You and I live in a fallen creation that is no longer perfect and not even good, Sin and death have entered our world. Everyone is born in the likeness of Adam, with a sinful, rebellious nature. God’s solution is Jesus, Who took on human flesh and lived without sin in our world, died on the cross to take our punishment for sin and rose from the grave conquering death for our justification!

Please do not misunderstand. Living here is not always easy. You and I have problems. But Jesus cares and has written specific truths in the Bible to help us live victoriously.

In this series we looked at Biblical reasons you and I can trust God with the details of our lives.

1) Because Jesus’ example was answered with victory!

Luke 23:⁴⁴ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. ⁴⁵And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. ⁴⁶And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Commend = to entrust, deliver with confidence

Spirit = the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans

2) Because He loves you and me with unconditional, everlasting love. We do not need

to earn His love and nothing we can do will stop Him from loving us!

Romans 8:³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3) Because He is all powerful, all knowing and everywhere present.

He knows everything and controls everything!

Job 42:¹Then Job answered the LORD, and said, ²I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. ³Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. ⁴Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. ⁵I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. ⁶Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

4) Because He designed and created you and me for His own purpose!

Ephesians 2:⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Workmanship = product or result of labor and skill

Is it hard for you to entrust yourself and your circumstances to God?

Philippians 1:⁶ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1 Thessalonians 5:²⁴ Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

King Solomon’s words in the 10^th century B.C.

Proverbs 3:⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Our Master’s words to you and me

John 14:¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; ¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ¹⁹Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ 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, ²Looking 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. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti