Midweek Encouragement - "Be a Runner!”

"Be a Runner!”

 ^{“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace,  who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!””}

^{Isaiah 52:7, NIV}

         ^{Everyone says, “Be careful where you plant peppermint.” There’s a good reason for that warning. Peppermint spreads and spreads and spreads. Plant it in one place and it’ll soon be in every place. I ought to know. When we moved into our house six years ago, we planted some peppermint in the flower garden on the east side of our house. While I love peppermint tea, I didn’t know I would have to love it THIS much!}

^{“Runners” are the reason peppermint spreads to quickly. As the plant grows, it produces roots that “run” away from the main plant and begin producing new plants. (So if you want some, let me know!)}

^{The empty tomb of Jesus made His disciples literally run with joy. When she saw the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene ran to tell Peter and John. Then they ran to the tomb: So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together. (John 20:3-4)}

^{Having witnessed the empty tomb, having seen the resurrected Jesus, all the disciples became full time-runners of the Gospel. Just like a runner root, our Savior’s followers began to share the Good News everywhere they went. That’s how the Gospel spread!}

^{The disciples ran with the message from Jerusalem and Judea, to Samaria and Syria, and from there to the ends of the earth. What began in one place soon ended up every place.}

^{Being rooted in Christ doesn’t mean remaining stagnant, staying stationary. Rather, God has made you to run with the message. He intends that you share the Good News of Jesus with others. Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He plants that same desire in the hearts of each person who’s rooted in Him.}

^{Does that mean you have to run as fast as you can to the nearest airport and fly around the world to share the Good News of Jesus? Does that mean you need to run to your car and drive across the country to spread the Gospel? Far from it!}

^{Someone really close to you . . . someone living next door, or working in the neighboring cubicle, or standing next to you at your child’s soccer game . . . someone like that needs to hear about the love and mercy of Jesus. You don’t need to run around the globe. Instead, start by running around the corner.}

^{And don’t be surprised when the love of God spreads and spreads. There are many people who desperately need to hear the Good News of Jesus and SEE the love of Jesus in action. What a privilege you have to be the one “who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news of happiness” (Isaiah 52:7)!}

^{Joining you in running to meet the needs of our neighbors and earning the privilege of sharing Jesus with them.}

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.