We have renounced the hidden
things of shame… —2 Corinthians 4:2
{CHAMBERS} “Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your
life— the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into
the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about
anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it
as soon as it comes to mind— renounce everything in its entirety until there is
no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife
don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which
was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1
Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises
in your life that would cause you shame.[…] Never dull your sense of being your
utmost for His highest […] Many people have turned back because they are afraid
to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes
when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he
has already accepted.”
{ELGIN} When I was in the
Army, we would do a lot of physical exercise as a unit. I can remember with one particular unit in
the Aviation Squadron of 3rd Armored Cavalry in El Paso, Texas, I had a squadron commander that trained us for war. Not just physically, but mentally. We had a saying “you fight the way you train”. Well, in one case he used our physical
training to help us with mental toughness. We were used to running a
particular route. Early in the morning –
5:30 early – we call it O-dark thirty. We knew the land marks for our 3 to 4
mile run. We knew when we were half way
and we knew when we were at the finish.
By then, we were ready to hear “Quick time – march”, which means – stop running
and walk in civilian vernacular. Well,
one day we got to the “finish line”, but we kept running. We were always exhausted by the time we got
to that point, but he kept running. You
are already thinking I can’t go on, and I am thrilled we are at the finish line
– but the squadron commander kept us running right past the point where we
could not go on! We ran for another half
mile or so. What was the lesson? We can do more than we think we can. War is very demanding on the body and the mind. You must be able to go beyond yourself. God will call you to go beyond yourself ... how ... He will be your second wind.
And such is our life of
faith. (2 Timothy 4:7) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith.” Paul said
that in the face of great personal trials.
He had gone beyond himself many times, running on faith – Spirit power,
and not his own determination and wisdom. (1
Corinthians 9:24-25) “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone
who competes in the games goes into strict training.” Not falling out of the run requires
discipline and faith. In our runs in the
Army, there were always people who would fall out, who could not go on, who
lost heart and confidence. They fell by the wayside. The same way
with our faith. I am not talking about
loss of salvation. The people I
mentioned were still in the Army, they needed more physical training so they
could serve in the manner that was expected of them. And so it is with us as Christians. There are many who don’t have the faith to
keep up with where God wants to take them.
They need more training .. more confidence .. more encouragement.
I remember taking a PT test in the Armor
Officer Basic Course. That test is something
you must pass. Well, a friend of mine
stopped running during the two mile run. He had a look of pain and exhaustion on his
face. I stopped too so I could encourage
him to finish. The evaluators called out
to me and told me to keep going and leave him behind. I could not and would not. He finished .. passed, barely. But he passed. So did I, but helping him cost me something.
(John 15:13) “No greater love has
one man than this, to lay down his life for his friends” I am not bragging, I am making a point. We are supposed to encourage one another to
love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Some need more encouragement than others .
.who do you know that needs to be encouraged in their faith .. to continue to
run and not fall out .. even when they think they can’t go on? But know this .... helping them will cost you something. Be willing to pay the price and bring glory
to God.
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