Determined

During the month of January we have been talking about the word "determination" with our elementary students on Sunday morning. We started with Moses, Joshua and Caleb. The last few weeks we have been talking about the determination Paul had throughout his ministry. With each lesson, with each person we have studied there has been one common theme. No matter who we are each of us have hurdles in our lives.
The verse that we have used to tie everything together is Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us". Each of our lives are a race in which we are trying to reach our end goal, that goal being eternal life. In order for us to get there we have to be able to handle whatever hurdles show up in our paths.
This idea of determination is something that not just kids, but each person needs to clothe ourselves with determination. What are you going to be determined to do today, this week, this month and this year? How are you going to handle the hurdles in your life when they show up. If nothing else each of us should be determined to make 2011 a year in which we remove our wants and needs in life and strive to live every minute of every day for the ONE who made it possible for us to make it over and past our hurdles.