Trying is Winning

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Talk about board games.
Talk about board games.
Playing with people that don’t want to try to win or don’t care
Working with people who have lost their soul for work
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NKJV
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
So many people aren’t even trying.
Lottery ticket joke “Buy a ticket”

Trying is Winning

How can I say that? Because of God’s standard:
Matthew 5:48 NIV
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Mat
Ok Be Perfect… Got it!
God didn’t give us that standard thinking we could get there he gave it to us so that we would always have something to try for.
Dogs - conditioning Pavlov - bell - BF Skinner - Intermittent reinforcement

Keys to Winning (Trying)

Be Committed

This means putting forth your best effort to please God in every area of your life. In other words try to make everything you do, think or say as pleasing to Him as possible.
This means putting God and his kingdom first.
Acts 20:24 NKJV
24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
See also
See also
Philippians 3:7–8 NKJV
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Don’t Give Up

Philippians 3:14 NKJV
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Perseverance
See also
Philippians 2:16 NKJV
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
; ; ;
Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
1 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,
See also ; ; ;
; ;
Revelation 2:10 NKJV
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
;
Revelation 3:11 NKJV
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
If you give up, it’s impossible to win.
“A winner is someone who gets up one more time than he is knocked down.”
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison

Follow the rules

Keeping God’s rules

2 Timothy 2:5 NKJV
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
Rosie Ruiz won the 1980 Boston Marathon, but was stripped of the title after it was discovered she left the race, took the subway, then got back in the race miles later. The time was immediately put into question after it was discovered it was 20 minutes faster than her previous personal record. Ruiz denies cheating to this day.
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times, but ultimately was stripped of his titles after it was discovered in 2012 that Armstrong was doping the whole time. While Armstrong never failed a drug test during his career, it was discovered that Armstrong was part of a cover-up. Armstrong also lost sponsorships from Nike and Anheuser-Busch.

Self-discipline

Self-discipline
1 Corinthians 9:25–27 NKJV
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Talk about my diet - putting things in to the app. I had to decide to do it.

A couple of things that keep you from trying (winning)

Hindrances to winning the prize

Sin

Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
1 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,
Sin - the battle is trying
focus on the do’s
Pray - First thing thing in the morning
Giving
Giving
Following false teaching See also ;

Deception

Galatians 5:7 NKJV
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
See also ;
See also
Galatians 2:2 NKJV
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
;
;
Colossians 2:18 NKJV
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Bible
Church - Fellowship
Church - Fellowship
Giving
Galatians 5:16 NKJV
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Gals 5:16
BONUS: God can bless you. Health, a Good Job, Godly kids. But you have to be trying - really trying.
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