#FEATURECREEP NOVEMBER 1ST, 2016 FRESH LIFE NOTES
One of the most frequent analogies to following Jesus, is running and/or running a race.
“Running” IS challenging. Running well takes vigor, energy, and COMMITMENT.
You can make progress if you commit yourself to it.
The longer you walk with Jesus the stronger you become…(the more committed you are to running…the stronger you become.) The more strength you GAIN from being COMMITTED, the MORE Jesus is able to do THROUGH YOU.
Levi taught from Hebrews 12 for this teaching, and how he made it come to life so that we can learn how to apply to our own lives was amazing.
“The weights we carry in our lives kill our spiritual passion and dim our spiritual vision.”
We have to rid any unnecessary weight to run our races well.
What needs to be “cut” to lighten our load?
We need to decide what will stay and what will go.
When you are running a race “every ounce” matters.
” A crowded heart is the enemy of a fruitful life.”
We are weighed down by the up keep of the “stuff” that occupies our time and energy.
The “stuff” we FILL our lives with weighs us down and keeps us from spending more time with God.
How much TIME is dedicated to keeping up the stuff we have?
Our hearts, minds, and souls can quickly become cluttered and bloated with too many options and accessories.
“The GOAL of Christ followers is to bear FRUIT, and MORE FRUIT, and FRUIT that remains.”
SIN can stop our forward progress. It’s there to choke us out and entangle us, holding us back from running our races well.
PETER DRUCKER said, “Half the leaders I have met don’t need to learn what to do. They need to learn what stop.”
Pastor Levi gave a visual of what it looks like to take off the weights, and sin, that hold us back and entangle our feet keeping us from running.
Decisions in my life have to be made to no longer allow these things to have control over me, so I can do what God wants me to do. I won’t be held back from the forward progress that He has been dreaming about for me!
I have to look for unruly growth and cut it out if I want to make any PROGRESS!
What am I willing to cut in order for me to be able to run?
Pastor Levi gave three main points to help drive this message into our hearts and lives.
PRIORITIZATION- Sit down and make a PLAN. What is the goal of my garden?
RUN the RACE. There IS a FINISH LINE! Figure out WHAT the finish line is.
Figure out what is is…(Pleasing and honoring God) and orient everything around that one thing being accomplished.
Run to WIN!
INSPIRATION- Nothing determines HOW you run MORE that WHO you run with.
I have to get the right people in my life who have the same priorities as me.
It doesn’t mean we abandon the world…our goal is to REACH the world.
Run your race surrounded as you are by a cloud of WITNESSES (cheering us all on)!!! ❤
CONCNTRATION-(FOCUS) Hebrews 12:2
When I am FOCUSED on Him, I can receive POWER FROM Him. (Tunnel vision on Jesus)
CUT AND RUN!
Eyes Of A Lion 
This is wonderful, Erin. As I was praying for our nation yesterday, I was led to pray for Christians in America. I prayed for forgiveness for having too much of the world in me. As my focus became Christ, and Christ alone, I felt such an overwhelming peace! Praying for an awakening throughout America. We need to talk sometime!
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