Thursday March 24, 2011 Josh 18-20; 1 Cor. 9 "Spiritual Athlete"

Thursday March 24, 2011
Josh 18-20; 1 Cor. 9

"Spiritual Athlete"

S-1 Corin 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

O- Paul is referring to running a race to win a gold medal, in the same way we should run our race to win a soul to the Lord. Do it with excellence, know HIS stuff. Lead a life that is an example and has been in training
to model after the life of Jesus, so those who see you will know what you are about just by watching you. When you see an athlete, you know they are an athlete that has been in training by the way they walk, and h
how they look, and mostly their performance will determine how they have been trained. That's what Paul is saying to us, to be trained up spiritually so that the prize of a soul will be won, by how you model.

A- An athlete is focused on discipline, training and winning. There life is determined for one thing, and one thing only. Those that win the olympic games, devote their lives to that one moment of glory, to
stand on the box, and receive their gold medal. Many years of training, and very hard work.....they have a goal. Even in bootcamp many of us have goals. Goals do not come easy, but when they are accomplished
there is such a feeling of satisfaction and success. Same with our spiritual lives. Training our selves to be disciplined to read and eat the word, and then exercise our faith by using it, and walking the destiny
in which God has called us to. Our prize is not only modeling and walking a good christian life, so others will follow and come to know the Lord through you, but to walk out your calling.....that's the prize.

P- Father, help me to run my race.....not to be in competition with others, but to keep my focus in my lane, and my eyes, on the prize that you have for me. Keep the distractions of something or someone cutting
in on me, and teach me discipline, healthy eating of the word, and to exercise my faith in all I do. I want to finish well. Train me to be an athlete for Christ. Amen