#2.... PASS THE BATON: RUN, RUN, RUN...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this two part lesson in a 4 part lesson...
I bought a RUNNING BATON at a local sport’s store. The metal one was $8.95, the plastic was $2.50. One could make a baton out of a wood dow.
We start with a demonstration of relay races. Pass the baton...
The runner has to already be running at a full pace at the passing of the baton...
Several years ago the USA RUNNING TEAM was composed of 4 world record
holders. There was no way they could loose the race. The baton was passed and the runner was ahead, a SLIPSHOD BATON PASS?...
The baton fell to the track?
The runner had to turn around and go back and pick up the baton. The world record holders lost miserably to some no bodies? WHY?
The race was more than running, the race was PASSING THE BATON...
Review then go to # IX...
I. GOD’S PLAN IS THAT WE RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY...
WE NEED TO RUN TOWARD GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE!
Isaiah 40: [28] Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the
Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no
searching of his understanding.
[29] He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
[30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
[31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
FLY...
RUN ... and not be weaary
WALK... not faint...
IX. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MAN OF GOD IN TRAINING RUNS TOWARD WHAT HE
THINKS HE DESERVES. GEHAZI THINKS I HAVE EARNED MORE THAN I HAVE
RECEIVED?
A. Have you ever felt like you deserved more for all YOUR RUNNING... ?
B. Have you ever observed that it appears some people GET AWAY WITHOUT PAYING A FAIR PRICE?
C. There are three characters in this RUNNING LESSON... GEHAZI the star; NAAMAN- the GETTER; ELISHA --- THE GIVER...
2 Kings 5:20-27 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
[21] So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
D. GREED CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED... GIVE ME... GIVE ME...
[22] And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
E. SIN ALWAYS EXTRACTS MORE THAN YOU PLANNED...
A SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE???
[23] And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they
bare them before him.
[24] And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
F. NEVER FORGET WHEN YOU ARE DONE RUNNING THAT YOU WILL STAND BEFORE THE
MASTER... GIVE AN ACCOUNT... DO WE HOLD THE FLESH ACCOUNTABLE?
[25] But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. [26] And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
[27] The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
G. WATCH YOUR FEET, WATCH YOUR FEET WHERE THEY RUN...
X. IF WE RUN WITH THE FOOTMEN AND WE GROW WEARY ...
WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN THE TERRIBLE STORMS COME?
A. FOOTMEN ARE COMMON SOLLDERS...
Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
B. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN THE HORSES COME?
C. RUN???
XI. WE MAY WEAR WEIGHTS WHILE WE ARE TRAINING,
BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE RACE NEARS,
WE MUST LAY ASIDE THE WEIGHTS...
A. Ever see a pro baseball player warm up to bat?
He places a heavy weight donut on the bat?
B. Ever see a basketball player with weights?
He removes the weights before the game.
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,
C. WE MUST SET PRIORITIES AND LAY ASIDE THE VAINITY...
XII. IT IS EASY TO RUN WELL FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME,
THEN REST AND LOOSE?
A. Remember the lesson of the RABBIT AND TURTLE?
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
B. NEVER LOOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL...
XIII. IS THIS A SMALL THING? SMALL THINGS --- GOD’S EYES RUN...
Zech. 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
2 Chron. 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
XIV. Moses veiled his face, THE GLORY OF THE LAW REPELS...
JESUS’ FACE PEOPLE RAN TO SEE... THE GREATER GLORY OF JESUS ATTRACTS...
Mark 9:15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
A. RUN THE RISK! RUNNING IN FAITH IS FULL OF INVENTIONS AND ACTIONS THAT REACH OVER THE OBSTACLES AND HINDERANCES... IF THE DOOR IS BLOCKED?
CLIMB ON THE HOUSE TOP!
B. Faith must reach with new means...
Intensity, zeal, enthusiam
XV. AS IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN, THE ANGEL LOOKED, HIS EYES RAN OVER EACH
HOUSE, WHERE IS THE BLOOD APPLIED?
2 Chron. 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
XVI. RUNNING OVER, GOD HELPS US TO BE MORE THAN ENOUGH...
WE CAN BE RUNNING OVER... AND OVER...
Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
XVII. CLEAR VISION HELPS RUNNING...
Habakkuk 2:2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
CONCLUSION...
HERE IS THE BATON... WILL YOU RUN IT FAITHFULLY TOWARD THE GOAL?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass this on to another? This is part #2, I did part #1 and #2 in 4 parts...
