How Will You Run YOUR Race?

Life is a race.

Thank God that for the believer, the finish line is glory – or when we meet our Savior in heaven.

Thank God that while we run this race here on earth, God’s watching over us, leading us, guiding and directing us.

Even during those moments He may be shaking His head at us when we don’t do His will or fully trust Him, warning us when we place ourselves in risky or compromising situations, or when He’s sending His angels out on in droves for us when we ignore His leading at times, He’s still loving us, He’s still rooting for us, He’s still believing in us.

The Word of God says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1

The Amplified Bible version of this Scripture reads this way, 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,

It’s time for us to lay aside and get rid of the sins that entangle us and keep us wrapped up in the devil’s territory; let’s shake off those weights and follow hard after God like a deer panting for water. (Psalm 42:1)

We can run our race knowing that God and great men and women of faith who have gone before us are cheering us on and claiming the victory for us every step of the way.  (Hebrews 11)

Life’s race is not a sprint – it’s a journey.

Instead of focusing on what we don’t have or complaining about where we are in life now versus where we thought we would be, let’s decide, today, to enjoy the journey and run this race with patience.

Nothing worth having comes overnight… sure you may not have some things you may be believing God for yet, sure you may be believing God for a mate along with other goals, but remember that the word patience in Hebrews 12:1 means steadfastness, constancy, endurance…it means the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings, it means a patient, steadfast waiting for – a patient enduring, sustaining, perserverance.

So instead of looking around at how God’s blessing ‘her’ or how God’s doing that for ‘him’, or ‘them’, stay focused on YOUR race and continue to look ahead with Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith.  (Hebrews 12:2)

Run your race with patience and joy knowing that at the end of your finish line, and even while on the journey - you win.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.   2 Corinthians 2:14

Kim Brooks, author of, How To Date and Stay Saved, and, He's Fine...But is He Saved? www.kimontheweb.com

10 Reasons Women Settle in Relationships

We all know these women – they settle for relationships where they’re being abused physically or verbally by men who don’t respect them or their feelings, yet they still choose to stay in the relationship.  Some of us may even admit that this woman was us at one point.  Today I’m led to share 10 reasons I believe women settle for less than God’s best for them in relationships.  Feel free to add your input as well.

in no particular order of importance (they’re ALL important

1.  Fear that there’s no one better out there for them

2.  Fear that no one else would want them

3.  Lack of self-worth and self-love

4.  Lack of realizing how much God loves them and because of this they deserve to be treated like royalty.

5.  Driven by life’s desires (i.e. desire to be married by a certain age, have kids by a certain age) and if this doesn’t work out some women feel the may miss their opportunity to live their familial dreams

6.  Lack of knowing what true love should look like (i.e. lack of examples of godly, successful relationships or lack of internalizing 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 )

7.  Believing the LIE of the good man shortage, perpetuated by the media (how many video clips on the ‘single black woman’s struggle to find a man’ do we have to watch???)

8.  Poor self-confidence and poor sself-esteem

9.  Fear of being alone

10.  Just plain ‘ole FEAR (fear of making the wrong decision, fear of never falling in love again, and on and on and on…)

But thanks be to GOD, for He has not given us a spirit of FEAR, but that of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) , so we bind fear today in Jesus’ Name!

More relationship/dating advice and encouragement for Christian singles found on http://www.kimontheweb.com/

Kim Brooks, author of, How To Date and Stay Saved, and, He's Fine...But is He Saved? www.kimontheweb.com

Do You Love AND Trust Him?

It’s possible to be in a relationship with someone and love him, but not trust him.  Especially if that trust has been violated, such as in the case of adultery within a marriage or even a dating relationship where someone has not been totally honest in certain situations.

A lot of times, when it comes to people, trust has to be earned.  And in the case of an affair, trust has to be restored.  Why?  Because people are imperfect, and people make mistakes.
However, I know a man who IS Perfect, and never makes mistakes, and His name is Jesus.  This man is the author of love, the author and finisher of our faith, He’s all that and more,  however in knowing all this, how many of us can truly say that we both love AND trust this man?

God has not given you any reason to doubt His love or faithfulness towards you.  He is not a man that He should lie.  He can’t lie, because satan is the author of lies but God is the founder of truth.

His love is unconditional and unwavering, so why is it that many of us, singles, say we love God with our lives, and even our lifestyles, but when it comes to trusting God to send us the mate that He has for us we sometimes lose faith, lose hope, or doubt that it will ever happen for us?

One minute we’re up, praising God and getting our shout on about how good He is and how Boaz is right around the corner, and the next minute we’re down, wondering when and if it’ll ever really happen for us.

God said He will give you the desires of your heart, and a lot of time a desire to marry has been placed in your heart by God.  He said all His promises are yea and in him amen, and He promised that you and your seed will be blessed.  God has not left you out of the equation, and He sees your tears and knows your heart.  You just have to hold on, trust God and keep believing and don’t give up hope that there is a man out there for you.

So I want to encourage you today to not just love God, but also trust Him.  Why, because He’s God, He’s Perfect, and His Word is true.  Be consistent and steadfast in your faith, and stay built up by the Word of God so as to not give the enemy any room to cause doubt, and know that I love you with the love of the Lord as we run this race together.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Other Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 1:20
Numbers 23:19
1 Corinthians 15:58
Psalm 37:4

Kim Brooks, author of, How To Date and Stay Saved, and, He's Fine...But is He Saved? www.kimontheweb.com

Believe Again in 2010!

A video clip aired recently on ABC Nightline stating that 70% of black women are single and that there are over 1.8 million more black women than black men. It also reports 42% of black women have never been married, and that a large number of them will remain single as there are currently 12 women to every 1 black male.

Upon first reading that report it’s easy to feel disheartened and get in a funk. However, we must remember that based on the billions of people in the world, as you believe God for a mate, remember -- You only need one. Also, I want to submit to you, to counteract their report -- “Whose report, will you believe?”

Sometimes when you’ve been single for so long you begin to get comfortable in your singleness.

I remember speaking to a wonderful woman of God who was in her early forties and still single saying, “I’ve just given up.” I was crushed listening to her words because, to me, was she not only giving up on ever being married, but she was also giving up on the one thing that we, as believers, should never, under any circumstances, give up on -- and that’s hope.

It’s quite alright to desire marriage, and it’s even okay to believe it can happen for you. However, you don’t want your desire, to turn into an anxious care (Philippians 4:6), or even a want.

The Word of God reminds us in Psalm 23:1, The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

The word, “want,” in this passage of Scripture means, “to fail, want, lessen, (have) lack, make lower, want.” In other words, it indicates that something is missing in one’s life, however with God on your side you already have every thing you could ever need.

Instead of “wanting” a mate, I submit to you that you instead, “expect” a mate.

Expect God’s promise to come to pass in His season for your life since He promised to give you the desire of your heart in Psalm 37:4 as you continue to delight in Him. A lot of times, if you’re seeking the face of God and in His presence in prayer consistently, then it’s He who put the desire for marriage in your heart in the first place.

Expect God to be true to His Word and see yourself that blushing bride on your wedding day, and even, see yourself, now, as that virtuous woman and loving wife who is a crown to her husband who will do him good and not evil all the days of his life (Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 31:12).

Envision and become her now, as you believe God for a mate, and in the meantime become the best you today and use this year to really focus on what God has called you to do and get to know your Heavenly Father even more this year through prayer, praise and worship, and service to Him and His people.

Become as much like Jesus as you can this year -- no, not so you can snag a man, but so that God will be pleased with you and so your life will be fulfilled.

Don’t be hopeless, don’t give up on hope -- again remain hopeful and stay in a state of expectation that God will do what He said He would do in due season as you really trust, depend on, and rely on Him.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
-Hebrews 10:23

Click here to view the much-talked about video clip:

Kim Brooks, author of, How To Date and Stay Saved, and, He's Fine...But is He Saved? www.kimontheweb.com