Hebrews 12:1 | Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

• What ‘race’ has God set before you? What does your race, or God’s plan for you, include? 

• What are some weights that slow us down as we follow God and ‘run our race?’

• What do you personally need to “throw off” (Heb. 12:1) or “forget” (yesterday’s reading- Phil. 3:13) so that you can stay focused on God’s plan/race for you? 

• How will you actually throw off or forget these things? 

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Philippians 3:12-14 | I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

• What ‘race’ is Philippians 3 referring to? What is part of your race, or what has God called you to? 

• What roadblocks do followers of God encounter as they run their race? What advice does Philippians 3 give to them? 

• What does “pressing on” look like when roadblocks arise? 

• Why is “pressing on” and not giving up on God’s plan worth it? How do you know?

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Galatians 6:9 | So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

• What good things has God instructed you to do? 

• Have you ever gotten tired in your ‘well-doing’ or trying to follow God’s plan for you? When? Why? 

• What promise does Galatians 6:9 make for those who don’t give up on God’s plan? 

• Have you ever seen this promise at work in your life? What ‘harvest of blessing’ have you received when you’ve seen God’s instructions through to completion, even when it was hard? [Think about times you’ve shared the Gospel with someone, invited people to church, shared your testimony or lived it out boldly in the face of persecution, served when uncomfortable or unsure, etc.]

• What can you do when you feel like giving up so that you can stay strong and keep going instead? Who can help?

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Philippians 1:6 | And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

• What instructions has God given you or what work do you feel He is doing in and through you? 

• Philippians 1:6 tells us that seeing God’s plan to completion is the responsibility of who? Why is this? 

• When you try to follow God’s plans, but hit a roadblock like Moses did, how can remembering Philippians 1:6 help? 

• In what areas of your life could the promise of Philippians 1:6 be encouraging to you right now? How?

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Well, it took some convincing (even more than a talking bush that was on fire without burning up!), but Moses does finally obey God! 

Moses and Aaron begin by sharing God’s plan with the elders of Israel, just like God had commanded (Exodus 3:16, Exodus 4:29) (of course, Aaron does the talking!). Moses shows the elders the miraculous signs God gave him and they recognize that it is the One True God - the I Am, who has crafted this plan. All the people are excited that God has heard their cries and they worship Him (Exodus 4:31). 

Now, the hard work begins. 

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Jeremiah 1:4-10 | The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”

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Esther 3:5-13 & 4:1-17 | When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes. So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”

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1st Samuel 17:20-26 & 32-50 | So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel. As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

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