In the 7^th century B.C., God had the prophet Jeremiah record these words.

Jeremiah 51:¹⁵ He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.

Understanding =comprehension, intelligence

How large is the heaven do you suppose?

How many galaxies are in the heaven do you suppose?

Job 28: ²⁸And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Isaiah 40:²⁸ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. ²⁹He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. ³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: ³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Thoughts on the understanding of God in the 10^th century B.C.

Psalm 119:¹⁰³How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:¹²⁴Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. ¹²⁵I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Psalm 119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

Psalm 119:¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.

Psalm 147:¹Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.² The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. ³He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. ⁴He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. ⁵Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

Proverbs 3:¹³ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Proverbs 3:¹9 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

Proverbs 9:¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

What do these words matter to you?

After rising from the grave, Jesus spoke these words
Luke 24:⁴⁴ And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. ⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: ⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸And ye are witnesses of these things.

What do these words matter to you?

Paul wrote to the early church

Ephesians 1:¹⁵ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, ¹⁶Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: ¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, ²³Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Philippians 4:⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:¹ For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; ²That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

What do these words matter to you?

In the 1^st century A.D., John wrote these words

1John 5:²⁰ And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

What do these words matter to you?

What does the understanding of God matter to you?

Why do you suppose God had these words written and maintained thru the centuries so you and I could read them?

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