September 3 – Run The Race Set Before You – {Heb 12:2-3}

“Run the race set before YOU…” {Heb 12:2}.You can’t run the race you “wish” you were in, that’s wasted energy, wasted time! “Run…the race that is set before you…” Difficult, trying circumstances? “Run the race set BEFORE YOU.” But how? “Looking unto Jesus!” It is more than a nice slogan, it is life energizing to the soul, “Looking” means, not a mere glimpse but a fixing your attention on Him. “LOOKING AWAY” from everything that may distract, darken, dampen your enthusiasm for Jesus. LOOK AWAY continually from all that would seek to fill your thoughts, control your thinking. LOOK AWAY continually to Jesus, His Person, His Work, His Promises. Don’t succumb to the temptation to be distracted,dominated by your surroundings instead of the Savior who is in control of your surroundings! Use the circumstances to be a springboard to look away by faith to JESUS!

“Run the race set BEFORE YOU…” It is a race of faith. You cannot run in someone else’s lane, as much as it may appear easier, and more desirable and less painful and challenging. And indeed it may be, but it is not your race, it is theirs.You have your own race to run, that ONLY YOU can run. You can run in your lane, deriving strength, hope, endurance, perseverance to love and trust as you relate ALL TO Jesus and derive ALL FROM Jesus, by faith!

Are you in a difficult place? You can run the race of faith in it, because He who calls you also enables you through His power, appropriating His promises by His Spirit-{2 Pet 1:3-4}. Run, not focusing on the difficulties nor the darkness but on Jesus who is LORD over the difficulties and darkness! 

A QUESTION TO HELP WITH YOUR DISCERNMENT;

When the difficulties or indeed at times the pleasures come to you, ask yourself this question? Are these thoughts LEADING me TO and LEAVING me WITH Jesus? If not, they are impeding your running by faith in Jesus, and will only lead you away from Him. Even our difficulties are to be brought to Him,”casting ALL of your anxieties upon HIM, for HE cares for you.” -{1 Pet 5:7}. LOOK to HIM . Jehospahat in times of difficulty said,”We don’t know what to do BUT our eyes are upon YOU, LORD.”… Joseph when Potiphar’s wife sought to seduce him said,”Far be it from me to commit this great EVIL in the PRESENCE of The LORD.”… Difficulties, temptations did not overcome but were but a springboard they used to turn them and relate all to the LORD.. Such is looking away to Jesus! 

“Run the race set BEFORE YOU, looking away to JESUS…”