Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Run, Don’t Walk!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV).

As a child, I reminder being told to walk and not to run. Today, many of us use the expression, “I am going to run to the store.” In fact, we are going to get in our car and drive to the store and then walk in to shop. I see many more walkers than runners in my neighborhood. I prefer to walk than to run but sometimes in life we need to run. Running is great for exercise, but we should also “run” or move quickly for other reasons. Below are a few examples.
If God is asking you to do something, then move quickly to do it. The dishonest manager in Luke 16 is not a hero because of his dishonesty but because he looked ahead, made a wise plan, and acted
quickly. Rahab is not a hero because she is a prostitute but because she quickly hid the men sent by Joshua into Jericho after the king’s messengers knocked on her door and inquired about the spies (Joshua 2:3-4). Both of these people were flawed but were of great service to advancing God’s kingdom because they acted in faith and acted quickly.
Third, always be quick to keep your promises to God. “If you make a promise to God, keep your promise. Don’t be slow to do what you promised. God is not happy with fools. Give God what you promised to give him. It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5). Many of us are procrastinators, or we wait for the perfect time to do something. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.”
When you are faced with temptation, run. 2 Timothy 22 teaches, “Run from temptations that capture young people.” Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce a young, handsome Joseph, but he resisted. Genesis 39:12 tells us, “… he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.”
You should move quickly to accept God’s salvation. God has offered you salvation, and today is the day to accept it. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Right now God is ready to welcome you. Today he is ready to save you.” How do you accept salvation? You turn away from yourself and toward God. You trust Christ to come into your life, forgive your sins, and make you who He wants you to be.
If you see an opportunity to do something good for someone else, do it immediately. God will put people in your life with needs. Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for always welcoming us as we run to you. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
Make Today Count
Make Today Count “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV). Time is a precious commodity. It is a gift from God, and we should be good stewards of our time as with any other gift. Certainly, the devil is interested in misuse of your time. If he can cheat you of your time, he can cheat you of your heavenly treasure. Perhaps the last thing that he is loath to let go is time. His game is to cheat you of today and... -
Embrace Childlike Faith and Humility, Not Immaturity
Embrace Childlike Faith and Humility, Not Immaturity Be Childlike, Not Immature: Embracing Childlike Faith and Humility “At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25 NIV). One of the most cherished Scriptures in the Bible is, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). Jesus clearly demonstrated a deep love for children. He wants us to embrace childlike faith and humility because children... -
Who Are You?
Who Are You? “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 (NIV).Years ago, I did a Bible study based on the 307 questions in the Bible that Jesus asked. Each one offers us the opportunity for self-reflection and growth. I think these questions are particularly profound because they give us a greater insight into Jesus and ourselves. As I think about all of the questions asked by Jesus, my mind is drawn to Matthew 16:13-17. “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,...