The Battle in the Race
Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“Hold firmly to the
word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did
not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” (Philippians
2:16-17)
Holy Bible, New Living
Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.)
Memorial Day in the
United States of America is a special day we annually set aside to honor the
fallen – those men and women who sacrificially gave their lives to keep freedom
free in our nation, and for the many other nations that we have stood with over
these many decades. They chose (or were drafted) to join the fight in war. They
ran to the front lines, armed with weapons for battle, to keep evil from further
encroaching on European, Southeast Asia, and Middle Eastern lands. And to take
back that which was stolen by the enemy of our souls, Satan himself.
These tremendous
engagements on the battlefield took months of preparation for those men and
women, prior to the vicious entanglements. They didn’t win without a tough fight.
For millions, that fight cost them their lives.
We give thanks with a
big “Thank you!” to all men and women who have served in the Armed Forces - the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard!
The Bugler Boy and the flags of the US Armed Forces
Crown Memorial Park cemetery in Pineville (Charlotte) North Carolina
(Photo by Steve Martin, May 27, 2017
Many of us enjoy
attending sporting events. We have a local or national team that we give our
money, time and sometimes hoarse voices to in cheering them on. Though in no
way would I ever compare them to paying the same price it dearly costs our
soldiers in the USA Armed Forces, they too have been prepared to meet on the field
of “battle”. For that I too commend them.
I too loved playing
high school baseball, for the teamwork we had, and the discipline required to
go onto the Iowa State Finals in 1972. Lessons learned for life.
Columbus High School baseball teams 1972-1973
(Part of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Roman Catholic education system)
Waterloo, Iowa
It takes discipline to
excel. It takes daily commitment to do, to be prepared to run the race and win
the game, each a battle in itself, and later the hard-fought, victorious championship, or world war.
As Paul says in Hebrews
12:1-3,
“Do you see what this
means — all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us
on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running — and never
quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.
Keep your eyes on
Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it.
Because he never lost sight of where he was headed — that exhilarating finish
in and with God — he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame,
whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
When you find
yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that
long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into
your souls! (”THE MESSAGE)
To be ready for the
life struggles that we all do face today, and will face tomorrow, we must be
ready. We must be armed. We must put on the full armor the Lord has provided,
or else we won’t make it. The one who hates, steals, kills and seeks daily to destroy
our souls doesn’t play fair. We must be prepared.
“Use all the armor and
weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the
deceptive tactics of the Adversary. For we are not struggling against human
beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.
So take up every piece
of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be
able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing.
Therefore, stand! Have
the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a
breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News
of shalom.
Always carry the
shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming
arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the
sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; as you pray at all times,
with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and
persistently, for all God’s people.”
(Ephesians 6:11-18,
Complete Jewish Bible)
Jesus did not promise
us a rose garden - without a fight. It takes a willing spirit to say, “Here I
am. Do in me what needs to be done, so I can do what I have been created to do.”
Can you say that? Can
you pray that if you can’t say that now? The Holy Spirit is our Helper. Ask
Him.
Be prepared. Get
ready. The fight has been going on for centuries, ever since the time of Adam
and Eve in the garden.
If you are weary from it
now, Jesus can refresh you. His heart is to make yours strong, to walk in your
purpose and what you have been created to do.
If you need more
training - discipline yourself in prayer, read His instruction book we call the
Bible, and stand with those who have the same kindred spirit to hear and obey.
Then run the race set
before you - to win., Let your life be counted among those who, with Jesus Christ
at the Marriage Supper of the victorious Lamb of God - will together celebrate
His glorious victory over death and destruction. It will be worth whatever cost He asks us to pay.
There is no other life worth living, than the one He has chosen and called you to live.
He is the Lion of the
Tribe of Judah, the Awesome God, the Savior of the world - for both the Jew and
Gentile -Yeshua HaMashiach Himself.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People,
Inc.
P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share
this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can
easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve
We are blessed when
the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in
Israel, Hungary, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also
can share out of the abundance you have been given.
Love For His People,
Inc. is a charitable,
not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love
of the Father in the nations.
If these messages
minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and
maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we
consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible
contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.
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Todah rabah! (Hebrew
– Thank you very much.)
Please share Now
Think On This with your friends.
Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com
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Martin and Love For His People
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LovingHisPeople
Now Think On This - In
the Year of our Lord 05.29.17 - #286 – “The Battle in the Race” – Monday, 7 am - Memorial Day 2017
All previous editions
of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on
the website: Now Think On This
Again, I would be most
grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You
can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve
