S- Gal. 5:7 & 8
(NIV) You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one that calls you.
(MSG) You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? The detour doesn't come from the ONE who called you into the race
in the first place. And, please don't toss this off as insignificant.
O- Paul is proclaiming that we are free to live a free life.....stand firm in it. Don't let anyone cut you off and detour you into a life separated from Christ, but rather live by
the Spirit. God has called you to be free, so live it. Love others as you Love yourself. This is the greatest commandment because it is the one that, when followed, keeps
us from bondage. It is for Freedom that Christ set us Free. Live free by the Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions that detour you, or cut you off from your race.
A- I remember a sermon of Pastor Diana's about this message......"Who cut you off.......you were running a good race"? What does that mean. It means that, something came
between you and God, and cause you to detour from the race that you were running. I believe there was a video about someone in an olympic race being cut off and eliminated
from the race, as an illustration. BUT God doesn't eliminate us, He picks us up, puts a band aid on our bruises and puts us back on the track, when we ask Him to. It is His
heart that we are free, and that nothing keeps us in the bondage of slavery, and nothing between us and God. When we live God's way, He brings gifts to our lives, to bless
bless others. It is a life we have Chosen to follow, a race we have Chosen to run....run it well.
P- Father thank you for a life of freedom, and thank you for setting us free from the things that once had us in bondage. I asked that you guide us and help to to run a good race.
Help us to leap the hurdles, to keep our eyes open to those who want to cut us out of the race. Keep our eyes and hearts focused on you. Strengthen us from what makes
us weak. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Amen.
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