(Another fine article by W.F. Bell for your reading. Please heed its mmessage. It has much biblical truth for us. If we apply it, we can receive help. The Bible is the word of truth. Please treat it so.)
One of the saddest texts in all of Scripture is Luke 14:29-30, "Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish." "Builders" have started projects all through the ages, but have had to stop building for various reasons. None of us like to start something, then become "not able to finish it." But we are all guilty of starting a project, and after failing to "count the cost" (either in time, help, materials, or money), we then must abandon the project. Sometimes, as in the words of Jesus, we experience "mockery" from others for our failures, lack of foresight, or our lack of perseverance.
The Christian life is likened to "running a race" (I Corinthians 9:24-27), but off and on we wonder if we are going to finish it, don't we? Cares and burdens weight us down. We take our eyes off of the Lord Jesus Christ, our "forerunner" (Hebrews 6:20), and look to "time and chance" to see us through. We fail to "keep our body under subjection," we do not "count the cost" of discipleship, and often feel totally lost and deceived, locked up fast in Doubting Castle. With Paul, we too say that we are "troubled on every side; fightings without, fears within." It seems impossible for us to persevere.
So, to encourage us, let us forget about our failures, and let us look rather to Him who has already "run" this race successfully, even the great "captain of our salvation," our Lord and Savior, "a merciful and faithful high priest" (Hebrews 2:10,17). Surely, with humble gratitude, we all must confess that He did finish what He came into the world to do, that is, "bringing many sons to glory." He suffered tremendously by "finishing the race," for in "counting the cost," He willingly gave His own life's blood. For such, Christ Jesus can never be "mocked" for failure! And we truly rejoice in these words: "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). And with William Cowper we sing,
Come, let's run our race with patience,
Looking unto Christ the Lord,
Who doth live and reign forever,
With His Father and our God.
He is worthy to be praised,
He is our exalted King.
The Christian life is likened to "running a race" (I Corinthians 9:24-27), but off and on we wonder if we are going to finish it, don't we? Cares and burdens weight us down. We take our eyes off of the Lord Jesus Christ, our "forerunner" (Hebrews 6:20), and look to "time and chance" to see us through. We fail to "keep our body under subjection," we do not "count the cost" of discipleship, and often feel totally lost and deceived, locked up fast in Doubting Castle. With Paul, we too say that we are "troubled on every side; fightings without, fears within." It seems impossible for us to persevere.
So, to encourage us, let us forget about our failures, and let us look rather to Him who has already "run" this race successfully, even the great "captain of our salvation," our Lord and Savior, "a merciful and faithful high priest" (Hebrews 2:10,17). Surely, with humble gratitude, we all must confess that He did finish what He came into the world to do, that is, "bringing many sons to glory." He suffered tremendously by "finishing the race," for in "counting the cost," He willingly gave His own life's blood. For such, Christ Jesus can never be "mocked" for failure! And we truly rejoice in these words: "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). And with William Cowper we sing,
Come, let's run our race with patience,
Looking unto Christ the Lord,
Who doth live and reign forever,
With His Father and our God.
He is worthy to be praised,
He is our exalted King.
2 comments:
I want to change my Blogger/Blogspot background into a picture I want instead of the ugly plain ones that provide you with.. . I tried looking up on google how to change it but it only came up with how to change the background with the old Blogger. . . HELP!.
If I understood you correctly, you want to change your background on a Blogger page. I do not know how. I can add pictures and text, but it does not change background. I wish I could be more help, but I suggest contacting a representative at Google. Thanks for visiting, and look over our other entries. They are all designed to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. Have a good week.
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