David Turner - Only One Wins The Prize

Life has many unexpected highs and lows. In one season it is full of bliss and other times it can be full of gruesome trials. Because life is not always an easy ride, but rather a process of endurance, the quote "life is a marathon, not a sprint" proves true. All runners win the race in completing it. However, in this week's sermon, Pastor David Turner discusses that only one wins the prize through proper preparation and a mind fixed on Christ. As life can be related to a marathon, we must be mindful of what it means to run this race that God has called us to. When we understand the ultimate prize we are chasing is Jesus, we are filled with a sense of urgency to prepare well. In the preparation we train with the end in mind, as we know the eternal glory far outweighs temporary pleasures. This creates a sense of perseverance to keep on the straight and narrow path and to run with intention and by example. Our lives are not our own and we must not quit when the going gets tough because many are depending on us to run the race faithfully. In life when the prize we are pursuing is Jesus, we win the ultimate trophy. A mind set on Jesus changes the way we approach life and leads us to run with purpose. When we understand our God given purpose, we understand the importance of taking part in the kingdom of God and preparing for what is to come through time in His presence. As a result, this perspective changes the way we approach life and creates a sense of strength to endure to the end because we know the value of Jesus- our rich reward.   In life we're all running one of two races. The race God has given us, or, the race the world has offered us. Either way they both end with a prize. We have to ask ourselves, which prize do we want to receive at the end? And that's determined by, if we've been running the race of faith or the race of our flesh. Just as we can't serve two masters, we can't run both races. Below are  5 ways to run our race to win the prize God has for us at the end.Run to win the prize We have to understand that the race the Lord has for us, doesn't end with Him just giving us a participation award. There is a prize waiting for us, and that prize is Eternal life. Our faith will be tested, but through those tests our perseverance will grow to reach its maturity. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the prize, and not on the things that will distract us from Him.Train for your race, not someone else's God has called us to run different races, at different speeds. Training for a marathon is completely different from training for a sprint race. We're all running our own race, which means that we have to train for the race marked before us. If we're not careful, our focus can be diverted to fulfilling the race that others have for us, instead of the race God has given us to run. We have to make sure we stay in the lane God has for us, and not jump into someone else's. Remember, It's not only about starting strong, it's about finishing strong.Run for eternity not temporary When we choose what we do in our daily lives, do we have eternity in our minds? It's easy to get entangled in the things of this world that we feel the need to put time into. When we let the things of this world drive us, rather than our obedience in God, those things will keep us from finishing our race. Time is the most valuable resource we have, so what we prioritize needs to lead others to a place of encountering Jesus.Run with intention If the enemy can't destroy us, he will create a distraction. Maybe our past strongholds are not enough to distract us anymore, but what the enemy will try to do is deceive us with things that are good in our lives. Whatever we don't forget, we will repeat, wherever we put our attention on, we will progress. When we lose our focus, we get distracted from running in our lane. By saying yes to God, we're automatically saying no to everything else that may look good but is not the lane God has us running in.Run By Example Because our lives are not our own, you never know who is watching that is being directly influenced by how you  live your life. As believers, let's not just follow our feelings, but instead trust wholeheartedly the race God has placed us on. We know that the race we're running, God has planned to prosper us, and bring us hope and a future. Knowing this, let's run this race by being an example of His goodness and love.Application: How are you running your race today? Are you in competition with everyone around you, and  running someone else's race? Do you have your eyes fixed on the things of God? Let's re-evaluate how we are living this life so that we can finish this race strong.Prayer: Father, help me run this race. I ask that where I have taken any detours, you may reset my feet firmly back on your path. I quit running anyone else's race and I fix my eyes on the prize of my life. I thank you for your mercy that allows me to endure all things, but I pray that the perseverance that you are refining in me will allow me to finish this race strong.