“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great of crowd of witnesses, let us lay about 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 unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
If I have a life text, this is it. I want to break it down over the next four days, and give you some of what I have gotten out of it for my own life. I hope that what I write will help you in your own journey. Please do not understand me that I have done all of this perfectly, but it has meant a lot to me. The first line that I want to deal with: “Let us lay aside every weight.” The writer used a racing motif to teach us how to live more freely. People who run in foot races do not wear anything that will slow them down. They do not run in sweat suits, but they run in the thinnest material possible. We have things in our lives that slow us down as we run the race of life. What is weighing you down that is keeping you from running the race of life as effectively as possible? First, you might be weighted down because you have not taken the weight to Jesus. Jesus invites us to: “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest.” Jesus told us in this text that He wants to ease the load. He is probably wondering why you are taking life’s burdens on your back, when He has offered to ease them. “Tell it to Jesus” is not a slogan. He really wants to ease our burdens. Second, you might be weighted down with people that you have to deal with in your life. Other people can be a blessing to us, but there are times when they weigh us down. They might weigh us down with criticism that we did not ask them for. They might weight us down by spreading tales about us. The truth is that there are some people who are just hard to get along with. Give them to Jesus, so to speak. The only reason they load you down is that you let them. Third, you might be weighted down with a false sense of guilt. This is something that I have had to deal with myself. What I have learned is that I have got to stop letting false guilt take over my life. Don’t let other people “whip the guilt” on you. There are some things that you might be guilty of, which is true of all of us. We just need to accept Jesus’ forgiveness, stop doing what makes us feel guilty, and go on with life. Hey tell it to Jesus……..” Fourth, you might be weighted down with a sense of doubt. I know about this one too……I just always remember what Dr. Ted Adams told us at Southeastern Seminary years ago: “Doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs.” You are not alone in having doubts. What I’ve learned is that Jesus will relieve this load for you. He has done it for me in some amazing ways. Don’t let your “weights” get the best of you, because Jesus wants to relieve you of them. Bro. Joe
1 Comment
Bro Beau Cooksey
5/18/2016 11:53:46 pm
You're sounding more and more like Hugh Lee Brinkley all the time Bro Joe. I'm still reading your blog, enjoying preaching, lovin my wife and family & lastly, learning to really lean on Jesus. I am currently growing through an invisible ceiling that's been blocking my ministry. Pray for me to be wise enough to lead these Churches & while staying humble enough to follow Jesus. Alice graduates from Andersonville w her Bachelor of Theology May 27th.
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