MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY
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.
Hebrews 12:1

The match strikes and the theme begins. You know the theme, even if you never watched the T.V. show. Mission: Impossible. I was too young to see every episode, but I saw the movies. I loved how the plot twisted just as I thought I had it figured out. I enjoyed the character changes, trickery, and the death defying missions of Tom Cruise's character Ethan Hunt. But as much as I may want to accept his missions, I have my own mission that I must choose to accept. I have been charged to accept
MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY.
The Hebrews 12:1 passage is right on the heels of the great faith chapter of Hebrews 11 where we are given a glimpse of the great one in the Bible who acted on a faith in Christ. We're given the names of Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and David to name a few. And we're told of the crossing of the Red Sea, the victory over Jericho, the persecution of the prophets and saints. But Hebrews 11 leaves us with these words in verse 40, "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would [those before us] be made perfect. Did you catch that? There is something better for all the saints, but we must stand on the shoulders of those before us. We do have a gathering of believers who have gone before us, lived their lives and performed their deeds, and have passed the torch on to us. That vast gathering includes saints of old, like Moses, David, Daniel, Stephen, Paul, and other well known names in the Bible. But it also includes people like Polycarp, Tertullian, John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon and those who continued to spread Christianity and shape it as we know it today.
And we are challenged to be the next witnesses in this grand gathering. As such, the instruction for us is laid out in this passage. "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles..." We are called to run straightaway, to run without hesitation or delay. As it would be a challenge for a runner to win a race carrying a bag of rocks against others who weren't, so it is a challenge for us to run our race with sin tripping us up and weighing us down. Can we expect to take the torch and run with our sin, and still cover the ground needed to reach our goal in this race we are on? Are not those after us waiting for us at our mark to receive the torch from us?
The challenge is to run with perseverance. Perseverance defined means to persist in a state, enterprise, opposition, or discouragement. We will not reach our goal if we do not persist. We will not leave the spiritual legacy to those who follow us if we are entangled in the sin that prevents us from our goal. It is our mission to run without hesitation. So, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to run straightaway. Do you accept
MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY?

NOT ONE FORGOTTEN
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:42-43

Tomorrow I will wake up to my children laughing with excitement that the Easter Bunny has come. There will be Easter eggs, chocolate, egg searches, and holiday classics on TV, like the Ten Commandments. Church attendance will be up, stores will be closed, and hyper kids will rule the day.
So what is the true meaning of Easter? I am sad to say that I asked my children this just days ago and my oldest (almost 7), told me he was not sure. I was sad to hear this answer after his years in Sunday school, as well as his mother and I taking time to tell our kids about the great moments of Christ. His response was that he knew about the bunny and the eggs he would get, but thought that Jesus did something of importance, but could not tell you what. As we continued to talk I was proactive to tell him the details in hopes that it would make sense and be remembered.
As I was telling my son of the Easter meaning, I began to remember this one portion of scripture. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost. His time spent of earth was a time of winning hearts through His teachings, miracles, and character. He told us to ‘be holy as [He] was holy.’ He called His believers His sheep and said they would know His voice and obey. He constantly reached out to the broken and wounded, and energized their hearts with His words and touch. He truly accomplished His mission of seeking and saving.
And here, in Luke 23, we see in Jesus’ most humiliating moment that He was still reaching out. As the thief on the cross next to Jesus called out to be remembered, Jesus simply told him that he would be with Jesus in paradise. The thief knew that he was guilty for his actions and knew that he needed salvation. Jesus knew it too and He provided the way. The good news, however, is that Jesus still saves. His death on the cross was for us, just as it was for that thief. His sacrifice on the cross became our ability to live in eternity with Him.
But we do not get in by our good behavior, or on the coat tails of our parents, or even by the fact that we donate funds to charity yearly. Romans 10:9-10 makes it clear that there is a narrow path that we must walk. “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” We must ask God into our lives for true salvation. God has not forgotten you but waits for your heart to be willing given to Him. The challenge is to contemplate your salvation. Are you saved? Christ died and rose again for you. Maybe you are one who stumbled on this site by accident. The good news is that God loves you and paved a way for you to come into a relationship with Him. You, just like the thief, will not be forgotten by the simple prayer of, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” And to the one who has walked for so long with Christ, you are not forgotten either. God told the people of Israel that He would never leave them nor forsake them. So here we are, years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and He is still working to accomplish the same task in our lives…seeking and saving us when we are lost. No one is forgotten.

MORE MUSTARD PLEASE
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:20

Last month was a trying time for me, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I started up my car and was ready to hit the road and go to work. I was ready, but my car wasn't. Overnight my power steering went out. And not just the hose and power steering fluid, but the rack and pinion. I was able to get to work with the help of a friend, and was able to borrow a car for a few days while my was being looked at, but when I got the call from the mechanic concerning the price, my faith was challenged. It was going to cost so much more than I had that even the mechanic advised it would be better to purchase a new car.
So I hit the floor, balancing between panic and faith. At times, though, it was more panic than faith. I had to make myself be strong and believe that God had my needs in mind. I had to believe God's word, that He would be my Jehova Jirah, my provider. Within three days of hearing the news I received a call that someone I didn't know had heard about my need and was prepared to help me purchase a used car. And this car came with lower miles, better gas mileage, and other features that were either better or newer than the car I was losing. I knew I was being blessed.
But here's what I stumble. I don't consider myself to be a giant of faith. I have seen God move in my life and those times have been stepping stones for me. For instance, like when I broke my femur in that 'just right' spot and was told by the doctor I would not walk again without surgery, and God healed me completely and I walk just fine. Or when I sold my house in six days when the market wasn't at it's best. I have seen God use me to pray for others and they get healed, and that too builds my faith. But I am no giant. I still question if God can at times...not so much will He...but can He?
Recently I was talking with my girlfriend about all the things we are wanting to see God do, and I found myself referencing this verse to her about having a mustard seed of faith. And then it hit me, I didn't have a lot of faith that God would work out a car for me. I expected to go deep into debt with a loan of some sort. I had about a mustard's seed worth of faith, and even that I had to 'muster' up. But that is what God says is enough for Him to work with. If we have a mustard's seed worth, then we have enough to move mountains, have bills paid, experience healing, and even see miracles. If NOTHING is impossible with just a mustard seed, then the limits are limitless.
So what are you believing God for? Do you believe it will come to pass and that God has your best in mind? Take it from someone who has recently experienced this for himself. All it takes, all we are required to have, all we need is a mustard seed of faith. Come on, I know you can muster that up.