A Different Prize

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to "Try Jesus!" If this is your first time joining us, it’s great to have you with us. I would like to thank all the new members for joining "Try Jesus."

I would also like to welcome those in Missouri, Texas, Ohio, Alaska, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Indiana. It is a pleasure to have you with us today. The Lord continues to expand his word!

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD."  (Psalm 122:1 KJV). The Lord is indescribable and uncontainable. We gather to seek him above all today. He is an amazing God!

Our Lord continues to pave the way for the righteous. Authentic born-again believers shall not be moved from his mighty guiding hand! The Lord is our rock and our salvation this morning! He is our defense against ungodliness.

There are many cliches around the sports world. Some are more memorable than others. Since I played sports my whole life I've heard many and have spoken them myself in victory and defeat.

Here are just a few. "One game at a time." "It is what it is." "We just want to play our game." "Defense wins championships." Hand down, man down." "A win is a win." "It was a good game." "He gave his all."

These great sports cliches do not apply to the true body of Christ. Those who are blood washed and born-again walk-in victory because Jesus has already won the battle. Satan is not losing the battle; he has already lost the battle!

Born again believers should never walk in somber moods about what took place on November 3rd. Why? Because Jesus still sits on the throne. God is still in control. Jesus has never lost a battle. He continues to be our victorious King!

Pray without ceasing! We walk by faith. Christians walk on a different spiritual path than the world. We stand on a solid unshakeable ground. All the political cliches will eventually fade, but the word of our Lord stands forever!

Let's pray. "Heavenly Father, we thank you this morning for making all things new. Your mercies continue to be new every morning, great is your faithfulness. We thank you for abundant life and the Spirit of joy.

We thank you for caring for the whole of our existence. Thank you for taking care of every need and desires of our heart according to your established will for our lives. We give praise unto you, the lover of our soul!

As we pray each week, Lord, as we open your word today, we ask that you silence every voice but your own. The winds of life are loud, and the voices around us are unrelenting, but we look to you, our ultimate great shepherd.

Lord, you are the only Savior who mends the brokenhearted. Holy Spirit, please tug on curious hearts this morning. Father, cause those with the measure of faith they have, to cry out for your help. Help our unbelief, Lord!

Lord Jesus, thank you for guiding visitors to this digital doorstep today. May your deep peace quiet any stress, anxiety, noise, or worry in their heart right now. Lord, open eyes to see your great love, in Jesus’ name, Amen."

What an exciting week it was! How come? Because God's people unite in prayer when the enemy comes in like a flood. Did you know God does his best work with few?

If I share too much on the follow up of that question, I might be giving to much input into next week's message. This morning's message, I pray, will encourage the body of Christ to set their affections above.

That we, as blood washed born-again saints who already sit in heavenly places, would shift their focus from the temporary rewards of this world to the eternal Kingdom Jesus has prepared for those who love him.

A moment ago, I spoke about athletic cliches and how these cliches can lead to being crowned as we might say, "World Champion!" If you love history, you can take in its accomplishment, even though you may not have witnessed it.

For example, some of you might remember this well-known phrase, "The thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." Those well-known words came with a visual of someone placing himself on the verge of victory.

However, that visual in 1970 did not come with a victorious prize (crown), it came with a concussion and a broken ankle. The world continues to offer this kind of misfortune, not always in the physical but in the spiritual realm.

You see beloved, we live in a world that conditions us to chase prizes that eventually rust, rot, or get relegated to a dusty shelf. We exhaust ourselves running on a treadmill of cultural expectations, chasing a gold medal.

These medals never last beyond the most important connection. It's that piece, or should I say, that part of us that has more value than any prize on this earth we can attain. Yes, our lives are in a continual race.

And it's your soul that is the signed-up contestant, whether you like it or not. The problem for most people is that they are running in the wrong race for their soul. There are many who are running in the race of goal and achievement crowns.

Is there anything wrong with applying yourself in these course lanes? Not necessarily. But elevating them over what someone did in your life to obtain those achievements leaves your soul in the line of "agony and defeat."

That means you're running the wrong race. What if the finish line you’ve been breaking your back to reach isn't the one God designed for you? In today's message, we are looking at a different prize.

This prize doesn't fade when the economy crashes, doesn't disappear when your health fails, and cannot be taken away by this world. "The agony of defeat does not belong to the body of Christ!"

And why is that? Why are Christians so confident in this life's race? Let's read in our "love letter and life's manual from our spiritual victorious life coach, our Lord, Jesus Christ! Please read these passages into your spirit, family, or study group.

3} "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4} And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5} But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

6} For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7} I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8} Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:3-8 KJV).

Just like at the beginning of any organized race, there are regulations that must be followed. But people will always try to circumvent those rules whenever they can. People always think they need that advantage to succeed.

Instead of chasing after the truth that sets them and gives them a victorious life in the race, they are gullible to the lies of cheating. It's difficult to obtain sound doctrine if your ears are clogged with religious falsehoods.

Jesus told his followers to stay away from the religious leaders. He said they are like blind individuals trying to lead the blind. When this happens, both fall in the ditch. It's the truth that sets you free to see the race set before you.

My parents told me about a game they played when they were young called "Blind man's Bluff." It was a game (played indoors) I guess because of rain, not quite sure. But it involved about 3 to 5 people.

You would take a scarf, bandana, or cloth and blindfold the person chosen through coin toss. You would gently spin the person around to disorient them. (We live in a world where Satan uses this spinning tactic also).

The other players scatter around the room hiding from the disoriented person. The others make noises or laugh to give away their position. The blind person moves around with their arms extended relying on sounds to locate someone.

The game could be over once the blindfolded individual touches someone. But they must also identify who the person is by name by touching their face or clothes before taking off their blindfold.

Sometimes if they get the identity wrong, that person runs away from them and the blind person must try to race after their footsteps or sounds they might make.

When the blind man touches someone, a common traditional rule is that they must guess the identity of the person they caught by feeling their face or clothes before taking off the blindfold.

This is how Satan traps your eyes and ears in the race your soul has been placed in. Paul was enrolled in a fight. aware that the time of his death was near. A drink offering was an offering performed by pouring wine out on the ground or altar.

Paul life was poured out to Jesus Christ. Paul was confident in this race that no one could touch him until his heavenly Father ushered him into his eternal home (his real home), not the world, with a victorious homecoming celebration.

Finally, Paul said with bold confidence he had fought a good fight. And guess who defeated all his adversaries? And guess who was waiting for him at the finish line of his life? Jesus! Paul finished his race. Glory to God!

Jesus was there at the beginning, the middle, and the end of Paul’s life. He also was there to receive his crown of righteousness. You see beloved, even though Paul endured much affliction, he ended up with undefeated Jesus.

The crown (Greek word "stephanos") refers to the victor's wreath or garland awarded to winners of athletic games. the "stephanos" signifies a prize of honor and recognition for excellence in service or struggle.

This crown (prize) is not earned through legalistic merit or earthly works by itself. It is not earned by religious attendance and outward dress. It is a reward for those who anticipate Jesus’ return for them and remain faithful under pressure.

Yes, your soul is in a serious race. And Jesus came to fight for your soul and defeated Satan on the cross with your sins. And why did he go through this battle? Simply because he supremely loves us.

This love is greater than any love you will ever experience on this earth. This is a race worth signing up for that he is in for you. Let's look at one more passage of scripture before we get to the finish line of today's exciting message.

Paul had much to say about physical and spiritual preparation once you have entered this race. By the way here's your race entry form sign up request. (Romans 10:8-13). Paul kept his eyes fixed on the prize, Jesus.

Notice it wasn't the crown that kept Paul focused through all his trials and afflictions. (2 Corinthians 11:23-30). Paul made his boast in the Lord. How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people.

Please read God's captivating living words into your spirit. 12} "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13} Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14} I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15} Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16} Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." (Philippians 3:12-16 KJV).

Paul's Philippi letter was not one of second guessing about how he felt about Jesus. He considered everything else in comparison to rubbish. Let me ask you a question.

Do you weep over your garbage on trash day after you've set it out on your curb? You probably instantly forget about the contents after you turn and go back in your home. This was Paul's joy in knowing Jesus. (Philippians 3:8-10).

In this race, your soul is up for grabs. But Paul had found real lasting joy and happiness in his relationship with Jesus. He was set free from religion and set his eyes on a living prize. Even through great suffering.

[When we become one with Christ by trusting in him, we experience the power that raised him from the dead. That same mighty resurrection power helps us live morally renewed and regenerated lives.]

Sometimes running in any sport can live you exhausted and drained, thinking is all this worth it. The disciples of Jesus had similar thoughts about forsaking all to follow Jesus. (Matthew 19:27). Here is his answer to them. (Verses 28-30).

You see beloved, Paul entered the race correctly. He knew