Running Without the Weight

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”-Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

Yesterday I went to the gym to run/walk for the first time in probably over 4 months.  It was a gym that I hadn’t been to before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect.  I just knew they had an indoor track and I wanted to get on it.

When I arrived, I checked in, found the track, observed the track “rules”, and started running.  I was dressed rather warmly, because it was snowing outside.  Well, it was warm inside the gym, and as I started running, it got even warmer, which made me start thinking about the scripture above, especially this one part:

“...let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

Running our race for Jesus is a lot like what I was doing running on that track yesterday.

As I started to run, I was comfortable.  I came in what the outside conditions at the moment dictated.  But as I started running, that sweatshirt I was wearing became increasingly hot and heavy.  

When we first come to Jesus, we come as we are.  That is all He asks.  But as we start to run, there are things that are going to become heavy, “ a weight” to us, that will drag us down, slow us down, and not let us run at peak performance.

I will share something from my own life.  I was born again when I was 12 years old.  I drifted away from Jesus though until I was in my early twenties.  At that point, I had picked up some things in my life that were weighing me down.  For one, I smoked.  I smoked about a pack a day.  

When I was in high school, my P.E. teacher approached me one day in class.  She told me she wanted me to run track.  She said my legs were perfect for running.  I told her I couldn’t.  She knew why.  She said, “You smoke don’t you?”  I told her yes.  Not running in high school has been a huge regret for me and that memory has always stuck with me.

Shortly after I rededicated my life to Christ, I realized that smoking was going to have to go. I had smoked for 11 years.   It was one of those things that I loved and hated at the same time.  I felt like it relaxed me; it was a habit.  But at the same time, it made me seriously tired.  I would wake up in the morning and feel great until I had that first cigarette and then all my energy would go.

Well, at some point I knew this habit needed to go.  I didn’t feel like God was bashing me, but I felt in my heart that I couldn’t do everything He had for me to do and keep smoking.  One day I was reading my Bible, and this scripture came alive.

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”- James 1:21 KJV

It seemed like all of a sudden when I read that scripture I knew that I had to put the cigarettes down.  Not only did I know, but somehow I felt like God gave me that scripture to empower me to do it.

Three days after putting them down I was free.  I haven’t had a cigarette in 18 years.  

Those cigarettes were a weight to me.  They were interrupting my race.  They were hurting my health.  They could have kept me from running the race that God had called me to run had I not laid them aside.

Less than a year later I went to Bible School.  I am not sure if I would have had the confidence to apply still carrying around that habit.  And I am certain that my health would have continued to suffer.

You might be a smoker.  You might be one that wants to quit.  If you want to quit, let me pray for you.  I know that God wants to help you.  He has plans for your life.  You were born with a seed of purpose.

“Father, I come to you in Jesus’ name.  I ask you to help this person reading this post right now.  Please release this from this habit.  Strengthen them by your Spirit to help them to overcome this addition.  Replace it with a sense of purpose, and love, and hope and direction in their lives.  Thank you Lord.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Much love and blessings to you as you continue to run and find your place in His story,

Beth

The Holy Land Key: Unlocking End-Times Prophecy Through The Lives of God's People in Israel by Ray Bentley

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Romans 1: 16, NIV)



Wow. This book was amazing. As I thought about writing this review, it was very hard for me to know where to start.

When I first received this book, I showed it to my husband. He read it in like a day and a half. He was so moved by the content that I asked him if he wanted to be the one to write the review. It took me a little longer than a day and a half to read.

Throughout my educational experiences in high school and college, I have always connected more with stories. History with its dates and facts are usually a little harder to wrap my brain around. This book is a combination of both, stories and fact. But I still enjoyed it so much.

In The Holy Land Key, Ray Bentley shares many journeys. He shares his journey, the journeys of many colleagues, but most importantly the journey of Israel in God's magnificent plan. Bentley takes us through the scriptures connecting them with things we can see with our own eyes, an reveals the part that Israel has played and will continue to play in the history of the world and God's plan of redemption for mankind. Along the way, he has developed friendships that God has used to increase his knowledge of things to come.

The Holy Land Key is divided into five parts, with each part containing 2+ chapters. Chapter titles include: "Partnering with Those Who Are Helping to Fulfill Prophecy, Learning from the Descendants of Ishmael, History's Most Persecuted People, Patterns and Predictions in Prophecy, The Zodiac and Christ's Second Coming, How Seasons and Feasts Reveal Christ's Second Coming, and God is Bringing His People Home."

I learned so many new things from this book, and I am pretty sure I am not finished learning. One of the greatest things I learned from the book, in my opinion, is found in Romans 11:17-18 and John 10:16.

"And if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you."-Romans 10:17-18 (NKJV)

"And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd."-John 10:16 (NKJV)

The Church has not replaced the Jews. We are the "wild olive tree" that has been grafted in! This revelation was very enlightening for me, because I have always felt we, as Believers inChrist, were separate. But that is not the case.

Another thing this book did for me was to open my heart to all the people groups in the Middle East. I love the story of Hagar and Ishmael in the Bible. I love that even though she was alone in the desert with her son, God still had his eye on her and was loving her, and caring for, and providing for her and her child. God is still doing that for Ishmael's sons and daughters. My heart has been opened more to that fact.

The book is about prophecy, and how it can be seen in the scriptures. It's about prophecy and how it can been seen in natural things we can see with our physical eyes. And its about prophecy in spiritual things that are eternal that is often revealed in the natural.

I love this book. I recommend it to anybody who wants to study about End Times, Biblical prophecy, or who wants to learn more about the Jewish people, the land of Israel, and what God is doing in the last days. He is amazing and loves us all.

Many blessings to you as you discover your part in His Story,

Beth

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Blogging For Books. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions here are entirely my own.














A Time To Throw Away

"This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it."-Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

I have spent all day cleaning my house.  Seriously.  (Well, except for when I stopped to make homemade jello as a science/math activity for homeschool.) 

We just moved, so everything is still out of sorts.  The house we are living in now, is about 300 sq. ft., I think, less than the house we were living in, and we don't have a garage, just a little storage closet outside for outdoor type stuff.

So, this journey with minimalism continues. I continue to think this is important, getting rid of the unimportant to make room for what is really important.  It is changing my life and filtering across other areas like my walk with God, our homeschool journey, and even my health. 

I heard another scripture yesterday that has motivated me on this journey some more.  It is found in Ecclesiastes.  I will share two scriptures, just to put it in context.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...

a time to keep and a time to throw away..."

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6b (NIV)

Now is definitely my time to throw away.  I am feeling a lot of momentum at the moment.  We lived for two months without most of our stuff.  And it was freeing.  And more comfortable.  So, now is the time to let go of some more.

I think a vision is starting to form of what I want the final picture to look like, and it is very much at the heart of what minimalism is all about.  I want only the important stuff.  A place to sleep, my Bible, educational items for the kids, the important dishes to cook with...these things are very simplistic in nature.

I look forward to what is to come and where this journey takes us.  

Salvation

In the Bible in John chapter 3, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

So, how does someone become born again?

Romans 10:8-13 tells us.

"But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”


Jesus came into the world as a man. He was tortured, beaten, and bruised and nailed by Roman soldiers to a cross to put him to death. But it was all for you and me. After three days of being sealed in a tomb, He was raised to life by the power of God. If you believe this to be truth, and that He did it for you, simply talk to God right now.

You can pray, "Jesus, I ask you to come into my life and make me a new person. I believe you died on the cross and were raised again. I confess you now as Lord. Thank you for making me a new creation. Amen!"

If you prayed that prayer, I encourage you find a church that believes the Bible and start attending so you can spend time with other believers that can encourage you in your faith. Many blessings to you on this new journey!