Welcome!
Today: Run in such a way as to get the prize
Passage: 2 Tim 2
3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Tim 2, NIV) – emphasis added
A good athlete is about winning the race, not somehow completing the race
An athlete has a goal. Do we have a “goal” in our spiritual life?
Are we running because someone pushed us on to the track?
See what Paul says in the following scripture.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Cor 9, NIV-emphasis added)
We see lot of believers (and even leaders) running, not knowing where they are going. They all have “heaven” in mind, but many are walking and some even standing, on the track. That is dangerous! We are blocking and even causing accident to others! If you can’t keep running, get out of the track.
When you run, run according to the rules. You need to keep your lane/track. If you run the best and don’t stay on the track assigned to you, you don’t get the prize-no matter what. We need to keep God’s rules, not ours, if we must win
When people say “good job” or “hurray”, God might say “I don’t know you”!
We may feel we did a “good job”, but that doesn’t mean anything!
There are things an athlete need to say “no” to. If a certain “food” or “website” or some other habit is your weekness, just quit it, if you want to win!
There are also many “spiritual steroids/quick fixes” available today!
Some churches promise them. They say, just come here, we “fix” you!
Studying the word and prayer are involve hard work/labor. No “quick-fixes”
Feed on the word of God well, drink from the Spirit of God and breath the fresh air of prayer; exercise faith and love daily. You will do good in the race
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
God bless your running!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I have been doing a “good job” in my own eyes and in the eyes of certain people, but I now ask you, “how am I doing?”.
Help me to change and fix those I need to, and run in a way that pleases you. Amen
“If our running does not please God, we are running in vain”
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