Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

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.

Sometimes the faithful will believe that their sin is punished by God through the storms we meet in life, that somehow God has turned our lives upside down to teach us a lesson. This may be true of some storms, but tribulation does not mean that automatically. However, sin does open our lives up to circumstances that we may not have encountered had we obeyed God in the first place. In short, many of our trials and tribulations may simply be the result of our disobedience. In this way, we invite strife by allowing sin to beset us. Such is what is happening to our current society. The sin of the world has become so great that our society has convinced itself that sin isn't even sin anymore. Sinful choices have not only become acceptable behavior, but can now be justified by science or medicine or a warped version of what the world believes to be common sense that is so skewed that moral reasoning can no longer be recognized. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right.

The bible warns us of this. In Isaiah 5:20 it states: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Even in my own life I recognize strife to be brought on by past sinful decisions. And in the long run I realize that many of the storms I encounter are truly nobody's fault but my own.

Only dropping to our knees, asking forgiveness, and turning away from our sin can help us break the shackles that bind us and run the race as we should, pacing ourselves, matching stride for stride through obedience to Him the standards the Lord has set before us.

A friend of mine, concerned over my anxiety regarding a recent situation when my son had testicular cancer, sent me these verses from Matthew Chapter 6.

Matthew 6:25-34 (King James Version)

25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Many excuse themselves from the work of being a believer in Christ, though they may make a show of it by going to church and giving to charities, and professing it. However, many deceive themselves if they think they are fooling God, who knows their hearts as well as actions. He cannot be deceived, so he will not be mocked.

We shall reap what we sow.

Those that live a carnal, sensual life, must expect no other fruit from such a course than misery and ruin. But those who, under the guidance and influences of the Holy Spirit, live a life of faith in Christ, and abound in Christian graces, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good. This we should carefully watch and guard against. Only to perseverance in well-doing is the reward promised. We should take care to do good in our life-time, and make this the business of our lives. Especially when fresh occasions offer, and as far as our power reaches. Our faith shall be apparent through our fruit.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

He who runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward as fast as he can; so those who have heaven in their view, must still press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus, through him, that we are saved. Our lives become a pursuit of being like him. In these things there is a great difference among real Christians. Believers make Christ their all in all, and set their hearts upon Him.

~ A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father.

When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside his bed.

The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit "I guess you were expecting me, he said.

"No, who are you?" said the father.

The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up," "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man.

"Would you mind closing the door?"

Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

"I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer, until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I will be with you always'. Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now. So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.

Did he die in peace?" he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.

But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Christ is the Basis of Godly Conduct

We, as Christians, pursue a respectable and dignified life when we pursue faith and a Christ-like life.

In this verse Paul seeks contact with the outsider.

God's grace, salvation, transcends any non-believer's notions of help or deliverance from physical calamity. It is salvation from sin and sin's extensive, destructive results. God's grace is not simply beneficent in purpose, it means to save.

God's grace in Christ is offered to all. This verse describes the death of Jesus Christ as an offering/sacrifice that was made for those who could not make it themselves.

It cannot be said that Christ's death was an accident that took Him by surprise. This death had to occur; it was an intrinsic part of God's plan of salvation (Acts 2:23).

This offering by God was both representative and substitutionary. In giving himself as a sacrifice, the God-Man represented sinful humans. His death for us was a death rightly required of people; he stepped in as our substitute and suffered what is rightfully our punishment for sins.

Christ's redemptive death, understood in this way, is without question the ultimate illustration of God's grace. The act originated in God's plan, was executed in behalf of undeserving people and accomplished their salvation.