FAITH IS RUNNING THE COURSE
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (St. Matthew 6: 9 – 13, King James Version, KJV [The Lord's Prayer]).
Hallow Be Thy Name,
In the midst of the struggle for, daily provisions, the certainty of knowing forgiveness comes to us as we use forgiveness, with others, in debt collection, ascertaining truth to avoid being led into temptation, prayer for deliverance from evil, we wait and watch for the kingdom of Christ to come, honoring the will of God, here, on earth, as it is honored in heaven. This is our prayer. A prayer that stood the test of time. A prayer of faith in reverence, fulfillment, temptation, and deliverance.
Today, sisters and brothers, I want to talk to you about temptation, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (St. Matthew 26: 41, KJV [The last supper]). Christ found his disciples, asleep and asked them, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (verse 40). When you become faith, an element that is both the least that you are and the most that you could be; the understanding that faith is all that you are becomes truth; here, is where Christ entered into your hearts and minds and began to dwell in you and speak to you. The realization of this fact, is your substance, that drives you to accomplish the impossible. Is that not why Christ answered the inquiry of struggle, with “ For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever” (St. Matthew 6:13, KJV [the Lord's prayer])?
The will of the disciples to watch could not awaken them (they stayed asleep); faith was running the course for it was the will of God, done “here in earth, as it is in heaven” (St. Matthew 6:10) that manifested. God's will is superior to the will of man, to the flesh even though Christ, the God man asked them to awaken, they were bound in sleep by the will of God, for the hour of betrayal was at hand (St. Matthew 26:45, KJV [Judas betrayeth Christ]). How many times, were you faith, running the course, and failed to stand up because the power of God bound you, to stay still? The will of God would not let anyone get in the way, come in between, intervene, or, alter, faith, running the course. Christ could not leave the course. Christ had to finish the course.
Do you think the prayers of the disciples could stop the course of Christ? What could they say to God? Could the disciples ask God to send them instead of Christ? Who, of the disciples, do you think, was in a strong enough will to take Christ's place? All the disciples, were faith, running their course, and at that time, in temptation.
Christ was the only begotten son, of God and the only Son of man (son of perdition, St. John 17:12, KJV [Judas betrayeth Christ), who could die for the sins of man and he was betrayed into the hands of sinners. The gospel readings said, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13, KJV [Christian's must flee idolatry]). Are you a greater God? God is full of faith (Christ Jesus is full of faith). God is faithful (Christ Jesus is faithful).
I am more sure than not, many of us, thanked God for sending His son to run the course because we know our flesh is weak. We could not bear it, no matter how much talk, we do, the things we say, are just things said, we do not have what it takes in courage and strength to run a course, like the one, Christ ran, for us, if, this were not true, then, why did Peter deny Christ three times. Peter is the rock; the rock that the church was built on, the one that sliced off the ear of the soldier at the moment of the
2
arrest yet the flesh of Peter was made weak by the will of God. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the
godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” (2 Peter
2:9, KJV [False teachers foretold]).
Most importantly, many folks probably rub their heads and scratch their heads, in disgust that the course, is too difficult. Undoubtedly, they fall down on their knees crying that they could not be faith, running the course and pray for God not to ever test them in that way. God said, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth”(Revelation 3:10, KJV [Message to churches in Asia]). The most they probably feel they could do, is to run the course of merely survival but not to confront the forces of darkness in the principalities where they live. They just could not do it but they did want the fat of all that was reaped, for they were greedy. These souls feel that because God takes care of them, they could take all they wanted from the kingdom of God, while, here, in earth.
The gospel readings stated, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (St. John 17:15, KJV [Judas betrayeth Christ]). However, the kingdom of heaven, is at hand. In conclusion, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV [The Christian's armour]). Amen. May the Spirit of Christ be with you.
