Tried by fire/Receiving the prize

we did this to get here

this series had a purpose

and you must listen to all 4 to get the foundation or build the house

we talked first about trial and tribulations

we talked about endurance and how to over come the trials in life

we even talked a little bit about purpose

then we talked about character and integrity

we talked about the pieces and portion that equal out our character

that we should supplement our faith with certain qualities that need perfection

for instance

virtue with knowledge

knowledge with self control

self control with steadfastness

and so on and so on

then ewe talked about what it meant to be sealed and marked

how just like adoption, the holy spirit entered in and the father made you famly

spirit children

how this seal, this mark is your mark of authenticity

as well as we discussed what it means to be marked

and so i thought that it was just fitting being Christmas that we should tie it up and wrap it all up like a present with a tight little bow

and so today I want to discuss with you for a brief moment

how when these things are perfected and we press on how we receive the prize

phillipians and corinthians specifically talk about receiving the prize

And it is in 1st corinthians that paul compares our life to that of a runner

he says that our life with christ is that of an endurance race

that the purpose of the race is to endure until the end

that our life in christ is more of a long distance run, a marathon

while the majority of us consider it to be a sprint or simple 100 which take no endurance at all

and that is what we consider

that is how we see it

we are so in a hurry

we want things now

and when we dont get it right away we consider the fact that god is either mad or that he gave up on us

or that he just didn’t want to honor what we thought he had said

FIELD DAY

FIELD DAY

See i remember as a child that i we had something called field day

and it was during the field that that it was a day of immediate fun and gratification

the goal was to get a ribbon (and to get as many as we could)

all first place of course

no endurance was really needed

but with that ribbon was again immediate gratification

that intentionality of I WANT IT NOW

and that at all is not what life is like

our life with christ is a marathon

one that takes endurance and training

Rocky Movies

i love then

and specifically the training scenes

and we are all aware of when he runs up the stairs and celebrates

yet what we didnt see is the intense training that it took to get him there

and so is our life in christ

and yet all of this reminds me of when i use to box

intense training that I went through

to get a trophy

one thing about boxing though is that i trained to take a punch

my stomach muscles specifically

and i remember my coach bouncing that medicine ball on my stomach to build the muscles so that the next punch that i got didnt phase me

and that reminds me a lot about the words of 2 peter and the perfection that is needed to continue

the endurance that is needed daily

and that is why paul compares our life with christ to that of a man running a race

he says that only one person receives the prize at the end of the race

see the runner trains and trains in order to make it to the race

just to get there

in essence you can say that he perfects his skill

because he knows that all the sweat and tears he shed to get him to this point will pay off in the end

he understands that only one person will recieve a trophy at the end

and so paul encourages us that we run our race just the same

1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

and in order for ones training to be successful, the one training needs to express a few things in life

like self control

expressing patience and true endurance

expressing steadfastness and meekness

does any of this sound familiar?

1 Corinthians 9:26 ESV

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

that all this is done with purpose

not aimlessly

without purpose

1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

and yet people look at the word discipline as negatively as the four letter word

he says discipline your body

i am going to put this out here.

you must read the word of god

im sorry the words and truth of god are not going to just jump up into your mind

but you must train yourself to do so

and then you must train yourself in perfecting the things that perfect the soul and the body

consider yourself an athlete and discipline your body

consider yourself meek which is strength under control

matt 5:5 and zeph 2:3

do you see the comparison

all through the bible you see the father telling your how to live

how to endure

do you notice that he didnt just leave you to fend for yourself?

See the prize in which you are training for is unique

it requires endurance and training

it requires self control, discipline

where in 2 peter it shows us the endurance and perfection that must be reached

and we are to run with focus and purpose

which if you are running for your prize

training for your complete inheritance

than you have a goal

you have a purpose

and so you must discipline your body and your soul to follow the will and guidance of your perfected spirit

and in the end you will receive your prize

one that is imperishable and perfect