“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” (Hebrews 12:1)

At the beginning of each New Year, multitudes of people make a resolution to change a particular area in their life that needs improvement. The most common ones are to lose weight, reduce debt, and stop smoking. Most have every good intention to correct the problem, but many give up by February, if not sooner.

As followers of Christ, often we too set out to renounce particular habits and behaviors, along with solemn promises to embark a more dedicated walk with the Lord. We might pledge to read our Bibles and pray on a daily basis, to faithfully attend church and tithe regularly, or to serve in a particular church ministry or outreach. However, just like the majority of people who break their New Year’s resolutions, we too may have fallen off track, abandoning our commitment and forfeiting the victory we earnestly desired.

If this sounds all too familiar, today is the day to get back on track! Do not allow the enemy, your flesh, nor guilt and shame to keep you disqualified from that which you wholeheartedly desire. Get back in the race so you can achieve the goals you set out to attain on behalf of God, yourself and others.

In Proverbs 24:16 we read, “for though a righteous man (woman) falls seven times, he (she) rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.” Refuse to allow the enemy to bring you down into calamity, eliminating you from receiving that which God desires to see you win.

With determination and self-control, realistic goals, continuous reliance on the Holy Spirit, an accountability group (if needed), and fixing your eyes on Jesus, you’re on the way to victory. In Hebrews 12:1 we read, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Ask God to reveal the ‘weight and hindrances’ that are entangling you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will aid you in overcoming fleshly desires and the works of the enemy so you can come out a winner. Remember, it is never too late to get back on track, become victorious in all that He seeks to accomplish in and through you, and pass some of your victory unto others that are struggling.

Heavenly Father, pardon me for my shortcomings. May Your Holy Spirit empower me to live a victorious life that brings honor and glory to Your name.  May I run this race with perseverance in hopes of bringing others into the victory lane as well. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen     

Question: Is there a certain area of weakness you have been battling?

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CNN reports:

Nine of 10 churches are segregated, according to an analysis by Christopher P. Scheitle and Kevin D. Dougherty published in the August addition of the journal Socialogical Inquiry. For the purposes of the paper, “segregated” meant 80 percent of a church’s members were of one race.

I currently attend one of the “segregated” churches mentioned in the article, but as a minority in a predominantly Asian church. Through it was a complicated series of events that led me to the church initially, it is actually the first church where I have felt at home. It’s the first place where I felt comfortable serving as a Sunday school teacher among other roles. I have always been welcomed with open arms, yet I am one of very few Caucasian congregants among the 300+ attendees every Sunday.

In my church’s case, the “segregation” is not racial, but due to language and circumstances. The English church congregation I attend grew out of the original Chinese church. The Chinese church was founded so that native Cantonese speakers could meet together for worship in their own language. However as their children grew up and needed a place to worship in English, the English church began to grow. So the English church has remained largely Chinese by ethnicity while being English speaking.

But what about cases where language is not a barrier? Rev Mark Whitlock, pastor of Christ Our Redeemer African Methodist Episcopal Church in California and the focus of the CNN article, says “We’re fully integrated in the workplace, schools, public restaurants everywhere, except the church. It’s still the most segregated place on Sunday in the United States. Our goal is to do what heaven has already done. Heaven is fully integrated.”

What do you think? Is this a problem that needs to be addressed and solved, not a problem at all, or something that will work itself out over time?

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“A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24

Imagine you’ve signed up for a race, but when the day of the race arrives, you notice that there is no starting line. No map. No indication at all where to run, because the road forks off in many different directions. Before you can ask where you’re supposed to run, the starting gun fires, and people dash in all different directions. What would you think of such a race?

Without God’s guidance, that’s what life is like. Our lives become ones of abject freedom. That is, freedom of a terrible kind. Not godly freedom of being set free to become the kind of people God always meant us to be.

Rather, without God’s guidance, we have freedom in licentious lack of restraint. In other words, anarchy. The laws by which polite society functions are, without God’s guidance, actually just social constructs which can be torn down at any moment by forceful power of convincing personality. Unrestrained freedom is another word for anarchy. Paradoxically, the kind of “freedom” that anarchy provides will result in less real freedom, not more. The freedoms that we cherish, such as being treated fairly, the right to speak and vote, to treasured possessions, to worship our God freely … none of these are guaranteed when society attempts to build its foundations in mid-air, lacking the solid ground of God’s Word.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

Does God direct your steps? Or do you direct your own? Have you made a conscious decision to follow God’s light, as he lights the way for your steps? Or do you continue to stumble in darkness? Will you be able to honestly say along with the psalmist, “My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” Psalm 17:5

God’s wonderful truth is that it is never too late for anyone to turn and follow Him. Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection embodies enough forgiveness to cover any sin. If we are told to forgive our brothers & sisters “seventy times seven” times when they have wronged us (Matthew 18:22, ESV; essentially an unlimited number of times) how much more will our merciful Father in Heaven forgive us when we repent and ask Him to turn our steps back to His path?

God’s Word is our guide to the race of life. My prayer for you today is that you will be able to say along with the apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Father, forgive us when we ignore the necessary guidance your Word. Help us to gain full understanding of your truth. Guide us so that we will walk your paths and finish the race in simultaneous triumph and humility by the power of Your Spirit at work in us.

Question: Have you been struggling lately with keeping on God’s path? Why not contact a mentor to privately & confidentially discuss it?

About the Author:  Darren Hewer

**Are you tired and does your life look hopeless to you? Click on http://thelife.com/interactive/ask.html and a mentor will be there to listen to you.

“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. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

When Romania’s Tomescu-Dita crossed the finish line in the Beijing Olympics, she not only won the gold medal in the Women’s Marathon, but, at 38, she became the oldest Olympian ever to do it, leaving 83 competitors in the dust.

Tomescu-Dita led unchallenged for more than an hour, running alone for more than half of the race — a remarkable achievement given the quality of the Beijing field. I watched her running along the grueling course that snaked through the streets of Beijing from Tiananmen Square to the Bird’s Nest stadium.

I watched her become energized when the stadium came into sight and then as she circled outside before entering the stadium, I was impressed with something the announcer said, declaring that entering the stadium of victory is “something that every marathoner looks forward to.”

Tomescu-Dita looked strong as she entered the National Stadium to a rousing ovation from the crowd of 60,000. The cheers reached a crescendo as she emerged from the tunnel entrance.

I thought of a spiritual and Biblical parallel. Paul speaks (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) of the ancient games where people run to win a wreath that will not last, but that the Christian runs to win a crown that will last forever, life above with Jesus. Just as the marathoner looks to the stadium and finish line of victory, we as Christians look to the goal of victory through eternal unity with God in His heavenly kingdom and the heavenly crowd will cheer.

Life is a race and the finish line is in the arena of victory is heaven. Luke expresses it in Acts 20:24 “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

Paul expresses it in Philippians 3:13-14 “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Now that’s what I really call running for the gold.

Questions: How are you running the race of life? Are you prepared to run your best to the very finish line?

About the Author:  http://thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/john_grant/

The debate over Africentric schools in Toronto is raging [due to] a controversial step to help struggling black students with alternative education. By a vote of 11 to nine, school trustees agreed on an "operational model" for a black-focused school. The school would focus on the experiences and contributions of African people with a goal of discouraging students in the black community from dropping out.

A study done in 2006 found that 40 per cent of black students do not complete high school. [Source: CTV News]

Do you think a race-focused school will help? Is it appropriate to create schools which are tailored to specific races, or should public schools attempt to present a unified and diverse curriculum that is applicable to everyone in modern multicultural North America?