Have you ever noticed that there is no prize for starting, the only reward is for the one that finishes the race (1 Cor 9:24)? At the end of his life for Christ Paul could say: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7; KJV) and he eagerly looked forward to his heavenly reward.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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” (Heb 12:1-2; KJV). Paul paints a picture for us of the heavenly hosts cheering us on. As we look back at all the amazing men and women of God who have gone before us, we should be encouraged to focus on Jesus and put aside all the distractions and sins to serve him on this earth.

We need the same heavenly focus that Jesus had and need to know that we don’t run in our own strength but his (Phil 2:13; Phil 4:13). Paul exhorted us to press on, lay hold of all God has for us and be disciplined (Phil 3:12-14; 1 Cor 9:25). We are God’s salt and lights in this world (Matt 5:13-14), he so wants to work through us, to bless us in our earthly journey (Eph 3:20) and to bring us to that eternal reward in heaven. Let's cooperate and press in; the rewards are great and the journey amazing.

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“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20-21; KJV).

As Christians we have died to the old life dominated by sin and spiritual death and have received new life in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2). We have to live this new life by faith; faith that the Holy Spirit will work in us to change us to be more like Christ each day (Gal 5:22).

In Colossians 3:1-4 we read that we are to: “seek those things which are above”; seek the things of Jesus. In that passage we are exhorted to set our minds on heavenly things, knowing that when Christ returns, we will be with him in his glory; what a promise. When you set your mind on something it becomes your focus, your priority. God knows we have families and jobs but he wants us to make him our focus when we get up, as we go through our day and as we lay down to rest (Josh 1:8). Then we will be changed (Gal 5:22), experience all God has for us (Josh 1:8), walk in his peace (Ps 119:165) and have the assurance that we are his forever more (Col 3:4).

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 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11:12; KJV) This verse does not talk about evil attacks but those who are spiritually hungry pressing in to have and experience all God has for them; to be all that God wants them to be. 

Jesus said that those who: “hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matt 5:6) or right standing with God, will be blessed, will be filled; filled with his nature, character and life. To be filled here carries the sense of being filled abundantly.

Jesus promised that he and the father would dwell with us and be in us (John 14:23; 15:5; 17:21). We as Christians cannot be complacent, we must hunger for all of God. This isn’t something we do with the strength of the flesh but by humbling ourselves before God (1 Peter 5:6) in prayer, fellowship and spending time in his word.

It’s God that will work the changes in us and fill us with his fullness (Eph 3:19). We just have to cooperate with him and allow him to change, mold, and meld us to be more like Christ each day and to glorify his name (1 Cor 6:20). Don’t ever get satisfied, press in (Phil 3:14).

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 “Break up your fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12). This exhortation was also made by the prophet Jeremiah concerning the lives of God’s people (Jer 4:3). In agriculture, fallow ground is uncultivated land, unbroken and covered with weeds and thorns. The Lord showed me that as a Christian we can have fallow ground in our own lives. As born-again Christians our spirits are new and in fellowship with God (John 3:3-6) but our bodies and souls are not. It is our job to renew our minds (Rom 12:2) and discipline our bodies (1 Cor 9:27) with God’s word and power.

Fallow, or unregenerate areas in our souls or in the things we allow our bodies to do, will limit how God can move in our lives. Carnal Christians, or ones who still operate to a great extent under the dictates of the flesh (soul and body), very much limit God. These are the people who received the seed of God’s word amongst the thorns, in the parable of the sower (Matt 13:3-8). Such people could be Christians, but carnal ones, still very much living in the world and influenced by worldly priorities.

We need to let God plough up the fallow ground in our lives by the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). We need to ask God to show us areas in our lives that need to change; He will show us and help us to change. Then we can live on Gods level and enjoy the peace, prosperity and fullness he has for us.

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 Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others. 

 “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain” (Joel 2:1; KJV). The prophet Joel lamented the destruction of Israel’s crops by locusts as a result of God’s judgement for disobedience. Later in His prophesy to Israel Joel brought God’s call for repentance; a call for the people of Israel to turn back to God with all their heart. (Joel 2:12).

I often look sadly at the modern church and think how we need prophets like Joel to sound the alarm. We need to ask ourselves if our churches are salt and light (Matt 5:13-14). Are we impacting our world and turning it right side up? Do we praise and worship our God: “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23)? Do we put God first in our lives (Matt 6:33)? Are signs wonders and miracles part of our regular church experience (Heb 2:4)? Are our churches growing as they did in the early days of the age of grace in which we live (Acts 2:41)? This early experience of the church is described in the book of the Acts of the Apostles; you should read it. Do we have the same zeal for God, his word and his body the church?

How do we get back to the vibrancy and power God desires in his church? Well, maybe as a start, we need to consider God’s admonition given to Israel by Joel (Joel 2:12-13). “Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God.” To rend your heart is to humble yourself and repent of sin. What impact we would see if whole churches got on their knees and sincerely sought God; think about it. Put your programs and man-made approaches aside and humbly seek God. God is waiting.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.