The 96th Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The pace car is set in front of the pack of 33 cars at the Indy 500 race to make sure that when the cars start they are in the lineup that each car qualified in with one car being the fastest car on the pole position. If you are running a Marathon race, you have to learn to pace yourself.
Besides practice in life to get better at natural things like race car driving and practicing (doing) the word of God, there is patience. Part of patience is “pacing yourself.” To run a long race, you have to pace yourself. Jesus said “in our patience possess our souls.” Luke 21:19. James said, “Let patience have her perfect work so we may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. James 1:4” Some people are very worried about what clothes they are going to wear to a social or work. Have we thought about putting on patience when we go out in public? Is that what James is talking about? He said be perfect and “entire” wanting nothing. What is our attire? Putting on patience?
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colosians 3:12
That is what they do to race horses is they pace them. With the race horse Secretariat they took a big gamble on that horse as far as they pushed the limits with the horse. They kept talking about that the horse heart could blow up or they could ruin the horse by pushing it and making it run, but the horse “loved to run.” Secretariat in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby (1:592⁄5), and the Belmont Stakes (2:24)—records that still stand today.
I can definitely relate a person to Secretariat because I was married to a type A personality/firstborn husband who was constantly driven. His dad is the same way. He is scheduled for open heart surgery today, but I don’t hear that he has slowed down much as far as still playing tennis. My husband pushed himself all the time. Some people think I’m very energetic, but they don’t know me very well. I’m not out boating at the lake from sun up to sun down like my husband wanted to do. My husband pushed me at times to get off my keester. Same with God, I find God pushes me to get off my hind end at times.
Finding balance in life, is finding peace of mind. Some people believe it’s finding your true love. I find that many times a marriage partner can bring a lot of aggravation. It takes a lot of patience and understanding when it comes to raising a family (especially teenage step children). Being successfully married is understanding your mates needs and wants. Becoming successful in your own business takes patience in building clients and a good reputation. Obtaining our goals in life takes practice (hard work) and patience. I find that many people in life lack patience or can be spiritually lazy. They may be diligent to work many hours on their job, but they don’t get in the Bible to study the word of God.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised Hebrews 6:12
Remember the man in the Bible who owed a person money? He asked for the person to have patience with him, but then he refused to give patience to someone who owed his money (Matthew 18:26-29). It was an example of how God forgives us and we should be patient with other people’s flaws or trespasses against us. Patience gets tested in life and I found with going through grief, I had very little patience in dealing with people’s petty problems when I just lost the love of my life. I just had a 9/11 in my life and people are worried about trivial things. Job’s patience was tested. So was Abraham in waiting for his son Isaac for 25 years and so was Isaac in waiting for his sons Jacob and Esau for 18 years.
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James 5:11
When we walk in love, we have fulfilled the law of Christ. We are under the law of love. Love is our Heavenly Father’s nature and it’s submitting to his nature in our lives. We are to be governed by the law of love. Love works no ill will towards our neighbor. Love is patient, it is not rude, does not seek its own way, is not arrogant and proud, does not take account of wrongs, does not act unbecomingly. Love does not fail. (1 Cor. 13). We may not be successful at some things in life, but let’s not be unsuccessful when it comes to being a lover. I pray that God shows me the people he would have come across my path to minister to that will be able to give and receive the love of God that has been shred abroad in my heart by his Holy Spirit.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Cor. 13:3
Jesus was pure love, but he was not received by everyone. Many people cannot handle love, because we are to speak the truth in love. Some people cannot handle the truth. Jesus was full of grace and truth. Many people think that love is tolerance. Jesus did tolerate Judas for three years, but unfortunately, Judas never chose to change and give over his love of money problem to Jesus. Jesus gave Judas every opportunity like all his disciples to follow and come to him. It’s interesting how he gave a person the money bag who had a problem with stealing. I believe it was an opportunity to “come clean” as far as he could have told Jesus ---“I can’t handle the money bag, it’s a temptation of my flesh,” but instead he wanted to hold on to his greed. Same way with Ananias and Sapphria, they held on to greed and both lied. They were not speaking the truth. Jesus said anyone who does not speak truth, is not of him. I know some people have twisted the truth for so long, they don’t know truth from a lie. Not telling the truth becomes more natural to them.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5
The reason that Onan got in trouble for not giving a woman a child is that he used a woman rather than putting her above himself. He was inconsiderate of her needs. In relationships, it’s seeking the betterment of a person, it’s not about our self. Usually one person will not be happy in marriage unless you lay down your life for each another.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan's life, too (allowed his life to be taken). Genesis 38:9-10
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