In 1968, John Stevens, Quarry was running a race for his country, Tanzania in the Olympics. And we've all seen it before on the television, where, you know, there's a bit of a tussle, there's a bit of a climb. Well, that's what happened to John. Stephen acquiree, he bashed into another racer, and he fell to the ground. He crushed his shoulder.
He dislocated his knee, and you can picture him covered in dust blood and Sand. The medical staff at the side began to call to John saying come on come out of the race. A we need to give you Medical Care. But John stood up and dusted himself down and carried on
running. Well in fact actually I tell a lie didn't run him all sorts of limped all the way to the Finishing Line. When he eventually got there the stadium was practically bear, they'd been there to see the champions of the day that the mo Farah's of the day. But there was one stray interviewer and he called John over and he said, John may I ask you why didn't you just quit? Why didn't you just give up? You had no hope of winning the race. Why did you carry on running?
This is what John Stephen. Reset my country did not send me. 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me. 5,000 miles to finish the race and my dear precious believer. God did not save you to start the race. He saved you so that you might finish the race. And I believe there's someone watching this today, who needs to hear these three words? Don't give up. Proverbs 24. Verse 16 says this for a righteous man, may fall.
Seven times and rise again, I believe you're watching this right now because you fallen over and you think I don't have the strength to get up or can I just say this? You're stronger than you think not because you yourself are stronger because, you know, the King of Kings and the Lord of lords line, defeated is what the devil wants you to do.
But, you know, that you're better than that, you know, the Lord Jesus Christ and he has conquered the grave so he can conquer any trial, which is in your life and he can guide you through the pain and trouble. You're going through right now. If you writing down notes today, write this down to replay a sorrow is to increase it. Let me let you into a secret
when I was at school. There was something which used to totally gross me out when the boys and girls would go out and play on the playground sometimes, they'd fall over and they graze their knee and then their knee would start to scab over the wound would go. All hard and crusty to know what the boys and girls used to do. They used to pick at that wound now? Why is that a bad thing to do? Because if you keep picking at that wound, it's Ever going to
heal. It's never going to get better and likewise my dear friends if you keep replaying that sorrow that trouble you keep thinking about it over and over again. It's never going to heal. It's never going to get better. So what should we do instead? I don't know if you've ever heard of this him but it goes like this. Count your blessings. Name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. And you know what guys? That's what I do every single
day. Every morning I wake up and I thank God that I've got a wife that I've got a On that. I've got a Ministry that is given me Health today. That I'm able to walk, am able to see. And that more importantly, my name is written in heaven. Have you ever been in a room before? When a really, joyful positive person enters into the room and suddenly the atmosphere Rises and everyone feels happier
because that person's entered. Have you done that before and likewise have you been in a room before when a negative person enters the room and this big black cloud of negativity follows them into that room. What happens? The atmosphere starts to drop who should the Christian be Be the first or the second. I think we should be the first, but I do Wonder now if there's someone watching this and you've actually got tears in your eyes and you're saying, I can't even
smile anymore. Joe let alone lift any positive atmosphere will see you my dear friend. I want to say this. Even in the darkest of nights morning, always calms. And you might be in the darkest point of your life. And you've no Blackness before. But this is something different. This is something altogether Dreadful, I just want to tell you Daylight is on its way, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
And if you fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, whether you suffer every single day for the rest of your life, there is a hope beyond the grave which Christ in his glories promises to us in heaven. Some of you you've traveled the world and you Sim beautiful Starlit. Skies yusin, beautiful Caribbean beaches you've seen mountains, you've seen Hills, you've seen a beautiful world.
But I tell you, when you get to heaven and you fix your eyes on the beauty of God, Wow, your breath will be taken away that day. And if there's someone watching this today, and you have not yet bowed the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. You have not yet, come to the one who forgives Sinners, who died on the cross, so, that you. And I might have a righteousness, which is not our
own I plead with you today. Come to Jesus, find eternal life, find the strength, which can keep you going through this life and can give you another life beyond the grave. I'll be honest with you guys in the last few months. The Lord God has really put a Desire in my heart to encourage Christians. So, I've made a bunch of videos that I hope will encourage you to click there if you'd like to watch some. And if you haven't yet subscribed, please do so by clicking here.