Daily Devotion 
Wednesday, April 1

Let us lay aside every weight, and...run with endurance.
    - Hebrews 12:1 NKJV

Lay it Aside

The Bible says, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it (1Co 9:24 NKJV). In life you only get to run once, so run to win. To avoid stumbling or losing your place, don't look back. You can't change the past, but thank God you can learn from it and leave it behind. Don't be anxious about the next lap, focus only on the next step. If you miss that you may fall and not get up again. Before you know it you'll soon have more laps behind you than ahead of you, so make every lap count: 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. Many of us carry the weight and worry of burdens that older and wiser people understand are of no real importance. We spend our strength extinguishing fires that, if left alone, would burn out on their own.
 
Time is your most valuable resource. Save it and you've increased your assets and decreased your liabilities. Get rid of the baggage of old relationships, pointless fears, and false indebtedness to those who seek to manipulate you. There are enough painful trials in life; why endure the ones you can lay aside?

When blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was within reach he threw off his coat lest it trip him up, and ran toward Him. And his faith paid off: Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus (Mk 10:52 NKJV). Today, lay it aside and run!
 

~ Free Chapel Daily Devotion

Bible in One Year:  Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49  
 
Praying God's Word Day-by-Day
 
~  If we're willing to admit our lack of confidence in Him, Christ is more than willing to help us overcome our unbelief. ~
 
Father, thank You for telling me that You Yourself express Your love uniquely to those who have loved Christ and believe He came from God (John 16:27).
 
And Lord Jesus, as hard as this is for me to fathom, Your Word says that just as Your Father has loved You, so You love me!
 
You love me so much that You want me to remain in Your love.  If I obey Your commands, I will remain in Your love, just as You have obeyed Your Father's commands and remain in His love.  You told me this so Your joy may be in me, and that my joy may be complete (John 15:9-11).
mrslauri@sbcglobal.net