Run Your Best Faith-Race

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION:

Run well, the race of faith (Heb 12:1). #RunYourBestRace #Persevere

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

I can learn how to run the race of faith by looking to those who have gone before me. They are all men and women who were or are not perfect. I can take comfort in that. Some did things very well, some struggled…just as I. They had their ups and downs.

Yet, They persevered, confessed sin, chose to follow God. They laid down the things that kept them from running a successful faith race. Their perseverance gave them growth in faith. That gave them endurance to run and finish their race. They are my example. Lord, may I lay aside all encumbrances to running well, the race of faith.

Faith + Obedience = Victory

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION:

Put faith in God, obey God’s word and walk in God’s victories (Heb 11:29,30) #Faith #Obedience #Victory

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

Hebrews 11:29,30 are separated by a “,”. That comma equals 40 years in the wilderness for God’s people (no Faith and no obedience). No mention of it here. On one side of the “,” is a clear example of the magnitude of God‘s power when his people are obedient to him. On the other side is an example of the same.

On one side (v29), God delivers over one million of his people through the Red Sea and swallows up the entire Egyptian army in the same (Exo 14). On the other side (v30), God decimates the impregnable walls of Jericho that stood between God’s people and their promised land (Jos 6). Why? Because of their faith and obedience to him.

Lord, lead me to faith and obedience; may I know great victories in following you.

Passover: Faith’s Tribute

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION

Celebrate deliverance from death and the promise of eternal life (Heb 11:28). #GodDeliversLifeEternal #Passover #Lord’sSupper #Deliverance

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

The writer here describes a fourth act of faith in the life of Moses. When preparing to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, Moses instituted the Passover with a view towards the regular celebration of Israel’s deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. He fully expected to be celebrating deliverance long into the future as a tribute to God’s promises (Exo 12:21-30)

Faith saved Moses at birth (v23). Faith called Moses away from the pleasures of his world (vv24–26). Faith led him to follow God into a personal wilderness journey (v27). Faith lead him to institute an act that would forever stand as a tribute to God‘s hand of deliverance (v28). Lord, by faith I celebrate my deliverance from sin and death to life eternal (the Lord’s Supper is my faith tribute to that).

Indestructible Faith

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION:

Seek to know a faith that is indestructible (Heb 11:17-19). #IndestructibleFaith #AbidingFaith

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

I have to stop in ponder the indestructible and abiding faith of Abraham and his relationship with God. Imagine, God, after promising Abraham a son and then delivering on that promise, tells Abraham to sacrifice that son, Isaac.

It would be easy for me to think or to tell someone else to just, “Have faith.” But how might I tell someone to give up the dearest thing to them, whatever that may be. Yet, as followers of God, we can expect that at some point in the life of faith, God may indeed ask us to do just that. He may ask us to, as someone has once said, “Lay our Isaac down” in obedience to him (Gen 22). That kind of indestructible, abiding faith will be rewarded by God.

Years ago I had a friend who was an accomplished rock, rhythm & blues drummer. He had an incredible sense of rhythm and drumming technique. Soon after he had become a Christian, the Lord spoke to him about his love for drumming.

My friend told me that the Lord had said to him that his love for drumming was coming ahead of his relationship with God. His response was to sell all of his drums. He would remove anything that would come between him and God.

Sometime after that, God gave my friend back his drumming. But he would surrender his drums and his talent to God. After that, God truly blessed him and his drumming. That was amazing to me. I have always remembered and respected my friend’s decision. He put God ahead of any other love in his life and he showed it (Jas 2:21-23).

Lord, grant me an indestructible faith that would trust in you for anything you ask of me.

Acting On Faith

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION:

By faith earnestly seek and follow after God (Heb 11:4–6). #ByFaith #FaithPleasesGod #ActOnFaith #ObedienceFollowsFaith

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

We learn here that it is faith and obedience that pleases God. Knowing about God, doing the rituals of worship is not what pleases God (1Sa 15:22). It is faith, believing and trusting in the promises of God, then acting on those promises in obedience, that pleases God.

Faith and obedience are inextricably tied together (Jas 2:18). By faith Able offered a better sacrifice – it was his heart to do what God asked. Enoch pleased God by a faith that sought after and listened to God earnestly. Lord, I want to be a faith-filled seeker after God and an obedient, faith-filled follower.