‘…let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus… who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross…’ Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)

It is only in the fellowship of the cross that we can become conformed to the image of Jesus. The mind of Christ is a cross-bearing mind. A mind that is little preached or practiced today. We often believe that as long as we abstain from obvious sins, we are free to enjoy all the worldly pleasures and self-exalting activities on offer.

There seems to be little understanding of the truth that the world and the flesh that loves the pleasures of life, are ‘enmity against God’ (Romans 8:7). Because of this, many believers pray to be conformed to the image of Christ, but never change. Instead, we must disengage wholeheartedly with the world and die daily to self.

Like Jesus, we must choose each day to walk in His footsteps, bearing our own cross, with our old nature condemned and crucified. Only then will we be conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29).

As God’s chosen children, let’s wake up to this message, looking to the crucified Jesus while we run this lifelong race. Let’s patiently persevere being aware that it is for the joy of pleasing and glorifying God that we endure. Just like Jesus our highest happiness and joy will be found in placing the needs of others before our own, so that God will be known, exalted and praised.

As a believer in Jesus and the gospel, have you ever questioned if the Holy Spirit really dwells in you? Perhaps, because of your struggles or lack of peace and power, you have wondered if you missed out somehow. Maybe, what you see in yourself often appears immature and fleshy, just like the strife filled believer's Paul addresses in these verses.

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 ESV

How could any believer who is walking in the flesh expect the Holy Spirit to dwell in them? Yet, in context, that is what Paul goes on to say to these carnal Christians.

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV

If you believe it or not, realize it or not, apprehend it or not, no matter how rough your Christian walk appears, the Holy Spirit lives in all who trust Jesus as their Saviour. The Spirit of Christ, your helper, and advocate is ready today to take over with all of His power and peace.

So, who will you trust more with your life going forward, yourself or His Spirit? Will you believe God's word and walk by faith, letting Him have total control? Or, will your flesh and the things of this world remain the driving force in your life? The choice is yours. The Holy Spirit has always been ready to take control as soon as you give it up.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 ESV

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 NAS

Light stepped into darkness when Jesus came in the flesh, and there was a shift in the spiritual realm. There was ‘life’ — the healing of emotions, flesh and mindsets. It was Truth (John 14:6) walking on the streets to proclaim the Word to those ready to receive Him. Was not the Truth mocked, was He not condemned by those He had created (John 1:11)? But what did the Truth do? He kept on walking in the realisation of the Spirit. What an example to follow! What a lesson to learn!

Trials and tribulations remain a sure experience of the flesh, just as the experience of the Lord’s presence and protection is assured to those who trust Him. Both are a reality in the spiritual realm. What does a willing believer need to do? Follow the way of Jesus. Did not the apostles suffer for the Truth they followed? What did they do? They held on to the Truth.

Every believer has a purpose in this fleshly realm. Some are called to walk through extraordinary trials. Jesus, too faced trials. But He remained focused and grounded in His spiritual standing. Did His rejection in the flesh keep Him from His heavenly purpose? No.

Because of what Christ did on the cross, the same Truth rests in us when we believe and walk in that realisation. Seek not the favour of men but of the Spirit. The Light is in you, radiate that Light. The new creation walks in this realisation through faith. Even though the ‘old self’ bubbles up at times, it should not be taken as a self-condemning shame or guilt. The Lord remembers our sins no more as He sees our faith in identifying ourselves in Him. Keep pressing on, for our Lord never gives up on us.

​by Deepika Emmanuel Sagar
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India - info@grace-lines.net

​David was concerned about the enemy's strength and numbers and called for a census to prepare - (1 Chron 21).  Did he have enough battle-ready men to win? This reliance on the flesh by David (who had defeated Goliath by faith) brought a curse that killed 70,000. 

"So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves" Luke 21:14 NAS

God honoured the Israelites' request to spy out the promised land before entering.  They wanted to be prepared in the flesh while God wants us to renew our minds to His promises and character, always walking by faith. What they saw only made them more aware of their fleshes weakness and frailty. Their cautious preparation backfired, leading to overwhelming doubt, worry, fear, and death in the wilderness, instead of God's abundant promised land.  

God's preparation is by faith.

In Judges 7, Gideon started with 32,000 men to battle the enemy. God slashed it to 300 and gave them the victory. God supernaturally made the Jericho walls fall as they marched around them. Elisha's faith in God's promises and character revealed the heavenly armies, struck blind the enemy, and took them captive - (2 Kings 6).  When King Jehoshaphat's heard of the great multitude coming against him, supernatural victory only came when he admitted his fleshes weakness, turned wholly to God and praised Him for His loving kindness that endures forever – (2 Chron 20)

Satan roams around like a roaring lion, only able to devour those who walk by sight in the flesh. In the flesh, things always look bleak, because God is not flesh. 

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 NAS

God is a Spirit, and only right believing lets us worship Him in Spirit and truth.  Let's take our eyes and thoughts off the enemy's roar, and focus intently on who we are in Christ and our sure victory. This is how we prepare, agree with God, walking in Christ's righteousness, peace, and joy.  There is no other way to defeat the principalities of darkness that seek to devour us.

‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.’ (1 Corinthians 9:24 NKJ).

A conversation with a friend this week recalled to mind two essential qualities needed for successful living: patience and perseverance. He had misplaced his brand new and very expensive glasses in his shed. Frustrated, yet determined to locate them, he resolved to look around every day until the glasses were found.  After a week of searching, perseverance and patience paid off and my friend was overjoyed.

To run the race and claim the prize we need to doggedly practice these two qualities over and over again. We know that nothing worth reaching in life comes easily. The goal will never be attained without a steadfast and earnest commitment.

God is patient and persevering. He never gives up on us. At times, we can be disobedient, unloving, apathetic and disheartened. But this does not stop Him from pursuing us with relentless commitment. And He will patiently persevere, helping us in our weaknesses. Scripture exhorts us to follow the example of Jesus ‘who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and disregarded the shame.’ (Hebrews 12:2).
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When we consider Jesus’ trial and glory, we are encouraged to not grow weary or lose heart. He is the perfecter of our faith. The coach who cheers us on. The teacher who instructs us in the way to go. The Saviour who forgives. The Lord who always leads. Because of Jesus, we can persevere. We can be patient. With Him, we can finish our race.

Last night I was ready to give away half my kingdom for a toenail clipper. 

​My spouse was out of town and must of took it with him. It got me thinking about the mundane things that make me thankful, and how I count my blessings for them all.  Like over-the-counter pain killers to ease my achy joints, and fresh potable water to swig it down with. I don't have to walk home from a well two miles away with a clay pot on my head to enjoy the benefit.  I can even fill a whole bathtub at the turn of a faucet and out comes clean hot water. Soap is not a luxury either, it's an everyday commodity - and linens to dry with too.

Those Christmas shoe boxes we pack for 3rd world children in poverty? When is the last time any of us got excited over a toothbrush? When we pull the blankets up over our heads at night, how often do we stop to think how privileged we are to have a warm bed to sleep in, and a roof over our heads?

You never know what being thankful might lead to in life. Paul and Silas sang praises to God after being whipped and cast into prison with their feet put in stocks! They counted their blessings in spite of their circumstances (Acts 16:22-33 ESV), and God intervened in a miraculous way. As a result of their testimony, and God's supernatural power, souls were set free, and saved.

Lord, give us a daily reminder of really how blessed we are in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. We long to see you at work in our lives, and to experience your almighty power to free us from ourselves, and to save the lost.

"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Rev 3:21 KJV)
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In the 1960’s, the song "We Shall Overcome" emerged as a very powerful anthem of the Civil Rights Movement and was particularly associated with the peaceful boycotts, sit-in’s and marches organised under the charismatic and inspirational leadership of Dr Martin Luther-King, Jr. 
The confident hope that victory will eventually come, is beaten out in the well know refrain: “deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.”
 
When an oppressed people find themselves compelled to stand in the face of prejudice, discrimination and persecution, the goal of realising true justice and equality can often appear nothing more than an allusive dream, as the same injustices continue to re-emerge generation after generation.
 
When Jesus told his apostles: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves…” (Matt 10:16), how did the great shepherd ever expect his chosen lambs to ever stand against the wolverine hordes into whose fiercely guarded territories he was directing them?  Were they, like the romancer Don Quixote, merely to “dream the impossible dream” and prepare to “fight the unbeatable foe”?  Were they to proceed in their own strength and seek to overcome all adversity by their own dubious efforts?
 
Surprisingly, after speaking of the persecution and tribulation which his disciples must inevitably face, Jesus adds the following assurances.  “I have told you these things,” he says, “that you may have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
 
This last statement from Jesus provides the basis for our confidence, as we strive to live peaceable lives in an increasingly rebellious, hostile and merciless world.  We rejoice not only in a victory won, by our Saviour and Lord, but in a victory shared, as we participate in that victory through our faith in the Son of God.   It is through our faith in Christ that we assist in the overthrow of evil, the pulling down of every stronghold (2 Cor 10:4).  In this way, we are overcomers with Him, as the apostle John explains: “and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith?” (1 John 5:4-5 NKJV). 
 
It is by faith that Jesus’ victory becomes our victory too and, when that faith is given expression through witness, then the heart breaks into song: “we shall overcame, we shall overcome…” and we have overcome, not just “someday” but even now: for by the blood of the Lamb is the accuser cast down and by the word of our testimony is the prince of this world routed (John 12:31; Revelation 12:10-11).

​by Richard Dempsey
Cambrdgeshire, England - info@grace-lines.net

​“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3:22-24) NIV
 
Have you ever woken, suddenly in the night, in a cold sweat, as some distressing thought came flooding into your mind to wrestle you from sleep? Many of us have experienced such moments of sudden fear and trepidation that disturb our quiet slumber.

In the Old Testament book of Job, one of Job’s friends recounts how he was once troubled by a haunting spirit which passed over his face, as he lay sleeping, and a ghostly whisper crept through the night silence to bring a terrifying realisation to his ear. The low, penetrating voice asked: “Can mankind be just before God?  Can a man be pure before his Maker?” (Job 4:12-17).
For those who trust in their own righteousness, this is a most disturbing thought.  Job himself considered that he was a righteous man and this had been his one remaining source of comfort and personal pride; a solid rock, amidst the storms of affliction, upon which he hoped to stand before his maker (Job 19:23-27). Now, even his righteousness appeared to be a very slippery foundation.

“All have sinned...” the apostle Paul reminds us, “...and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23). “Who then can be saved?” the disciples once asked Jesus (Matt 19:25).
The apostle Paul brings us the reassurance we need, when he explains that although we cannot trust in our own righteousness, there is a righteousness which comes from God “through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom 3:22) and that we are therefore “justified freely by his grace” (24). It is in his righteousness that we stand.
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What a blessing it is to rest in the knowledge that, as we remain in Christ, we are free from all guilt and our sins can no longer beset us.