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e-light #3 The Finish Line Matt 10:22 "... he that endureth to the end shall be saved." On a dark cool evening in Mexico City in 1968, John Stephen Akwari of Tanzania painfully hobbled into the Olympic Stadium -- the last man to finish the marathon. Bloody and bandaged, with pain and determination filling each step, he pressed on around the track toward the finish line. After he finished, a reporter ran up to Akwari and asked why he endured all the pain and why he even bothered to finish the race. Akwari appeared perplexed at the question. He said, "I don't think you understand. My country did not send me to the Olympics to start the race. They sent me to finish the race." In Genesis 25:29, Jacob was cooking stew when Esau came from the field and said to Jacob, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint..." Esau proceeded to exchange his birthright for a bowl of stew. Esau traded long-term pain for short-term pleasure. If you're feeling 'faint', be careful, because it's at the point of your 'faintness' that the 'Enemy of your Soul' meets you, just as he met Jesus in the wilderness, who also was faint from hunger. Satan will tempt you by offering his 'stew' that he promises will end the hunger-pains in your soul and spirit. In exchange for your Heavenly birthright and your walk with God, he'll tempt you to take his 'stew of surrender', by telling you, "things won't change"; "it's too late"; "you're forgotten"; "you're too far from God"; "the race is over for you, so just give up, give out, and give in." When Satan starts to question you as to why you're still running this Christian race, in spite of life's pain and disappointment, just tell him, "I don't think you understand, my Lord didn't win the Battle at Calvary for me to start this race, but for me to finish it." I was privileged to speak at the funeral services for Sister Egla Montero, who, many years ago, was my Sunday School teacher. Although racked with the sufferings of cancer, she remained a profile of faithfulness and courage, until the end of her earthly race. Crossing the finish-line from Earth to Glory, it can be said of her, as President Reagan said of the Challenger crew, that she "slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God." Keep on running, walking, or limping if you have to. But whatever you do, don't give up, it will be worth it all, because the 'Face of God' awaits you. e-light #13 - The Correct Focus "Bitterness focuses you on what you 'don't' have, not on what you have" - M. Lucado Heb 12:15 - See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (NIV) It's not worth "missing the grace of God", due to bitterness and resentment. It has been said that 'acid only harms the vessel holding it'. If you keep bitterness in your heart, you're doing more damage to yourself, then to the person who hurt you, because the 'acid' of bitterness eats away at your heart, your soul and your joy. Some people hold on to bitterness, because they feel that it gives them control over the other person (which is not true, often the person that hurt you has no idea, nor even cares if you're hurting, leaving you to relive the pain over and over again). Some also think that by forgiving and releasing bitterness, they're saying that it's "OK" that they have been hurt. Realize that forgiveness it not about 'letting the other person off the hook', it's about 'taking the knife out of your own heart'. God sees all and will bring in to account everyone for their actions... Psalms 103:2, instructs us to "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Refocusing your vision away from bitterness and on to the benefits and blessings of God, will make sure that bitterness doesn't steal your joy... Remember: When you 'harbor' bitterness, happiness will 'dock' elsewhere. e-light # 15 - The Cleansing "The Lord sometimes takes us into troubled waters, not to drown us, but to cleanse us" Isa 43:1-3 - But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2When 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. 3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; (NIV) Water has the power to drown or cleanse, likewise Fire has the power to destroy or purify. God didn't promise that He would always keep you out of the trials of water or fire, but He did say that he would guide and protect you through the tough times in life. God did NOT keep: Daniel out of the lions den; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the fiery furnace; Noah from the flood; Job from suffering, Joseph out of the pit; David away from lions, bears or Goliath; Paul from shipwreck, nor Peter from imprisonment. Instead God protected, restored, comforted, and delivered them! The choice is up to you, trials can make you better or bitter. With God's promises and our trust in Him, our tests and trials will cleanse and purify us, not drown or destroy. Remember: God chooses what we go through , we choose how we go through it e-light #38 - The Holding Pattern "God's delay is not His denial" Ps 37:5- Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Sometimes we feel like our life is "on hold". We're watching, waiting and wondering when God is going 'bring to pass' the answer that we've been seeking. But, remember, God's delay is NOT his denial If the captain of an airplane that you're on, has put the plane into a 'holding pattern', it's because it's not the safest or best time to land the plane. There's maybe too much fog, snow, ice, or air traffic. The captain will not land the plane until it is the RIGHT time. If you grew increasingly impatient that your plane was in a "holding pattern" would you demand that the captain move over and let you fly the plane, because you're tired of waiting to land? Of course not. So likewise, commit your desires to the Captain of the your life and in His perfect timing, He will bring it to pass.
...what's that I hear over the airplane intercom??? (to return to the e-light Inspirations order page click here.) e-light #65 - The Answer "There are four ways God answers prayer: No, not yet; No, I love you too much; Yes, I thought you'd never ask; Yes, and here's more" - Anne Lewis Ps 116:1 - "I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. 2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live". Recently, a Pastor told me that a man in his church wanted to work for a consulting team, but did not get the assignment. He really wanted the job and couldn't understand why he was denied the position. His questioning stopped at 9:38am, on September 11th, when American Airlines Flight 77, made its murderous plunge into the west side of the Pentagon. All on board the plane and several on the ground were killed, including the entire consulting team that this man would have been a member of, if he had gotten the job that he wanted. His life was saved by a "No". We often say that God 'answered' our prayer, when we get what we want from God. But in reality a "No" or "Not Yet" from God, is just as much an answer to prayer as a "Yes" is. Do you feel that God is saying "No" or "Not Yet" in response to your prayers? Remember: He sees the end from the beginning and He might be saving you from a disaster. As Psalms 116:12 tells us, our love for the Lord should be based on the fact that He inclines His ear towards us and hears our voice. God always answers in a way that is for our highest and best good. Our love should not be based on whether or not we get what we want from God. Access to the 'Throne of God' and the privilege to call on Him for as long as we live, are reasons enough to love Him. Corrie ten Boom said, "When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through." When things are dark and you can't see where you're at or where you're going, trust the 'Engineer', because He's engineering your life for the good.
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