Win the Entire Race

Shaun King

I realize it's been over a year now, but do any of you remember watching Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt demolish three Olympic records last summer?

The guy was so doggone fast that he started celebrating before he crossed the finish line and still left everyone else in the dust! He was widely criticized for being so boisterous, but something was lost amidst all of the criticism of his swagger.

Usain Bolt trained like a madman to lead the pack in the start of the race, the middle of the race, and in the end as he crossed the finish line.

He knew that if he was going to break "unbreakable" records and win gold medals, being a great starter was not enough. Getting a quick start and pushing hard through the middle wouldn't be enough either.

Usain knew that he was going to have to use all that God gave him from the starting block to the yellow ribbon, if victory was really going to be his!

Hear my heart - in this season the Lord wants you to get a fast wind behind you so that you'll get a quick start, but far too many of our dreams, our ministries, our business, and even our marriages, launch with the loud, flashy boom of July fireworks, but fizzle out at the first sign of bad weather.

This isn't good enough. God did not just call you to get married; He called you to stay married. The Lord didn't just plant a vision in your heart to start a ministry or business in your community; He called you to start a ministry of business that would endure the challenges of our time and still be alive and kicking to tell the story on the other side!

While staring into the face of his young son Solomon, David said in 1 Chronicles 28:20: "Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work or the service of the house of the LORD is finished."

In his prayer for the Philippians, the Apostle Paul said it this way, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

Overnight wonders and fast starters are a dime a dozen. The true test that you and I must pass is whether or not we have prepared to win the entire race. My prayer for you today is that you will allow the Spirit of God to give you the endurance that you'll need.

The First Fruit Of Servanthood Is Love

Dr. Zachary Tims, Jr.

The passage in Galatians 5:22-23 shows us exactly what God expects from his people in how we ought to treat one another, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…" Galatians 5:22-23.

The first and foremost Fruit of the Spirit is Love. Love is the rudimentary principle of the New Testament commandment illustrated by Jesus Christ, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind….And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matt 27:37-39.

And in John 13:33-34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Could the first fruit of Love be the characterizing factor that sets us apart from the unrighteous? Of course it is. Is there a reason why Jesus directed this statement to His disciples, the first original leaders of the New Testament church? I believe there is a reason.

The disciples were continually jockeying for position to get on Jesus’ highly esteemed good side, but he kindly rebuked this behavior telling them, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matt, 23:11. These disciples were His front-line leaders, Apostles, Elders, Ministers, Deacons, and administration staff.

The first principle of Servanthood is love.

We have to apply the Servanthood factor to how we respond to God’s people. The point is that leaders ought to be the first ones compelled to show a demonstration of the Fruit of the Spirit. They are the examples for the rest of the church. Clearly, servanthood is demonstrated in how we are to love one another with the Jesus kind of love.

Now since the Fruit of the Spirit is one whole concept of Christ-like character, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church in Galatia, to “walk in the Spirit” and then he gave them instructions on how to fulfill that mandate through the Fruit of the Spirit. Love is just the top surface that peels off multiple layers of joy, peace, patience, endurance, kindness, goodness, humility, self-control, and faith.

A gentle answer, a soft spoken word in season, sincere compassion to reach out to the hurting, a listening ear, intercession, and empathy is what shows God’s people the love they deserve from leaders.

That’s why I believe the first fruit of servanthood modeled in the Fruit of the Spirit and exemplified in how we demonstrate our love, “one for another.”

Why Do You Do What You Do?

Cindy Beall

I love the Holy Spirit.
He guides, counsels, comforts, and protects.

I appreciate the guidance that comes as a gentle nudge to write a much-needed note to a friend who is hurting. I am amazed at the counsel that falls from my lips when I have no earthly idea what to say to a woman in need. I adore the comfort I get when I am hurting and no one on this earth can do the trick. I love knowing that my children are protected within a hedge erected by the One True God.

But He also convicts.
And dang if I don't like that,convict.

Please don't misunderstand me. I love the outcome of conviction but am just not a fan of the discomfort that goes along with it. But, it's necessary. It's necessary for growth and a changed life. And I want a changed life.
I raise this issue of conviction with you because I have been slammed with it on every side in regard to a particular issue in my life.

My motives.
The why behind what I do.

Questions haunting me recently have had to do with the purity, or lack of it, behind why I do things or why I say things or why I write things or why I go to the places I go.

I think you get my point.

Do I do things I do to get my name out or to see what people think about me or to make sure I'm seen shaking the right hand or hugging the right neck? Do I want recognition so that my self-esteem and fleshly desires can be unhealthily fed? Do I comment or speak just to hear myself?

Sometimes.
Sometimes I do.

I want to have pure motives. I want to have an agenda that is solely about building the Kingdom of God. I want to get my desires out of the way long enough so that I can be fully yielded to what I absolutely know God has called me to do.

Still starving the flesh.
Is anybody hearin' what I'm sayin'?

Empowered By His Spirit

Brenda Gittens


"At that moment the Spirit of the LORD powerfully took control of him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat." (Judges 14:6).

In the Old Testament, we see many examples of where the Spirit of God would often come upon people, so that they could perform or accomplish specific duties or tasks. All of these moments and experiences were special, but the Spirit of the Lord almost never remained upon someone indefinitely.

There was one young man in the bible named Samson, who was blessed by the Lord as he grew up and the Spirit of the Lord began to take hold of him. One day on his way to a city named Timnah, he was attacked by a lion. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he tore the lion's mouth in two with his bare hands!

Sponsor AdAside from that incident of shutting the lion's mouth, he also triumphed over the Philistines because God's Spirit empowered him (Judges 15:14-20), and he became the judge of Israel for twenty years, and the Spirit gave Samson the strength and ability to subdue great numbers of his enemies and to accomplish great victories.

However, in the New Testament, after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help His followers, things did indeed change. Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles - all who have been called by the Lord our God." (Acts 2:38-39).

We no longer need to wait for His Spirit to come upon us, for the Holy Spirit lives and dwells in all believers and worshipers. Today, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to resist the devil, accomplish, and perform great things for God. What a privilege we have - to be the temple of the Holy Spirit!

Today let's praise the Lord for the Spirit, who "helps us" and "pleads for us." And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. (Romans 8:26-27).

The Spirit helps us to overcome temptations, triumph over evil and other things that will try to destroy us. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit that lives within us each and every day, and helps us to crucify and take off the old nature and put on and wear our new nature in Christ!

We are empowered by His Spirit!