My Journey 10/8 - 10/10/2010

God's insight to me:

I love the two devotionals by Max Lucado and also the one by J. C. Philpot. As I read the "Simplify Faith" he can't make it more simpler than that. Why is Christianity so confusing? We make it that way. We just can't believe that "faith" can be that simple. But it is. Now the next devotional about the race for eternity was very well written. Being a cross country runner in my teenage years, I can speak about races. But can you just picture Jesus at the finish line yelling to us encouragement to finish and don't get distracted along the way. He loves us so much that the Holy Spirit is running with us each step of the way to get us there. As I read this devotional the Lord blessed me with this poem;

The Race

All the Christians lined up,
the race was about to begin.
What was most important,
was what was waiting at the end.

The Lord of Lords, the King of Kings,
was at the finish line,
waiting for each of His children,
as they ran the race of time.

In His glorious hand,
He held a crown for each.
We must stay focus through the race,
for it is definitely within our reach.

Though through the race of time,
many distractions will be along the way,
keep focusing on Jesus my friends,
so we can finish the race someday!

E. P. Shagott
10/11/2010

Now the last devotional by Max Lucado is the answer to how we can finish life's race and be victorious. Be like Jesus! The author states, "He endured when others quit!" We can't win our own race if we quit. Ask our Heavenly Father for the courage and strength to endure and stay focused on Jesus!

From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
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10/8

Simplify Faith
By Max Lucado

“He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” Matthew 10:40, NKJV

How do you simplify faith? ... Simplify your faith by seeking God for yourself. No confusing ceremonies necessary. No mysterious rituals required. No elaborate channels of command or levels of access.

You have a Bible? You can study.

You have a heart? You can pray.

You have a mind? You can think.

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10/9

From Daily Portions devotional
by J. C. Philpot

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:2

No one can ever run the race set before him, except by looking unto Jesus. He is at the head of the race; he stands at the goal; holding the crown of victory in his hand, which he puts upon the head of the successful runner. And we can only run on as we view Jesus by the eye of faith at the right hand of the Father opening his blessed arms to receive us into his own bosom at the end of the race. Nor indeed can any one really look to him but by the special gift and grace of God. He must be revealed to the soul by the power of God; we must behold his glorious Godhead and his suffering manhood by the eye of faith; and we must view him as the incarnate God; the only Mediator between God and man. We must see the efficacy of his atoning blood to purge a guilty conscience; the blessedness of his obedience to justify a needy, naked soul; the sweetness of his dying love as an inward balm and cordial against all the thousand ills and sorrows of life. We must see his glory, as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;

his suitability to every want and woe;
his infinite compassion to the vilest and worst of sinners;
his patient forbearance and wondrous long-suffering of our sins and backslidings;
his unchanging love, stronger than death itself;
his readiness to hear;
his willingness to bless;
and his ability to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.

Thus the heavenly runner looks not to the course however long, nor to the ground however rough, not to his own exertions however multiplied, nor to his own strength whether much or little; nor to applauding friends nor condemning foes; but wholly and solely to the incarnate Son of God. Jesus draws him onward with his invincible grace. Every glance of his beauteous Person renews the flame of holy love; every sight of his blood and righteousness kindles desires to experience more of their efficacy and blessedness; and every touch of his sacred finger melts the heart into conformity to his suffering image. This is the life of a Christian,--day by day, to be running a race for eternity; and as speeding onward to a heavenly goal, to manifest his sincerity and earnestness by continually breathing forth the yearnings of his soul after divine realities, and to be pressing forward more and more toward the Lord Jesus Christ, as giving him a heavenly crown when he has finished his course with joy.

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10/10

Be Like Jesus
By Max Lucado

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5, NKJV

What does it mean to be just like Jesus? The world has never known a heart so pure, a character so flawless. His spiritual hearing was so keen He never missed a heavenly whisper. His mercy so abundant He never missed a chance to forgive. No lie left His lips, no distraction marred His vision. He touched when others recoiled. He endured when others quit. Jesus is the ultimate model for every person.