To the end?

(02-02–22)– Hanging In There!--2 Timothy 4:8

May I ask you a question? When we take our eyes off of the goal, potential for victory becomes the problem and not the ability to solve the problem?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Never give up. There is always something better waiting for a man who is willing to endure till the end. This is no more evident than when we are facing some of our toughest challenges in this life. Sometimes I think some of the hardest problems to solve are those that we are not willing to believe are possible to solve in the first place. Faced with a dilemma of vast proportions, we look at it as one would look down at the steep sides of a vast canyon, wondering just how deep it is and hoping and hope never to fall in. Standing there, we stare into the vastness; transfixed by the depth and immense proportions we see before us. The fact is, if we had tried to find a focal point, an end goal in the canyon’s depths, we would not have been so transfixed by the rest. We would have had something to focus on and that would have made it all the easier to measure things up and put them into perspective. When we take our eyes off of the goal, potential for victory becomes the problem and not the ability to solve the problem.

Here's a story: On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coghlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell, but he got up and with great effort managed to catch the leaders. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place–good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one and feeling the stress and strain of the race, he let up. But another runner, charging hard on the outside, passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan’s great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. (Source Unknown.)

It's tempting to let up when the effort becomes arduous. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that there is a "crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to (us)" if only we are willing to endure until the end, keeping our eyes fixed upon a goal that might seem far away, even impossible at times. But God assures us that Christ will come again and that heaven awaits each of us if only we are willing to believe it, fix our eyes upon it for a certainty, and devote ourselves to reaching it. This can only be done when we are willing to put that goal into our everyday perspective, lock in on it and let nothing else, not in time or in space, detract us from reaching it. It's all about endurance, an endurance that lasts until the end and doesn’t give out when we get tired or discouraged. Never take your eyes off the finish line or the race will overwhelm you.

We pray. Heavenly Father, t You assure us that Christ will come again and that heaven awaits each of us if only we are willing to believe it, fix our eyes upon it for a certainty, and devote ourselves to reaching it. Help us by Your Spirit to make us willing to put that goal into our everyday perspective, lock in on it and let nothing else, not in time or in space, detract us from reaching it. It's all about endurance, an endurance that lasts until the end and doesn’t give out when we get tired or discouraged. May we never take our eyes off the finish line or the race will overwhelm us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

To the end?

(02-02–22)– Hanging In There!--2 Timothy 4:8

May I ask you a question? When we take our eyes off of the goal, potential for victory becomes the problem and not the ability to solve the problem?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Never give up. There is always something better waiting for a man who is willing to endure till the end. This is no more evident than when we are facing some of our toughest challenges in this life. Sometimes I think some of the hardest problems to solve are those that we are not willing to believe are possible to solve in the first place. Faced with a dilemma of vast proportions, we look at it as one would look down at the steep sides of a vast canyon, wondering just how deep it is and hoping and hope never to fall in. Standing there, we stare into the vastness; transfixed by the depth and immense proportions we see before us. The fact is, if we had tried to find a focal point, an end goal in the canyon’s depths, we would not have been so transfixed by the rest. We would have had something to focus on and that would have made it all the easier to measure things up and put them into perspective. When we take our eyes off of the goal, potential for victory becomes the problem and not the ability to solve the problem.

Here's a story: On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coghlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell, but he got up and with great effort managed to catch the leaders. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place–good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one and feeling the stress and strain of the race, he let up. But another runner, charging hard on the outside, passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan’s great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. (Source Unknown.)

It's tempting to let up when the effort becomes arduous. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that there is a "crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to (us)" if only we are willing to endure until the end, keeping our eyes fixed upon a goal that might seem far away, even impossible at times. But God assures us that Christ will come again and that heaven awaits each of us if only we are willing to believe it, fix our eyes upon it for a certainty, and devote ourselves to reaching it. This can only be done when we are willing to put that goal into our everyday perspective, lock in on it and let nothing else, not in time or in space, detract us from reaching it. It's all about endurance, an endurance that lasts until the end and doesn’t give out when we get tired or discouraged. Never take your eyes off the finish line or the race will overwhelm you.

We pray. Heavenly Father, t You assure us that Christ will come again and that heaven awaits each of us if only we are willing to believe it, fix our eyes upon it for a certainty, and devote ourselves to reaching it. Help us by Your Spirit to make us willing to put that goal into our everyday perspective, lock in on it and let nothing else, not in time or in space, detract us from reaching it. It's all about endurance, an endurance that lasts until the end and doesn’t give out when we get tired or discouraged. May we never take our eyes off the finish line or the race will overwhelm us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.