is one of endurance. Verses 24-27. A Race Requiring Endurance. Fellow spiritual runners, let’s train and prepare well. The so-called elite runners enter the race with one objective —to win. The Church and godly fellowship are major gifts from God in helping us to run the race with endurance. Verse 24. Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts and updates. Jesus Christ has been through such trials and understands! Solid Bible teaching with practical application. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. What must we do to endure? All rights reserved. We see then that the life of faith is like a race that must be run with endurance so that the finish line may be crossed and the prize received. Everyone in God’s race can win! He wants us to become like Him. Proverbs 4:26-27 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Having a regular, daily habit of prayer and Bible study is vital to enduring in our spiritual race. The deceitfulness of riches can really distract us. Yet sometimes, many times in fact, our faith wanes and weakens. We must not draw back or quit! They push themselves and discipline themselves to beat everyone else—since only one is the winner. We also can talk to God in our times of severe trial. We might wish that there were an easier way, but we must look to Jesus, who set the perfect example by fully submitting to the Father’s perfect will. God, who is love personified, has certainly suffered long with us and endured all that we have done against Him. He is also part of the Personal Correspondence team of ministers who answer questions sent to Life, Hope & Truth. (Heb 12:1-3) "Know ye … Paul wrote: “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12). We are called to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1). Run the race well by finding your motivator to run. In essence we are all running a spiritual marathon! But Jesus showed where our focus should be—on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). In my case, chasing self-centered joy and personal accolades. I wanted to cross the marathon off my bucket list! He will hear and He cares deeply! And God is the One who remembers our commitment and service (Hebrews 6:9-12). Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) And I hope some of the things I experienced while preparing for and running the marathon—and especially the biblical principles they brought to mind—can help us all as we run the race with endurance. Mike's daughters, Erica and Heather, join him to Hebrews 10:35-39 is another key passage to me. It's interesting that the author of Hebrews chooses the metaphor of the long distance race to illustrate the Christian life, and an apt picture it is. Jesus Christ is coming back, and He will not tarry (even though it can seem like He has delayed). It’s hard to get off, and it’s heavy. The spiritual analogy is found in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.”. 12 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. To run with endurance we must run with our fellow believers. The same is true in the Christian life. In the following article, we will consider what further help we have available. We need to encourage and be encouraged through regularly attending church and through fellowship with God’s people (Hebrews 10:24-25). "Running With Endurance" Like disciplined athletes we are called to cast off everything that would prevent us from running with endurance the race set before us. Your legs feel like concrete, your breathing grows labored, your strides turn into a shuffle. I have been intrigued by the marathon most of my life. What shall we do in those times? He has endured everything we have and more. After that race I hung up my running shoes forever. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We must also follow Christ’s example of recommitting to do God’s will—to stick to His plan. EACH year many people around the world run in marathon races. A marathon is a strenuous test of fitness and endurance. Scripture says we are to "run with patience (endurance, persistence) the race set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith ... For consider Him that endured ... lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Hebrews 12:1-29 Run the Christian Race with Endurance. So, what should we do when we “hit the wall” spiritually? Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21). It was also important to me to figure out how to avoid carrying any extra weight. All rights reserved worldwide. Never miss a post! $3.99 a month for 40+ study tools. Jesus Christ is the real key to dealing with the weariness and discouragement. 14. “My Yoke Is Easy”: Is Being a Christian Easy or Hard? The man who loves Jesus Christ deeply praises God when he’s being devoured by lions and when he’s being overrun by foreign armies, saying, “If this is my role in the furtherance of your kingdom, praise your name.” Your Most Important Decision, Fear Not: How to Stop Feeding Fear and Overcome It, Perseverance and the Science of Resilience in Trials. finish the last stretch of the marathon. … But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29, 31). So why am I writing about this? Love endures all things and never fails (verses 7-8). We have to recognize that these tests are necessary and that God will help us through them, and that there is an amazingly wonderful finish line ahead—one we can look forward to with “joy inexpressible”! There’s a tendency to let the adrenaline that is released at the beginning of the race get you into sprinting and darting around other people. As Jesus said: “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). As I got perhaps a half mile from the end, Erica, who had already finished the marathon, actually came to run that last bit again with me! Perhaps we literally get caught up in gambling, thinking “this time I’m going to win the lottery” until our spiritual life gets choked out. But more often it is just focusing more on our job, career or investments than focusing on God. For the believer it will be a day of triumph and celebration. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan. Run the Race With Endurance. We have determined that out of the two hundred seventy-five million people, you are the one person in America with a chance t… Samaritan’s Purse staff members in Cambodia gather to run for projects in their country. Lay aside every weight (Hebrews 12:1) Running with endurance Hitting the wall: the test of endurance Enduring to the finish line Finishing the race 1, 2. “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Imagine a group of people coming to your home and interrupting your Twinkie-eating, TV-watching routine with an urgent message: \"Good News! Hebrews 12:2 also says that Jesus “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” As we run with endurance, we also must refocus on the goal, on the finish line. The Race of Faith. Some who run in these races are very good runners, and they want to win. The best value in digital Bible study. Running the Race with Endurance. God does not forget our labor of love. He coordinates the Life, Hope & Truth website, Discern magazine and the Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter. Paul also wrote: “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). What are the spiritual weights that make it hard to run the race? And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We are from the United States Olympic Committee. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” - … Isaiah 26:7 But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. This training takes self-discipline. Learn more about the race … Love suffers long—it’s patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). Then when we cross the finish line, we can hear these wonderful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. The Christian life is a matter of endurance and struggle and difficulty. To what did the apostle Paul compare the Christian life course? Keeping a constant pace throughout the race becomes a rhythm, a habit, and you don’t have to fight with yourself at every step. Get the latest blog posts from Life, Hope & Truth straight to your inbox. Mike Bennett is editorial content manager for the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in the Dallas, Texas, area. Hebrews 12 compares the Christian life to a race, and this race wasn't meant to be run alone. We are able to see “the One who is invisible” and thus run the race with endurance.​— 2 Cor. We also don’t know how soon we will see the finish line, but we must have the vision of that joy firmly in mind to motivate us, as it motivated Jesus Christ (Hebrews 11:13-16; Revelation 21:1-7).
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