Finishing The Race

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“However, I consider my life nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

I’m am retired and living in a nursing home. But I do have a job. My boss is God and he is a good boss and there are many fringe benefits. The most important task is to tell others of this great news and to be Jesus here in the dark world. Your actions speak a lot louder than you do. I know I speak softly and many people have a hard time hearing and understanding me. I wish I could speak to more people but I can write. I currently write a blog of Christian encouragement and send out devotions to several people because I can’t keep quiet about the amazing God I serve. My life really doesn’t matter that much anymore and my problems are just temporary and not worth complaining about. I want to speak positively to whoever I can speak to. I also wish to keep my focus on all God is doing in my life. So much is happening behind the scenes in the spiritual realm that should not be missed. Another big task is to love others with the love of Jesus. He not only loved those around him he was willing to die so they wouldn’t have to and God has forgiven them of everything if they believe in his precious son. When you are a child of God you couldn’t have a better Father. He blesses the sinner as well as his own kids. But he loves to spoil his own children best. Always making sure they have everything they need. Like wisdom, strength, and joy unspeakable. So we can do the job he has given us the best we possibly can. And bring many more brothers and sisters into our amazing family.

God’s Infinite Wisdom

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“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. But do it.” James 1:22

Do we believe what we read. Or just the parts we like. Because if we really believe God is who he says he is and that he can’t lie then why wouldn’t we believe it. I’ll admit that sometimes it is hard at times to see us doing everything he says because some things are just hard to follow through and live out. We have been given all the help we need. It is not just up to us but Christ working in us. We are to transform our minds. I know the more I repeat scripture the easier it is to follow. Repeating scripture also encourages me because his truths and promises will come to pass and that’s exciting. Sometimes it is just reading how God worked in someone’s life and that just shows how God uses ordinary people who make mistakes and still make a difference. Are you living what you read? Judge not lest you be judged. Do you want God to judge you by the same standards that you judge others? Are you critical of others? Do you say you love someone but! That’s not love. Do you forgive others so God can forgive you? Or do you hold a grudge hoping they ask forgiveness. They probably don’t even remember their actions. Do you want Gods forgiveness? Of course. Pray for those who persecute you. Of course not. Why would we do that. I’m just as guilty. But we need to take God at his word. He means what he says. His are not just suggestions. I will do all I can and I won’t be perfect but that won’t stop me from trying. I don’t want regrets when I stand before a righteous God one day. There was a time that I had regrets and I totally screwed up my life and it scared me so much and I never want to be there again.

Protection

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“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2

Aren’t you glad that we aren’t the one in charge because we don’t have all the answers. No matter what comes our way God is in control and he loves us more than anyone ever could and he has good plans for us. Trials will come and insurmountable difficulties but he knows what is coming and he already has the answers to protect us and get us through them. There is nothing we have to do but trust him. When you have health problems and unforeseen challenges you know the end of the story. When we have relationships that get off track you can give us wisdom to know which way to turn. When we lose a job or our home you have another one waiting just in time. Sometimes they are even better than the last. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were threatened with the blazing furnace they knew their Gods was bigger, better and stronger than the king and he could save them. They had no fear because the God they served would go before them. And they got to hangout with Jesus that’s day. The only risk we take is maybe dying and going to paradise to be with Jesus forever and that is far better than the best day on earth so it’s a win in my book. When I almost died I was in complete peace knowing that God was going to give me what was best and his plan for me. I always thought I would fear death and it would be painful and scary but it wasn’t. I was afraid for my family but not for me personally. They told me I probably wouldn’t make it and did I want to try? My children were still young adults so I knew they needed a mom. It was a very long, hard road but God got me through. I did so much better than the doctors predicted. Actually they were amazed by my progress each day.

Amazing God

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“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

God is simply amazing. The more I get to know him the more I am overwhelmed with his awesome power. There is nothing he can’t do or overcome. He is already there where my mind just can’t fathom his ways. I think, “Now what are you going to do?” And you know what? He amazes me once again. His ways are perfect and he knows what is best for everyone involved. Just their specific needs. I went through most of my life just knowing about him but not really knowing him personally and boy I missed out on so much. It was only after I almost died from a massive stroke that I really wanted to know more. Most of my life I believed the God of the bible existed but I didn’t know that much and just lived my life. Not the life he had for me. What a wasted life. I really had to think about what I believed. Really analyzing what that meant. Reading the words of the Bible from cover to cover and pondering each detail and it just blew me away. I knew the stories but the feasibility of the stories was awesome. And I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t want to miss out anymore and wanted no regrets from 2013 on. I drew a line in the sand, so to speak, no going back for me. There is Nothing impossible for God and nothing impossible for me if I just believe it. WOW that is amazing and I will never underestimate God again. I can now see through the eyes of faith but I’ll admit that there were trials getting there, but it was worth it all the way. God is definitely the rock on which I stand. It is a sure and solid foundation and I don’t want to be anywhere else.

Accidents

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“You can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare. People are caught by sudden tragedy.” Ecclesiastics 9:12

One fact is true, that God is in charge of everything. We have no control of our lives no matter how hard we try. We may not like problems but they are no accident. God doesn’t make mistakes no matter what happens. I had a friend who lost her friend and roommate because a nurse made a mistake and she was upset to loose her friend. But I explained to her that she didn’t die earlier than God wanted and she would have died anyway even if the nurse didn’t make a mistake. God has us in the palm of his hand and he knows what he is doing. A car might appear out of nowhere and broadside your car but God knew it was going to happen and he will use it for his will and he will use it for good. No matter how bad it seems. Sometimes we bring bad into our lives through pore choices and sin that brings consequences. God will still use it to bring change in our lives. My stroke was very bad and I almost died, but God knew what he was doing and that I would become a better person because of it. I had become very self destructive and doing what I wanted when it wasn’t good for me. I realized God had been taking good care of me all of my life and I wanted to get to know him better. I began reading all I could about God and wanted to know more. I fell in love with him more every day. I know someone who was in a very bad car accident and God did the same for him and he is a changed man. He will bring whatever he needs to change you right where you are at. Nothing is bad when God is working, just bad circumstances that he will use to make you better. He had a plan for your life before you were even born and he knows best how to cause you to fulfill that plan. I’m now in a wheelchair living in a nursing home. I need 24 hour care but I stay independent and still write books and devotions and an encouraging blog for Christian’s to help them. I thought I was useless as my body slipped away but he is using me more every day. And I couldn’t be happier and more at peace.

Perfect Will of God

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“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what’s God’s will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

We become like those we are around. Good or bad they influence your lives but if you are a child of God you should become more like Christ every day. God is doing a work in us but we need to do are part. Reading God’s word and meditating on it is so important. Then following it comes next. It takes deliberate practice to become more like Christ. You have to be committed. People all around you are focusing on the negative and it is so easy to lose our focus. Of course we have problems, everybody does. But you have to keep your focus on Christ if you are a Christian and they will see that you are different. I live in a nursing home and people have pain and anxiety which can lead to negative outbursts. It can be difficult to ignore at times. I still need to focus on where my help comes from. You only make things worse when you lose that focus. People that don’t know the Lord can’t help it and even if they do know the Lord they can let the problems win. Complaining about your problems is hard not to do but it’s only keeping your problems where they don’t belong. If you want to complain just think of something you can thank God for currently, there are as many good things happening as bad all the time. Even if it’s just your family and friends spend time around those people and encourage each other. Spend time encouraging yourself by telling yourself all the great things God has done and continues to do in your life. So many miracles happen all the time and God is right in the middle of them. God does so many great things for us that others may never know about because their minds are closed off. Guard your heart and your mind for everything comes out of it. Be the best you that you can be.

The Advocate

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‘But in fact it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the advocate won’t come, if I do go away then I will send him to you.’ John 16:7

Back before Jesus was around it took a lot of faith to get by. It took believing God was real without seeing much proof. Without God’s living word to see Gods perfect plan working. Even with seeing Jesus compassion, wisdom, strength, and miracles you had to believe that it was real. The apostles did because they knew Jesus was just a man but he did some great and mighty things that no man could do. He had that same spirit with him helping him to fulfill his purpose. Because he did go back to the Father we have that same spirit helping us just like Jesus. The advocate he promised is working in us and he is always interceding for us. We are not alone but have the same help Jesus had and they say we will do greater and mightier things than he did, and that’s pretty great. All we have to do is believe and all things are possible. The apostles couldn’t believe getting by without him but we have him with us always. They thought he would be around for years to come, even though he told them he had to go for their best. They didn’t think he should go because he had to free his people first. That is how they saw it happening. You have to realize that with all the help we get from the Holy Spirit that some pretty amazing and exciting things can supernaturally happen. The more faith you have the more you get blessed by some exciting things. Seeing may be believing but if you want to see the supernatural you have to first believe and then you see. Our lives can be amazing if we just believe.

Accidents

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‘You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.’ Luke 1:45

To believe impossible things is not easy. When Abraham and Sarah had tried for many years to have a child and were unable to, being fertile. They chose to believe that God would make a great nation through them and that they would have a child. Mary also believed that even though she was a virgin that she would have a son. Elizabeth doubted that she could have a child at her age, but she chose to believe it would happen just as God said. When you are faced with challenges that make it hard and impossible for the dreams God has given you, will you choose to believe? Many others throughout history have chosen to believe and God did mighty things through their lives. You will be blessed if you trust in God. The impossible will come to pass with God’s divine power. Mary did not only believe she praised God in the midst of her doubts. All things are possible to them who believe. Even though she was young, unmarried, and would probably be stoned for getting pregnant out of marriage she was willing to trust God, not the circumstances. She had to be scared but she praised God and said, ‘Let your will be done just as you said.’ If she hadn’t believed who knows what would have happened to us.

Believing God

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“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:45

To believe impossible things is not easy. When Abraham and Sarah had tried for many years to have a child and were unable, being fertile. They chose to believe that God would make a great nation through them because he said that they would have a child. Mary also believed that even though she was a virgin that she would have a son just as the angel said. Elizabeth doubted that she could have a child at her age, but she chose to believe that it would happen just as God said. When you are faced with challenges that make it impossible for the dreams God has given you, will you choose to believe? Many others throughout history chose to believe and God did mighty things through their lives. You will be blessed if you believe the impossible will come to pass with God’s divine power. Mary did not only believe, she also praised God in the midst of her fears. As a teenager the thought of having a child out of wedlock, when she very likely was to face stoning and ridicule. But she knew that God would make it happen. Can we believe what God says in our life when we are abused, broken, handicapped, uneducated, poor, single or whatever hurdles we face. It may be hard but God has put you just where you are for such a time as this. You are in his will and in the palm of his hand. Where you are is where he can use you better than anywhere else for his kingdom and his glory. I had a massive stroke at a young age and God has used me to write encouraging books and devotional blogs when I couldn’t do much physically because I was so handicapped. The handicap was his plan all along and though it was hard to see it at the time, I came to realize that I could make a big impact in my world because my handicap gave me a platform to share with others. You may not like where God has placed you and it may be difficult but if you are willing to trust God he will give you the strength and the wisdom to be used mightily for him also.

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“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

What we think about and what we let in our lives is what we become. Sin brings troubles and thinking negative thoughts brings bad things. What we say and dwell on is so important. If you want a blessed and good life then you will listen to the creator of life. He knows his creation well. When you speak scriptures over your life it encourages and helps you remember what’s important. Thinking about how great things are in your life, even if it was just a delicious meal or a beautiful sunrise will bless your soul. Being thankful is a learned habit that takes your focus off the bad things in life and back to God who gives all good things. God makes all good things for us to enjoy and appreciate but not so we can get things to fill our homes and our lives with stuff. Then we let them bless us and not God which is no blessing at all. God doesn’t want us to not have nice things because we need them to live. But if God helps you to have a fancy car or a big house be sure to thank God for them and just remember that God gives the job that helped you buy them. Get involved with a good Bible believing church and attend regularly, in person not online. We need the fellowship of other believers to encourage us and rub off on us. The more you do things God’s way the more blessed your life will be.