Are We Carring Any Weights Today?

Monday, March 8th, 2010

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,
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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2


As we are entering our prayer closets for intercession with the Lord, do we approach God with faith that He will hear our petitions we are bringing to Him? How is our faith? Do we live a life that reflects we have faith? If we can't answer this question with a resounding yes, then this may indicate there is a problem somewhere.
This problem may be sin. I know nobody likes to talk about sin, but if we mean business with the Lord, if we want true and honest sweet intercession with Him, and if we want a growing faith, we must be open and honest with ourselves. Any sin in our lives must be acknowledged and properly dealt with. There is no other way.
There may be some things in our lives that aren't necessarily sin, but there are weights and they are slowing us down from growing in our faith. This sin is like a weight on us and as Christians, it can slow us down in our race of life. Most runners don't run a cross country race with weights on their shoulders. They know one of the keys to winning a race is to run a light as possible. They know if they are to have any chance of achieving success in their race, they must
carry as lite a load as possible. It could be a hobby, a friend, an old habit, or an interest we are holding onto. Now I know it is not a sin to have a boat. It is good to have friends. And some habits and interest are okay too. But, if any of this keeps us from serving the Lord as we should, then it is a weight and should be thrown off.
First, let us show faith in God, and turn from our sin in our lives that is hindering us in our race.
Faith in God is the gasoline that runs our spiritual engine, and when we have sin in our life, it's as if we are pouring water into our engine. Every time we attempt to go forward spiritually, we will stall out. Coming to God and confessing our sin to Him keeps our spiritual engine running clean.
If we are to make progress with a growing faith, we must keep our selves as free as possible of sin that is weighing us down.
In Christ,
Stephanie