Write Your Own Story
As noted in the previous blog entries, I've been studying Acts through the study guide, The Unexplainable Church by Erica Wiggenhorn. Today, as I read the last section of the study, I was inspired to write my own story for God. I had listened to several preachers on television this morning and the trend was "self-control," and "finishing the race." Since I have issues with self-control, perseverance, and exercise, I was all ears. Now Erica was cheering her readers on and noting, "Now it's our race. Are you ready?" It seemed as the Lord felt the need to convict me and then remind me of my need to commit to Him and then push me to step out...all in one morning!
So I wrote the following to the ladies in my Bible Study group, (probably more for myself then to them):
This is our last session with Erica in this study. It is again powerful and convicting! She challenges us to write our own “Acts 29” ending by beginning with writing our names in the front of Acts 28:31, [Name], "Boldly and without hinderance [she/he] preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is actually the last statement by Paul in Acts. Erica essentially says that when Jesus said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me!” he meant we were to make a personal decision to take on the responsibility of spreading the gospel. Regardless of the weight of this decision, she notes, “But the truth is the we have been called to carry it.” She finishes on pg. 250 by stating, “Paul approached death with confidence that he had finished well…His race. And his prayer for every believer behind him was to finish their own. Within our soul we carry the unexplainable church—the message of Jesus Christ, who came to save sinners, redeem the world, and bring us all to glory. Now it’s our race. Are you ready?”
Let’s finish well. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 9:24, “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.” Our prize comes when we get to heaven, but while on earth Erica reminds us, “Within your heart and hands you hold a divine invitation, my friend. One written for you before time began, etched into eternity and sealed with the shed blood of your Savior. The Spirit is beckoning you to the starting block. This is your time. This is your race.” We must make the decision to “Go!”
Happy Thanksgiving Ladies! May we fix our eyes on the One who has provided all and not on all the fixings before us!
So I wrote the following to the ladies in my Bible Study group, (probably more for myself then to them):
This is our last session with Erica in this study. It is again powerful and convicting! She challenges us to write our own “Acts 29” ending by beginning with writing our names in the front of Acts 28:31, [Name], "Boldly and without hinderance [she/he] preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is actually the last statement by Paul in Acts. Erica essentially says that when Jesus said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me!” he meant we were to make a personal decision to take on the responsibility of spreading the gospel. Regardless of the weight of this decision, she notes, “But the truth is the we have been called to carry it.” She finishes on pg. 250 by stating, “Paul approached death with confidence that he had finished well…His race. And his prayer for every believer behind him was to finish their own. Within our soul we carry the unexplainable church—the message of Jesus Christ, who came to save sinners, redeem the world, and bring us all to glory. Now it’s our race. Are you ready?”
Let’s finish well. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 9:24, “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.” Our prize comes when we get to heaven, but while on earth Erica reminds us, “Within your heart and hands you hold a divine invitation, my friend. One written for you before time began, etched into eternity and sealed with the shed blood of your Savior. The Spirit is beckoning you to the starting block. This is your time. This is your race.” We must make the decision to “Go!”
Happy Thanksgiving Ladies! May we fix our eyes on the One who has provided all and not on all the fixings before us!
Matthew 16:24-27
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."
I say I'm ready but need prayer to be consistent. Very inspiring.
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