Month: October 2014

The Goal

Are you competitive?

The answer is almost always yes…even if it’s not obvious right away.

Many people say they’re not…that they’re somehow (Ahem) ‘above’ that…but put them in a spot where they are near the top, want to do well, to prove themselves, and you’ll see it come out.

That’s not all bad, in fact it can be very good!

The questions is, what are you competing for?

A ribbon? A trophy? A name on a plaque?

Think of the Best Trophys in sports (personally, I think the best is Lord Stanley’s Cup which goes to the NHL Champion).

NHL_Stanley_Cup

Teammates literally get their names engraved on that one–pretty amazing!

Yet, good as it is, that one (like all the others) will be old/outdated/neglected some day. One day, it’ll ‘melt away’–along with all other material things on this earth.

Then what’ll it be worth?

Rather than ‘competing’ with others for stuff which doesn’t last, let’s ‘compete’ with ourselves to be BOLD as we serve the Lord.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (1 Corinthians 9:24)

…but he was speaking of things that really matter–eternal things like the desire to Boldly serve and please God!

He continued…

“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. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)

He tried to live that out, and to Boldly follow the Lord, living as an example to Timothy, his protege, and others. At the end of his life, he wrote:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

What are YOU competing for?

I think that, as Believers in Jesus Christ, we need to spend less time focusing on the ‘competitions’ of this world, and more time focusing on ‘competing’ within ourselves to increasingly glorify God with all our lives!

Run the race, and do it to win!

Just make sure you’re running after the RIGHT prize!

 

 

Two Places at Once!

I’ve discovered something new!

You can be two places at once!

I have figured out a way that you can stay ‘where you’re at’ currently, and move forward at the same time!

It doesn’t matter what the laws of physics say.

It doesn’t matter what experience says.

It doesn’t even matter what the Word of God says!

I don’t even care what others say!

I’ve figured out a way to stay where I’m at–predictable, comfortable, and controllable Christianity–and move forward into greater understanding, greater experiences and greater Christ-likeness simultaneously!

 

No, wait…let’s think this through.

Physics says “Objects at rest tend to stay at rest; objects in motion tend to stay in motion.”

My experience says that if I want to ‘move forward’, I cannot simultaneously stay in the same spot that I’ve been in before.

The Word of God says

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.” (Hebrews 6:1-3), and

“Therefore…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.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

So…that seems pretty convincing!

It seems as though Physics, Life, and the Word of God make it pretty clear: I CANNOT stay where I am and move forward simultaneously!

Perhaps I was wrong–I have NOT figured out a new way.

Nevermind!