RWHPodcast

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Where is your wall? Today on Run With Horses we are looking at Nehemiah's project to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. I think there is a good challenge there for us to think about today. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrice as a Disciple of Jesus. There are a lot of things you could do with your life but none are more important than the call of Jesus to follow Him and be a disciple maker. Thanks for including me on your journey. I have always been encouraged and challenged by the book of Nehemiah. There are so many lessons that we can learn from how Nehemiah approached the problems in Jerusalem. Quick review for those who haven't been there in awhile. The children of Israel are slowly returning from exile in Babylon. The book of Ezra covers this same time period and gives a more detailed look at the spiritual side of things. Nehemiah is initially focused on the physical wall and civil responsibilities. Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king when he got the news about Jerusalem that changed his life. Nehemiah 1:3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in theprovincearethere in great distress andreproach.The wall of Jerusalemisalso broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” This greatly distressed Nehemiah, he received permission to go to work on the problems. Our focus today, the wall needed to be rebuilt. First Nehemiah did some reconnaissance. Nehemiah 2:11 So Icame to Jerusalem and was there three days.12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.13 And I went out by nightthrough the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which werebroken down and its gates which were burned with fire. Nehemiah gathered the leaders of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that wearein, how Jerusalemlieswaste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer bea reproach.”18 And I told them ofthe hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then theyset their hands tothisgoodwork.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Welcome to Run With Horses where our goal is to encourage you to pursue Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind and stength. My name is Norman and I really want to see you Thrive as a disciple of Jesus. It can be a hard road sometimes but I truly believe it is worth it. Thanks for including me on your journey. So you are stepping out and wanting to be intentional about helping someone around you grow in their spiritual life. Awesome! But hold on you say, where do I begin? Today I will give you some pointers to help you get started and hopefully make it a little less stressful if you are concerned or a little more structured if you aren't sure how to begin. As a possibly too long introduction, let me start by saying the relationship is important so taking the time to build a solid relational foundation is worth the time it takes. Some of us are hyper focused and can be too quick to pass over the relationship building to get right to the heart of the discussion. But that may keep us from seeing real progress and growth in our own life as well as the life of those we are investing in if we don't have a foundation to build on. Particularly when the discussion appoaches heart issues and areas that are more central to our image of ourself. Get to know the person you are working with well. Work, hobbies, family relationships, salvation testimony, etc. Lunch, fishing, anything is fine for your first few times meeting. Once you build a basic foundation, talking about anything and everything along the way, you are ready to move on to more intentional conversations focused on spiritual growth. There are three big topics you may want to talk though as you get started to help set some expectations and let you know where you might want to head in the future. One - general character and spiritual life A few questions to ask. 1. Is there any one area in life that you know of now where God is asking you to grow? 2. What trials and temptations are you facing now? 3. How is your character? Are you seeking to grow as a person? Two - Spiritual Growth 1. Where do you find yourself resisting God now? 2. Are you practicing any spiritual disciplines now, what spiritual disciplines do you need to develop? 3. What actions have you taken recently to make spiritual growth a priority in your life? Three - Ministry Skills 1. What new ministry skills should you think about developing? 2. In what area should you be reading or studying more? 3. What can you do to improve in ministry right now? Thanks for joining me today! You can find links to past shows at www.runwithhorses.net. Write me and let me know what you are doing to invest in others today, your questions and comments are always welcome.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast How do you select a person to pour your life into? They are always a lot of people around you who you could choose, so how do you find the right person that's worth the time and energy and effort that it's going to take to invest in them. Faithful Availability A Learner Willingness on their part. Where do you find this person? Always keep your eyes open and look around you for those who are ready for next steps. Those who are asking questions. Those who show up early and pitch in to help. Newer believers, younger believers People who are going through or have recently been though a transition, often see the need to grow. Listen, who is talking about wanting to or needing to grow. Be willing to meet them more than half-way. You make the offer. Not as a teacher but as a fellow traveler on the path toward Jesus. Let's go together!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Today on Run With Horses, Susan shares a little about her CNA training and a few lessons we can apply to the spiritual life. Welcome to Run With Horses, My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrive as a Follower of Jesus. I don't believe that there is anything more thrilling or fulfilling than joining Jesus on His mission to the world. Thanks for including me in your journey. Yesterday I was talking to Susan about her CNA training as we took our evening walk and we came up with some areas that overlap with the goal of being a disciple of Jesus in community with others. She mentioned that they are learning skills that they need to be able to apply to get their certification as a CNA and you use dummies and practice with each other to learn the details of what to do in class, but then you don't always think about it when you show up at the nursing home. The nurses have to remind you, hey, you actually need to do this stuff you learned in class here. The different context throws you off somehow, you know the skill but don't have it connected to a practical situation yet. * So, there's a simile between learning a skill and practicing it in a certain context versus being able to use it in real life, under real circumstances. Being in this CNA class, I'm learning educational stuff like knowledge of this is what we do, this is why we do it, and then we get a chance to actually practice it in the classroom, on each other, feeding each other, doing certain skills, and trying to remember all the steps. But then when we go to clinicals, and we actually are in a nursing home, I've found that all my training just kind of goes out the window because that's not how they do it in real life. Or I'm not used to that setting so then I kind of forget. And after we come together and we have sort of a debriefing, I realize oh I'm still supposed to do those same steps in the real world as I've learned in my class. Just trying to figure out what that's like. And I kind of see that as a similarity between the Christian walk and being a disciple. I mean because there's a lot of things we learn from the Bible -- truths, doctrines, what you're supposed to do, what you're supposed to look like -- and you can practice some of those things or watch other people do it and learn all these kinds of skills. But then in real life when you're in a situation, a lot of those things get left in the dust. You don't even think about how that training and how those truths are supposed to relate now here in this context * We have small groups or a discipleship relationship with other people to fill in the gaps between understanding theory and application. These relationships give a context where you can discuss these things in a low pressure environment. Part of the purpose is debriefing. "Hey, I was in this situation and I totally didn't think about God. How can I bring God into my thinking, into my practice, in everyday life?" It's like that as we grow spiritually. We learn the theory in sermons, books and reading the Bible, but small groups really help us to make it concrete. We learn that we need to live out those things and we get our questions answered. We have other people who are walking along doing it too. Thanks for joining us today! Write us at norman@runwithhorses.net for questions or comments we can read on the show. Life is an adventure of faith and following Jesus. It is a marathon not a sprint, so keep running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Today on run with horses we're considering why you should invest in other people. We have spent some time in the past few shows thinking about our priorities and how we spend our lives. There are lots of things you can invest in but I don't think there's anything that will give you the return of investment that you will get when you invest in people. You can invest in the stock market ,you can invest in your career ,you can invest in your hobbies, you can invest in yourself, but when you invest in other people you change lives and you make a difference for eternity. There is nothing that compares to investing in someone else's life and seeing real life change take place. Do you want to live a life of value and purpose that makes a difference here and now and an eternity? Then I suggest you look at the people around you and consider how you can use your gifts, talents, and abilities to help them grow in Christ likeness. It will be life changing not only for them but also for you. I believe that there is very little that changes you as much as investing in someone else. You are forced to get outside of your own head, to stop thinking about your own problems, and you really have to consider where someone else is and what they need more than yourself. When you do that you change at a very deep personal level. Our goal is to walk worthy of Christ. 1 Thess 2: 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a fatherdoeshis own children,12 that you would walk worthy of Godwho calls you into His own kingdom and glory. In the past few shows we've spent some time thinking about our priorities and how we spend our lives. But as we think about how we spend our lives, I don't think there's anything more valuable or important than investing in other people. When you think about what will give you meaning at the end of your life, when you consider your priorities as a follower of Jesus, when you think about your values, if you are a follower of Jesus, I think they will best be represented by really encouraging and investing in other people. So what does it mean to invest in other people? Go back to 1 Thess. 2, I think this is part of it. Paul is writing to the Thessalonian church, and he says that he did several things. We exhorted you, we comforted you, and we charged every one of you as a father does his own children. So he's doing three things. He encouraged and comforted and challenged them to follow Christ well, to walk worthy. And along the way that they would put effort in to following Jesus. Not just "hey do well," try your best," or "be encouraged" - but he challenged them for something very specific: That they would walk worthy of God. That they would recognize that God has called them; He's called them to something great; He challenges them to actually apply real effort into following Jesus. God has called YOU into His Kingdom! He has blessed YOU with every spiritual blessing! He is relating to YOU as a Father relates to His children! He invites YOU take part in HIS ministry! Let us now walk worthy of THAT! He goes on later in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 11 and says: "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you are also doing." So he again repeats the idea that we need to be comforting each other, but he's also saying edify, build each other up. You want to invest in each other so that all reach maturity, so that you're all built up, so that in the future you're all stronger than you are today. That's part of his vision for the people he's working with - that they grow, they mature, and that they become more like Jesus. The writer of Hebrews has some similar things to say in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 and 13: "Beware lest there be in any of you with an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God." So be careful that you don't get pulled away by your own desires; by unbelief; by the distraction of the world and all those things. But instead of being pulled away - and to make sure that YOU'RE not pulled away - exhort one another daily! Every day look for opportunities to encourage and challenge and exhort and build up and edify one another. It says: "While it is called 'Today,' lest any of YOU be hardened through deceitfulness." We live in a world where our life really pulls us away from God. And one reason why it's worth investing in each other; really being involved in each others' lives is because it helps us walk this path better; follow Jesus better; more consistently. We all have distractions! We all have days when we're going to do poorly! But if we are exhorting one another...walking together...encouraging EACH OTHER...if we're living this life together IN COMMUNITY then it's easier for us continue on without being distracted or pulled away! Proverbs 27:17 is a very familiar passage which says: "As iron sharpens iron, so iron sharpens the countenance of his friend." And it speaks to the idea that we serve a valuable role in each others' lives. We help each other be better because we invest; because we contribute; because we intentionally put in the effort to build up, to sharpen each other. That's what biblical friends do. Think about an axe: When it's sharp, it works better! If we're investing in someone else's life, then WE'RE helping THEM be better! And that's really our goal as disciples and disciple makers! I would say it's really important that we invest in others because the result of not investing in others is often selfishness. You know, if you don't invest and think about others...it usually means you're primarily thinking about yourself. You only have a couple options: You are working towards something - contributing effort and time and energy - either for yourself or for someone else. The life I think is well lived is a life that's lived meaningfully investing IN SOMEONE ELSE! I think THAT'S where the greatest joy is! It's where the greatest satisfaction is! A lot of personal issues...personal things that we fear or worry about or are concerned about seem much less important when WE'RE investing IN SOMEONE ELSE! When WE'RE seeking NOT OUR OWN GOOD but THE GOOD OF SOMEONE ELSE! When WE'RE seeking TO SEE THEM CHANGED...TO SEE THEM GROW... That energy...that focus keeps us from dwelling on our own issues. Our own issues become too big in our eyes when were completely focused ON them. When were thinking ONLY ABOUT this problem THAT WE HAVE, IT becomes SO BIG, THERE SEEMS NO WAY AROUND IT! But when YOU look at someone else’s life – one reason why WE NEED EACH OTHER – you can see THEIR PROBLEM IN GOD AND THE PERSON, YOU’RE NOT QUITE SO EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO IT…SO YOU’RE IN A BETTER PLACE TO see the real picture and offer needed HELP! That’s also true when YOU’RE the one that needs help. You need people who are investing IN YOU…who are looking at YOUR issues and helping you see that, “Hey! God's still there! The problem is not as big as it seems like when you're in the middle of the mess!” So we NEED each other! That's an important part of the spiritual life that we can never get away from. Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Cameron recently returned from a medical missions trip to Bolivia with some thoughts and lessons to share.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, I am continuing my discussion from last time on living a life that is worthwhile. We need to count the cost, but it is always worth it to follow Jesus. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! On the last show I asked two important questions, First, What is your life worth? You are spending your time on something. Is it something worthwhile? Second, What is 1 thing worth giving the next 5 years of your life to accomplish? I want to challenge you to live an Intentional life. If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. But I’m not sure that Jesus really intended for us to live that way. Look at Luke 14: 25-33 My take is that Jesus is calling us to an intentional life and we need to consider what it will take to live it. John 8:12 I’m pretty sure that is a good thing! Jesus wants us to join Him on His mission, and He wants us to kow that it is a lifetime commitment that will cost us. But it is worth it! So if you are tracking with me, you are considering what your life is worth, and thinking about what is worth your life. Maybe you are already committed to following Jesus and have a clear picture of the tower you are building and have your sleeves rolled up as you put in the effort to see God’s work in your life and through your life accomplished. If so, Awesome! Let me know what God is doing in your life, I would love to rejoice with you and pray for you as you live a life of eternal meaning and purpose! Reach out and encourage those around you to join you and keep on keeping on! But I know many feel stuck in a run and want to make some steps of faith. The tower they began working on years ago is still just a foundation that has sand blown across it and weeds starting to creep in along the edge. The busyness of life and the distractions of the world make it easy to leave the hard work of building a spiritual tower for another vague time in the future when “things settle down”. Hey, no judgment here, I have been there. But it’s not OK to stay there. God really is doing something in your life and He wants to make you a better you, and give you a bigger purpose than just making it to the end of the week unscathed. God never hides the fact that He has great plans for us. See Ephesians 2:1-10. As you pray about what God is doing in your life and seriously answer the question about what is worth spending the next five years of your life to accomplish, remember that God already knows and has planned the good works for you. And He has prepared you for those good works! There is no reason to fear or turn away, God Himself has promised to go with you and give you His strength to accomplish His purpose in and through you. Maybe the old Nike slogan, Just Do IT, would be appropriate here. We often hesitate and loose momentum or even sink into the mire of earthly things and get stuck in our spiritual life. And that carries over to all aspects of life. You can’t be the best YOU without being tied to God’s mission on earth and your part in it. He gave you gifts for a purpose and without using them, you are always out of step with your eternal purpose. Know that you are created with a purpose and embrace God’s call on your life. But, count the cost. The work God has called you to will cost you. And it will be worth it. As you look toward the future and consider how to invest the life that God has given you, along with all of your gifts, talents, abilities, and resources; consider how you can be intentional along the way. I believe God has given us intellect for a reason, Use it to plan out a path forward that is in line with His mission, uses your gifts, and builds up His church. Evaluate yourself and consider adding new skills to your list. What will help you be a more effective servant along the way? Similar question, Who should you be traveling with? As you build a spiritual tower and are counting the cost, consider how Nehemiah rode around the city walls evaluating and only then did he reach out and invite others into the work God had laid on his heart. He presented a clear plan of action and challenged everyone to do their part for the Glory of God. Who can you challenge to go with you as you intentionally pursue a life in Jesus’ footsteps? OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we consider the value of a life. You are trading your time for something, is I worth it? My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! Hey I have a question for you! What is the one thing that has encouraged you the most as you follow Jesus and grow as a disciple maker? I really want to know, please send me an email at norman@runwithhorses.net with your answer. I hope to do a show using some of your responses in the future so get in touch and let me know what has been an encouragement to you along the way. I know we all need it and it comes in many forms and through many people. What or who has encouraged you? I have had a busy few weeks, months actually, with big changes in where I am, what I am doing and how I am able to spend my time. As I think through my options and consider how God is working in me, I have been considering the question, What is worth spending a life on? Many options: career, family, pursuit of leisure activities, to become skilled at something, fame, etc. Certainly the world gives you lots of ideas to pursue! In some ways the actual value of your life is the sum of all the activities that make up your life. What are you doing with the time you have? Have you ever wondered if it is worth it? All the time, some people say, and yet they aren’t willing to do anything different to change things. Here is my real question and challenge for the day. What is 1 thing worth giving the next 5 years of your life to accomplish? Your whole life is too big too think about. You change over time as your experiences influence you. But you do need to plan out a course of action that will give you direction in the neat future. You do have a plan for your future don’t you? ; ) For those who are lost already, here is my summary of life planning. You need to see the big picture. You and Eternity. This life definitely has meaning both in the here and now and in eternity. Your choices matter. Big picture – where are you headed? What gives your life meaning and purpose? God needs to be front and center here and you want your life to be attached to what He has said is important. Once you have the BIG Picture clear in your mind, you can begin to consider your direction in life. You have a standard to refer to along the way and to guide you as you make decisions. Are my choices leading me closer to the goal or further away? Are my choices consistent with what I say I believe or do they call me a liar? Consistent choices lead you somewhere over time. Hopefully nearer to the heart of God! With that BIG Picture as the context. I want to repeat my question from earlier. What is 1 thing worth giving the next 5 years of your life to accomplish? What is a here and now, this life challenge that is worth the time and effort it will take to see the needle move? Maybe it makes more sense to ask it this way. If you were serious about following Jesus daily for the next 5 years what would you do? What choices would you make differently than you do now? How would you evaluate your progress? Success? Who would you want with you on the journey? I think too often we spend all our time focusing on the details of today without stepping back to consider the BIG Picture of what God wants to do in and through us. We fail to make the changes that would move us closer to Him and keep us on His pathway. Ministry becomes an afterthought it we think about it at all. Service is for others, we are too busy. What would it take to change that for you? Is it your desire to follow Jesus with your heart, soul, mind and strength? What is keeping you from it? Do the people you talk to day after day motivate you to love God more and serve people more or are they helping you stay distracted and focused on your own plans and desires? In light of eternity, in light of the call of Jesus for you to take up your cross and follow Him, What is ONE thing that is worth giving the next 5 years to accomplish? What moves you closer to Him and His mission of reconciliation? Jesus has called you. Your life is the answer. What does it say? OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, today we look at some things you can be doing now to prepare for ministry in the future. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! Five Foundations for Ministry As a Christian following Jesus, contemplating the role of ministry in your life is essential. Regardless of whether you aspire to become a deacon, pastor, church planter, missionary or Sunday school teacher, it's vital that you grow consistently along the journey. Accepting these roles means embracing change in your life. Here are Five areas to consider as you build a foundation for future service. First is Character Development; strive to emulate Christ’s character by getting to know Him and His teachings and allowing Him to transform you. We are changed by the people we hand around with. Spend a lot of time in God’s Word and it changes you. You see your selfish desires more clearly and desire true humility and godliness. Spend time with God in prayer, study His Word and make a special place in your life for fellow believers. Traits to develop? Compassion, Forgiveness, Humility, Patience, Gentleness, etc. Really the fruit of the Spirit should mark your life. Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Second are Core Values: It’s essential that your core values align with Jesus. You need to learn what Jesus prioritized during His time on earth. You should develop the same priorities and consistently live out these priorities in all your choices. Your life is a series of small choices that reveal what you really care about. Your priorities form an integral part of your foundation as a Christian leader. Make sure they align with God’s priorities. Jesus valued Obedience to the Father, Peace, Relationships, Faith, A commitment to the ministry of Reconciliation, God’s Glory and the list goes on. Read the Gospels to see how Jesus spent His time and energy, and even His Life. Third are Competencies or Skills: Identify the necessary skills for your chosen ministry path and devise strategies on how to acquire them. Engage with those already serving in such roles to gain insights on what skills you can be working on now. Every role has different requirements. As you grow spiritually you will gain new insight into ministry as well as new skills that will help you serve better. Public speaking, teaching, leading a small group effectively, leading music, or even using the churches riding lawnmower. These are all skills that might benefit you as you pursue God’s call on you life and make yourself available to serve. The Fourth area revolves around Experience: If you aim to become a Sunday School teacher or Deacon for instance, prior participation Sunday School and church business meetings provides at least a small foundation to build on when you consider stepping into a leadership role. Being part of the church life equips you with practical knowledge which can be utilized when stepping into new roles. I encourage you to volunteer and help out in many different kinds of ministry as you are considering your gifting and role in the body of Christ. Serving in your churches food pantry to going with the youth group on a missions trip. All of these little things add up and help clarify your place in the body when you are looking for ways to serve others. Lastly comes Commitment; Serving others requires sacrificing personal wants for the cause of Christ and his people. A leader of any kind will be demonstrating increased commitment along with increased responsibility. The willingness to make some sacrifices for the good of others is a key factor in choosing leaders. Commit to serving others in small ways now as preparation for greater service later. These five area are all important if you're considering ministry because ultimately being like Jesus entails serving others like He did.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we look at a question from a listener, the topic? Single missionaries! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! THE QUESTION: Is it generally ill-advised for single men to go as missionaries to another country? My logic behind this is that I have seen married couples and families being missionaries abroad, as well as single women, but the only single men I know serving as missionaries abroad are/were engaged when serving. I know single men CAN serve as missionaries abroad, but is it appropriate (SHOULD they?)? I have always assumed that single male missionaries are practically non-existent because the sexual temptations could be too dangerous to risk sending a single guy. Excellent question! To start this article has some good thoughts from a single male missionary. https://omf.org/us/five-pieces-of-advice-for-single-men-looking-to-get-involved-in-missions/ There are a lot of ways to look at this and I am sure my take is not unique or even the best. But here are some thoughts. Short answer, Yes, they should! Now for the long answer. First, God calls all of us to be disciple makers. That means pursuing God first in all areas of life. Anyone considering missions should be an active, growing follower of Jesus. I would really want that person to be involved in a community of believers and have multiple relationships where ongoing accountability is normal. Second, Anyone sensing God’s leading in their lives towards ministry of any kind should be talking to their pastor and the spiritual leaders in their life to get advice and direction. Since I believer God has called all of us to ministry, using our gifts for the building up of the church and serving as ambassadors to the world, This step should include every believer! Third, I believe everyone pursuing ministry would do well to seek out a mentor, or multiple mentors to help them navigate some of the pathways available to them as they train and prepare for the future. One such mentor that might be a challenge to find but who would be valuable for the young man looking at going to the mission field as a single, would be an older single missionary. Statistically single men are much less common than single men on the mission field. Let’s pause in our thoughts on preparing and going as a single man to address the WHY are they so uncommon? No easy answer that I can find! Lot’s of people have asked the question though. Here is an example article by Brooks Buser. https://radical.net/article/where-are-the-men-in-missions/ One quote from the article. “Two-thirds of missionaries are married couples, the other third are single women, the rest are single men.” Single men aren’t going to the mission field, single women are. Buser mentions pornography, student debt and getting married as three common reasons. I have seen all three of those keep people from ministry. But I wonder if a bigger issue is not that we aren’t preparing our young men to follow Jesus. The world calls them to make money, have fun, look for adventure and change the world. I fear that too often the church doesn’t call them at all. If too few of us are answering the call to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Jesus, too few of us are influencing the next generation. The adventure and changing the world rhetoric of the world can’t hold up to the life changing message of Jesus. Talk about a life of value! The mission of reconciliation is an eternal mission that surpasses all else in scope and impact. It is also fun, and filled with adventure but that’s not the point. Why are single men not on the mission field? They aren’t in our churches. They aren’t in our small groups. They aren’t being challenged to give their lives for the greatest mission ever undertaken. If more men are actively engaged in disciple making, I believe the process of spiritual growth would lead more of them to consider missions. Back to getting ready to go as a single missionary. Fourth, A single missionary, male or female, should plan to be intentional about pursuing healthy relationships before leaving and after arriving on the field. Ideally, all single missionaries would be part of a multi-member local team. Two or three families working together with a single or two would provide support and help along the way. Fifth, whether in person or online, a single missionary, as well as married missionaries!, should have people who know them and are part of an accountability and support team. Single missionaries are a valuable part of the missions community and have a lot to give to the work. There are certainly dangers, but that is true for us all. Intentional pursuit of righteousness and a firm connection with the church family go along way to keep all of us on track. Add in a healthy dose of humility and a solid spiritual foundation to keep the focus in the right place. OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we consider our responsibility and God’s plan – That includes stewardship, God’s sovereignty and God’s grace. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! I need a better system for keeping track of emails. I have folders but somehow I have too many and they don’t work as well as they should. I need a new system. Any good ideas out there? Let me know! norman@runwithhorses.net Susan and I in the car, talking about life. Stewardship, responsibility and expectations came up. Not using those exact words but the topics were definitely there. Here is an important thought we focused on. Being a good steward does not guarantee you good results. We don’t like that do we! We feel like we earned a good result by making good choices in life. However, your faithfulness doesn’t obligate God to act in a certain way. You can exercise and eat right but still get cancer or die in a car wreck. Does that mean you shouldn’t be a good steward? No! It means God is the ultimate authority and you can only be a good steward of what HE give you. It’s hard to be satisfied with less than we feel we deserve. It’s also true in sharing the gospel. We can pray and share the gospel faithfully and still not see that dearly loved friend or family member turn to Jesus. It’s important to remember the three parts – my part, your part and God’s part. God never fails in his part. And even when we do our part, each person is responsible themselves before God. It’s hard for us to accept that sometimes. Let’s take a sticky subject these days. Politics. Your vote for president doesn’t guarantee he will win or that if he wins he will act as you believe he should. Romans 13 comes to mind here. This is one of the passages we were talking about in the car. How does this phrase strike you? “The authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. It seems to me that we like these kinds of verses when we like the leaders we have. We begin to wonder if God made a mistake somehow when we don’t like them! My part, your part and God’s part. And then there’s Grace. Thankfully grace covers a lot of me failing to do my part well. I am so thankful that Grace covers when my strength is weak and my mind is dull. Like Paul I always want to be confident that His grace is sufficient. And that means His Grace is sufficient for you. Somehow is is harder for us to accept mistakes in other people’s lives than in our own. God’s Grace is sufficient for me but you better watch yourself! Oru critical, judgmental nature pops right out when others stumble. An important part of our spiritual journey is realizing that God’s Grace is sufficient for me, and for you. I have to be a willing vehicle for God’s Grace in your life. Instead of Judging, bringing a helping hand and a word of encouragement knowing that I will need it tomorrow. The spiritual life is never boring! There are always new lessons to learn and new steps of Faith to take as we follow Jesus. Be a good steward of what God gives you, trust Him in the details and give Grace to those around you. And Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we are looking at the church, the Bride of Christ. What does a healthy one look like? My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! So how do you find a good church to be part of? Not always so easy! In some parts of the world there are few choices so it means sticking with one that may be less than ideal in many cases. In other context, most anywhere in the USA for example, there are too many choices. It is hard to even visit most of them! So where do you begin? I am old fashioned so I always begin with people. Ask someone you know in the area, a fellow believer, to give you recommendations. Ask believers who may be familiar with the area or have family there to give you recommendations. At the least you can rule out some options and put an asterisk by others. I believe Baptist doctrine is intended to be an honest attempt to be Biblical doctrine so Baptist or Baptistic churches will be my first stop. With naming of churches being what it is these days that doesn’t mean Baptist will be in the name! Many Baptist churches, Bible churches, Community churches, and as well as non-denominational churches have similar if not identical doctrinal statements. I would like to see a churches doctrinal statement but the difficulty comes in when you begin visiting churches to see how they live it out. Baptist doctrine does not always equal Biblical practice unfortunately. A church website can tell you who a church is, beliefs and creeds, etc. A website can show you a lot of what a church does, service times, small groups, counseling ministry, etc. A website cannot really let you get to know a church. That takes time with the church, the people who make up the local body. So what do you look for? Mark Dever wrote a book, The 9 Marks of a Healthy Church. The 9 Marks he gives are: 1. Expositional Preaching, 2. Biblical Theology, 3. The Gospel, 4. A Biblical Understanding of Conversion, 5. A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism, 6. A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership, 7. Biblical Church Discipline, 8. Concern for Discipleship and Growth, 9. Biblical Church Leadership. The IMB has an article on the 12 Characteristics of a Healthy Church. https://www.imb.org/2016/08/31/2016083112-characteristics-healthy-church/ The article actually precedes all of these with the word Biblical! I suppose it is good not to assume anything! The 12 Characteristics they list are: Evangelism, Discipleship, Membership, Leadership, Teaching and Preaching, Ordinances, Worship, Prayer, Fellowship, Accountability and Discipline, Giving, Mission All of these are good to think about but they are long lists. I want to emphasize a few specific things. Foundation of God’s Word: The bible is taught and is followed. There should be a real love for God and His word. Jesus is lifted up as the standard for our behavior, attitudes and relationships. God’s Word is lived out by His people. There is a commitment to do what it says. Emphasis on Active Obedience: Hand in hand with the biblical foundation in the teaching is an emphasis on living it out. Practical daily obedience and a willingness to follow Jesus are encouraged and supported. Each person is challenged to be a Berean, actively reading the bible themselves and making personal application. The goal should be for every believer to be a self-feeding Christian who is engaged with others on the mission of Jesus to bring God’s message of reconciliation to the world. Training and Encouragement toward being a Disciple Maker: Following Jesus results in people pouring out their lives for others. Sacrificially giving time and resources to see the Family of God grow in maturity and faith is natural and necessary. Members are motivated, trained and released to serve the church and the community. Focus on Life and Ministry outside of the building: Church life is the life of the people, not the service times printed in the bulletin. Relationships are encouraged, living the “one another’s” is practiced. Small groups are utilized to train leaders, share the gospel, build up new believers and provide ongoing accountability and encouragement for all. The command to Love one another is lived out: Forgiveness, confession, sharing testimonies of God’s grace and the like are common and considered natural. Perfection is not expected, mistakes are. All kinds of people with all kinds of problems are welcomed and embraced with Grace and Love. It’s all good to look for a good church to be a part of. It is a task to take seriously. Just don’t look for a perfect church. It doesn’t exist. Look for a church you can contribute to and help to be the church God intends it to be. Invest in the lives of others in the church. Commit to be a giver to the church. Make ti your goal to build up every member and to make Jesus the center of every relationship. The church is, and will remain, a messy group to be a part of. But God loves His bride and we should too! OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Spiritual Sacrifice and Serving Others INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we are moving on to stage two of spiritual growth. Thanks for moving forward with me! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Welcome to Run With Horses and Thanks for including me in your journey! Today’s focus – Moving beyond self to thinking about others. Sacrifice and Service as a foundation for Ministry. I have introduced three stages of Spiritual Growth as they relate to your spiritual life and ministry. Today we will cover the second stage, Sacrifice and Service. Let me know if you have questions or comments as we go along! norman@runwithhorses.net The First Stage – Spiritual Identity and Foundations, allowed you to build a foundation. Learning who you are in God’s sight and the basics of the Christian life as you develop good spiritual habits for the future. The Second Stage – Spiritual Sacrifice and Service, builds on that foundation. Where the beginning of the spiritual life necessarily involve a lot of work on yourself, to continue to grow you have to be properly oriented toward others. One of the lessons I learned years ago is that Christianity can be summarized as a web of relationships. Your relationship with God, Your relationship with His family, the Church, and your relationship with the world, people who aren’t yet following Jesus. These relationships with other people are built on a right relationship with God and a clear understanding of what God is doing in the world and your part in it. This foundation is started in Stage One and continues in Stage Two. What are we talking about? Although there is more to it than we will cover today, here are four things that I see us building on the foundation we started when we placed our faith in Jesus. Learning how to relate in a biblical way to others. God loves people! How we treat them, in and out of the church, should reflect God’s love for them. We are His hands and feet in the world, carrying out His mission of reconciliation and using our gifts to build up the body. To do that we have to be growing in the character of Jesus. A selfish unregenerate heart can’t treat people as God wants them treated. The foundational heart change of Stage One gives us the new nature that is directed by the Holy Spirit to genuinely love others and consider their needs. Phil.2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 2 Cor.5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 1 Thess. 2:7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. Learn and apply the “one another’s” of the NT. The “one another’s” give us a real picture of what the family of God should look like! You can’t live these out without a real relationship. It takes time and proximity to build this kind of close personal involved relationship with other people. Love one another is the most of repeated and is the basis for a lot of the other commands we are to live by. The first and second command are to love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. These are SIMPLE to understand. But so hard to live out consistently! Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Eph. 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Eph. 4: 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. God is serious about our relationships! Teach, admonish, encourage, pray for, live in harmony with, build up and in every way LOVE each other. Learn the meaning and value of sacrifice. Matt. 20:25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Sacrifice is putting God’s eternal plan and purpose above my personal desires and goals. Sacrifice is loving others enough to do what is best for them even when it is not in my best interest. Find joy in serving. In this Second Stage of spiritual growth and development we want to answer the question, “What are my spiritual gifts?” As a follower of Jesus, you have been equipped to build up the body of Christ. You have gifts that the church needs. I don’t believe you can mature as a believer without learning to serve others and put your gifts to use. The desire to serve and use your gifts comes from really loving the people God loves and died for. If in Stage One you are learn who God wants you to Be, in Stage Two you are learning to allow Who you are in Christ to flow through you and to impact those around you. If stage one is a classroom, stage two is a construction site with lots of activity! God is building something great in your life. Next time: The Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction What is it? Know and maintain biblical priorities. Maintain healthy spiritual habits and the disciplines that build a strong spiritual life. Intentionally seek out younger people and invest in their spiritual life. Prioritize disciple making activities and relationships. OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running! All bible quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we are looking at what to do when your spiritual life is in a rut. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Thanks for including me in your journey! Have you ever reached a spot in your spiritual life where you felt you just couldn’t manage to make a single step forward? I think it happens to many of us ore often that we would like to admit. In the past few shows we have been looking at the process of spiritual growth and you may feel like you just aren’t making any progress. Today, I want to give you some thoughts about how to get past those roadblocks and get your spiritual life moving again. First, lets examine a few reasons people get bogged down. 1.Sin that hasn’t been dealt with. This is a big one. Gotta deal with sin, ASAP. 2.Unhealthy relationships. The people you hand around with make it easy or hard to follow Jesus. 3.Lazy/ Busy – You know what to do but can’t seem to get it done. This can often be a symptom of misplace priorities. 4.Doubt/ Discouragement – A little mistake or slip here and there can steal your confidence and make you consider your ability more than God’s Grace. 5. Earthly Desires – We all easily get distracted by the things of this world. Promotion at work, the approval of others, new “things” are all competing for the place Jesus demands. Obviously not a complete list. You need to do the personal hard work of examining your own life to determine where you are aligned with God and where you are pursuing something else. Next, lets consider the obvious tools that we need to always be using to build a healthy spiritual life. Here is me, the broken record, telling you that God has given you three things specifically to help you grow. You have heard this hear before and will hear it again! 1. God’s Word - There is no way to really grow without increased time with God which equates to time in His Word. Read the Bible. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Think about it. Talk about it to others. This is foundational to a healthy spiritual life. 2.Holy Spirit – God has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you, help you understand the Bible and to change you from the inside out. When you don’t know what to pray, trust that the Holy Spirit does, and pray! 3. The Church – Hey that church takes lots of hard knocks. It is definitely not perfect, but then, how could it be, it is full of former enemies of God who are still learning what it means to be part of His family! As a resource for spiritual growth the church will include music that points you toward God, books, sermons, podcast and videos that teach, encourage and motivate you to keep on keeping on. Now, lets look at a few tools you should have in your spiritual toolbox to pull out when you need them. Spiritual Disciplines - 1. Disciplines of Abstinence: Solitude: Time away from people, leaving more space for God. Silence: Not speaking and going to a quiet place to clear a space for God to reach us. Fasting: Going without food (or something else like media) for a time. Replacing the food or media with more of God’s Word and Prayer. Sabbath: Intentional rest in God’s person and provision. 2. Disciplines of Engagement: Bible Reading: might include Bible study, Scripture meditation, and praying God’s Word. Worship: Praising God in words, music, or silence. (privately or in community.) Prayer: Talking with God about what we’re experiencing and doing together. Fellowship: Intentionally seeking out believers to encourage and speak with about spiritual things. Service: Humbly serving God by overflowing with his love and compassion to others, especially those in need. (Also tithing and giving.) A great way to “get out of your head”. Finally, lets consider how to make a plan that will give us structure and intentionality as we face our spiritual battles. If possible, identify the main area you are struggling with right now. Are there any obvious reasons or ways to address it? Ask a good Christian friend to help you evaluate your life and current lifestyle. Talking through your choices with a friend who want to see you grow may be the best way to see your own life more clearly. Make sure you have a consistent plan to include the basic activities of the spiritual life in your week, every week. Have a bible reading plan, journal what you are learning, share it with a friend. Pray throughout the day every day and invite God into every activity. Put the church on your calendar, not just the service times but plan to reach out to others throughout the week. Ask your church family to pray for you. Consider the spiritual disciplines and make a space in your life for those you believe would help you given where you are right now. Don’t be afraid to try something you haven’t done before! KEY POINT: Invite a friend to go through this time with you and pray for you as you apply these tools to your life. You are not meant to walk the Christian life alone! That is a recipe for stagnation and a nasty spiritual fall. Most of all, keep it up. Persevere. The reward is worth the struggle. Remember that God promises to be with you in the middle of every trial and He is working in you to complete the work HE started! OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast INTRO Today on Run With Horses, I am going into a little more detail about the first stage of spiritual growth that we all should pass through on our journey of faith. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Welcome to Run With Horses and Thanks for including me in your journey! Today’s focus – Stage one spiritual growth. Last time we covered an overview of the three stages of Spiritual Growth. and then go over each one in detail in the next three shows. Let me know if you have questions or comments as we go along! norman@runwithhorses.net First Stage – Spiritual Identity and Foundations What is it? Learning who you are in God’s sight. Eph.2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. You are loved! Time of developing our character. Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 1 Timothy 3: 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; Learning the basics of the Christian life. The Gospel provides the entry into the Christian life and we never leave that foundation, we build on it. What did Jesus accomplish on the cross? How does that help me live today? What is available to me because of the cross? Power of forgiveness and God’s grace. Prayer – we are able to go to God directly. Fellowship – we have a body of believers who are united by the Holy Spirit. God’s mission – The ministry of reconciliation. Spiritual warfare, spiritual gifts, ministry to the body of Christ, ministry with the body of Christ. Our testimony – witnesses to His work in us. Learning about genuine spiritual worship. How do you learn these? From who? Developing good spiritual habits. Begin developing the habit of bible study and obedience. Learning the value and importance of prayer. Learning about the special community, God’s family, the Church. Developing the habit of intentional relationships. Developing a good view of stewardship in all areas of life. Time, health, relationships, finances, etc. Why are these so important? They change your mind, immerse yourself in the mind of Christ. Develop discernment, spiritual wisdom and insight. How do you learn these? From who? How do you maintain consistency? Next time: The Second Stage – Spiritual Sacrifice and Service Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction INTRO Today on Run With Horses, we look at Stage Three of our spiritual growth. We are growing to become disciple makers in Jesus’ footsteps. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Welcome to Run With Horses and Thanks for including me in your journey! Today’s focus -The Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction We looked at the First Stage – Spiritual Identity and Foundations Learning who you are in God’s sight, developing your character and learning the basics of the Christian life. We looked at the Second Stage – Spiritual Sacrifice and Service Learning how to relate in a biblical way to others, applying the “one another’s” of the NT in our relationships and learning the meaning and value of sacrifice as we serve others. And now, drum roll please .. we are ready for the Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction What are we talking about? We are continuing to build on the foundation of the first two stages. Remember that we never leave them. You should be growing in your understanding of who you are in Christ, of what He accomplished on the cross, of the work that He is doing in and through His church. You are continuing to learn about and practice your gifts, building up the body of Christ intentionally as you serve and take real joy in seeing others grow. Know and maintain biblical priorities. Came to seek and to save lost. To do Father’s Will. Keep the main thing the main thing. Let’s keep it real simple. Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Matt.22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Now the real question is how do you do that! And that is the process of Spiritual Growth and Sanctification. The Christian life is the answer to that question. It is the culmination of all our choices and life activities. Our life proves that we have Faith and love God and our neighbor or it gives evidence against us. Think it’s easy? Paul didn’t! Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. In the third stage of Spiritual Growth we recognize the reality of the struggle and the value in the struggle. God uses it to grow us! Maintain healthy spiritual habits and the disciplines that build a strong spiritual life. Matt.6:33 Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We have developed biblical priorities and are actively engaged in the struggle to live them our. What does that look like practically? It looks a lot like practicing spiritual good habits and using the spiritual disciplines to support our spiritual life. This includes the basics of the Christian life like Bible Study. 2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Prayer. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And Fellowship with the Church. Eph. 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. It also includes some of the spiritual disciplines that aren’t a part of most people’s daily practice. Like Fasting. Matt. 6:16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Solitude. Luke 5: 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. A good resource for thinking about the spiritual disciplines is the book by Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines. Here is the Amazon link - https://a.co/d/hyxWiUN Intentionally seek out younger people and invest in their spiritual life. Deut. 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Not just your children! Take responsibility for the spiritual growth of others and help them grow. Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” You are to be a beacon of light in the lives of those around you. Challenge them to consider the claims of Jesus and to see the world from an eternal perspective. Prioritize disciple making activities and relationships. Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 2 Tim. 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. This is the primary role of the church in the world today as I understand it. Make disciple of Jesus. Follow Hm and help others follow Him. Every generation is responsible for taking up the cause of Christ and reaching the next generation. It is not primarily information or education but whole life transformation into the image of Jesus. Our lives are changed from the inside out, eventually impacting every thought, word, deed and relationship. This is what it means to follow Jesus. In the Third Stage of Spiritual Growth you are taking up the mission of Christ and acting as His ambassador to the world as you prepare the next generation of disciples to one day do the same. It is a big task. But it is God’s task and He will not fail. How awesome that He lets us be a small part of the great work of reconciliation that He is doing as He builds His church! OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running! All Bible Quotations are NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net INTRO Today on Run With Horses, I am introducing three stages of spiritual growth that we should all want to pass through on our journey of faith. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Welcome to Run With Horses and Thanks for including me in your journey! Today’s focus - Growing in Ministry – Keep taking steps towards spiritual maturity! I hope you understand that God wants you to grow. In many ways, in many area of life. God is working in you to grow. Hebrew 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Col.1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col.2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 2 Peter1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to introduce three stages of Spiritual Growth as they relate to your spiritual ministry. To day we will cover an overview of the three stages and then go over each one in detail in the next three shows. Let me know if you have questions or comments as we go along! First Stage – Spiritual Identity and Foundations What is it? Learning who you are in God’s sight. Time of developing our character. Learning the basics of the Christian life. Developing good spiritual habits. Answering questions like: Who does God day I am? What does it mean to follow Jesus? How do I grow spiritually? Second Stage – Spiritual Sacrifice and Service What is it? Learning how to relate in a biblical way to others. Learn and apply the “one another’s” of the NT. Learn the meaning and value of sacrifice. Find joy in serving. Answering questions like: What does it mean to serve others? What is sacrifice in my life? Why is it important? What are my spiritual gifts? Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction What is it? Know and maintain biblical priorities. Maintain healthy spiritual habits and the disciplines that build a strong spiritual life. Intentionally seek out younger people and invest in their spiritual life. Prioritize disciple making activities and relationships. Answering questions like: Who around me needs encouragement today? How can I help others grow and serve? What do I need to do to help others become disciple makers? OUTRO Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Ageless Beauty Discussion on aging. How th e world views it, how Christians can/should view it Term – “sandwich generation” Stereotypes – dementia, frail, bed-ridden, no fun Loss of autonomy is probably the hardest part of old age to accept. Those ADL’s (Activities of Daily Life) you’ve performed for yourself most of your life must now be done by someone else. Many benefits to being older – experience, wisdom, able to pass on to next generation may know how to handle relationships better Old person’s situation makes a big difference – sickness, family around? Mobility Compare: tribal environment vs. modern environment -- elderly are valued; their knowledge is needed; no other resources (youtube, books) -- most experienced and good at basket weaving (e.g.). Current day knowledge hasn’t changed for centuries. Continues as it has been. -- In US, old are in the way, not respected, not useful. The knowledge they had (i.e. slide rules) is obsolete now. Technology keeps changing. Need a purpose for living, feel useful to others, feel needed -- understand what God wants from you in this chapters -- You DO have a role if you’re still breathing! Perspective/Outlook God provides a basis for seeing the future in a positive light! You can be thankful every day for something. You can be a blessing to someone every day if you try. On what do you base your worth? What makes you valuable? -- Do you feel valuable because of how you look? (what happens when you get wrinkly, bald, & saggy?) -- Do you feel valuable because you are productive in society or to your family or church? (what happens when you are no longer able to feel productive?) -- Is your worth based on your sense of pride? -- Or is it based on the value God places on you, for being created in His image? He proved how valuable you are!! (sending Jesus to pay your way to belong to His family)

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Grace when you need it . . .Every day! What is it? Merriam_Webster – Grace a: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification b: approval, favor c: disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency From GotQuestions.org (https://www.gotquestions.org/mercy-grace.html) “Mercy and grace are closely related. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not exactly the same. Mercy has to do with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken of in the context of God’s not punishing us as our sins deserve. Grace includes kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea of bestowing a gift or favor. It may help to view mercy as a subset of grace. In Scripture, mercy is often equated with a deliverance from judgment , and grace is always the extending of a blessing to the unworthy.” God’s undeserved favor toward the unworthy. It’s good news! Acts 20:24 What does it do? Romans 3:23 Hebrews 4:16 II Corinthians 12:9 2 Thess. 2:16 Titus 2:11 2 Timothy 2:1 Romans 15:15 1 Cor. 3:9 Eph. 3:1 2 Cor. 8:1 How do I get it? What do I do with it? Eph. 4:7 Rom. 12:3 1 Peter 4:10 Paul attributes his life and ministry to the grace of God at work in him. 1 Cor. 15:9 How do I respond? Romans 14:4 Humility, knowing I don’t deserve even a fraction of the grace that God gives. Confidence that God will do His part in my life. It doesn’t rest on my ability or wisdom. God will make me stand. So never stop pursuing godliness and righteousness because God has promised that you will obtain it! Courage to attempt great things. Overflowing Thanksgiving because God has counted me worthy to be part of His family.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast What’s your Next Action? - Ep.214 The last show we talked about being too busy. Today I want to confirm that we do all have a lot to do and would like to get the important things, the big rocks we talked about last time, accomplished or at least worked on. When we talked about the putting the big rocks in first, we were primarily thinking about scheduling. It’s a calendar issue. But once you get to that time, what do you do? That is the topic of today’s show. Several years ago I was introduced to the book Getting Things Done by David Allen. It is a really good and fairly simple system of organization that I would highly recommend if you have a complicated and busy life like I do. But today I am not going to go over the whole system but only one key aspect that may be enough for you to really take hold of your life and make progress in the really important areas. For everything in life that you intend to work on or make any progress on, you need a Next Action. It seems almost too obvious but how often do you have a project that needs working on that you aren’t really sure how to move forward with? I am really concerned about my and your spiritual life so let’s look at some examples. Many people feel like they don’t know the bible well enough. That actually probably true for all of us! The problem is that many people leave it there. You might hear things like. “I don’t know my bible as well as I should. I really should study more. “ But then no actually plans are made to study or learn more. There is no clear Next Action, just a vague feeling that things aren’t quite as good as they could be. Sounds like a recipe for guilt without change! What does a Next Action look like? How do you find one? Usually a little planning ahead goes a long way. If the project is important to you, and certainly growing in your ability to understand and apply God’s Word to your life should qualify as an important project it is worth some effort. The higher the priority in your life the more worthwhile it is to spend time praying and planning. The first step is usually brainstorming ideas and options. For growing in your understanding of the bible, what options do you have? Hopefully you are already a regular member of a good church that teaches the bible, if not, please start there! Be aware that the main service times are probably not the only options through the church, many churches have weekly bible studies of various kinds that might be a great fit for you. A second option might be asking your pastor for a good recommendation. There are video courses online and numerous books on specific topics as well as overviews of the book of the bible. You might get more out of a book or lesson on how to study the bible, then take notes as you read through the New Testament. Lots of options here! But this is still too vague for a Next Action. If you are serious about it, you have to make some choices. You have to make some decisions. There are lots of things you could do, but what are you going to do? Once you pick a path forward, write down the steps needed to make it happen. The first one, the one you have to do to get started, is your next action. Want to start by learning more about how to read and study the bible yourself? First step might be to research book options. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart is one I can recommend. If you choose it your Next Action would be to order it! Break any project into the smallest steps and make sure you always know what the next step is, that is your Next Action. If you keep working on these, over time any project will make forward progress. I challenged you last show to write down the big categories of life, the things you really care about. If you did that you should also now have some idea of the things in life that are really important to you. If you went the extra step, you also marked out some time on your calendar to devote to that area of your life. If you put down your spiritual life as a major priority, you still have to answer the question, what do I do with the time I have devoted to spiritual growth? This process of determining Next Actions can ensure that you always have something worthwhile that you are working on, something that is moving you forward in your spiritual life. Prayer life? What can you do, an action, that might help? Pick a better time, use a notebook, study Paul’s prayers. Church life seem stale? What might help? Spend time praying for your church leadership throughout the week, volunteer to serve in a different way, reach out to people around you during the week. There is always something, however small, that you can do that will help you. Pray about it and look for that opportunities to grow in every area of life. I understand that it is easy to get stuck. Life is busy, we have lots of distractions, it can be hard to know what to do next. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will eventually get somewhere. Keep pursuing righteousness, don’t give up and don’t quit. Keep going forward, one step at a time.

Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Too Busy? Put the Big Rocks in First! I don't know what it is about our culture but most of us are busy all the time. Or at least we FEEL busy and that turns out to be just as tiring! The problem is that we aren’t necessarily accomplishing a lot of the right things. Have you ever struggled to find time to read your bible or pray for your friends salvation? Do you miss a small group meeting or church gathering regularly because of “life”? Then you are in this category of too busy. A full discussion of this topic would include lots of details like the average American spends 3.5 hours on their smartphone every day. I am sure the 47 minutes per day spent on YouTube aren’t worth mentioning. The fact that the typical American watched 3 hours of TV every day probably doesn’t really relate to our feeling of being to busy does it? One college group I spoke with admitted that most of them watched a movie a day and often more on the weekends. Are you a gamer? That 2-4 hours that most gamers hit per day probably doesn’t matter when it comes to your struggle to find 15 minutes a day to read your bible. . . no way. Ok, Ok, Maybe I am hitting this a bit hard but listen to this. You have time to do what you really want to do. Period. Ouch. Let that rattle around in your head a little. I understand there are , rare, exceptions. I am not talking to you if you are working two jobs as a single mom of three energetic boys with no family around to help. Your life is full, I get it. That is not most people. If you are average, and coincidentally most of us are… you have time to use as you see fit almost every day. How do you choose to spend it? If you are one of those people who would like to grow spiritually, and if you are listening to this show I would assume that you are, it is in those smaller daily choices that the battle for the day is one or lost. Do you check your FaceBook page before or after your devotion time? Do you call that friend you have been meaning to pray for before or after watching that movie? We often have good intentions but slip up in the details. If that is you, keep listening for some advice on how to manage the chaos of life. I first heard the story around 15 years ago. A college professor was helping his class see the importance of having clear priorities and then following them. He pulled out a glass jar and put several large rocks in it. “Is it full?” he asked. “Yes!” came the enthusiastic answer. This was back when teachers actually taught in class and students wanted to learn. He pulled out a small box filled with pebbles and proceeded to add them in the spaces around the large rocks in the jar. “Is the jar full” he asked. “Yes.” came the answer again. This time he pulled out a plastic bin with sand in it and poured it over the rocks and pebbles, letting the sand filter through the cracks to the bottom of the jar. “Is it full now?” he asked. “No!” came the reply, the students finally realizing something was up. The professor smiled and pulled out a jar of water and poured it over the rocks, pebbles and sand until the jar was completely full. “Now the jar is full. So what is the lesson here?” he asked. “You can always fit in a little more?” came the tentative reply. After a good laugh and acknowledgement that we all try to do just that the professor gave the lesson. “Put the big rocks in FIRST.” That my friends is the key to living the life God intended, that is filled with true purpose and deeper meaning. Put the big rocks in first. What are the big rocks? Your Priorities and main purpose in life. What is really most important to you? Is it really worth the effort it will take? What will it take to reach that purpose? You need to see both your goals in life and the actions steps it will take to get there. If you are serious about making some life changes get out a pencil and paper, or live in the modern world and take notes on your phone! But Make a note to answer some questions for yourself. First, list the big categories that you see in your life right now. Here are some examples. Spiritual Growth, Career, Family, Local Church, Community Activities, Friends, House Upkeep, Garden, Exercise/ Physical Health, Hobbies, etc Now identify the most important ones. Hopefully you place your personal relationship with God right at the top. But if YOU don’t place it there from your heart you will not sustain the life that will make ti possible. Your heart will ultimately determine you choices and be reflected in your time management. Make that list of the big categories in your life that you really care about and are “mission critical” so important that you can’t function without them. For each category, ask yourself what success in that area of life looks like. Then, list the activities that contribute to being successful in that area of life. You are answering the question, What does it take to do well in this part of my life? Lay that paper aside and take out a calendar. Put in all the immovable objects in your calendar. Work schedule, church schedule, doctor appointments, etc. Now take your list of top three categories of life and put in the most important activity that contributes to success in that area. If you are a parent that is probably in your top three and time with the family is absolutely required to do well as a parent. Where is it in your daily and weekly schedule? If you follow my advice you time alone with God is THE most important part of your week and is the foundation that gives the rest of the week meaning. Put it in your best time. If you are a morning person, do it first every day. If you are a night person, do it at a time that you will be able to be consistent and protect that time. If your lunch break is best, plan ahead and be ready to give some of that time to God every day. If you intentionally do this, put the big rocks into your day first, you will find that over time, there are very few things that really matter, that you really care about, that don’t get done. My daughter wants to be a songwriter. She needs to write new songs on a regular basis to do that. One song a year does technically make you a songwriter (Hey, I wrote two songs in the past two weeks but I am NOT a songwriter!) but she would not be happy looking back after 30 years and realizing that she had a gift that wasn’t used to it’s potential. What gifts has God given you? What responsibilities has God given you? What relationships has He given you to shepherd? You are a steward of all of life and much to many people’s dismay, you can’t just float through and be successful. Put the big rocks in first, review your choices regularly and keep pursing a life of righteous and eternal value. The race before you requires patience, so keep running!

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net How do you face your Weaknesses? Weaknesses. Everybody has them. Nobody likes them in themselves or in others. But there they are, just waiting to embarrass you and make you feel guilty all over again. Weaknesses come in all flavors, mental, physical, emotional, and moral. And all of us have varying degrees of all kinds of limitations and weaknesses. For most of your weaknesses, you either learn to work around it, as in physical handicaps, or try to find some way to build up that area, apply to a school to boost your job potential. But for a Christian, moral and spiritual limitations are the most critical because they carry a greater weight of eternal consequences. Not that the other limitations don’t have eternal ramifications, but the spiritual limitations are more directly related to our relationship with God and His Church. What are some examples of spiritual weaknesses? First, let me clarify that much of our spiritual weakness comes from unaddressed sin in our lives. If you call unforgiveness a weakness and leave it at that you may try to shrug it off like the bad knee that keeps you from playing basketball. No need to address it and work to change it. But as a follower of Jesus, everything that hinders us from pursuing Him with our whole heart is a problem. So unforgiveness is suddenly a big deal. It isn’t just a little thing, but a massive stumbling block that threatens our unity with the church and our fellowship with God. It is sin and must be addressed as sin. Now I am sure many of you will agree with that and already make a regular practice of confessing and repenting of known sin in your life. The problem comes in with areas we continually struggle with, a besetting sin some might call it. Most of us have a spiritual weakness that regularly shows up in our life and leads to sin of some kind. How do you address that weakness? Do you address it or just give up, admit defeat in that area and move on? My challenge for you today. Don’t accept defeat, fight to the bitter end to be the person God is changing you into. He has already promised to finish the work He started in you. And if you have accepted Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross on you behalf through Faith, God says that He declares you Righteous! And that is amazing! You can’t work for that righteousness (Rom.4:5). It is God’s work on your behalf. And that work is why the battle is worth it. You will not lose this fight. You may lose a battle today, but God is using this fight in your life to build your reliance and trust in Him. He uses your weakness to make you more like Jesus. So don’t give up, ever. So how do you approach the spiritual weakness in your life that so often leads to sin? One, Embrace the TRUTH that the ultimate victory is yours, no matter how this battle turns out. God has never lost one yet, you won’t be the first. Phil. 1:3-6 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ Two, Prioritize Prayer. Don’t underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit and His ability to work when you have no strength left. Repeat with Paul, when I am weak, then You are strong. 2 Cor. 12:9-10 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong The next few points are all part of using all of the tools available that God has given you. Don’t try to power your way through weakness, let God work in and through you. Three, Use Your Mind. It may sound trite to you but spending time reading, meditating on and memorizing scripture is part of the process. 2 Tim.3:16-17 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Use all the tools available, God’s Word is an important one! Four, Stay Connected to God’s Family. The church is an important part of the life of a follower of Jesus. When you are weak, the gifts that God has given the church are there to lift you up. 1 Thess. 5: 8-11 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. Some believer you know has the gift of encouragement. Someone has the gift of wisdom and can give you practical pointers to help you see your way forward clearly. You need support. God has give the Holy Spirit and His Church to support you through this life. Don’t leave it out! Five, Physically Do Something Different. If you have been busy, get some extra rest, go to bed early. Stress makes you more susceptible to temptation. If you are a couch potato, get some exercise. Move you body in a good way. Get out and join people volunteering and serving in the community, do Something different. Six, Pursue Godliness and Righteousness. Flee from temptation and pursue righteousness. Be active and intentional in your pursuit and never give up. 1 Tim. 6:11-12 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Seven, Look For Someone Around You Who Needs Help. As a member of the body of Christ you have gifts that the church needs. Don’t let your temporary struggle keep you from looking to serve others. Phil. 2:4 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Yes take care of yourself. But don’t let the enemy remove you from the war. Your gifts are needed. Others are struggling like you are and we can help each other persevere. Our struggles are real. Our weakness is real. Our God is Great. If you know someone who needs this message, share it with them and Keep Running!

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net How strong are you? The world is really concerned about at least appearing strong if not actually being strong. Physically, emotionally, as well as mentally you are challenged to get stronger and, by the way, here is a product that will help you achieve that strength in record time with no effort on your part! Available today only for the special price of $19.99! Our heros are the winners who overcome incredible odds and win in spite of everything the enemy has to throw against them. Some of our favorite movies are the ones where the hero goes through this amazing mental and physical transformation to succeed in the battle they face. Rocky comes to mind as the model for many movies that followed after. The training scenes are motivational and show the intense desire that leads to intense effort that leads to a transformation that allows our hero to win in the end. Not surprisingly many of us take this same approach to the spiritual life. If I am struggling it must be because I haven’t put in the hours yet. I need more time in the spiritual gym to build those spiritual muscles so I can defeat the sin in my life. One major flaw in this line of thinking. It isn’t anywhere close to what God has to say! If you listen to me often you may think this is contradicting what I often say about putting time in reading God’s Word and applying effort to the spiritual life, but the focus is a little different. You don’t grow yourself, you allow God to grow you. You can’t defeat sin on your own no matter what you do. God has already won that battle for you. True spiritual strength is recognizing our weakness and inability to succeed on our own. Any efforts we put in should flow out of a knowledge that we desperately need God to work in us. I don’t read my Bible to gain spiritual insights to make me super spiritual and able to handle sin on my own, I dive into God’s Word to see more of the God who choose me and loves me in spite of my weakness. God turns the whole idea of strength and weakness on its head. He chooses the weak and opposes the strong. Paul gives a good picture of the attitude we should have in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul realizes that his weakness is a gift from God, meant to help him maintain a proper perspective of life in Christ. 2 Cor. 12: 7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Weakness is the perfect vehicle to display God’s strength. When we are strong we may be tempted to rely on our own abilities and turn away from God or boast about what we have accomplished. In our weakness, we see god at work everywhere, keeping us upright in the world and using us to accomplish His work. God chooses not the mighty but the weak, and when they show their dependence on Him by attempting the impossible as He leads them forward, God gets all the glory. The story is told of a report who went to one of DL Moody’s meetings in England. He reported that there was nothing he could see that could account for the marvelous work that was seen as a result of Moody’s preaching. Moody was shown the article and replied, “Why that is the very secret of the movement. There is nothing in it that can explain it but the power of God. The work is God’s, not mine.” So how strong are you? When considered in light of God’s work in and through us, that is really the wrong question isn’t it? The real question is how strong is God! With that fully answered and convinced in your own heart and mind, there is nothing you need to fear when you are following in Jesus’ footsteps. Because when you are at your weakest, He is able to reveal His strength in it’s fullest. Pursue God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and trust in His strength to keep you going until the day He calls you home. Keep running in His strength!

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net What’s your story? Everyone has a story that they use to explain their life and the world around them. You may not think of it as a story but it is the larger context that you place your life in to explain to yourself and others who you are and what your actions mean. It is how you interpret the world around you. You may play the victim in your story or you may be the hero. The world exists to keep you down or it is an adventure in which you act and react on the way to some meaningful goal. Your story is how you give meaning to life. It is how you interpret trials as well as blessings. You likely view life with one primary purpose and group of people that everything else revolves around. Many men keep career and work firmly at the center. They have meaning and purpose as long as they have work that is engaging, pays the bills, gives them coworkers to commiserate with or just takes so much of their time and energy that they don’t have anything left for other interests. Maybe for you, your story revolves around family. If your children are taken care of, happy and productive, not trouble makers, etc, you may have a sense of wellbeing and contentment with life whatever personal trials come your way. Sports fan, outdoorsman, baker, gardener, runner, artist or volunteer. You have a story and you have a role that you fill in your mind. These stories, unexamined by most of us, are in the background running our lives and directly influencing our motivations and interpretations of life. Often we let the world around us define us and the meaning that our lives have. When we do that, the world is telling the story. There is one big problem with the story that the world tells, it is based on a lie told by the prince of liars! Satan wants you to listen to the story he tells about you. He doesn’t want you to hear the message of God’s love and redemption. He doesn’t want you to know that God’s story is still unfolding and you are a big part of it. The story the world tells is godless and meaningless. You are only able to make sense out of things vaguely and with no confidence. But these stories are powerful. They are traps that keep us from reaching our God-given potential and blind us to the reality of His work in the world and in our lives or they are anchored firmly in reality and help us see God at work behind the curtain that is the theater of life. If you want to see life change in a person’s life, help them change their story. Most of us are deeply entrenched in a story that is only partially based in the real world. Our desires, tainted by the flesh and opposed to God, lead us to interpret life with a throne in the center that we sit on. Life revolves around us and the world owes us. The constant clash of this dream with the reality that the world cares nothing for you leads to depression, fear, internal crisis of all kinds and often keeps us stuck in situations with no way out that we can see clearly. We need a better story. One with God at the center, Jesus on the throne and all of life seen for what it is. A battle ground with men’s souls at stake. God is drawing you to Himself, preparing you for eternity with Him and He uses His mission of reaching the world as the vehicle for your life change. You have meaning and purpose, a life that matters, and a family of believers who are on the Way with you. You are not alone in the world with everything against you. You are part of a family with a purpose on a mission that cannot fail. You walk through life with your story. God’s purpose is to draw you into His story. Keep running!