STANDING OUTSIDE THE FIRE:
Evangelist
Larry Gatlin, USA
The other day something interesting happened to me.
I don't make it a habit to watch secular music videos. But from time to time as
I channel surf I occasionally catch something on TNN. In fact this
time I believe that it was a God thing and His timing that brought to an
interesting encounter.
Maybe
you have seen this particular video before. It is by Garth Brookes. It
tells a story of a young man with Downs syndrome signing up for the high school
track team. Without going into great detail, it progress from the Mom being
very supportive and the Dad being upset and concerned that the boy will get
hurt, to the boy competing in his first race and falling down. His Dad runs
out on the track and begins to encourage the boy to get up and finish. So,
together they take off running together and finish the race.
This
is a powerful picture of how we never run this race called life alone. Our
heavenly Father runs right along beside us. Like the mom in the video He
always believes in us and never gives up on us. His greatest desire is for us
to succeed and never fail. The race of life is difficult but Father has made
the way for us to overcome and be victorious.
1 Cor 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one
receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone
who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run
thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I
have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. NKJ
Heb
12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. NKJ
When you run in any race it starts with training and discipline. It is
crucial in the days that we are living in that we train and condition ourselves
spiritually to run this race with conviction and dedication. We are called to
win this race and God has already provided for us to do so. It is our responsibility
to make certain that we spend time in the Word and in prayer seeking Him for
His divine enabling.
I
continued to watch the video until it was complete. When it ended the Lord
spoke to my heart. I began to weep. As I heard the still small voice of God say
to me, yes, through a country video, 'The Christian walk is like the chorus of
this song. You're probably wondering how the chorus goes. Well, here are
the words and I will end with them.
"Standing
outside the fire. Standing outside the fire. Life is tried, it's just merely
survived if you're standing outside the fire".
It
is true. If you are standing outside of Gods Holy Fire, you're not really
living for Him as you should. You're just surviving!
Pastor
Larry
