SWEETER THAN HONEY and the honeycomb. I talk a lot about running the race set before you, staying in your lane and finishing well. Running has some great analogies. This Christian walk is not the 100 meter sprint; it’s a marathon. And not just any marathon, it’s an ultra marathon. Then, not only is it an 100 mile ultra marathon, it’s through the mountains where the air gets thin and it’s difficult to breath and through the dry, desert places of intense heat. But wait, there’s more. You have to stay on an afflicted and narrow path.
You might say this Christian walk is no joke and not for the faint of heart. It does not matter how you were running on mile 15, how are running right now? You still have 85 miles left. You must finish your race well. These are the days that reveal our hearts and minds. These are the days where the Lord told Jeremiah, “If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” Interpretation: if you cannot handle the persecution of a few men in times of prosperity, what will you do when the real persecution comes? There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death.
How do you finish strong? King Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) did not finish well. It is recorded of him “And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” God’s Word is seed, but what does the soil of your heart look like? Do you really seek to please the Lord and His reputation? Or do you care more about your selfish desires and own reputation? Are you correctable? If you will not receive correction and instruction in righteousness, your soil is hard. If you do not obey your faithful leaders in the faith, you will be destroyed. If you do not continuously pluck out weeds by their roots, weeds of offense, bitterness, unforgiveness, disloyalty, greed, covetousness, jealousy, pride and the like; you will fall. Big rocks will not allow any root to take place.
What is hindering you from running? Paul said it’s sin and other weight. What other weight? Anxiety, fear, despair, grumbling and complaining, approval addiction, false teaching and doctrine and more hinders your run. Good soil preparation takes hard work. We have powerful tools to overcome all the works of the enemy: the blood of the Lamb, the Holy Spirit and the Word of the Lord. These three agree in one. God’s way is the only and right way to run this race. You must be born again of the Holy Spirit, He is your counselor.
The blood of Christ cleanses you from all sin and by following His precepts, you stay on the right path. We gain strength from the brethren, His church. We do not forsake the public gathering and we place ourselves under the care and discipline of godly shepherds preaching good doctrine. How you run matters. His will, His way, His Word, His government. Render to Him what is His. “All these) More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalms 19:10-11 #runyourrace
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page