When I ran the Nottingham Marathon 2 years ago, I was at around mile 23, my friend Lon had been biking along side me the whole way offering encouragement and plenty of water.  I was close to tears and giving in when he suddenly biked on ahead, and somehow got an entire restaurant to start shouting in unison “Go Lee”.  Partly them embarrasment, but also the inspiration from all those encouraging words spurred me on to complete my first ever marathon (and at the time I thought is should probably be my last…  2 years on and I haven’t learnt that lesson!)

Verse 24 says: Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

(NLT)

Our Christian lives are very much like a marathon.  There are temptations left right and centre drawing us to them, there are many people who do not understand what we are so passionate about and they can sometimes be cruel, or inconsiderate.  Busy lives with work, family and hobbies can pull us away from church and or time with the Lord.  There are many times that we can hit that proverbial wall!  That is why it is so important we do what we are being told here.  Encourage one another.

Just as my strength was renewed on the Nottingham Marathon, our strength, our confidence, our sense of doing the right thing, our love for the Lord, our passion for Him can be renewed within a heart beat by one kind and encouraging word.  We can build each other up using encouraging words, words of truth from the Bible as well as prayer.  Coming together as groups of believers and sharing fellowship is so important if we are to keep running the race.  Without other Christian brothers and sisters to cheer you on, there is a temptation to stop, veer off the race track, no not finish the race.   Church, fellowship, Bible Study and socialising with Christians?  An absolute MUST!

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We are weak as much as we do not like to admit it.  There are occasions where we have given into temptation dispite knowing we am doing wrong.  Often its because we have been convinced by the lie of that temptation, that we will feel good for doing it, that we will be satisfied.  As Jesus said, the body is weak.  We alone lack the strength to resist temptation, to go the right course, that is why it is so important we have help.  Some tempt ation c

an creep up on us and get us when we are particularly vulnerable.  Other temptation can be in front of us for a long time, if we know it or not, slowly breaking us down should we become tempted by it.

The Lord in His great wisdom provided us with a helper.  His Holy Spirit whom guides and strengthens us to do the right thing.  We need to keep ourselves spiritually fit and active so we are not lulled into any false sense of security before sin pounces on us.  How can we do that?  Sounding like a broken record from many of my past posts the main ingredients are always regular Bible Study, Prayer, Worship and Fellowship.  Keeping ourselves fixed on the word, and continuing to develop our relationship with our Saviour is vital if we are to be prepared for any battle.

We need to understand and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of All, it is the Lords strength that allows us to resist temptation, not our own.  And any time we resist, it is for His glory and not to pat ourselves on the back saying, “didn’t I do well?”

Before I sign off on today’s reading, I am also reminded of the importance of rest (including sleep).  Yes the disciples were not being alert when the time required them to be.  We need to also remember however that rest and sleep are important tools in spiritual warfare.  When we have had too little (and the same affect can be had from too much sleep), we are not as quick to react, we are tired, vulnerable, and that is when Satan can pounce to try and steer us from the right path.  Remember satan is like a prowling tiger, waiting to pounce.  We need to be well rested, alert, full of the Spirit, and have fed on the Word regularly.

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The Lord has plans for our lives.  What an exciting thought.  Be it something small that will still have impact or be it something that takes up many years, there are still plans that the Lord has for you and me.  Of course we don’t always know what these plans are going to be, so our responsibility is to get ready, to be prepared for whatever it is that the Lord has planned

for us next!

There are so many ways we can serve including sharing our faith with others, hospitality, discipleship, teaching, worship, the list is endless.  So whatever our calling, if you are already doing it, you should continue to throw yourself into it, continuing to seek the Lords guidance through prayer, His word and fellowship with other. If on the other hand you are waiting to know what it is the Lord has planned for you, then its time to get ready!

How can we get ready, especially if we have no idea what His plan is?

It is so important to regularly spend time with the Lord.  We need to read His word as often as we can, as He can and will speak to us through His word.  We also need to ensure we spend regular time in prayer.  I myself struggle with this often and have to remind myself that a marriage will struggle with no communication, therefore my relationship with the Lord will not always be as strong as I would like without me regularly communicating with Him!  The amazing thing about prayer is, if you listen, there are times the Lord speaks back!  If and when he does write it down!!  I could kick myself for forgetting some things I have heard in prayer.

Being part of the Church is also important.  Using whatever skills you have to benefit the church is not only wonderful service to the Lord, but you will find opportunities to grow and learn, all fantastic preparation for the things the Lord wants from us.

It is so exciting that our Lord and Saviour wants us to do things to glorify His Kingdom!  It is an honour and a privilege to serve Him.  I pray that the Lord will continue to use us all, and will bless everything we do for Him.

Get Ready….  Already doing it?  Keep Going…!

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Just as a plant can not grow in the darkness, we as Christians need to ensure we are not living in the darkness of sin, but be children of the light.  Exposing and un-confessed sin to the light of the Lord, and opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit, giving us NEW LIFE, a new hope and a strength to do the amazing things He has planned for us.

Sin does not fill the void that the fulness of God fills, and we can often make the mistake of falling further into sin, to try and make ourselves feel better.  Come back to the light, feed on His word, ask for forgiveness, for a new heart, to become a new person in him.

The Lord will forgive your sin, and as he made the heavens and the earth will make you a new creation, giving you the strength, wisdom and courage to do his will.  The Lord wants us to succeed in life, to grow in him and bring others to him, we cant do that with sin in our hearts.

David prayed this Psalm after he had taken another man’s wife.  He was so sorry for what he had done, and came before the Lord in humble prayer.  When we sin, like Jenny said, the fun is gone!  In fact the joy that we feel when with the Lord is blotted out during that time of darkness, and we realise how horrible it is without Him.  Just as David did, confess your sin, pray for strength, pray for a new heart and for the restoration of that joy you feel with him.

Remember how it felt when you first accepted Jesus into your heart and the pure joy?  You can experience that every day in Him!

Staying caught up in sin, not only cuts us off from our joy in him, but hinders the great and exciting plans He has for our lives.  I pray that I will keep this Psalm on my heart as a prayer when I fail and an inspiration not to.

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The daily devotional continues to also talk about understanding your wife. It is important to spend time with her, to get to know her more and more each day.

Part of honouring our wives includes taking care of ourselves, ensuring we are healthy and fed. We need to be in good shape if we are going to do all of the above!!! Of course it would be foolish to try do all this in our own strength!

Prayer, Reading the Word, Fellowship and Worship all play a vital part in maintaining the strength and wisdom to continue to be a good husband.

Of course if my wife reads this, I am sure I will be in for some comments!

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The Bible it self is the word of God, and is the source of life, wisdom and fulfilment.  Each time we read it we are to:

Proverbs 4:20-21 (NIV)

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.

 21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

We need to fill our hearts and minds with the word, the love and the knowledge of the Lord, so that we can continue to live for Him, to imitate His ways and live lives that glorify Him and are a testament to those around us so that they may to be saved.

Feeding daily on the Word of the Lord really is a necessity for any Christian, and that doesn’t simply mean reading words then closing a book, it means understanding what you have read, dwelling on what

you have read, storing it in your heart.

Proverbs 4:23-27, goes on to talk about keeping yourself away from things that may cause you to sin.  For example, if you struggle with any particular sin, be it gossip, sexual, substance related you need to remove yourself from any place, situation or group where temptations and access is freely available.  We are human, and weak, and placing ourselves in a position where we are staring temptation in the face is not healthy!  We will more than likely fall into or fall back into that sin because we are looking right at it!  If we turn right round and focus on the Lord

and store his word in our hearts as these verses say, we will be equip to flee sin, and resist temptations.

We are called to be obedient to the Lord, we can’t do it alone!

I thank the Lord that he regularly reminds me of the importance of feeding on the word, prayer, fellowship and worship as is becoming quite apparent throughout many of these readings.

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Vindication: 1 to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was wrong | 2 to prove that someone is free from guilt or blame, after other people blamed them

In a nutshell then it means defence. When I am wrongly accused, I would seek to “vindicate” myself. I would seek to prove my innocence / defend myself.

The daily devotional today picks up on prayer. This Psalm is a prayer to the Lord asking for vindication as the author has led a worthy life. The writer in the daily devotional gives an example of when she would seek v

indication, from the Lord, and yet then get impatient for an answer. She would then try to vindicate herself to others instead of waiting on the Lord.

“I may as well have been praying to myself”, is her statement. I think what she is trying to say that in circumstances of prayer, when we seek something from the Lord, we are to be patient. We are not to seek to answer the prayer ourselves with our own ideas, but to wait on the Lord, let him examine the motives of our heart, and let him answer in his perfect time.

Has someone wronged you and or you are being falsely accused? Bring it to the Lord in prayer, and then leave it there for he will answer when the time is right.

In the meantime, its an encouragement also to keep trying to live like Jesus, being imitators of him, will be an example to others. Actions speak louder than words, and if people see the way we live, false accusations will simply fall to the ground and fall into tiny pieces.

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King David in this Psalm saw the evil of the world around him and cried out to the Lord.  What is reasuring is that the Lord answered, and promised protection for the weak.  What a wonderful example of the Lord responding to prayer.  So when in need, don’t forget to “cry out” to our Saviour God for help, and wisdom.

What also amazes me about this Psalm is the clear quotes of what the Lord says.  Its a reminder that in prayer, be is a desperate cry or just a day to day prayer we are making to grow in the Lord, we often forget to stop and listen.  When I pray I tend to babble through a list of requests, I get side tracked with things I forgot

to mention, and by the time I hit the Amen, I am off doing the next task in my to do list!

David very clearly got a verbal answer from God, and so can we.  Take the time when you pray to pause, and listen.  The Lord can and will speak to you, give you answers and help.  On the rare occasions I do remember to shut up and listen, (and I must remember to do it more), I very often am given great pearls of wisdom, or comforting words.

So when in need don’t forget to cry out to the Lord for help.  But also whenever you pray don’t forget to listen!

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I reminds me of storing up treasures in heaven, and not doing good deeds in this life so that others may see and give you honour and credit. Instead by being humble and discreet, and doing your deeds to the Glory of the Risen Lord whom died for our sins, and rose from the grave, so we may one day join him in heaven forever. Each deed we do on her for his Glory, will store us up a little more treasure in heaven. Matthew 6:20

Of course any deed done for earthly gain, and that leads to reward only reaps temporary benefits. You cant take your money with you when you die, praise for something you did only lasts a period of time.

Things done for the Lord will last an eternity.

…

Moving on from my initial thoughts, the devotional on Our Daily Bread also picks up very importantly on not being consumed with appearances! An example that I can admit to doing in the past is acting at church or with Christian friends like the perfect model Christian! Yet I would then live a life that pleased myself in the week day, quickly turning on “perfect Christian” whenever I was a friend from church!

Equally we shouldn’t want to conform to worldly images either, trying to look like the latest stars, or being sucked into materialistic buying so that we can look good to others. As my above thoughts, its all temporary, there is no lasting satisfaction. True satisfaction comes from the Lord and as is a common theme now in all my thoughts, I can only draw the conclusion that reading his word, prayer, worship and fellowship are the only ways of growing as a Christian and being fulfilled.

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Revelation 21:4 – He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

When we become Christians we become his children, and he becomes our father.  I often forget that his is our loving father, and can sometimes view the Lord as a distant friend whom I speak to now and again.  Because of that I dont always benefit from the fact he is my loving father who wants to share everything with me, and give me comfort when I need it, and laugh with me when things are good!  As in my previous readings I am challenged to continue to seek to know him better through these daily readings and through prayer and I

pray that you reading this would also feel challenged.

As in past readings and devotionals it really emphasises the need to not try and tackle things by ourselves.  As a human being, I have many many flaws and completely lack the strength and wisdom to be able to deal properly with man awkward situations, to resist temptations, to live for him, however He, like in this passage where he comes down to earth and makes all things new, will come down to us, and be with us.  He makes our hearts a new, and fills us with strength and wisdom to bear anything that is thrown at us.

Its not by any good deed that we have done, but by grace.

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