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This one is lengthy, almost 45 minutes, but I think it is worth your time. I found it fascinating and delightful, and should be encouraging and helpful to Christians. I was tempted to put it in the Bible Topics area, there is a not of Bible in it. However it is more of a testimony of the remarkable events of Corrie's life of how she came to be imprisoned in Nazi Germany for hiding Jews from persecution, and her experiences in concentration camps. Did you know fleas and lice, can be a blessing from God, and an ant can give you a sermon? There are lessons here, for any who might find themselves in persecution, (real persecution, not merely being ridiculed for your faith at the work place) to see how faith can see us through, should such events ever befall us.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:1-2 We are all running the race of faith in our Christian life. The Lord wants you to know He is running this race with you. He is cheering you on and interceding for you every step of the way. This race is about faithfulness and perseverance. There will be times along our course of the race where we are tempted to focus on distractions and we stumble. Jesus is reminding us to focus on Him and the path set before us because He has gone before us and knows the path ahead. God has a race path or a DESTINY for each of us and our role is to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit and follow the path the Lord has planned for us. "May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen," - Hebrews 13:21. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He will bring it to pass," - 1 Thessalonians 5:24 CAST OFF THE WEIGHTS THAT HINDER RUNNING YOUR RACE It is important for us to cast off everything that hinders us, anything that slows us down or trips us in our race. We are to lay aside any unbelief and doubt but instead trust in God and His promises as He is faithful to bring to pass everything He has promised. We are to set our mind on things above and use our spiritual sight as we run our race because as we do this we will see the road ahead very differently. Our role is to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to walk by faith and not by sight. LEAPING OVER YOUR OBSTACLES We are called to persevere even when there are obstacles in our race. In 1 Timothy 6:12 we read we are to, "Fight the good fight of the faith." We can rise above our struggles and know we are overcomers in Christ as He has already won the victory for us. The Lord is reminding us to praise and trust Him in all parts of our race. This will cause us to leap over obstacles that may come our way in our race. The steadfastness of the Old Testament "witnesses" in Hebrews chapter 11 speaks to us of the rewards of never giving up. Their unyielding faith points to Jesus and urges us to follow their example and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus," - Philippians 3:14 Jesus is our example of how to run the race and we are to walk as He walked. "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" - 1 John 2:6 The Lord is highlighting the need to lean on Him as our source of strength when we are weary in our race. "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary," - Isaiah 40:31 Be encouraged as you run your race of faith – the Lord is running with you and He knows the race course He has planned for you. Cast off anything that is hindering your race and run with joy, hope, and freedom. Praise Him and trust in Him as He is faithful to equip you with all you need for every part of the course. Draw close to the Lord and allow Him to renew you and give you strength in the hard times of the race. Run the race appointed to you (God's CALLING on your life) and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Stand firm and do not be moved! As believers, we are rooted and grounded in His magnificent love (see Eph. 3:17). Truly, the Lord will be strong on our behalf! This knowledge enables a courage deep within and causes us to be so anchored in His love that our hearts and minds are steadfast. Thus, we will reach a place of focus that comes from being led by the Lord. This creates in us perseverance through our faith as we hear and are led by Him. Holy perseverance is God-empowered boldness or courage that enables usdeep withinto persevere. One way we can define perseverance is simply to stay the course. This is a powerful blessing from the Lord that enables us to believe the impossible is possible. It is a work of the Holy Spirit within that enables us to have strength to stay the course, regardless of present circumstances or situations. This is what the prophet Isaiah wrote about: "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." - Isaiah 41:10 AMP ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Stand firm and do not be moved! As believers, we are rooted and grounded in His magnificent love. Because we are established in His love, we can have a peace that passes all natural understanding. And we have COURAGE, the depth of which is confidence in the Lord. "And that Christ will make His home in your hearts, through faith. I pray that you wil have your roots and foundations in love so that.....you will have the power to understand how broad and long and deep is Christ's love. " - Ephesians 3:17 This place of trust is beyond the natural ability of a person. It comes only through a relationship with the Lord, who will lead us and bring to pass all He has purposed for us (our CALLING in Christ). As we are directed by Him, we can also be assured that He is making every path straight. As believers, we declare that we, "Trust in the LORD with all [our] heart, and lean not on [our] own understanding; in all [our] ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct [our] paths." - Proverbs 3:56 GOD-EMPOWERED BOLDNESS This creates in us PERSEVERANCE THROUGH OUR FAITH as we hear and are led by Him. Holy perseverance is God-empowered boldness or courage that enables us deep within to persevere. One way we can define perseverance is simply to stay the course. This is a powerful blessing from the Lord that enables us to believe the impossible is possible. It is a work of the Holy Spirit within that enables us to have strength to stay the course, regardless of present circumstances or situations. This is what the prophet Isaiah wrote about: "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." - Isaiah 41:10 AMP HERE IS THE INCREDIBLE PROMISE: You can stay the course because of the enabling of the strength of the Lord for you and in you! Believe that the Holy Spirit will release an even greater strengthening deep within so that you will stand firm for the promises of the Lord for your life and your family. As you lean into the Lord, you will go from strength to strength with deep courage to believe for the impossible to be possible. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY