RUN WITH JC (Part 2)

Earlier in Part 1, I started the article with the story of Jesus at the age of twelve. Now, since we have run so fast, we are almost at the end of JC’s ministry.

Jesus began His powerful teaching and preaching ministry followed by signs, wonders, miracles and healings at the age of 30.
(Luke 3:23 ASV And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age...)

In three and a half years, JC ran with such a speed to fulfill His divine assignment on earth.
The success of Jesus’ ministry on earth was not ‘how big His church was’, or ‘how many followers or supporters He obtained’ or even ‘how many souls He saved’ etc but His success was in OBEYING the voice of the FATHER and being led by the HOLY SPIRIT.

Beloved, the beauty about this race is we are not running against our adversary the devil and his foes by our own strength or effort but God our rock and strength runs together with us.

Though, I know this truth for many years but it came to me like a revelation and confirmed my believe after I watched a glimpse of the remarkable father-son bond of Dick and Rick Hoyt, and their inspirational journey together in a triathlon and life itself on U-tube.

More than twenty years ago, Rick Hoyt ran a 5 kilometer while pushing his disabled son in a wheelchair. After the race his son told him that while racing he did not feel disabled. They have since competed in over a hundred triathlons and marathons together. This video clip is truly remarkable and highly inspirational.

In the first place, why do we need to run?
1Co 9:24-27 MKJV Do you not know that those running in a race all run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. (25) And everyone who strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Then those truly that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. (26) So then I run, not as if I were uncertain. And so I fight, not as one who beats the air. (27) But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest proclaiming to others I myself might be rejected.

Friends, can you see the passion that Paul the apostle had to be part of the great race. He proclaims that he treat his body severely and make it his slave (not to sin but to obedience to God) in order to win the challenge.

I believe, you can agree with me that we are not trained just to ‘run for fun’. However, we ought to run the race to achieve something valuable and to receive an incorruptible crown. Run in such a way to win. I mean, we got to be focused and not run with uncertainty.

In the recent reality TV show ‘The Biggest Loser Asia’, one man called ‘king David’ became the winner after he managed to lose a substantial amount of weight and out beating many of his contenders. At his victory, he said that he definitely couldn’t have won this challenge without a proper training and motivation by his coach.

Just imagine, if a man and his contenders can put so much effort with the help of their coaches to win a particular challenge, how much more we should trust our Great Coach who runs with us to win the spiritual race set before us.

1Jn 4:4 MKJV You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1Jn 5:4-5 MKJV For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. (5) Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1Co 15:57 MKJV But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


July last year (2009) the LORD challenged me to run with JC and to expect great and glorious results in three and a half years. I am taking this challenge and want to challenge you as well:
“How many of you wanted to make history in your own ways with the help of God in 3 ½ years from now? You got to make the choice.”


Conclusion:
Isa 40:3-5 MKJV The voice of him who cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah, make straight a highway in the desert for our God. (4) Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made level, and the rough places smooth; (5) and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.
29-31 He gives power to the weary; and to him with no vigor; He increases strength. (30) Even the young shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; (31) but those who wait on Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Saints of God, if we choose to run along with Jesus on the track that has been prepared for us, God will empower us and increase our strength so that we can run and not grow weary or faint but be able not just to run with such a speed but to soar on wings like eagles to fly high.

We ought to be victors!

The end.

RUN WITH JC

Part 1

A couple of months ago, I was invited to two different youth gatherings to share on a topic called ‘Run with Jesus Christ’.

It was an interesting theme that caught my mind and spirit. When I started to work on it, I found something that stirred my enthusiasm, build my charisma and felt like someone just grabbed me and put me back on track…

I would like to share this message as well as my experience with you.

Luke 2:40-52 MKJV And the Child (Jesus) grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was on Him.

(41) And His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. (42) And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the Feast… (46) And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them. (47) And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. (48) And seeing Him, they were amazed. And His mother said to Him, Child, why have you done so to us? Behold, your father and I have looked for you, greatly distressed. (49) And He said to them, Why did you look for Me? Do you not know that I must be about My Father's business? (50) And they did not understand the word which He spoke to them. (51) And He went with them and came to Nazareth, and He was subject to them. But His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. (52) And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

The first thing that caught my attention was that Jesus when he turned 12 years of age – He was not childish but mature in His way of thinking, speech and action. Just as Jesus’ youth began at 12 and He increased in wisdom and stature, so we can train our young people to stop being childish and grow up to have favor with God and man.

As I was meditating upon chapter 2 of Luke and thinking deeply about the number 12, which speaks about apostleship and the Kingdom of God etc; the Holy Spirit brought to my attention chapter 12 in various scriptures that points to this topic.

In Jeremiah 12 we will see that the prophet in his frustration will ask God, why does the wicked prosper:

(Jer 12:1-5 MKJV Righteous are You, O Jehovah, that I might contend with You; yet let me speak with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all those happy who deal treacherously? (2) You have planted them; yea, they take root. They grow, yea, they make fruit. You are near in their mouth and far from their reins. (3) But You, O Jehovah, know me. You have seen me and tried my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and devote them for the day of slaughter. (4) How long shall the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither from the evil of those who dwell in it? The beasts and the birds have been destroyed, because they said, He shall not see our last end.)

Doesn’t this sound a little bit like us when we are frustrated?

God answered him:

(5) If you have run with footmen, and they wore you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if you feel secure in the land of peace, then how will you do in the swelling of the Jordan?

Friends, as you see the scripture, God is not training us to compete with men but with horses. (Can you perceive God’s intention to train us and His desire to make us victors?) Horses, speaks about a greater force that without a shadow of doubt is unbeatable when compared with man’s strength.

Remember, we are in God’s gym and training camp that prepares us to face and face-out our greatest contender – the beast! Now, look at: Heb 12:1 MKJV Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God...(12) Because of this, straighten up the hands which hang down and the enfeebled knees. (13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.

The only way to win this race is to get away from sinful life and run with endurance by looking at the Princely Leader and Perfecter of our belief, Jesus. (Taken from the literal translation – The Scriptures)

Beloved, let us strengthen the hands that hang down for so long and get up quickly. STOP looking down on your selves and staying put in the place of your defeat. Be healed and rise up on your feet with such a power and put your confidence in the LORD. May the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, raise you up once again to finish the race that has been set before all of us.

As apostle Paul advised us in Romans 12, we are rather trained by God not just to flap our muscles and win a mere race but to be a holy generation that has been transformed by the renewing of our mind to fulfill the perfect will of God.

(Rom 12:1-21 MKJV I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.)

Lastly, don’t just remember the training and forget about the trainer. Just look at this reminder from: Ecc 12:1 MKJV Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days do not come, nor the years draw near, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

(12-14) And further, by these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether evil.

Dear friends, may God stir your spirit as well and put you on the right tract to finish the race in style. Let’s run with JC!!

2 b continued…

B.Kumarathevan.