Run The Race, Don't Give Up.

               For many years growing up, I was part of the New York state games for the Physically Challenged, it was any and all children from five to nineteen, in the New York Tri State Area, that wanted to participate, could.  It was every track and field event you could think of.  They even had swimming meets held at Nassau Community College.  Some of these events were altered to help those with certain disabilities.  I did mainly the 100 meter track, 200 meter track, and swimming.  This year, as I am too old, I am not going as a participant but as a volunteer, I am excited to see what these young people will do, and how they will do it.  As I remember to my knowledge, no one ever gave up, no one ever quit, no one ever said I CAN'T DO THIS.  These were and are people with severe disabilities, some in wheelchairs, some on crutches, some who are deaf, some who have no arms, no legs, or both.  Their might even be some who can't even talk.  Now you might be thinking to yourself where's the spiritual implication to this, well here it is. 

               If these young people don't give up on goals to receive a prize, to receive a medal, than why do we give up, why do we give up on the dreams, plans, and purposes that God has for us.  Why do we give up, or as I heard my pastor say last night, do we only go to God or church, when the tough times come in.  The rest of the time we don't bother going to God or church.  As I was writing this, I remembered the old saying "When he Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going".  Are we as Christians, going to toughen up, and go to God to meet the challenge, that we are facing, or we are just going to give up, and let the Devil win this round.  Most of you know my story, in every obstacle, circumstance, and difficulty I faced, I tried to go to God, and ask him to help me to face the challenge, and not let the Devil win.  If I had let him win, I wouldn't be here today.  Lets not give up so easily, lets run the race that God has marked out for us, whether we have 2 arms and 2 legs, or no arms and no legs, we have a job or not, whether we are going through the worse time in our lives, LETS RUN to God..  Remember life is not a sprint, it's a MARATHON.  I hope that as I volunteer these next couple of days that I get inspired, and remember to keep going, and run for the finish line.

              Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG 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.  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.  

            1 Corinthians 9:24-27, MSG You've all been to the stadium to and seen the athletes race.  Everyone runs; one wins.  Run to win.  All good athletes train hard.  They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades.  You're after one thats gold eternally.   I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line.  I'm giving it everything I've got.  No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition.  I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else, all about it and then missing out myself. 

What Can Mere Man do to me.

Psalms 56:4 says In God whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can mere man do to me.  Their are times in our lives, when we wonder about what man is going to do to us.  The real question is what can mere man do to us, when we have God fighting for us, when we have God protecting us, when we have God on our side.  We have men/woman telling us that the unemployment rate is at the highest it's been, we have men/woman telling us that the housing market is not good at the moment, yet we are looking for a new Job, looking to buy or sell our house.  We have mere man doctor's that are telling us that the cancer that we have doesn't look good, the operation that we are about to have, may not be a good outcome.  Though God tells us to Trust in Him, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight, Proverbs 3:5-6.  God also tells us not to be anxious, Philippians 4:6, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request's be made known to God.  We have to know that whatever happens in our lives, that whatever takes place in our lives, that what man tells us, they can't do anything to us, because we have God surrounding us, protecting us, taking care of us, and watching over us.  He loves us enough not to allow anything to happen to us.  We have to realize that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and will watch over us, and know that mere man can't do anything to us. We have to know