An attempt to pick up a suit for my son and his desire not to waste so much money on a one-time activity. A date night with my wife with a great atmosphere and Italian food. Prioritizing and making time to be the dad God needs me to be is fundamental to me being and becoming the dad God created and purposed for me to be!
Day 3 of 10 in our devotional today and I am excited to read and grasp the next step in our adventure.
Scripture from Today’s Devotional:
‘ THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.] Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.’
Hebrews 12:1-3
‘ Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither. Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].’
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
‘ But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart. Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.’
1 Timothy 6:11-12
Ever wondered what God has to say to you today? Ever turned to the scripture from your daily devotional and were in awe and in wonder that God had scheduled the right verse on the right day in a devotional you thought you had randomly selected? God’s Word is active and alive! God’s Word never returns void!
Let’s be the dads who share what God is and has done in and through our lives with our family, friends, and world so that they can be encouraged and God can be glorified! Let’s be the dads who cast off anything that slows us down and is keeping us from being who God created us to be and becoming who God wants us to be! Let’s be the dads who cast off anything that slows us down and especially anything that tries to trip us up into sin! Let’s be the dads who run with endurance the race God has set before us! Let’s be the dads who keep our focus on the finish, on Jesus! Let’s be the dads who keep our focus on Jesus who is the champion who initiates and perfects our faith! Let’s be the dads who like Jesus who endured the pain and suffering of the cross withstand and endure the trials and troubles that come our way because we know like Jesus did we will find eternity in heaven with Him! Let’s be the dads who keep our eyes on Jesus and remember all He went through for our sake so that we don’t become weary and give up!
Let’s be the dads who realize that life is an endurance race that we are running! Let’s be the dads who choose to run this race to win! Let’s be the dads who are disciplined in our training in the faith! Let’s be the dads who pursue victory because it comes with the prize of eternity with God! Let’s be the dads who run this race with purpose in every step and every stride! Let’s be the dads who spend time in God’s Word, training ourselves so that we know right from wrong, good from evil, and train ourselves to do what is right and good! Let’s be the dads who run the race in a way we ensure we won’t be disqualified! Let’s be the dads who run from and keep from the evil things of this world! Let’s be the dads who “pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness“! Let’s be the dads who fight the good fight for the true faith! Let’s be the dads who “hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses“!
Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Discerning Dad!
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
For more information, please visit: https://discerning-dad.com/
Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“Finish Well”
- Let’s be the dads who make time to practice!
- Let’s be the dads who get to make time to practice!
- Let’s be the dads who are focused on the finish!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing because we know that in life we need to compete and that the devil is going to try and stop us through lies, worry, and fear!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing the fundamentals of our faith!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing before we go out into the world so that we are prepared in the fundamentals of life!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing the fundamentals of life so that we can endure and finish strong like those who run marathons!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing the fundaments of life so that we can ensure and finish strong like those who box because we know this life is going to be a fight for our lives and the lives of those God has given us!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing the fundamentals of life so that we can persevere and live with the discipline that we need to run this Christian race to win!
- Let’s be the dads who are practicing the fundamentals of life for more than a paycheck, to pay the bills, to drive a nice car, and instead choose to do it for eternal purposes so we can finish well and when we get to see God face to face we can hear “Well done, good and faithful servant”!
- Let’s be the dads who take time to remember the real goal and keep our sight and focus on that finish that gets us to eternity!
- Today’s devotional speaks to it this way:
- Let’s be the dads who choose to live our lives in a way that will honor God and honor those God has put into our lives to honor!
- Today’s devotional speaks to this too when it says:
- Ever considered examples of how or where such things could happen in the Christian world? Today’s devotional shares the following examples:
- Let’s be the dads who are living our lives for the glory of God because we can’t lean on or depend on our parents faith but the faith God has given us!
- Let’s be the dads who choose to live our lives daily, moving in the power and strength of God, teaming up with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and trusting God rather than our own understanding!
- Today’s devotional closes with this thought and challenge for us:
- “As Christians, we cannot rely on our parents’ faith or the fact that we have read the Bible before or have gone to church our entire life. We need a faith that actively seeks Jesus daily, to move from strength to strength. We have a “team” of fellow believers in Christ who are relying on us to show up and use our time and talents for the Kingdom of God. Others who don’t even know Christ are watching you, too.“
- “Who specifically is relying on you to finish well? What are some Christian fundamentals that are sometimes hard to find motivation for, but you know are important?“
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