Preparation for the Games

We are in the midst of the Winter Olympics.  I will watch some sporting events that I would not normally watch.  As a sports person though I have my preferred sports to watch and I am sure you do as well.  I want you to stop for a moment to think of the training that these athletes go through just to get there.  It is not a matter of weeks or months but years of training and a lot of sacrifice in order to compete at that level.  I think there are 95 gold medals awarded which means there are 285 total medals given.  There are some team events so I am not sure of the total medal count but lots more of these world class athletes go back home without a medal then those who win a medal.  My point in this blog is a simple one in that the award of being a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ is far greater then that of winning a gold medal.  We get to walk on gold streets.  If these world class athletes train so diligent to receive a temporal prize then would it not make sense for a believer in Jesus Christ to train diligently to receive an eternal prize.  Here are a couple of scriptures that speak to this point.  I Corinthians 9:24-27 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run is such a way as to get the prize.  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.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly;  I do not fight lie a man beating the air.  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."  So what type of training ought a believer in Jesus Christ be doing to win the eternal prize.  First, train yourself to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  This is the most important commandment of which all the other training is worthless without having a passionate love for God.  Second, train yourself to love people.  God so loved the world, that is the people of the world and knowing that there are some people we find more difficult to love then others we must allow God to be involved in this part of training so we begin to love people the way He loves them.  Third, train yourself to keep the right priorities in life.  The outcome and future of our lives is based upon our decisions.  Our decisions will be based upon my priorities.  If you want Jesus to be the center of your life then all your decisions ought to reflect that desire which means you need to train yourself in the Word of God.  In this way you will be able to keep Jesus at the center because if the Bible is my main source of decision making then I will have the tools to keep Jesus as priority one in my life.  There are many more training options for a disciple of Jesus but these will help you to win the eternal prize of being with God forever.
May the Gold of all life and hope give you strength to train well for Jesus.

Pastor John