It's a world-wide spiritual Marathon- Are you running in the race?

Did you know there is a world-wide spiritual marathon going on as I'm writing this to you?

A marathon is a long-distance race, a contest of endurance, an event that requires prolonged concentration, effort, and perseverance.

Did you know that the Christian life in a very real sense of the word is a contest of endurance, and that living the Christian life requires prolonged concentration, effort, and perseverance?

The world and the adversary's minions are along the sidelines at every turn heckling, creating all sorts of distractions and offering all sorts of reasons why you should just throw in the towel. On the other hand, the angelic hosts and the family of God are along the sidelines cheering you on, and the Word of God gives you every reason to press on, and to finish the race well.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27


The good news is that Jesus won this race for us about 2,000 years ago. Jesus died on the cross for us and uttered those famous words, "It is finished". In a strange way, we are not really running the race to win it. We are running the race to be a testimony to the fact that it has already been won. Jesus ran this race alone. We run this race together in a sort of marathon relay race in which we are handed batons from those that have run before us, as we carry His light to the world through all generations.

If you really believe this race has already been run and won, then you should be able to run it as a witness to the power of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

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.

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,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:10-14

Run on for the glory of God, my brothers and sisters in Christ. This is not about us, and we are not running for us. This about God, and we are running for His glory.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.