BIBLETALK

What If Jesus Had Never Come?
by Don Hooton

I cannot imagine trying to make it through life without having “the good shepherd” (John 10:11), who is the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5) and the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16) in my corner. But what if – What if Jesus had never even come into this world “to give his life a ransom” (Mark 10:45)?

A life without true meaning. Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Paul said we “can do all things” through Him (Philippians 4:13). The whole of man is to fear the Lord and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). An abundant, can-do, wholeness is what Jesus brings to those who seek it.

A life without a totally reliable model to imitate. Role Models are all around us – many of them worthy of imitation because they demonstrate selflessness, commitment, and respect. Yet no human in this life is a good example in every way all of the time. We have all made mistakes. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23). But not Jesus. He “did no sin,” and that is why He alone is worthy of complete imitation (1Peter 2:21-22).

A life without direction. Where am I going in my life? Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). When lights breaks the dawn of a new day, we should be reminded of the vision of this truth that indeed Jesus lights the way in life to the eternal goal.

Life without salvation. The wages of sin is death and will separate a person from God (Romans 6:23; Isaiah 59:1-2). Thank God that He loved us so much that He sent Jesus “into the world to save sinners” (1Timothy 1:15; Ephesians 1:7). Because Jesus is the only Savior –  the only “name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) – we are, without Him, still lost and still drowning in the guilt of our sins.

A life without hope. Misery is what fills the heart that is void of hope. Jesus is the hope of the world (1 Timothy 1:1). Through Jesus we can live “in hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2). So what fill the empty heart with anything that will can only satisfy for the moment when you can fill your heart with the hope which will never be taken away (Romans 5:1-6).

The choice is ours; we can either live life with Him or without Him. So, choose wisely because our eternal destiny is in the balance – and our present joy too. To live with Him, of course, means to live according to His will.

So live your life because He has come – because indeed, He is coming again (John 14:1-3).

“I’m a Christian,” or “He was a Christian,” or “He is going to Heaven”. People make statements or ones similar to these all the time. Well-meaning people do. Grieving people do. And some dishonest people do. Of course, I could say, “I wear a 30” waist and weigh 135 pounds” and everyone who knows me would say, “In your dreams!” And then, they should say, “Let’s pull out the scale and the measuring tape and see!” Then, I’d run.

Well, with God, there is a scale and measuring tape. It’s His word. This isn’t your word against mine. Your opinion against mine. It’s just the simple truth that God calls His disciples His and by His calling, they are Christians. How we really know that we are, or they are, Christians headed to heaven is really simple: God says how. This is how we know that I am, you are and they were – a Christian.

How we know is that they keep the Lord’s commandments. John says, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1John 2:3-6). A Christian is someone who keeps God’s commandments and live their life to keep His commandments.

Notice, John does not say there is just one commandment like, love your neighbor, get baptized, or go to church. He says, “We keep His commandments” which is more than one. Certainly, we should aim to keep all of them if we are supposed to keep several of them because he goes on to say that disciples will “keep His word” (2:5). Then he adds, we are supposed “to walk as Jesus walked” (2:6). This means that occasional faithfulness, infrequent obedience and sporadic walking is not really what a “Christian” is. That’s not my opinion. That is the inspired testimony of Scripture.

Lest we sway the swing too far and say, “you want me to be perfect” – you are wrong. Perfect faith saves us (James 2:24) by grace. But faith works the works God commands in us – that we may keep the commandments (1John 2:3); that we may keep His word (2:5); and that we may walk as He walked (2:6). One divine criteria to help us KNOW who GOD SAYS is a Christian is that we keep His commandments.

How we know is that they have been born again. Again the Apostle John writes, “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1:29). How we know someone is a Christian is that they have been born of God – or said a different way – has been born again. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” And went on to say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:4-5). Jesus said you and I cannot see or cannot enter the Kingdom unless we have been born again. This birth “of water and Spirit” parallels with what Paul told the Ephesian Christians had already happened to them “by the washing of water with the word” (Eph 5:26). And to Titus, Paul said that same salvation came by “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). So, in the words of Jesus, “unless we are born of water and the Spirit”, how can we say that we – or any other person – are Christians bound to heaven?

How we know is that they love. Again in 1 John (5:2-4), he writes, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” Further, how we know we are His is if we love His children. Of course, John says that we love His children when we love God and obey His commandments. Therefore, our love is measured and verified because we keep His commands.

And, how we know is that they will be found walking in His commandments.  One last point from the Apostle (2John 1-4) where he writes to the “elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth… I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.” Earlier, John said we would walk as Jesus walked. Here, John says that what quantifies and qualifies our identity as saved believers is that we will be found to be walking in the truth – as we follow the received commandment from the Father. It isn’t about what we feel in us. It isn’t what we say we are doing. It is about what the Father finds in us – and those around us – that should match what He says His children should be doing.

So can you know?  YOU CAN.  You know God loves you (John 3:16)! You know His grace is offered toin Christ to make you whole again (Ephesians 2:1-10)! So, have you been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins? Are you walking as Jesus walked? Are you living your every day to keep His word and follow His commandments? That’s how God knows. That’s how we know. And that’s how you know.

 

What families are matters to God. He instructed a wife to honor her husband and a husband to love his wife (Eph 5:22-28). He wants children to obey parents (6:1) and he wants parents to teach their children (Prov 3:1ff). But families, many broken in today’s world, need encouragement and strength to be more every day what God wants.

On he second Sunday of September our nation honors grandparents – who are equally a large part of the equation of what makes our culture strong and our children complete. While it happens for many reasons, grandparents were not intended to raise children but many do. There has been a 12.5 per cent increase in the number of grandparents taking on the parenting role and the figure stands at 2.7 million, according to census data. Yet even with that, some grandparents do not realize, or ignore, how vital they are. Perhaps, the problem is our cultures obsession with youth or perhaps it is our youth filled with disrespect and dishonor. In either case, as with all things, if we will just follow what God’s Word says, blessings will come.

Paul affirmed grandparents can teach the next generation to understand God’s truth: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2Tim 1:5). There is no mention of his father, except that he was a Gentile. Lois, Timothy’s grandmother, however, was a devout Jewish woman who had taught her daughter and grandson in the Old Testament Scriptures. Her faith is called sincere or unfeigned, that is, without hypocrisy or deceit. In other words, her faith was genuine. We need more grandparents like this who know the truth and share the truth and speak with wisdom in love (Eph 4:16).

In Proverbs 17:6, we are told, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. . .” And, notice especially the Psalmist’s words: “We have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands” (Psa 78:3-7).

This generational torch of a spiritual heritage is more than just passing just to our children – but to our grandchildren. It has been said that, “Youth is the time to get instruction, middle age is the time to use it, and old age is the time to pass it on.” Still, this torch is passed by more than word, it is passed by example, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life (Prov 16:31). The gray hair of wisdom and experience attained by righteous living illuminates the path for younger people.  Even in Titus 2:1-7, the older are to be teachers of the young. Even the Psalmist connected the future of the younger generation to their parent’s parent’s generation: “May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May you live to see your children’s children – peace be on Israel” (Psalm 128:5-6). So remember, grandchildren should be more than a charm on your bracelet or a picture in your pocket. They will be a glory when they walk in truth they see in you.

An investigation into the famed 18^th century revival preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) showed that, of the 1,394 known descendants of Jonathan Edwards, 100 became preachers and missionaries, 100 lawyers, 80 public officials, 75 army and navy officers, 65 college professors, 60 physicians, 60 prominent authors, 30 judges, 13 college presidents, 3 United States senators, and one a vice-president of the United States. Another man of that era, Max Jukes, a petty thief had 310 descendants who died as paupers, 150 criminals, 100 were drunkards, 7 were murderers, and more than half of the women were prostitutes.

Godly Grandparents can turn young people around.  Grandparents, Great grandparents, future grandparents, each of us will leave a legacy. The life we choose to live will have an impact on those who come behind us that is far greater than what we can imagine. We need to show our grandchildren how to live and lead a Godly life, show them how to love, show them how to forgive, show them how to give and most of how show them how to live forever with the God who created us.

by Don Hooton

Well, our May will start to calm down some. Two college graduations and then the marriage of our oldest to the wife of his youth has filled my family with joy, love – and sheer exhaustion. A good feeling. So as I sat there watching Josh marry Chandler, there was hardly a moment when my eyes were not ready to tear, when my mouth was not brimming with a happy smile and when my heart was not overflowing with a daddy’s love and hope for his son and future daughter-in-law. Marriage can be for two perfectly suited together as Josh and Chan but marriage can help suit us perfectly for what we should be. For in that moment’s view was the amazing reality that God is the one who transforms everything around us and in us if we will but learn from Him.

Let me start with this illustration[i]. There once was a stately prince and a peasant girl who fell in love. This prince had everything in the world at his control: power, dominion, wealth and his choice of many women. He was the perfect specimen of a man that ever lived – a catch. On the other hand there was this peasant girl – an average girl at best. Her crankiness and moodiness kept her from becoming more in her life and character. To look at her from anyone else’s eyes you would never believe she was worth much. But through the prince’s eyes, she was “to die for.” The prince did not want to live without her and asked her to be His bride. The prince promised his bride that He would come back for her soon, and the peasant turned princess pledged to faithfully await his return.

More amazing than that the Prince chose the peasant girl is how the peasant girl acted after his proposal. You’d expect her to bubble over about the upcoming wedding but instead, she rarely ever mentioned it. You’d expect her every waking moment to be spent in planning the big day but instead, she invested all her time and usefulness in the mundane realities of life. And you’d expect her to be faithful but instead, you could not tell her apart from any other peasant girl flirting with other courtiers.

I know you think this is a fairy tale, but it has happened. Can you imagine? What lowly peasant girl fortunate enough to be the object of a perfect prince’s eternal love would do such a thing? Would you not expect her to be captivated by His love and filled with wonder that she was fortunate enough to be loved by Him? That’s a good question, but only we can answer it. You see, the story of the prince and His peasant bride is not a fairy tale, or some medieval fable. It isn’t a story about anyone else at all, but rather a story about us, you and me, the church. We are the ones who are “The Bride of Christ” for Paul says in Ephesians 5:32 that “this mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (NASB). Jesus came to us as our perfect Prince and promised to be our Husband and then,  promised to return to us and take us to our home together forever.

The most powerful image of the relationship between God and humans is marriage. Even in the Old Testament, Isaiah 62:5, God speaks through the prophet, “…as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you” (NASB). In Hosea 2:19-20 God promises His people, “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion” (NIV). It isn’t a novel description – but it is a powerful one.

In a Jewish wedding, there was an initial engagement or betrothal. Often arranged by the family of a man and woman, the couple was considered husband and wife from betrothal even though they remained apart. Then at a future date, the groom would return to claim his bride. At that time there would be a wedding feast and a formal uniting of the couple, and they would live together and begin their life as a family. During the betrothal both groom and bride were supposed to remain faithful.

In the New Testament, Paul pleads for fidelity in the church at Corinth and says, “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ” (2Corinthians 11:2, NLT). In Revelation 19:6-9, John describes the return of Christ with pictures of the bridegroom coming to claim His betrothed: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready…” (NIV)

These powerful images remind me of the perfect view at a wedding. It is not the front row although I loved being that close. It isn’t in the middle to see the expanse of the wedding party. It is seeing what God has done in this masterful thing called marriage – a life altering and soul enhancing relationship to connect each spouse to the knowledge of God’s relationship with us with just how deeply He loves us, and how intimately He wants to relate to us. This is no “one night stand” that God calls us to, but a “lifetime” of covenant life in growing closer to Him.

Then, when you return to the story I began with – the church as the peasant bride and Christ as the perfect Prince – we come to some key points that secure this view to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Christ chose us. In Jewish culture where the bride is chosen for you, you would hope she would be pretty, kind and honest – and in my personal case – a good cook. It certainly can be said that the Father chose Christ for us. But that means that the Father chose a cast of motley humanity full of sinners, liars, and cheaters and said to His Son, they are yours. Imagine if your dad brought a bride like that to you, what would you do?  And then the story gets better, the Perfect Prince still chose the peasant bride. He chose us while we were sinners. He loved us what we were unfaithful.  He came to us though our garments were soiled and our faces ruined from the sin of our lives and He said, “will you marry me?”

Christ loves us. Christ has fallen “head over heels” in love. Only love would lead one to be crucified his His bride: nails driven in His wrists and feet and a crown of thorns wedged into His head. Only love would do that. And the peasant bride, still unworthy of such a love, is easily likened to Isaiah’s description of sinners as those in whom “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (64:6, NASB). If it depended on us, there would be no wedding. But Jesus couldn’t bear to spend eternity without us. So with His blood he clothed us for our wedding. Isaiah 61:10 says, “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (NLT).

Christ is coming back. Now I have to tell you, given who we are and the way we sometimes behave, I can’t imagine why the perfect prince would want us as His bride. Christians are far from perfect. We are sometimes cranky and cantankerous. We fail to live up to our God given responsibilities. There are times when our faithfulness wears pretty thin, and our eyes wander. Sometimes our hearts get side-tracked and we let things like material possessions and power and prestige become more important in our lives than the bridegroom who loves us more than life itself. But He will return for us.  Jesus said “if it were not so I would have told you” (John 14:1-3). And Peter says, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming… So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (2Peter 3:11-14, NIV).

Jesus is the Perfect Prince. And He has chose you and me as His peasant bride. So what are you doing to be prepared for the One who chose you, loves you, and is coming back to take you Home?

 

[i] from Max Lucado’s book When Christ Comes.

 

Memories can be either good or bad but they will come to us and to our children.  Lactantius said, “Memory tempers prosperity, mitigates adversity, controls youth and delights old age.”  So what kind of memories will those of us who are parents create for our children?

“My parents had great faith in God and in God’s word.”

The number of times children see parents bow their heads and open their Bibles will pay dividends no bank could every measure.  Of course, it’s not about our agenda or doing it for publicity but rather, it is about our custom.  Do we bother to pray or are we bothered to do it?  Do we have the mind to seek God’s counsel or do we have to be reminded constantly to seek it?  Memories can be fabricated.  But lasting memories are rarely scripted. We need to be reminded that what our children see at home is what they remember most. And may it be that they see that we have real faith in God and His word.

“My parents were passionate about worship.”

When there is no good reason for our absences, children know it.  Or if we make no sacrifice to attend worship, children know it. Recently, a dad told me about talking with his son about weekend activities that might infringe on Sunday worship and the son interrupted, “I don’t want to do it if I have to miss church.”  That son so spoke because of what parents had already modelled for him in their own passion to worship above everything else – not because he knew church dogma.  Regularly letting our children miss for anything from sports to schoolwork only creates the memory that other things really are more important than the passion to worship.  We need to be sure that what our children learn at home is that we are passionate about worship.

“My parents were godly about their morals.”

When children grow up, they learn morals from their parents. That does not mean children will never sin. But, parents should remember that if we do not teach our children to love God and to live by His standards, the world will teach them to do the very opposite. Kids need to learn at home that virginity is a virtue – not an oddity. They need to learn that the “marriage bed is to be undefiled” (Hebrews 13:5) and consequently, infidelity in a marriage is condemned as well as living together without marriage. Just recently a young man told me he broke up with his girlfriend because she “cheated on him” when he was away.  He wanted a person committed to godly morals. And that for him began at home. We need to be sure that real morals begin at home.

“My parents were compassionate and kind.”

Like the ones listed above, these are all observable.  As Paul wrote, “If I speak… but have not love, I become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1Corinthians 13:1).  This love propels our behavior in an observably right direction.  When my children smack their gum, why am I surprised since I do too?  If my children have no compassion or kindness with others, _______ we know the rest. We need to be sure that what our children learn at home is that we are compassionate and kind to everyone – whether the person is the lovable or the unlovable.

Only Jesus, of course, was perfect in all this.  I know I am not.  But He left an example that we should try every day to follow.  It will only make us happier and make our children happier as we build beautiful memories for them by really and simply — following Him.

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.  Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT

What makes you mad? In an article about 20 years ago called, “The New Angries,” Mr. Maddocks wrote: “Everybody—and I do mean everybody—is mad and simply won’t take it anymore, least of all from one another.” He adds, “If the ‘90s became the decade of anger, as the ’80s became the decade of greed, it will not be because of violent and visible militants. It will be because of the New Angries.” Maddocks goes on to explain that these are people who equate anger with honesty, and they see a full and free expression of wrath as the means to mental and physical health.

You mean people are angry? Don’t you just have to scan your facebook feed? Everything from traffic jams to interpersonal conflicts and now very current is the political race for the presidency of the USA is self evident – and it is an unhealthy trend because anger can be destructive—to health, relationships, and institutions.

Of course not all anger is wrong. The Bible says, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you,” and Jesus expressed anger at the hypocritical Pharisees and the moneychangers in the Temple. The issue is what makes us mad? Clearly there is a place for what we call “righteous indignation.” We should be angry about sin and injustice in the world. Anger should motivate us to righteous action, to make things right, rather than self-righteousness or unrighteousness.

But too often, we lose our temper over things that are small, insignificant, and inconsequential: traffic, slow-moving check-out lines, trampled grass, noisy children, poor service.

What makes you mad? Don’t waste your energy yelling and honking your horn at the guy who just cut you off. Rather, focus your emotions and time on what is truly important because anger can be a destructive fire.

Paul said, “For as long as it depends on you, live at peace with men.” And, ask God to help you control your temper SO THAT you can exercise love instead.

“Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Many aging people know well the advantage of a walking stick. Many people have fond recollections of the heirloom quality canes that have passed generations. Just the glance of one with its knobby handle in your hand gives the heart a tug of comfort when your legs need support.

Sometimes the simple and graceful word can lift one’s heart from fear of dangers with verses like Psalm 112:17 that still speaks, The one who trusts in the Lord “will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” In essence, God’s words become a staff to walk through the many dark days because of the heart’s confidence in the One who promises.

When death took children from my wife and me, it left us almost heartbroken. But again, anther word because another staff: “Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Feeble we felt. And our walk was more of a hobble in those days. But when those words reached our hearts, it became a rod and staff to comfort us.

In times of special danger or doubt, faith in the Shepherd of our souls make Scripture the rod of our hearts to guide us through the maze we have ahead – every day.

So open your Book today and read. It will be a light shining in a dark place if you will let it shine.

In our world of electronic banking and credit cards, it’s easy to ignore what things cost.

The same is true when we think of what the cost of sin really was – and is. In our culture, we can enjoy any temporary pleasure while being completely clueless about what God says is the price of transgression (Rom. 6:23).

The Bible tells what our sin cost Jesus. For our sake, He suffered…

1. Physical pain. During the hours leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. (See John 19.) In His weakened state, He was forced to carry on His shoulders the instrument of His death—the cross. Then He was nailed to it and hoisted up to die an excruciating death.

2. Man’s sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and never personally knew the disgrace of sin or the bitterness of regret until it was heaped upon him at the cross (2 Cor. 5:21). There, Christ experienced the fullness of our transgressions, guilt, and shame.

In the final hours, Jesus was separated from His Father (Mark 15:34), their fellowship broken for the only time since eternity past. Our sin became the barrier that kept them apart until Jesus Christ’s work of atonement was finished (John 19:30).

Our Savior suffered greatly on our behalf, shedding His blood so we might become part of God’s family (John 1:12). He calls us to a life of sacrificial service—doing the Father’s work and living to please Him. In light of what our salvation cost, how can we do anything less?

Jesus said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice (Luke. 8:21).

My band director, like most music teachers, impressed on his students the need for frequency and intensity in the practice of practice. We were taught, “You will perform what you practice”. It doesn’t matter the difficulty or the brevity of the music, if you practice it right, you will perform it right.

So when people think that the teaching of Jesus is but an unattainable ideal and a purity beyond us, they have forgotten this mantra that works well in whatever we set our hearts to accomplish.

In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts what the people “have heard the ancients where told” with what God had said by stating “And I say to you.”  Of course, He declared Himself the best of all interpreters because He was its Author too but He realigned the truth from the mangle of human tradition and religious rhetoric to show them, and us, what we can be.

To see the Sermon as only an ideal of what should be instead of what we can be, makes us impotent to be what God believes we should be – by His grace. Of course, we will always need grace. But grace does not prevent us from attaining this purity. Instead, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12, ESV).

So do not stop with the truth that grace saves us in our shortcomings. Rather, let grace compel us to drive us beyond it as Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize. . .” (Phil. 3:14).

Therefore, every day, practice the righteousness to which God has called us. The ideals of His Sermon may be difficult to understand, swallow or practice, yet He ends His sermon with the illustration of the foolish and wise builder. He tells us: “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock… But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Mt.7:24-27).

You will perform what you practice. So get busy today, trusting in His grace, and practice righteousness.

Did you know that you’re in a race?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, “In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. So run your race to win. To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win” (TLB).

While running the race, who would want to get sidelined? I don’t want to get run off into a ditch or directed the wrong way. I want to finish and win. Don’t you? Paul’s image of an athlete has three things to teach us about being the winner here.

You must intend to win. This divides the casual Christian from committed Christians just as there is a difference between competitive golfers and casual ones. The committed golfer seriously plays to win. But the casual golfer is just along for the fun. If you’re going to win in eternal life, it’s got to be intentional. It’s not going to happen by accident or without effort.

You must discipline yourself. Further, the committed athlete becomes a pro in training. You don’t become great by doing whatever you feel like doing. There are no shortcuts to maturity. What are some things you can do without so you can spend more time with God, give more to God, serve more, and be more of what God wants you to be?

You must stay focused on the reward. You can handle enormous pain and discipline in your life if you realize there’s a purpose for it and that there’s going to be a payoff at the end. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed — that exhilarating finish in and with God — he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God” (MSG).

So get in the game of eternal life, and run like you mean it.