Don't Settle, Keep Climbing

Good morning. I'm Terry Freeman from LifeBridge Church. I want to welcome you to day seven of this 21 day devotional, Restart Your Heart, with the Pentecostals of Murfreesboro. I'm glad you could join us as we go through the devotional. Each day someone new will walk through one day of the devotional, and I encourage you to go back and catch up on the previous days if you haven't done so already.

Today our devotional is titled "Don't Settle, Keep Climbing." A scripture focus today is from Hebrews chapter 12, verses one, two, and three, and I'm will read from New King James Version: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."

Many years ago, my wife and I were talking. I said to her, "If the church ever really understands who we are and the authority we have in Jesus, it'll change everything." Too many times the church tries to blend in with the world rather than live like children of the King. When we struggle with our own identity, we surely — we struggle with the conflicts that come our way. But even in our struggles, God moves on our behalf, and in that very moment when we need it, he reaches out to help us.

In spite of how amazing it is when God steps in to our situations, we can all forget those previous successes when we're facing a new giant. The spirit of this world is a professional when it comes to finding ways to slip doubt into our minds. He can put thoughts in our minds that can become strongholds that can keep us from really understanding who we are — children of the King — and that keeps us from being everything that God intends for us to be in him. If we're not careful, we can become careful, and we can become comfortable with the norm, rather than taking authority over the situations in Jesus' name and moving to that next higher level that he has for us.

One thing for sure: we can always trust that the Lord will lead us to places where we'd never been before. His plan will make us stronger than we can even imagine. Even the words of the devotions author — he says it takes courage to love those that hurt or offend us. Climbing higher is not a simple task, especially would it be so easy just to take the normal way out. But we, as children of the King, we have to keep climbing. We have to keep forgiving. We have to keep the loving. We may not realize it, but our next steps or accomplishments can be directly linked to the way we respond to that last hurt or offence that came our way.

There's children of the King. We are always being called to come higher, to go farther, to go do greater than we did before. The scripture we started with tells us that we have a great group of brothers and sisters that have already been successful in some of the very things that we are struggling with. The things that we're facing, they have already overcome, and they are our proof that God will help us. If we look around, we'll say some of our very own brothers and sisters today that are going through some of the very same things that we are. That should encourage us.

Proverbs 3:5 and 6 tells us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path." When we trust him, he'll do it. There's no need to be fearful regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. If we trust him, he'll direct our paths, or of course an upward. So when situations that come, that are hurtful or harmful, regardless of who they come from or where they come from, keep loving. Remember, God can use your love to help someone else overcome the very issue that may have brought an offense to you in the very first place.

Let's not settle for the norm. Is there a atmosphere of course wooden wall instead? Rather, let's keep climbing to those places that the King desires for his children to go. Keep climbing. Don't settle for the norm.

Yes, pray. Lord, I thank you for another chance to come before you today. Thank you for our friends, God, Lord, and most of all we thank you for your word that directs our lives. And we pray that you will keep your hand upon us and help us as we go through today. Be with us, God. Let us be your children. Let us come to know who we are, and let us respond to situations and offenses that come our way like you did. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thank you for joining me today for day 7, "Don't Settle, Keep Climbing." Please take some time today to read the devotional for yourself if you haven't already, and join us live tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. with day 8, as we discuss "Stop Keeping Score, Start Losing Count." And everyone, get ready for church, being on time, and expect a mighty move of the Holy Ghost in your services today. Thanks.