Hebrews 12:1 ‘Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,

DAILY READING Acts 24:10-27; Judges 21; Psalm 46

On the morning of May 6, 2005 in Charlotte, North Carolina, families of the victims of the Air Midwest crash of January 8, 2003 gathered at the memorial crash site. They were there to witness the public apology by Air Midwest and its maintenance company, Vertex Aerospace. It was part of the legal settlement terms; those responsible for the crash would hold themselves accountable and publicly apologize to the victims’ families. However though the airline company rendered the due apology and made financial compensations, it still was not enough to make up for the loss of the 21 passengers and crew who perished due to avoidable mistakes.

Investigators had discovered that the crash was as a result of excess weight. Before the flight, the pilots had checked the take-off weight of the aircraft and determined it to be okay. But unknown to them, they had mistakenly used an incorrect passenger weight estimates in their calculations. So while they thought the plane’s weight was alright, the plane was actually overloaded and out of balance. When the plane took off, it had climbed steeply as a result of the excess weight. And though the pilots fought hard to control its movement, the plane did not respond, until its eventual crash. After the crash, the weight of baggage retrieved from the crash site and passengers, was found to be 580 pounds above the plane’s maximum allowable take-off weight.

Likewise, on the journey of life, excess weights can lead to a crash of destiny.

Hebrews 12:1 says ‘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.”

God has called us to be champions in the race of life. But, oftentimes certain weights try to hinder each person from running their best race. However, your destiny is too great, and your assignment too important for you to allow anything to hinder the race to your glorious future..

Competitive long-distance runners lay aside every hindrance and run with only what is absolutely necessary. Likewise, let us learn to drop everything that tries to hinder us from our pursuit of glory this year. Most especially we must be careful not to be pulled down by the weight of sin. Sin is indeed a sinker. It is a dead weight that can instantly lead to a crash of destiny.

In this end-times especially we must be very careful, because although we are in a season of glory for the church, it is also a season of the greatest temptations in the world. Isaiah 60, lets us know that the season of our rising and shining, is also the season of gross darkness in the world. This is why every child of God has to be very sober and vigilant, because the enemy is going about seeking whom he may devour.

To overcome sin, we must identify possible areas of weaknesses and deal with them in prayer. You cannot conquer what you will not confront. A besetting sin is like a persistent temptation, that keeps drawing you back each time you want to go forward.

Jesus said in Matthew 26:41: ” Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

To conquer temptations we must therefore keep our prayer altar fervent. Kneeling to pray is often the only thing that keeps men strong enough to stand.

The Word of God also strengthens us against temptations.

Psalm 119;11 says ‘Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.’

The more you hide The Word of God in your heart the more you receive power to overcome sin. Let us therefore receive grace for fresh commitment to fervent prayer and diligent study of God’s Word. Let us also always remain joyful and praiseful because the joy of The Lord will be our strength as we successfully run life’s race..

PRAYER: Lord please help me to focus on You as I run this race of destiny. Please deliver me from besetting sins, distractions and weights that try to hinder me on the way. Thank You Lord, for enabling me to finish my course with joy in Jesus Name.

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When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction.

WORDBITE 222.