Galatians 5:7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
Philippians 2:16 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.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
Philippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
PERSEVERANCE! Endurance… in fact, the list is so long I will share the powerful synonyms:
backbone*, constancy, continuance, cool, dedication, determination, doggedness, drive, endurance, grit, guts*, immovability, indefatigability, moxie*, persistence, pertinacity, pluck, prolonging, purposefulness, pursuance, resolution, sedulity, spunk, stamina, steadfastness, stick-to-itiveness, tenacity
AND the antonyms, likely to convict me and you for our sometime LACK of will to spend time in the BIBLE & lack of PERSEVERANCE for our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured the Cross for us:
apathy, idleness, indolence, laziness, lethargy
A single picture of one racing to the finish line… or a single example of the faith of an Apostle like Paul… or a singular person of perseverance like Job will invigorate our race to the finish-line of our faith to meet the Author of our salvation.
Kent Hughes, in his book 10 Disciplines of a Godly Man, points to Hebrews 12 as a guide for our perseverance. “Divest, Run, Focus, & Consider,” is his advice for us. When I think of any of the examples of our faith, I’m ready to get back in the race and run to the finish.
Perseverance in prayer, Bible study, thankfulness, ministering to the needs of others, regular worship and willingness to talk of Jesus to anyone — just a part of this race in which our Lord has enrolled us.
Won’t you SHARE your Social Witness for Jesus Christ?
Add a thoughtful comment about your own race and encourage another today?
Thanks. May our Lord bless you today to finish the race. – Roger – http://talkofJesus.com — Better than a sports drink for the race of Eternal Life
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