Are you in it to win it? In
His Word 2-2-15
Are you really running the race?
Many
people begin a race with high hopes assured in their abilities to win the prize
but only one person, team, or organization will win it. Really we could ask
ourselves; “are we in it to win it?” or do defeat ourselves before we start?
Do you have what it takes to
complete the course or task God has given you to complete?
I am talking about job,
homework, housework, ministry work; whatever it is that you have on your plate
today to do as unto the Lord; are you in it to win it?
For
we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you
are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. Therefore I write these
things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to
the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for
destruction. 2Corinthians 13:8-10
A lot of people out on the world have a view of
Christians as people who live a ‘perfect life’ who look down on the so called unbelievers.
They do not know that when we are trying to make it to the end prize we trip,
drop the ball or slip up at times; even the best of Christians make mistakes,
look at Peter. Peter knew who Jesus really was, the Christ, the Son of God. The
man was so close to Jesus that he was ready to fight for him and yet, he denied
Jesus within hours of his capture. If anyone tripped on the way to the finish
line it was him.
The thing that makes a prize winner is the one
who gets back up and runs again!
I do everything to spread the Good News
and share in its blessings. Don’t you
realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So
run to win! All athletes
are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade
away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corintians 9:23-25
The
difference between a Christian who trips and gets back up and one who trips and
falls for good is discipline in training. We train to run the race. We go out
daily doing strengthening, stretches, and endurance runs; then when we run the
race we will be strong and limber enough to finish the race.
We can run
all over if we want but unless we train we well and consistently we will be
weak and frail in the end.
A runner I
know loves running, he runs at the drop of a hat then pays for it later.
Is your
Christian walk like this runner?
Do you hear
of a trend in churches and follow it ‘willie-nillie’; or do you check it out and
see if it stands up to the Bible? The Bible tells us there will be all kinds of
doctrines and false teachings in these days we live in; to know the truth you
have to know the Truth.
Jesus is the
way the truth and the life, we know Him, then we will be able to discern between
what is worth listening to and or copying or what is only for personal benefit not
that of the furtherance of the Gospel.
If we are
following a person or belief that tells us that sin is okay we are not throwing
off the things that bind us.
If we think
we need to appear to the world to be ‘just as good as them’; we are not waking
in Truth. We are not running the right
race, the full race or maybe even have begun the race if we do not follow the
Word of God and what our Lord directs us to do.
Therefore we also, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run
with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for
the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him
who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary
and discouraged in your souls. Hebrews 12:1-3
How can we know if we are following the
correct path to the race we are running?
Tracks have lines to keep people in the
lanes. Ask yourself what are the boundaries of my life lane?
If you answered the Bible and prayer then
you answered correctly!
Ephesians 6
tells u to be prepared with the armor; this is like the equipment we need to
run with. Cleats, shorts, shirt, etc. do you get the idea? How can we pick up the sword of the Spirit if
we have not first read the Bible? How can we read the Bible if we do not give
ourselves time in which to do so?
You see, just
like everything else it all comes back to the preparation in the Word.
Let’s take
some time, no let’s make some time this week to plan our days in His Word. If you
have not yet practiced a sport you take baby steps to running. You do not jump right in. In reading the Bible it
sometimes helps to start with a short daily reading with explanations; like reading
a devotional or Bible study or Daily Bible readings can help you to get in the
habit of preparing your heart daily, in His Word.
This article
is great for a one or two day thing but we need to prep consistently so we need
to read consistently. That is one of the reasons I wrote the 365days In His Love devotional book;
getting in the habit of reading is not always as easy as it seems but when you
have a days schedule to read it seems to be that much easier to not let it slip
by.
SO whether
you have one of the above mentioned devotional style Bibles or not get started
with daily reads and begin prepping for your race! Be filled with the Gospel so
you can run with it!
Dear heavenly
Father, feed us, guide us, strengthen us, train us up in Your Word today that
we may run strong and healthy toward You, our prize! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Suggested Reading