Contents:

Chapter 1.Multitudes are on the road to ruin.

Chapter 2. There's a fork in the road.

Chapter 3. Carrying weights slows us down.

Chapter 4. The runner must train for victory.

Chapter 5. The world is passing away.

Chapter 6. The golden finish line is really the starting line.

Chapter 7. Benediction

Have you ever watched a lab rat on an exercise wheel? He runs and runs and gets nowhere. This is the feeling many have today in the hustle and bustle of life. They are running here and there and yet seem to go nowhere, just like the lab rat. It would be wise for us to get off the rat race wheel. It's much more exciting to put our efforts into winning the race of life and eternity.

The battle between good and evil is raging. Multitudes are siding with darkness. Rebellion in humanity began with Adam and Eve's choice to defy God's clear command. We have inherited their rebellious Adamic natures.

The road to ruin is because of unbelief. Unbelief is at the heart of every sin and moral failure. Think of the untold millions that are slaves to addictions. Anything placed before Jesus Christ  and his authority is an idol. The word of God the Bible, expressly states in Exodus chapter 20 verse 3 this commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." To get off the road to ruin we must see our desperate  situation. Here is the first step to joining the race that fulfills in this life, and prepares us for eternity. Repent and ask the Lord Jesus to save your wretched soul and walk in his ways as he outlines in the Bible. Please read John 5:24, Romans 10:9&10

and Ephesians 2:8&9.

There's a fork in the road for us all. There will be a time in our lives when we come to a decision before us that has major life changing possibilities. Let's call it the choice of taking a broad road or a narrow road. The broad road is alluring with its seemly smooth path. The devil is a master package wrapper. His gifts and invitations are draped about with gorgeous apparel and odorous perfumes. Human nature loves the path of least resistance, and Satan makes it so easy to travel its road to destruction and ruin. Many folks are on this broad road seeking fortune and fame. It's all too common to hear of those who we thought had it all falling headlong into shame, misery and sorrow. 

Great King Solomon summed up his lavish living this way:

Ecclesiastes 2:10 &11.

10: And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11.Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Keep smiling Chapter 3 is

  the next turn of the page!

Chapter 3  Carrying weights slows us down!

Hebrews 12:1 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.

Can we visualize an olympic swimmer trying to win a 100 meter swim with a fifty pound belt attached to his waist?

Let's also think of a high school track meet with the best runners in the state running the hundred meter sprint. The starter sounds and Joey takes off out of the starting block. Joey is the fastest runner in the race, but has 10 pound weights on each ankle. What are Joey's chances of winning this race? Very slim is correct. You see, competing  in a race for a strong golden finish line must be without any weights to hinder our progress.

Sins are the weights that Brother Paul is referring to in Hebrews. Sin always cost more than we are willing to pay. Sin will take us farther than we want to go! Sin will keep us longer than we want to stay.

Sin is an affront to a Holy God. We have all inherited the Adamic nature that wants to sin and will if given the opportunity.

When a person is born again, he has two natures; the Adamic fleshly nature and the new man the spirit controlled nature. If we feed the flesh it will destroy our ability to serve God in a proper way. If we feed our spirit with the Word of God and right things we can have a right relation with the Lord. Sin must be seen as the cruel slavish master it is and not give in to its desires. 

Welcome friend to    Chapter 4

      The runner must train for victory!

Rewards will be given out in heaven for works performed for the Lords honor and glory.

Training for the Christian should include: dedication, determination, consistency, persistence and prayerfulness to name just a few.

Perhaps we overlook many times the importance of a real and viable relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ. Many folks make professions of being a Christian. With closer examination of their lifestyle and their talk, it doesn't line up with the truth. They are self-deceived and delusional about what Christians really are. 

Here is what Jesus said about this:

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

In other words, it is all a scam, no real change has occurred in their lives. Here is the key to recognizing false professions:

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.

Our training must be motivated by a true relationship and a real love for our Saviour. We don't study to be a show off and display a narcissistic attitude of "look at me, I"m a super Christian."

II Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Fellowshipping with true Christians is another important part of our training. Remember that just because you walk into a garage that doesn't make you a mechanic. At the same time, just going to church won't make you a child of God. 

Jesus put it this way:

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Let's remember training is important in our Christian walk, but it must be motivated by love and sincerity. 

                 CHAPTER 5

This world is passing away and so are we!

Jesus had this to say about our world.

I John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

He also had this to say in Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

It's a fact dear reader, our earth is creaking and groaning for a change. Earthquakes grow more numerous and devastating each year. Hurricanes and tornado's reek deadly havoc when they appear each year. 

Global warming is a hot topic for some folks. Deadly locus plaques devastate various countries bringing starvation and chaos.

No doubt the world is warning us by it's convulsions my friend, that things are not right! What does it all mean? Almighty God is going to bring judgment on the inhabitants of this world for rejection of His Dear Son Jesus Christ. 

Here is a warning from II Peter 3:11

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, What is the bottom line seeing this world is passing away?