OUTLINE:

Grace & Love
Love is the pure motivation that causes true unselfish kindness (grace) to be freely cast towards another. There we see love in action (grace).

It’s only grace when it’s from a root of love.

Grace
The Cross is THE greatest example of grace we’ve got, including the Person who hung on it, whom the Bible describes as “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

Grace Never Fails
This is absolutely true, no matter what man concludes to the contrary. If you don’t see the “good” in something, it is YOUR limitation, not God’s failure. Even discipline is grace. Doubt is not from God.

John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name

2 Cor 12:9a
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

You Can’t “Catch” the Wind
How often do we find ourselves “striving after wind” (Ecc)? Yet, even knowing the impossibility of “catching” it, man chooses the path of futility over God’s righteous way. Why? Arrogance!

Pr 10:23 [Amplified Classic]
It is as sport to a [self-confident] fool to do wickedness, but to have skillful and godly Wisdom is pleasure and relaxation to a man of understanding.

Pr 10:23 [Message]
An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

Good Sport
If we’re going to make sport of anything, let it be to live by faith.

Pastor Collins
It's not about winning, but it's about running TO win.

"In Such A Way"
The way to run the race includes: "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" (Col 3:23), and "Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Cor 16:14)

Job 1:21
He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Living Out God's Grace
There is no doubting or questioning; this is the purpose we were born for, and born again for.

“disqualification”
We must “touch all the bases” before we touch “home plate”, lest we be disqualified from the competition. This disqualification may refer to multiple things, including, but not limited to, eternal rewards.

Good Sport
If we’re going to make sport of anything, let it be to live by faith.

Heb 12:1
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Balance Statement
Only Jesus Christ has ever run the “bases” perfectly. We may find ourselves caught in a “pickle”, but by grace through faith, we shall advance. Don’t forget to show even yourself appropriate grace. (ref: Php 3:12-16)

Satan’s Strategy
It’s not that Satan doesn’t want you to run a race - he just wants you to run towards a different finish line than the one the Lord has set before you (ref. Php 3:12-16).

Love Keeps Soldiers Soldiering
Love is the great motivator; and, “Love never fails” (1Co 13:8a).

How can we not forgive others for lesser sins than we committed against God??? Mat 18:21-35

We Can Love
We have the power to love because He first loved us, completely and unequivocally, including total and complete forgiveness of ALL our sins.

We haven’t been designed to quit.

Rejoice! We Don't Have Options!
We've been made new, and perfect in Christ, and because of that we WILL prevail!

Life In the Devil’s World
A change of circumstances doesn’t solve your problems. Your contentment is not a function of your circumstances. A new “place” guarantees new “problems”.

Sanctified Where You Are
God doesn’t make mistakes. You are where you need to be, right now. Rather than praying for deliverance from your circumstances, pray for deliverance WITHIN your circumstances!

Job’s Friends “Good Intentions”
We learn from Job’s circumstances that even well-intentioned loved ones can be stumbling blocks to us. We mustn’t ever lose sight of who our Redeemer is, who our Deliverer is, who our Lord is! Faith places our trust in Him alone.

The key issue in the spiritual realm, from Satan's perspective, is the "by grace through faith" issue.

Lies!!!
Lies are everywhere in this world, and come at us from all directions. It's like they're constantly hanging in the air for us to breathe in, or not.

A Web of Lies
Think of our 3 enemies in this life: the world, the flesh, and the devil... lies from without, lies from within, and liars called evil spirits whispering in our ears.

Doubts are not from God, so who are they from???