Here, we'll be sharing inspiring excerpts from The Daily Nugget by Pastor Ed Chidester, our founding pastor. It is our prayer that these daily nuggets of truth will encourage, strengthen, and inspire you as you walk with Him each day.
Thank you for joining us, and stay tuned for more daily inspiration to come!
The mind of a man, which in many cases in the Bible is called the heart of man, can work for him or against him. Paul writes, “We are pressing toward the mark,” and the mature or perfect think like this. We must call to mind that morals, without true conversion, will wither and die like seeds sown upon stony ground or among thorns. Thank God that if we are otherwise-minded, He will help us to understand. Our thinking sets our attitude. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 3:27) Our attitude forms our personality, and our personality motivates us to action. So we see the importance of how we think.
We must have a vision as Paul did in Philippians 3:24, “I press toward the mark….” Paul had an objective, a mark to shoot for. When we realize that our life here is for the purpose of gaining the prize, we lay aside everything and apply ourselves and press toward the mark. The prize is the mark.
After proper objective is found in our hearts, then comes the application of the race. David said, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” {Fixed, or prepared} (Psalm 57:7) “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Heb. 12:1) We never see a runner preparing for a race in the starting block wearing his overcoat, hat and gloves, or his combat boots. He lays aside everything that hinders.
After the objective and the application, we have fixed our heart and we begin to have the anticipation of the prize. Many never come completely to a heart of anticipation because they are tricked into not giving God all the glory and praise. It will be God who places the winning wreath about our neck when we finish our race, thus we strive to please Him in all things. We want anticipation, and not circumstance, to set our course. When we apply the principle of thinking on these three things-our objectives or goals, the application and how the circumstances fit, the anticipation of being the winner or overcomer-then we will be in a glorious circle of joy with all the saints. Our citizenship is in heaven, so we don’t belong to this world. The anticipation of this will fix our attitude and we can finish the race with great assurance.
God bless you with the ability to run the race with momentous joy and peace in your heart. We set our hearts for that great promise that Jesus gave, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb. 13: 5)
Words from Pastor JoAnn Chidester: The heart of joy is shared bringing strength to the receiver. Share words of joy to one and all in love.