I am copying this from the In Touch Aug. 15 devotional.. Failure: The first step to victory Galatians 5:16-26 It's a tired, old story line that plays out the year after year in the sports world: a team rarely experiences defeat during the regular season only to lose when it counts during the playoffs. How can this be? shouldn't the team that experiences defeat the fewest times be the one most equipped to win? This scenario baffles many. How can a team that has experienced a large number of defeats during the season often end up winning a championship? Yet it's that same paradoxical principle that paul shows us is actually the key to victory. The more defeat you've experienced, the more you know how to emerge victorious. In Gal. 5:19-21, Paul writes about what works of the flesh produce-and they aren't good. That's failure. That's our trying to do "good works" on our own. It doesn't work. But when we recognize our failure and ask God to help us, we see in verses 22-23 what God produces through His spirit in us: "....love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control...." That's victory. That's admitting failure and allowing God to work through us. Defeat allows us to see who we really are, what God is really like, and how we can live life at its best. Defeat paves the way to eventual victory in Christ. ___________________________________________________________________ As I chew on this. I think back to the many times I failed. I beat myself with words and discouragement. I also think about this illness i face each and everyday. There are times where i am thinking about just packing a backpack. Leaving a note for Kathie. Saying I can not take this anymore. She could find someone else. And leave me to my misery. I'll just hike in up into the mountains and hide. But that is "total" defeat. Who will lose? For one I will. But my love ones will feel rejected and hurt. How about those that I have witness to? These are either saved or lost. What kind of impact will that make on their lives? Would the witness be for nothing? Most of all, God calls me home. He will asked me to give account of my life. I could not imagine getting to May 19, 74. The day where i got saved. Through the years of failures, but surrender to God. The victories and seeing the days where i made an impact on some ones life. But then comes the day where I surrender to failure. I gave up. What will my answer be? As I chew on this more. I see through the Word of God those that went before me. I see Jesus being nailed on the cross. I see Paul stoned for the gospel. I see the prophets of old put to death. Where would we be today if they gave up? Heb 12:1- Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which is so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. That scripture says it all. I looked to Christ who is the author and finisher of my faith. He is my strength and help through my darkest moments. When life seems hopeless, I turn to Christ for strength. I am sealed with His blood and Spirit. He is not going to let me go. It is my choice to decide to run and give up. Or choose to live for Christ no matter what.. BUT I CHOOSE LIFE. TO FOLLOW CHRIST NO WHAT THE COST IS? your follow bond servant, rick/eagle feather Richard H. Baldwin ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
