Friday, June 6, 2014

A Mule or a Race Horse?

Many people like car racing and we just had the Indy 500 race here.  I like horse racing and I own the movies Seabiscuit, Secretariat, and Dreamer.  They did not invest that much money in California Chrome compared to other race horses, same with Seabiscuit. California Chrome has a good chance to be a Triple Crown winner tomorrow.

I have always loved horses and so did my sister.  We used to ride together when I was a small girl. My sister married someone who was raised on a farm and owned a horse, but he did not keep his horse when he joined the military and had to go to Germany for two years.   In school growing up, I checked out of the library every horse book I could get my hands on.

I loved to watch horse movies growing up. I prayed and wished at every birthday party that I owned a horse. Entered every pony contest at Hooks drug stores.  My parents let me have a bird, dog, cat, fish and a bunny rabbit but no horse.  My former husband was allergic to hay so it would have been dangerous for us to have horses, but I did get him to go riding for the first time in his life with me several times in California, Hawaii and around Indiana. 

I don't have a horse that eats grass, but I have three motorized horses that eat gas.  In junior high I had a friend who owned barell racing horses and they were a lot of fun, but she moved away. I just recently have been in contact with an old high school friend who wants me to come over her house and ride with her this summer. I like on the movie, "Heaven is for Real" the boy talked about how Jesus has a horse that is the color of the rainbow.


The story of Seabiscuit is interesting too as far as racing War Admiral where the owner claimed he was a perfect horse.  War Admiral was a Triple Crown Winner, and yet Seabiscuit had more heart and beat him.  The horse overcame the odds because it raced from the heart.  I keep that in mind as a I run the race of life 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  Hebrews 12:1

When I was 12 years old I heard this sermon at church about how a mule sitting in barn does not make it a race horse.  It’s in the breeding; you have to be born a race horse.  Just like attending church does not make one a Christian, we have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

I realize that some people don’t see themselves as a thoroughbred race horse when they have been born again, but they still think like a mule.  My friend has a mule and they are very stubborn.  (as a man thinks in his heart so is he)

A woman wrote into a Christian television program how her husband is looking at pornography and is on dating sites.  Another one said her spouse was caught stealing from church, and they both wanted to know if they were morally bound to stay with a person that "claims" to be a Christian, but is continuing in sin. 

I can't believe these two men are continuing in God's word.  God's word will transform us.  Paul said, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2

I’m Mrs. O’Neill, but I’m not currently enjoying the benefits because my husband is dead.  If we are dead to something than it means it has no benefit over us.  Sin is not to rule, reign or dominate us.  We are to continue in God’s word not sin.

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14

Our sanctification or holiness is through God's word.  Many people focus on the outside and preach against sin rather than preaching the word (its cure).  It’s the word that penetrates the thoughts and intents of the heart.  It’s the word that transforms us.

Sanctify them (make them holy) by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Jesus told the woman at the well that the Father is seeking worshipers, True worshipers of God, worship in spirit and truth ---abiding in God’s word is the truth.  Jesus was full of grace and truth.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. John 4:23
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17

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