So we just pray, dear Father, this song
is the prayer of our hearts, of my
heart, Lord, and we pray that in this
meeting, we will allow Thee to have Thy
way in our hearts, and have Thy way
even with the words of our spirit, Father.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now before I start, I just want to
thank you all for the outfit.
It's not often that I get something that's
brand new, from top to bottom, and I
thank you very, very much, and I will
enjoy wearing it.
Today, we are going to talk about our
race, and we can turn to Hebrews 12,
verse 1 and 2.
Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the joy that
was set before Him, endured the cross, despising
the same, and is set down at the
right hand of the throne of God.
Now I've felt led by the Lord in
these two days to share with you about
our race.
Now when I'm talking about our race, I'm
not talking just about the race of faith,
but I'm talking about our race as women.
I believe that even though the world may
say we are equal, I believe that the
women's race is very unique.
Our race is not in the public eye.
Our race doesn't make the headlines of the
newspapers often.
Our race is often behind closed doors with
many disturbances and irritations and petty hindrances and
things in our homes.
And yet the glorious fact remains that we
are part of the great race of faith,
the race that has been run from the
beginning of time, the race that is being
run now, the race that will be run
till the day that the Lord Jesus comes
back in glory and great men, if you
think of the great men of faith which
have run before, isn't it wonderful that we,
you and I, can be part of this
great race?
Now when I was thinking about the race,
I felt that there were a few C's
that the race divided into, and I'm not
going to tell you how many C's because
I'm doing it over two days, but the
first C that we have to consider is
the commencement of the race.
One can't run a race unless you have
a starting point.
When I was a child, I went to
a village school, and they used to have
sports there.
Now the sports track was just a grass
field, and they marked the lanes with chalk,
and I can still relive today the fear
I had when I had to stand ready
to run to wait for that gunshot.
When the gun went off, I froze, and
then I jumped, and only then did I
run.
It was a frightening thing for me.
As a little child, I would have loved
to have just run a little bit ahead
and let them listen to the gunshot, or
even to enter the race after they had
started running.
But I had to start at the beginning.
I couldn't miss that start.
That is why the Lord Jesus said to
Nicodemus, Nicodemus, you must be born again.
Nicodemus, you are in a race.
You are in a race of religion, of
good work, of being an example to others.
But Nicodemus, you haven't passed the starting point.
You've got to go right back and start
at the beginning.
Now, some of you may say, well, I'm
very religious.
I write Bible notes.
I sit at the front of the church.
Even my brothers and sisters turn to me
and ask me about religious matters.
But what God is asking you and I
is, have we come to the starting point?
Have we come to the Lord Jesus?
He's the only way that we can enter
the race.
He said, I am the door.
He is the door for us to the
race.
He that has a son has life.
He that has not the Son of God
has not life.
If we have not repented of our sins
and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our
Savior, we haven't started.
And then we have to get back to
the starting point.
Now, when I was at high school, I
had to go to boarding school.
And I was 14.
And there, the nicest day was sports day
as well.
We didn't have any homework.
We didn't have any books.
And we were just sitting in our houses.
And each house was screaming louder than the
other.
But every now and again, there was an
absolute silence.
And the silence was for everybody waiting for
their gunshot to go off again and for
the runners to start.
Even they couldn't jump the gun.
And when they stood ready in a row,
somebody jumped ahead of time.
They had to start off all over again.
You see, they too would be disqualified if
they didn't start at the starting point.
My father's mother, we used to call her
Oma.
It's the Afrikaans name for grandmother.
She was a very religious lady.
She was a very good lady.
In fact, her life was so exemplary that
her children felt that she must have got
saved as a little girl.
And so they never asked her whether she
was saved, even though they were older and
they had got saved.
And one day, a little missionary lady came
and visited all the farms in our community,
and she didn't have a car, so she
walked from farmyard to farmyard.
And when she came to my Oma's house,
she said to her, Do you know the
Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ?
Are you sure that you are saved?
And she burst into tears and she said,
Oh, for years I've been longing that somebody
would help me.
I do not have the assurance of salvation.
And there the two of them were able
to pray together.
You see, the family thought she was way
down on the track.
She seemed ahead of them.
But she hadn't passed the starting point.
And the first question God wants to ask
us today is, Have you passed the starting
point?
Have you commenced the race?
The next key we get in the race
is right here in the verse for us,
and it is the cloud of witnesses.
And what a mighty cloud of witnesses we
find in chapter 11.
When I was a little girl, I had
a very vivid imagination, and I used to
imagine that all the cloud of witnesses were
looking at everything I was doing.
And when I wanted to do something wrong,
I used to say, Oh, what if they
could see?
But then the Lord Jesus spoke to me
and He said, I'm the one who sees
everything that you do.
He is in me.
I am in heaven's glory.
My race is finished, run, and you, my
child, for me, my dear, this life's great
challenge, run.
I wait with caring interest.
I watch you from above.
It triumphs, hallelujah, to crown a Savior's love.
So it is the Lord Jesus that can
see us, even when others can't see us.
But chapter 11 gives us a wonderful list
of examples.
Now, when I looked at chapter 11, which
we haven't done this morning, but when I
looked at chapter 11, there were a few
things that I noticed.
One of the things that I noticed that
is mostly men that are in chapter 11.
And perhaps that is because, as I said
before, the woman's race is not in the
public eye.
It is many a time behind closed doors.
And yet the woman's race is so precious
in God's sight.
The other thing I noticed was that if
you look at the names in chapter 11,
you and I know that some of them
really stumbled on the way.
They didn't run perfectly.
And yet a God who is so full
of compassion, that removes our sins as far
as the east is from the west.
He didn't look at their sins.
He just saw that they had repented.
And he speaks to them as men and
women of faith.
Isn't it wonderful to serve such a God?
Now, what we're going to do this morning,
just for a short while, is we're going
to pretend that we're going right back in
time.
And we're going to stand next to the
racetrack.
And we're just going to look at the
runners running by.
Now, the first runner is Abel.
Abel had a very short run, didn't he?
And if a person had to have a
banner across Abel's life, it would be, he
did what God asked him to do.
Abel did what God asked him to do.
He knew that without shedding of blood, there
is no remission of sins.
He knew he had to sacrifice exactly in
the manner that God asked him to do.
And because of his obedience, it cost him
his life.
But isn't it wonderful that he was willing
to do what God asked him to do?
And so we see him run past.
The next one we see is Enoch.
Now, it's very exciting to me that in
the Bible, we see Enoch starting off.
In Genesis 5, verse 21, it says, Something
must have happened at the birth of Methuselah
that drew Enoch to the starting point.
It's wonderful.
We see him starting off.
And we see him running.
And you know, he ran so well.
The Lord wrote across his life, through his
words, he walked with God.
He was running absolutely in step with God.
He didn't deviate to the right or the
left.
It was as if he and God were
running as one.
And the exciting thing about Enoch is he
didn't cross the finishing line like we have
to.
God was standing at the finishing line and
he ran right into the arms of God.
The next one we see running past us
is Noah.
Now, perhaps across Noah there would be the
banner, Noah is always an exciting runner to
think about, even as a child, to think
of that ark that he built, that he
believed a God of the impossible.
Imagine an ark as large as he built.
Imagine telling the people that the animals had
to go in and he had to obey
the God of the impossible in the midst
of a mocking and spawning people.
There was no rain, they didn't know rain.
He had to build a thing to float
in an area without water.
I think Noah was an amazing runner.
We know that he failed when he came
out of the ark and got drunk, but
God overlooks it as he sees his face.
And we need to believe the God of
the impossible.
When God asks us something that seems impossible,
even if it is to be victorious in
an impossible situation, let us let Noah believe
the God of the impossible.
Now, the next one we get is Abram.
And across Abram running, we could write these
words, obedience despite impossible odds.
Obedience despite impossible odds.
Well, Abram is called out of Ur, and
I used to think Ur was just a
real little, what you'd call, I don't know
if that's the right word, a dump.
I used to think it was just these
little mud-type houses.
But if you go back and read up
a little bit about ancient civilizations, you realize
that Ur was a city that was much
more civilized than we imagined.
And God called Abram to leave Ur and
to go live in tents, not knowing where
he was going to take him.
And I think that was tremendous faith.
And sometimes God does ask us to do
things where he doesn't show us the end.
Even as Job, what he went through, God
didn't show him the end.
But Abram was faithful to just believe and
obey the God of the impossible.
Now, in our country, there is a race.
It's called the Comrace Marathon.
I don't know if you've heard about it.
It's between Durban and Peter Maritz first.
And in that Comrace Marathon, there's a section
that is so steep that many of the
runners that have run well up to that
point suddenly give up or slow down or
fall down because it is so difficult to
pass what we call the Polly Short.
Now, I think the Polly Short for Abram
in his race, this steep incline, was when
God asked him to offer up Isaac.
It was not only to sacrifice his child,
but it was that in this child all
God's promises were contained.
And yet Abram obeyed God.
He believed that God could be the impossible,
that God could even raise up Isaac because
he had promised that.
I sometimes think that heaven was quiet watching
as Abram lifted up his arm to see
if he was really obedient, knowing that later
the Lord Jesus would be sacrificed and there
wouldn't be a substitute for him.
So Abram is a wonderful runner to us.
Isaac and Jacob just go fast, quickly, blessing
their offspring.
Then we see Joseph.
Now, there's so many wonderful things that could
have been put in about Joseph, but the
only thing that's mentioned here is Joseph saying,
when you go out, you must take my
bones with me.
I'll be dead when you go out.
But I know that God said when Israel
goes out, I know that Israel will go
out.
And God treasured that faith that Joseph believed
God so implicitly.
Next we get Moses.
Now, we all know about Moses.
The interesting thing about Moses is that in
chapter 11, it first speaks about his parents.
You see, they ran ahead of him, and
they were obedient to God.
So Moses was following in the footsteps of
his parents.
And in the same way, you and I
are running, and our children are running behind
us.
We also see Moses living in the lap
of luxury, running in the king's palace, and
suddenly there's a choice.
He has to decide whether he's going to
follow God's way with hardship, or if he's
going to carry on in the riches that
were almost like his inheritance at that time.
I also think heaven waited to see which
turn in Jerusalem, and he chose God, with
the affliction and suffering that it was going
to bring.
Well, I think the next one we get
here, I've missed my place.
Now we get to the first lady.
The first woman is Sarah that we see
running.
Well, it's exciting that it's a woman, but
there are many things in Sarah's life that
really disappointed me in the Bible.
One of the big things that disappointed me
about Sarah is that when Abram asked her
to lie and pretend that she was his
sister, which was a half-truth, he didn't
go to Abram and say, Oh, my husband,
I really do not think this is the
right thing to do.
You see, we as women, if our husbands
want to do something that is wrong, we
have the chance to just say to them,
I don't think this is the right thing
to do.
Don't you think it would honor God rather
to spoke the truth?
But she didn't take that chance.
And you know, she so lived out what
he told her to do that when Abimelech
realized that she was Abram's wife and not
his sister, he rebuked Sarah.
And he said to her in Genesis 20,
verse 16, that her brother, in other words,
her husband, must be as frontless to her
eyes.
What was he saying to Sarah?
He was saying to Sarah, you know, because
she had a husband, your eyes should not
have been wandering around as they were.
He was saying, Sarah, your eyes were not
the eyes of a married woman.
Isn't that a rebuke?
We also know Sarah gave her a maid
servant into Abram's arms.
She did many things that were wrong.
She laughed in disbelief.
But you know, when God looked at her,
he did not see those iniquities that had
been washed away.
And God saw her as a woman of
faith.
Now, we spoke about Abram leaving earth, but
it wasn't only Abram that had to leave
earth.
It was Sarah.
And when God called Abram, Sarah could have
said, no, Abram, you're asking too much of
me.
I don't want to leave earth.
I'll stay behind.
You go ahead and go on this wandering
into the unknown.
I'm going to stay where I know where
I am.
But Sarah didn't say no.
We can say bravo, Sarah, because there are
many women who stand in their husband's way
when their husbands are called to work for
the Lord, to do missions.
I know of particularly one person in our
country, the husband longing to be in the
Lord's service, but his wife didn't say yes
like Sarah.
His wife said no, and he's out of
God's service today.
Sarah also had, she might have laughed initially,
but eventually she had the faith to believe
God would give her the strength to have
the child that He had promised.
And that faith was so practical that it
sustained her right through.
And so we say, bravo, Sarah, you've run
well.
Now, Isaac and Jacob, we've done, Joseph, we've
done, and then we get to another woman,
and that is the harlot, Rael.
Now, it's quite a shock to find the
harlot, Rael, in the runners, isn't it?
And yet it is Rael who was the
harlot.
And I think God puts that word, the
harlot, in because He wants to say, you
and me, that no matter how dark her
sin was, because she repented, because she embraced
God, when the spies came to her house,
and she realized this is the true God,
and she embraced their faith.
When she hung the starlet cord out as
a proof of her faith, and that God
would keep His promises, it was Rael, the
harlot, no more.
But even in Matthew and Luke, in the
Deanna, I don't know how to say it
right now, she is there, because God has
forgiven her.
And to me it's exciting.
Rael married Sammon.
His son Boaz married Ruth.
Their son was Obed, their son was Jesse,
and their son was David.
So Rael, the harlot, became Rael, the great
-great-grandmother of David.
Isn't that exciting?
She had many runners behind her.
One day I was praying about somebody that
had fallen into sin.
I was so shocked, and I was depressed,
and I was kneeling beside the bed and
praying for that person, and suddenly the Lord
pointed me back to the New Testament, to
the woman who fell into sin, and His
reaction to her.
And then I wrote these words.
It was Thy mercy that looked down on
her, not He condemned.
Thy voice, the angry cries, distemmed, and shamefully,
shamefully, they dropped each stone, thus seed of
sand, a maze, alone.
Thy blood for her, could Ian atone.
Thy grace did make her fit for home.
O love that sees the erring soul, and
gently comes to make it whole.
It was Thy mercy that looked down on
her, and in her bosom hoped to stir.
For did the Master not implore, Go, my
child, and sin no more?
When I thought of that woman in sin,
I thought of what she must have thought.
Imagine what, Yeshua is going to be stoned
to death, a scream, a shout, a stone
hitting her, and suddenly the Lord Jesus came
in a mist, and everybody shrunk away, and
there she stood.
And I tried to imagine what she thought.
Can I ever, ever pen the eyes from
which no judgment came?
Sorrow for my sin I saw, O to
stumble nevermore.
Knowledge of my sordid life, every cause, and
every strife.
Sadness at my fallen state, yet He willed
another plague.
Pardon for the life before, mercy, hope, for
evermore.
Perhaps even in this exemplary room, there may
be somebody who has something in their past,
something as dark and as dreadful as Ra
'ed.
But God can wipe it away.
God can wash it away.
And like Ra'ed, you can become one
of the great runners of faith.
Isn't it wonderful?
Now the list goes on, and I'm just
going to read the last of the list
to you.
And what shall I more say?
For the time would fail me to tell
of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson,
and of Tester, of David also, and Samuel,
and of the prophet, who through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths
of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped
the edge of the sword, out of weakness
were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned
to flight the armies of aliens, women received
their dead, raised to life again, and others
were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might
obtain a better resurrection.
And others at trial of cruel mockings and
scourging, yammer ever of bonds and imprisonment, they
were stoned, they were sworn as thunder, were
tempted, were slain with a sword, they wandered
about in steep steams, and ghosting, being destitute,
afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not
worthy.
They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in
dens and caves of the earth, all these,
and these all, having obtained a good report,
through faith, received not the promise of the
Lord Jesus Christ, God having provided some better
thing for us, that they without us, should
not be made perfect.
Isn't it amazing, the people that have run
ahead of you and I, in the race,
and you know the race went on, it
went through the inquisition, it went through the
torturing, that other ladies had to go through,
that we haven't had to go through, and
then we see Susanna Wesley run fast, and
Amy Carmichael, and it is common, different ones
have run ahead of us, and we, if
we've entered, are running, and one day perhaps
our children will run behind us.
It is awe inspiring to think, that you
and I are given the privilege, to be
part of this race.
Now the next thing we're going to deal
with, is the casting off of weight.
Now it says here, wherefore, you see, wherefore,
we also are compassed about, with so great
a cloud of witnesses, because of the way
they ran.
How can we allow anything, to be a
weight, to be a hindrance, on us?
They gave their all, how could we not
give our all?
Now weight is not necessarily a sin, it's
not a wrong thing.
If I were to run in a race,
and I wanted to put on boots, and
I wanted to put on a coat, and
a thick hat, they wouldn't stop me, there's
no rule saying exactly, what you must run
in a race, but it would be foolish
to us, wouldn't it?
And yet we as Christians, so often hamper
ourselves, with weight, unnecessary weight, and these trip
us up, in our running, in our race.
Now the first weight, that we can carry
about with us, is the weight of criticism.
I'll never forget a little lady, that's in
heaven now, who came to me broken, depressed,
she'd lost her joy, because of the criticism,
that people levelled against her.
It was family, that criticised her, on her
husband's side, and she said what broke her,
was that her husband allowed them, to criticise
her, because he didn't want to lose, his
family.
And there she had to endure, all these
remarks, put in here and there, continually, and
she was definitely stumbling, on the way.
And then I said, well, when the criticism
comes, look at it.
Is it from God?
If it is not from God, leave it
behind you.
Cast away that weight.
It's not from him.
Don't carry it with you, and allow yourself,
to become depressed.
Sometimes, it is our criticism of others, that
become a weight, in our race.
You know, if you run in a race,
and I've seen many a race, where a
person turns around, to see how the other
person, is running, and while they're looking, that
person passes them.
And so, if we, in our Christian race,
are continually looking and seeing, you know, I
wonder what they're doing.
They're doing that wrong.
They should do it my way.
And you're continually looking back, and giving advice,
in your heart, to others.
It's going to become a weight, in your
Christian walk.
The next thing that can become, a tremendous
weight to us, is the past.
Even the sins of the past.
I knew two men, who had been in
the war.
The one man, was never able to leave
the war behind.
It was always with him.
And if the war was mentioned, he just
used to get into a state, because he's
not thrown that past behind him.
There was another man, who was a prisoner
of war, in the war, World War II.
He had to escape.
He had gone through many dreadful experiences, but
he was able to speak about incidents in
the war, because the war wasn't with him
anymore.
He was even able to laugh about, some
of the dreadful things that happened to him,
in the prisoner of war camp.
You see the war was behind him.
Now in the same way, I knew two
Christian friends, who'd been living in sin, and
who made a step towards the Lord.
And the one, had left the past behind
her.
But the other one, if you spoke about,
what did you do when you were, where
were you when you were 12?
Which town were you in?
She almost wanted to go to Zurich, because
it was all so real, and so with
her.
She had dragged it with her.
And the sad thing was, that this girl
returned to that sin, because she hadn't thrown
it aside.
You know when my mother was at a
junior school, the school asked her to help
out, with their teaching.
And she decided to help out, against impossible
odds.
And she said, I could share this with
you.
She had to cross a river, that was
in flood, on a tractor.
She didn't want to teach, because she wanted
to be at home, but they were desperate
for help that term.
And so she said yes.
Well, she went, she had to wait for
a tractor, to take her across the river.
She got to the other side, she had
to wait for somebody, to give her a
lift.
And then eventually, she arrived at the school,
a few minutes late.
Now, the head of the school, turned to
her, and reprimanded her, for being late, in
front of everybody.
Well, my mom, my dad hadn't wanted to
really, to teach her new, she had to
help out.
But he said to her, if there's any
problems, come home.
So what did my mother do?
She hadn't signed yet, so she took off
her bag, and she went home.
And there she found another teacher.
It wasn't really her failing, but that thing
that happened, lived with her, for a number
of years.
And it lost her, of her joy.
It lost her, of her confidence, in our
community, for a few years.
And then, when my mother was, at the
edge of death, and when the doctor said,
she can't even live.
And when she came back, from the verge,
of stepping into that, other world, that is
so much more pure, and holy.
She came back, and she said, she couldn't
speak, for a few days.
But when she could speak, she said, I
must write a letter, to that princess.
I want that incident, that happened, to be
erased.
And you know, when my mom wrote that
letter, and she posted it, she was a
different person.
Everybody said, what has happened here?
Because the past, was now, in the past,
and it wasn't a weight, in her walk.
Now, the glorious past, when I'm talking about,
the glorious past, is sometimes we have, tremendous
victories, and triumphs, that can also be a
weight, upon us.
You know, you can carry a book, with
you, of all the wonderful achievements, that you've
done, for the Lord.
The souls you might have won.
And so, you're running along, and you sit
in the track, and you're just looking, through
your photo album, of all your triumphs.
The glorious past.
And others will run past it.
We cannot allow, the glorious past, the victories
of the past, to, instead of being a
blessing, to be a weight, upon us.
I don't think, there is a better example,
to me, of the sins of the past,
the failures of the past, being a weight,
upon us, than Peter.
So, I'm going to quote, Peter again, because
I feel, it is such a vivid picture,
of a life failure, even in the home.
To drag it with us, instead of just,
putting it behind us.
We would say, Peter was not, what he
should have been.
So, we say, not Peter, when the Lord
Jesus said, he must cede his seat, and
he must strengthen, the brethren.
Not Peter, who had failed, so sore, denied
his Lord, and even swore, he deceit, he
could not be.
Strengthening others, no, not he.
Right before, the gathered crowd, he had failed,
so coarse, so loud.
Surely, he should shrink away, he who went,
so far, astray.
Sorrow, repentance, deep regret.
Oh, the wrath words, that fear begins.
He, his master, saddened, glanced.
Oh, that he had another chance.
Peter, I know, you failed, so sore, and
I recall, your boast before.
Pardoned you are, I tell you three, strengthen,
and feed, my sheep, for me.
Many, have failed, with fear, hard pressed.
Many, have failed, when sore, oppressed.
Like Peter, they sorrow bitterly.
Oh, I know, that the Lord, would pardon
me.
Peter, his given task.
Peter, did all, the Lord had asked.
Sweet, the forgiveness, was to him.
There is, that failure, that public sin.
Maybe, you too, have deep remorse.
You too, have stumbled, on the course.
Satan, would keep you, in his power.
Be God's, forgiveness, as they are.
And you, who have never, failed like him,
why should you, judge the weaker, sin.
Rather, lift up, the erring ones, seeking forgiveness,
to God's own sons.
Humbled, but steadfast, they'll walk aright, they'll run
aright, we should say.
Never to, lean on their, own might.
Rather to cling, to the Lord, as they
say.
Keeping them, true to him, all the way.
Don't let us, let the failures, whether it
be in the home, before our husbands, before
our children, the failures in front of others,
become, a weight.
Let us, cast it behind us, as Peter
did.
Because Peter, did feed the sick.
He did, strengthen the brethren, as God had
planned, for him to do.
Now, childhood hurts, can also be, a weight.
I have spoken to people, and the hurts,
of 60 years ago, 70 years ago, 30
years ago, are so real, to them, that
even speaking, about them, can make them, burst
into tears.
They've carried it, with them.
It has, hasn't been, flung away.
Some of us, may have been, deeply hurt,
as children.
We may feel neglected, we might have come
from, unhappy homes.
And yet, we have to lay aside, every
unnecessary weight.
And that includes, the hurts, that if we
carry them, with us, they become, a weight,
on our race.
Another thing, that can be a weight, is
hobbies.
Now I, hobbies are a very, good thing.
And I love, working with my hands, and
drawing, and doing all sorts of things.
But a hobby, can also become, a weight,
if a hobby, is an obsession.
Now when, Noel and Roy, were small, I,
with two boys, close upon each other, and
I was sure, that I'd at least have,
about three girls next.
But the girls, didn't arrive.
But I, started thinking, well I'd like to
make dolls.
So I went to a lady, and had
lessons, and made a porcelain, two dolls.
A Hans, and a dream, a reproduction doll.
Oh, and I was into dolls.
And when I walked, past the shop, oh,
I used to pop in, and look at
the doll books, and I knew all the
names.
And I just, went to town, on this
whole, subject of dolls.
Until God, put up a red light, and
said, no, no, no, you're going, you're spending
too much, time on this, as a hobby.
And I stopped.
Just to make sure, that it isn't too
much, for me, the very Hans, that I
made, so much bird ate, off all the
fingers.
But, another thing, that can be, a hobby,
is reading.
You know, I love reading.
Reading, is a blessing to me.
I read books, and then when I've read
the book, I want to be a better
person.
That's, right.
That's how it should be.
But, a little old lady, once said to
me, a godly little lady, she said, Jenny,
don't allow, good books, to come between you,
and God.
And when I take time to read, I
always remember that comment.
And I just say, Lord, I love books.
If I had a choice, I'd just be
reading all the time.
But I mustn't allow it, to come between
me, and God.
Negativity, can also, really, be a weight, upon
us.
I've come across people, who are so, negative.
One lady phoned me, on the phone, about
a wonderful answer, to prayer.
And I thought, isn't it wonderful?
She's leaving negativity, And I said, oh, isn't
God good?
But she said, oh yes, but.
Everything, is negative.
And that is really, not glorifying to the
Lord.
And that will trip us up.
It's a real, weight.
Another girl, I knew, was also very depressive,
and negative.
And I visited a home, where she came.
And you know, the whole atmosphere of the
home, became negative, with her there.
So don't let us, allow negativity, to become
a weight, in our race.
Now, the Bible, also talks about, the besetting
sin.
And the besetting, and the sin, which does
so easily, beset us, is the besetting, sin,
I've put under the weight.
It's sometimes difficult, to think what is a
weight, and what is sin.
They seem to be, so close to each
other.
Now, covetousness, can also be, a besetting sin,
or a weight.
God says, be content, with such things, as
you have.
In Hebrews 13, verse 5.
I was with my mother, in an antique
shop.
A dear little, Jewish lady, had this shop.
And you've got, beautiful things.
I mean, the furniture, Victorian, Edwardian, Georgian, the
whole works.
Beautiful pieces of furniture, French.
And the little lady, turned to me, the
Jewish lady, and she said to me, Jenny,
isn't it wonderful, that you are a missionary?
Because a missionary, cannot, covet.
So I thought, goodness, that is a statement.
And, I thought about it, for a moment,
and I said, no, that isn't correct.
A missionary, or any woman, can covet.
But by the grace of God, we don't
covet.
And it was impossible, to cover those things,
it wouldn't fit, into our house.
Now, another area, which can be a weight,
in our lives, is jealousy.
As children, it's very easy, to be jealous,
of the talents, of the things, that our
brothers, and sisters have.
And even as women, we can be jealous.
I remember, when I was a child, I
had thin, fine, very little, mousy hair, which
I still have, with a lot of grey,
in between.
But my, one sister had, thick, lots of
hair.
If I didn't have, my plait, and I
timed it, by ten, it wouldn't fill her,
thick, plait, of hair.
The other sister had, blonde, curly hair.
And I used to say, to the little
girl, Lord, couldn't you just have, given me
a little bit, of my sister's hair?
Or couldn't you have, given me a few,
of my other sister's curls?
They don't need, all they've got.
Why did you give me, my hair?
And then God, said to her, she's thankful,
for what I gave you.
I could have given you, no hair.
I remember, also being, a little bit jealous,
of their voices.
On my mother's side, of the family, they're
very musical.
And my sisters, and my brother, could sing
beautifully.
And they sang at, Christian camps, and conventions.
But I inherited, my father's voice.
And it definitely, wasn't in the same caliber.
And I used to go to my room,
and get on my knees, and say, Lord,
please, won't you give me, their voices?
Just, just a bit of, I just sing
in tune.
If I do, I'll sing in the conventions,
for you.
But God, didn't do that.
Because I used to go out, and start
singing, with confidence, when they're singing.
And I've got a very, straightforward family, that
say, no, no, no, no, stop.
We don't want you, singing here.
So I had to learn, to accept, and
not be jealous, of that, which God gave,
to others.
And it's very easy, to be jealous.
Even as a woman, of the talent, of
the holy circumstances, that others have, it seems
so much easier.
But God says, you must be content, with
such things, as you have.
Even if it's, what we are.
Now, the last weight, we're going to talk
about, is the tongue.
I'm not going to go, into the tongue,
because we've dealt, so much on the tongue.
But I've written a poem, for us in
the home, on the tongue.
As women, we are powerful, within the walls
of home.
For we, within our fragile grasp, a mighty
tool, to own.
We use it, every morning.
We wield it, through the day.
It never, ever leaves us, upon our mundane
way.
A little daughter, quivers, beneath its crushing blow.
A brother, sister, falters, for it has laid
them low.
A line, of devastation, can lie within its
path, both buried, hope, and laughter, the dreaded
aftermath.
But yet, this sordid weapon, can be a
healing stream, can be a source, of comfort,
the light, of heaven's being.
What is the tongue, within this?
Is it a gentle, friend, to all who
come across it?
To which youth, does it lend?
Our tongue, to God, I give thee, his
servant to obey.
So that his only blessing, that follows, on
your way?
Is the tongue, a weight upon us?
Or is it just a blessing, upon our
way?
We have to ask ourselves, a few questions.
We've got to ask ourselves, first of all,
have we started the race?
Have we commenced the race?
Then we think of the cloud, of witnesses.
They've been such an example, to us.
Are we running, in their footsteps, in the
footsteps of the Lord, Jesus Christ, first of
all?
But are we running, knowing that they sacrificed,
their lives, for us?
And the third thing, we need to ask
ourselves, today, is, are we allowing, weight, to
hamper us, in our run?
Are we stumbling, in our run, so that
others, stumble behind us, because our weights, are
obstacles, that they're tripping over?
Ah, glorious race, that I should run.
We ran, the saints of old, that in
the footsteps, stained with blood, my very path,
unfold.
I'll clutch, no weights upon it.
I'll throw them, all aside, that naught, may
bind, and hold me, in conjuring, my stride.
Amen.
We'll do the rest of the speech, tomorrow.
Thank you again, for the privilege, of being
able to speak to you.
I'm keen to, speak to each one of
us.
Shall we pray, Dear Father, there's nothing, that
I can say, that can bless, anybody's life.
We lift his hands, to come and speak,
to us Lord, and that we may, be
open to hear, thy voice, inspiring us, to
run, in thy race, as we've never run,
before.
Help us Lord, and bless us, and may
we sense, thy presence, and hear thy voice,
in Jesus name.
Now we're speaking about, we have spoken yesterday,
about the race, and, we're going to continue
today.
The race of faith, does rhythmically move on.
Down ages dark, and turbulent is gone, and
now in worldly times, so remnant, still, of
faithful, God, to thee, this march, does echo,
in my God, oh may I, patience, steadfast,
onward go, of the foe.
We read in Hebrews 12, verse 1 and
2, and we will just get it in
my Bible, otherwise I'll stand here.
Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about, to so
great, a cloud, of witnesses, let us run
with patience, the race, that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher,
of our faith.
Yesterday we considered, to be in a race,
unless you started running.
Nicodemus was religious, but he had to, pass
the starting point.
He had to be born again.
My father's mother, was so exemplary life.
Next, we consider, that
he may run, with patience, the race, that
is set before us.
And you know that word, with patience, is
so wonderful.
It shows us, that we have got, an
understanding, God.
A God, who knoweth our frame, who remembereth,
that we are done.
And if we are going to, sprint, he
tenderly, puts in those words, run, with patience.
In Isaiah 40 verse 11, it says, he
gently, leaders them, that leader them, that lady,
that was then, when do you have your
point?
She said, I'll close the door, and nobody
can bother me.
Another lady said, I'm praying to the Lord,
was the last lap.
Christianity, because, they're not running, with patience.
There was a lady, when Isaiah was
bedridden, she had to look, in
a prudent manner, in prayer, early in the
morning, I pray, I lean, and I'm
still hoping, to find her, for
a few minutes, and that's how, she coped.
Another lady said, you can pray, and she
knew in that way, they couldn't fall off
the bed.
So we have, and they thought it was,
the blood test.
The doctor said to her, lady, your body
has just, collapsed.
It keeps racing, and again, into school, race,
girls race, young girls, and I think, will
break the record.
Still saying, is it going to be, the
black head one, or the blonde head one,
that's going to win.
Ran through them, and passed the pack, and
then she ran, as everybody in the stage,
started to look at each other, and then
everybody, stood up, and watched, with bated breath,
as she ran, past the front, two winners,
and won the race, and broke the record.
She would never, have won that race, if
she jumped out, to the front, at the
beginning, but she knew the secret, of running,
with patience, and we need to, run, with
patience, the race, that is set before us,
run, so that we are able, to be
close enough, to God, to hear His voice,
saying, that is the way, walk you in
it.
I know of somebody, that was, at Bible
college with me, who had so many things,
she was speaking, she was, speaking at ladies,
meetings, reciting, doing so many things, and you
know, she ran, at the forefront, but today,
she is, not there anymore, she has, gone,
off the way, I think, perhaps it was,
because she didn't run, with patience, the race,
that is set before us, and isn't it
wonderful, that God is so loving, that to
you and I, He says to us, I
don't expect, the impossible from you, I'm only
asking you, to run, with patience, the race,
that is set before you, now the next
thing, that we are going to deal with,
is our course, now, it's, it says, that
we may run, with patience, the race, that
is set before you, but in another rendering,
it says, the course of the race, that
is set before you, each of us, have,
a particular, lane, to run, my lane, is
not, your lane, God gives, each of us,
a particular, lane to run, and I think,
it's wonderful, that God has a plan, for
each one of our lives, that right there,
in eternity, we have planned out, a course,
for you to run, and for me to
run, and sometimes, the course, that he puts
before us, is difficult, to understand, my mother's
sister, had a breast removed, with cancer, and
in December, she went to the specialist, for
a check up, and she said to them,
you know, it feels, as if something is
wrong, something is not right, and the specialist
said, no, and they didn't take, any notice
of it, a month later, she had to
see, the specialist again, and she said, you
know, I feel, as if something is wrong,
but they didn't hear, the warning, and for
six months, she asked for attention, but they
thought, it was nothing, and after six months,
the specialist said to her, you know, you're
such a healthy lady, that we only want
you, to see the GP, you don't have
to see, the specialist anymore, but let me
just have, a final check up, and then
he felt, something wrong, they did further tests,
they put her through, the tunnel, and they
found, that she had cancer, she had fourth
degree, cancer, in every, it's gone right, through
her body, in her lungs, but also, in
all the bones, of her body, and that
there is, no hope for her, now she
is a godly lady, she has stood out,
in the community, she's got a heart, for
the lot, every worker, on her farm, she
tries to reach, she holds Sunday school, for
the little children, of the workers on the
farm, she has stood out, in the community,
and she said, in December, that something is
wrong, with me, one cannot understand, the way
life goes, the way our past, whines for
us, but she had to come, to the
place, where she said, God allowed it, I
have to rest, in that, which he allowed,
now in, Texas, there's a family, that would
have liked, to have been there, at the
camp, and they couldn't, be here, they also
had, a difficult path, a path, that you
can't understand, why God, allowed it, I remember
the lady, phoning me, from Texas, and saying
that, something had happened, to the house, which
the floors, that had water in it, is
going to cost thousands, and thousands of dollars,
to fix, and her husband, was so despondent,
about it, and she turned to her husband,
and said, we've got to trust God, nothing
comes, that he doesn't allow, so her faith,
stood strong, and she thought, well that's an
enormous hurdle, that path has really, gone steep,
that's what God, is going to allow, to
come into her life, she was expecting, a
baby, but the next thing, that happened, is
her husband, had meningitis, so badly, that he
went, into a coma, and for a long
time, they despaired of his life, he was
hanging in, hanging on the balance, in the
balance, so there she was, she's expecting, she's
got quite a few children, her house has,
half collapsed, and her husband, has meningitis, and
the doctors, are despairing, of him ever coming,
out of it again, so she had to
spend, her days at the hospital, this woman,
this woman of faith, she had to spend,
her days at the hospital, the older daughter,
had to look after, the little children, and
then eventually, he came out of a coma,
but he has not, up to this day,
got his whole memory back, and she's had
the baby, since then, so sometimes, our powers
are so, you know, we want to question
God, and say, why, why has this happened,
but we've got to trust God, and that
woman, really trusted God, each step of the
way, that he had his hand, upon them
as a family, and that he had a
reason, for that which he did, dear God,
my heart cries out, gripped by despondency, beneath
the crushing weight, of stress, I'm losing trust
in thee, unfair the heavy load, my lot,
my work, my way, with anger, at my
given lot, I struggle, through each day, you
did not see, my anger, outstretched, helping hand,
you did not wait, to hear my voice,
as your full days, were planned, I'm here,
to bear your load, I'll be your strength,
and stay, so that, no thing, no one,
no trial, need cripple you, today, our powers
are so different, but God expects, each one
of us, to accept, to accept, the path,
that he allows us, to walk in, and
to realize, that this, is my path, and
one day, when I get to heaven, God's
gonna not ask me, why did this one
do that, or why did that one do
that, or why did that one, move off
the path, he's gonna ask us, were you
faithful, in the course, that I set before
you, even if you're small, you've got your
course, to follow, even if you're old, you've
still got your course, to follow, and God
asks us, to hold fast, hold fast, hold
on dear child, to all my words I
say, hold fast dear child, to keep within
the way, the word of God, thy only
guidance say, for it's the world, that many
a martyr slay, don't heed dear child, the
tempter's whispered words, his last is thou, but
once his whispers heard, to lead thee from
the path, thy master plans, to drop thy
master's loving hand, loving hand, our child, so
much I have reserved, for thee, do not
forget, thy heavenly destiny, how can you dare,
to wander from my path, how can you
spurn, my mercy, for my wrath, take heart
dear child, although the mass is strong, hold
fast dear child, that no man, take thy
crown, remember child, this world is not, not
your home, you're passing through, to meet me,
at this realm, now children, can also be,
part of our path, and they are part
of our path, for many of us, your
brothers and sisters, are part of your path,
your grandchildren, so we've got to be, faithful
in our path, to do what God, wants
us to do, in our path, with those
around us, you know sometimes, I've come across,
homes where, mothers would do, anything, outside, the
home, the path, if it's a prayer meeting,
or if it's a meeting, they can just
leave the children, with somebody else, and just
do, something away, from the path, that God
has led them, we've got to be faithful,
even if it involves, our children, they are
our path, they are our mission field, and
sometimes, when God gets a difficult thing, in
our path, something that we know, the Lord
wants us to do, we are tempted, to
flee away, but God says to us, to
you and I, are you in the path,
that I have put for you, are you
true to me, or have you sort of,
moved a little bit, to the right hand,
or a little bit, to the left, one
day I was praying, for a minister, a
minister, who left the path, he had been
in the ministry, but he turned off, and
went into a life of sin, he has
repented since then, but thinking of him, and
praying for him, I thought of Jonah, you
know, Nineveh was a horrific place, no wonder
Jonah, didn't want to go to Nineveh, but
that was the path, that God had for
him, sometimes the path for us, is as
bad to us, as Nineveh was to Jonah,
but we need to not flee, but rather
to obey God, fleeing, fleeing, fleeing, Jonah in
the storm, direct disobedience, here the scriptures warn,
see the prophet, writhing, penitent at last, in
the belly darkness, three full days of fast,
fleeing, God is watching, sorrowing at you, O
return, he's waiting, he can pardon you, others
saw you failing, others saw you fall, weaker
ones may stumble, heed the master's call, back
to where he wanted, you to do his
will, in the lane appointed, there your work
fulfill, let us not wonder, from the lane,
that God has for us, no matter how
difficult, it may be, now the next point,
we're going to do, is the concentration, of
the runner, the concentration, of the runner, wherefore
seeing we are compassed about, with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which does, so
easily beset us, and let us run with
patience, the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author, and the finisher,
of our faith, our concentration, must be on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the
only way to stay, within the track, now
he's the author, and the finisher of our
faith, we have said that, we cannot be
in the race, unless we have passed through,
the commencement, which is the Lord Jesus Christ,
so he's the author of our faith, if
the Lord Jesus is not, the author of
your faith, then you aren't in the race,
he has to be the one, through which
we enter the race, he's the author of
the race, but the wonderful thing is, that
he's also the finisher, of our race, a
second journey, takes us to that other land,
or is it less, when in the twinkling
of an eye, we are so blessed, for
heaven's gates are opened wide, and we are
at our Saviour's side, to worship at his
feet, unending joy, oh bliss complete, isn't it
wonderful, that he's the finisher, of our race,
I love that portion in the Bible, that
speaks about Stephen being stoned, and when Stephen
speaks, he says, I see the Lord Jesus
standing, at the right hand of the Father,
now one usually reads, that the Lord Jesus
is sitting, but the Lord Jesus is standing,
and I like to think, that he stood,
because he knew, Stephen would soon be there,
he stood to meet him, isn't it wonderful,
that the Lord Jesus, is the finisher of
our race, that when we run, when we
finish life, with all its trials, and all
the difficulties, that are in life, that at
the end, he is there, he is the
finisher, he is waiting, at the finishing line,
for you and me, you know, it's so
essential, to have your eyes, on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and I, my granny, when she
was getting older, I used to think of
her, in the end of her days, going
towards heaven, going towards the finishing line, with
her eyes, on the finisher, and this is
what I wrote, as a young girl, she's
older now, the red cheeked, blushing maiden, has
slightly grown, and frailer is her frame, she
does not bounce, her step is slow, she
hardly hears her name, those auburn locks, are
snow white now, her face, with wrinkles strewn,
it seems the cares, of many years, the
lines have finally dooned, but as she hobbles,
heavenward, with slow, but steady pace, the glow
of glory, beams on her, she sees, her
saviour's face, oh it's so essential, that we
realise, and thrill at the fact, that we
have to keep our eyes, on the Lord
Jesus Christ, you know, I was walking along
a street, and talking, and I was looking,
talking to somebody, and as I was talking
to somebody, I walked straight into a lamppost,
I don't know if it's happened to you,
before, but it was very embarrassing, and very
painful, if we look at others, even if
it is, as a leader spiritually, if I
look at the mission heads, of our mission,
if you look even at your parents, and
try and keep your eyes on them, instead
of keeping your eyes, on the Lord Jesus
Christ, you're also going to stumble, we have
to keep our eyes, on the Lord Jesus
Christ, I tried to imagine, what it was
like, when my granny eventually died, she was
such a saint, and she had such a
difficult life, I wasn't at her death bed,
my sister, and my mother, and aunts were
there, and I just, tried to imagine, what
it is like, when you step in, over
the finishing line, at the end of the
race, and I said, her feeble lightest flickering,
she lay upon the bed, and people whispered
tenderly, as in them, as they tread, she
lingered on, and childhood days, so long ago,
crowd in, her mother, father, home, so much,
of all that being, oh glorious trust, eternal
rest, it was not in vain, she chose
God's best, well done, of faithful travellers, they
gently, gently, carry her, isn't it wonderful, to
know, that at the end of the race,
he who started us, off on the race,
who was with us, every step of the
way, is going to be the finisher, the
one who welcomes us, into his presence, but
now, he's not only the author, of our
faith, he's not only the finisher, of our
faith, but he becomes to us, so much,
as we keep our eyes, upon him, 2
Samuel 22, verse 29 says, Jesus, the Lord,
who lightens, my darkness, the Lord, who lightens,
my darkness, and as we run, and we
don't keep our eyes, on our neighbours, and
how they're running, but if we keep our
eyes, on him, the author, of our, and
finisher of our faith, he becomes to us,
the Lord, who lightens, our darkness, the Lord,
will lighten, my darkness, my loneliness, despair, when
everything's, against me, and no one, seems to
care, the Lord, will lighten, my darkness, with
deep, financial strain, I turn to him, for,
for wisdom, to meet, each pressing, claim, the
Lord, will lighten, my darkness, if sickness, takes
a hold, I'll lean, upon his bosom, and
there, my hurt, unfold, the Lord, will lighten,
my darkness, when I, I, I'll turn to
him, for comfort, for I, his love, have
proved, the Lord, will lighten, my darkness, whatever,
life may bring, to him, eternal refuge, my
fragile, heart, will cling, imagine, what we miss,
if we don't, keep our eyes, on he,
who will lighten, our darkness, there's a safety,
in keeping, your eyes, on the Lord, Jesus
Christ, there is, if you keep your eyes,
on others, I'm warning you, you will go,
off the track, even if you just go,
slightly off the track, the only way, to
keep on the track, and in the course,
and in the lane, that God gives, each
one of us, is to keep, our eyes,
on the Lord, Jesus Christ, if we follow
him, he will be guiding us, every step,
on the way, and we will not, wander
off, my child, you cannot follow me, and
wander into wrong, your very walk, should show,
always show, to whom you do belong, I
know, the constant call, to you, of evil,
everywhere, but resolution, to abide, should never, leave
you there, you have to follow, only me,
determined, to stay true, or else, the very
call, of wrong, will surely, cripple you, my
child, the choice, is only yours, each step,
upon the way, the course, you choose, to
follow, and whom, you will obey, now,
psalm 17, verse 4, says, by thy word,
have I kept myself, from the paths, of
the destroyer, Isaiah 30, verse 21, says, this
is the way, walk ye in it, so
we look to him, we follow him, he
is the one, who lightens our darkness, he
is, our guide, my child, how long, that
you may look, to me alone, as guide,
I wish, it in my ears, alone, your
hearth, and fears, confide, my child, is not
the world, to claim, our covet, you may
win, but rather, that you'd follow me, victorious,
over sin, and if the lane, seems steep,
and rough, I'll have you, lean on me,
with peace, and joy, this world, can't give,
my own tranquility, cause only, when I'm all,
in all, no other guide, but me, that
you fulfill, the purpose, dear child, that I
decree, he's the one, who lightens, our darkness,
he's the one, to follow, he's our guide,
and he's also, the one, who bears, our
burdens, you know, it's so wonderful, that we
have got somebody, going ahead of us, that
when we can't, we really feel, it's too
much, he comes, and he literally, carries us,
he bears, our burdens, there have been times,
in my life, when I've said, Lord, I
just don't know, what to do, I just,
I just don't know, how to cope, your
burdens upon you, he becomes, as we keep
our eyes, on him, the bearer, of our
burdens, cause he, who will bear, your burdens,
as you walk, upon life's way, cause he,
who will show, the pitfalls, that may stagger,
you someday, cause he, whose arms, will hold
you, when the lane, gets far too rough,
cause he, who will stop, the tempest, who
will cry, cause he, to look ahead to,
as you run, your single course, cause he,
who, no, wait a minute, cause he, who
will look ahead to, as you run, your
single course, cause he, whose arm will lift
you, if you fall, with deep remorse, cause
he, who will stand awaiting, when the final
round, has come, cause he, who will say
in triumph, yes, the crown, dear child, to
be able to look to him, who bears,
our burdens, if we, keep our eyes, on
the Lord, Jesus Christ, the author, and the
finisher, of our faith, and so much more,
to us along the way, we will not
be disappointed, if we read, in the Bible,
David disappointed us, didn't he, even Sarah, disappointed
us, many disappointed us, and in our daily
walk, with everybody running, their lanes beside us,
they will disappoint us, but he, will never,
fail us, he will never, deserve, he is
ever there, each step, upon the way, and
he is so, compassionate, and full of love,
and understanding, that, it would be folly, to
not, keep our eyes, fixed on him, each
moment, of the day, whatever, life may bring,
now the last C, is the culmination, of
the race, the culmination, of the race, or,
we can call it, the crown, now for
me, the culmination, of the race, would just
be, to get, he's well done, just to
be able, to get, to enter heaven, and
to have him say, well done, oh, I
covered that, with all my heart, in John
17, verse 4, we read, I have finished,
the work, which thou gavest me, to do,
wouldn't that be wonderful, to say at the
end, of the race, I have finished, the
work, which thou gavest me, to do, God
has got, a work for you, and he's
got a work, for me, he's got a
lane for you, and he's got a lane,
for me, and he asked, each one of
us, at the end of our days, we'll
be, have to give account, whether we've done
the work, which he gave, gave us to
do, Paul said, I have finished, my work,
I have kept the faith, henceforth, there is
laid up for me, a crown, of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give
to me, and not to me only, but
unto all them, also, that love, is appearing,
it's you, it's his righteousness, the crown of
righteousness, that he puts upon us, a little
lady in hospital, said to me, oh, Jenny,
two more souls, jewels to put on my
crown, she was looking ahead too, to that
day, when she enters into heaven, and she
not only, comes to God, but can bring
to him, all the souls, that she had
reached for him, but to me, it's so
precious, that when we get to heaven, when
we get to the end of the road,
that he will be there, to say, well
done, thou good man, faithful servant, you know,
in the secular world, people go to tremendous
sacrifice, for an earthly crown, if you're a
runner, you spend hours, practicing, to be the
best runner, I remember, people came to stay
with us, in the home, and their daughters,
were provincial swimmers, and I was amazed, that
the hours, that were put in, for those
girls, to be the best, now they do
it, for an earthly crown, but we are
running, for the heavenly crown, and I think,
if we think about that, and we think
about the sacrifice, that others have gone through,
for that crown, we should run, with all
our might, with patience, with steady, active persistence,
that we cannot, hold anything back, because at
the end, it's not only, the Lord Jesus
Christ, but he's well done, that you and
I, need to covet, I think the Lord,
wants to gently ask us today, a few
questions, he wants to say to you, and
I, my sister, daughter, grandmother, have you entered
the race?
Have you commenced, running in the race?
Others may think, you're far down the track,
but you, as God looks at your heart,
know, if you really, have started, and if
you haven't started, if you're in a race,
of good works, and beautiful outside, and just
the right kind of dress, and whatever, and
God, if you suddenly realize, no, I have
not started that race, I have not repented,
of my sins, I have not accepted, the
Lord Jesus Christ, as my savior, I'm not
walking with him, then God calls you today,
and he says, come, come and join, that
great, grand, mighty, famous race, in his eyes,
then God says, just look at the cloud,
of witnesses, look at all those people, who
gave their lives, to run faithfully, take their
lives, as an example, isn't it amazing, that
I am allowing you, to be running, in
the same race my child, and then he
says, how can you keep back, anything, even
if it isn't a sin, but you know,
it's a weight, upon your walk, how can
you keep back, anything, in my race, cast
it away, and you, who know perhaps, that
besetting sin, that secret sin, that is your
stumbling block, don't hold on to it, throw
it aside, so that you may not be
crippled, and stumble in your run, and allow
others behind you, also to stumble, and then
God says to us, in deep compassion today,
it is my child, I know, that you
are not, a giant, with strength, to do
the impossible, I don't ask of you, the
impossible, I ask you, to run with patience,
with steady, active persistence, the race, that is
set before you, I'm not going to ask
you, of you, more than you demand, if
you're fainting, and failing along the way, isn't
it crass, because you're sprinting, when I ask
you just to run, then the Lord says
to us, my child, you've been looking, at
others around you, you've been following, their example,
but I'm asking you today, come back, and
keep your eyes on me, let me, who
is the author, of your faith, be your
guide, right through, and be the finisher, of
your faith, if you follow me, my child,
you're not going to go, off the track,
if you keep your eyes, on me, you
will stay, in the lane, that I've appointed,
to you, and my child, in my race,
carrying is allowed, and when the lane, gets
too rough, that you say, Lord please, I
can't go, you know what, I'm going to
do, my child, I'm going to come, and
I'm going to carry you, over those rough,
stretches, and when the way, seems so dark,
my child, that you look, and you say,
Lord, I can't even see, I'm in the
pit, of despair, I will lighten, your darkness,
I will lighten, your darkness, and then God
says to us, end of the race, as
you run in the course, that I've told
you, to run not off the course, I
will be there, at the finishing line, I'll
be standing, at the ribbon, and my child,
I will welcome you, and give you, my
well done, our glorious race, that I should
run, we ran, the saints of old, that
in the footsteps, stained with blood, my very
path, unfold, I'll clutch, no weights upon it,
I'll throw them, all aside, that naught, may
bind, and hold me, encumbering my stride, I'll
run, the lane allotted, I'll trust, He knoweth
best, for then, I know for certain, our
path, each, stringent, test, I'll keep my eyes,
on Jesus, who ran, ahead of me, until
I've crossed, the ribbon, into, eternity,