Running To Win

Heb 12:1-2 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily

ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy

that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has

sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I believe that over the course of the next several months and even weeks

that we are poised to see some of the most miraculous and incredible

events take place in the life of this ministry. I believe that what we

will be experiencing in Christ Jesus will be both revitalizing and

revolutionary in it's scope and impact.

Over the course of the next few weeks I will be preaching in both the

Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services. This is not because I enjoy

hearing myself speak- but because I believe that as the senior pastor of

this church and as the vision bearer of this ministry that God is

directing me to establish the heart and atmosphere regarding this work's

directives for the coming months.

So, I truly encourage you to make it a point to be hear on both Wednesday

and on Sunday alike, because it is imperative that your catch the vision

as to what the Lord Jesus would be having us to do here in Amarillo in

order to see our lives changes and souls saved into the Kingdom of God.

In 1945, right at the end of World War II, our nation was primed for

spiritual renewal. The war had brought the nation together around a common

cause that catapulted our country into the role as the world's economic

and military super power.

The events of World War II, even though they marked the deaths of

thousands of American young men- caused a battle cry to erupt in this

nation of "God and Country."

? People waved flags

? Patriotic songs filled the airwaves of radio stations

? Factories were converted to supply the needs of the war machine

? People made sacrifices as food and gasoline were rationed

The nation was set on fire by a cause that was bigger than any one

individual and demanded that people everywhere ban together, putting aside

their differences and uniting to defeat a common enemy.

This was a nation, that less than a century earlier had been shredded by

an eternal conflict called the civil war.

This civil war had pitted brother against brother and countryman against

countryman- bringing about more casualties than any wars fought before or

since.

But now, a nation was standing together in the face of the evil Empire of

Japan and the blood thirsty tyranny of a Hitler led Germany.

But this war did not start the day Japanese zeroes devastated the American

fleet at Pearl Harbor. The war had already been raging for years and

years. Germany had already advanced into much of Europe and Japan had been

busy conquering the south Pacific.

The slaughter of millions of Jews had already began.

The invasion of the Pacific rim had entered full swing.

But, on the morning of December 7, 1941 over 100 carrier based Japanese

aircraft conducted a devastating surprise attack on American soil at Pearl

Harbor, Hawaii that sank 19 U.S. ships, destroyed almost 200 airplanes and

claimed the lives of over 2,000 U.S. servicemen.

Within 24 hours, the United States of America declared war and officially

entered into what we now call World War II.

? Why did we wait until December 8, 1941 to enter the fray?

? Why had we not intervened as the German tanks rolled through Hungary?

? Why did we not see just cause as thousands of South Pacific islanders

where being slaughter by the Japanese?

Answer: Because it had not yet touched home!

History reveals that we had the power

History reveals that we had the weaponry

History reveals that we had the leadership

But history reveals that until, we had something to lose- we were willing

to let others lose all that they had without ever lifting a finger!

It's not our fight!

It's not our battle!

It's not or problem!

But once the conflict hit home, the fight was on.

I believe that the same thing is effectively happening here at Dayspring

and in our city.

I am sure that during the infancy of the war, that our military strategist

had many opinions on how the countries being attacked should have handled

the advancing armies.

I am sure:

? They saw the errors of the eastern European powers and the lack of

strategy on the part of Asian nations of the South Pacific.