As I pen this pastors desk I’m a little disappointed in myself, and honestly a little depressed.  I had signed up to run the Mini-marathon in Indianapolis, but I will not be running.  Why?  Because I didn’t do the work required to race 13.1 miles.   I’m starting to think that my racing days might be over, even though I have tried to “restart” them.  All that being said, I’m still a runner, well, maybe jogger, but still moving forward.  I still love to run, and do - it is a way of life for me.  To call yourself a runner, or jogger you have to actually do it.  You don’t have to race to be a runner, but you do have to run, I know, mister obvious!   There is something much more important than my running, it is my faith.  Can I call myself a Christ follower and not be obedient to God’s word?  Can I call myself a Christian and not carry out my faith in my day to day living, as a way of life?  If I was brought before a judge and accused of being a Christian (Christ follower), would they have enough evidence to convict me?   Billy Graham said, “faith that saves has one distinguishing quality: saving faith is a faith that produces obedience; it is a faith that brings about a way of life.”  The bible says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2: 26) or put another way James says, “show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that there is one God. You do well.  Even the demons believe - and tremble!” (cf. 2:18)   The bible is very clear we are not saved by works but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ only - works do not produce salvation, salvation produces works.

My age has slowed down my running, but I still have goals, I’m still moving forward.  Even in our faith, our age will slow us down a bit, but we still move forward because we are people of faith - we are Christ followers to the end!  So put your shoes on and keep moving forward, being obedient to God’s word, obedience that brings about a way of life - “shoe leather faith!”

In His Service,

Pastor Rod