"Rules Of The Road"

Monday Morning Greeting, May 24, 2004

Enough is enough. One thunder storm after another.... oh, well. I am looking forward to a quiet sky with something blue in it. We have had record rainfall... that’s the weather report.

A lot of encouraging things at the Church yesterday. We had some visitors and some new folks repeating their visits. That is the kind of report that we need. We also took up enough money in our love offering to secure the funds for our new wheel chair lift bus. It is already in our parking lot and operational. We will be using it for our youth events, children’s ministries, and our ministry to the handicaps folks in the area. What a blessing!

Just a couple of announcements: Tomorrow night 6:30 at the Church, there will be a wedding shower for Jonathan’s bride, Sara Folkema. Jonathan has been a member of our Church all of his life, I would hope that the ladies of our Church will give them encouragement and support. Their wedding date in June 19th.

Shea Rabidoux has his High School graduation open house on Saturday, June 5th. Congrats to Shea!

Here is the brief message outline from Sunday Morning:

“Rules of the Road”

Introduction: Ahimaaz and Cushi would be running a "race." As Christians, we too, are running a race. There are some "rules of the road" that you need to know before you begin the race.

1. Remember that it is a long distance race.

This is not a sprint. Take one day at a time. Set your sites on eternity. Every day is a new day. The Christian walk is a journey. Ask God to give you a "second wind." Renew your strength in the Lord.

2. Know the course, of course.

Ahimaaz saw the tumult, but he did not know what the commotion was all about. He did not understand "the death of the King’s son, Absalom." Joab told him, you do not have a message prepared to give.

Many people are diligent in running the race, but they do not know where they are going. There are those who are preaching a doctrine, but they do not know what they are talking about. They have no message.

3. There are no short cuts to success.

Cushi was the messenger of bad report. Joab sent him running first to tell King David of the death of his son. After he had gone some distance, Ahimaaz, the bearing of good tidings, pleaded that Joab allow him to run.

How did Joab outrun Cushi? My speculation is that perhaps he took a short cut. I simply want to remind you that there are no short cuts to success in the ministry. It takes work, work, and then more work. Read the testimony of the Apostle Paul in Acts 20. He worked night and day and with tears as he ran his race for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

4. Life is more than a competition.

Perhaps Ahimaaz simply outran Cushi, Can you envision Ahimaaz sprinting by Cushi?

There are many people in life who are running on low ebb. Cushi was the messenger who was to bring a sad report. He was running with a heavy burden. I wonder how many people that we sprint past without ever seeing the heart ache that they are carrying?

When smiling Ahimaaz finished the race and stood before King David, he was not even aware of the fact that the King’s son had lost his life in the battle.

May we slow our lives down enough to not pass by the many opportunities that we have to lift another’s burdens. May we learn to weep with those who are weeping.

5. You can run the entire race and finish the course… all in vain.

There is but one question that the King wanted to know when Ahimaaz stood before him, "What about my Son?"

That is the question that God will be asking you when you finish your race in life. "What about my Son?"

Have you taken the time to learn about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ? Jesus is the King’s son. Do you know him? Have you experienced the death, burial, and the resurrection of Christ in your life? Or are you running on the wrong road, the broad road of destruction?

If so, you, too, will hear these words from the King, "Step aside. Depart from me, you workers of inquity, I never knew you!"