IN IT TO WIN IT

When I was a teenager my youth pastor had the great idea of doing a fundraiser in which we were to run for two hours straight! Obviously this had to be some kind of sick joke, but we all agreed. The concept was that we would find people who would sponsor us for a certain amount of cash per lap and this money would go into the youth fund.  As a testosterone-raging teen boy this quickly turned from a friendly fundraiser to an all out competition. There were probably 40 of my peers lacing up to run that day but there was one person who I had my eyes set on, my Big Brother! Ain't no way I was letting anybody get more laps than me, especially HIM! I ran with all I had, pushing through the burn, and avoiding the urge to kick the broseph in the kneecaps to assure my victory.  It was intense and I gave it all I had so that I could "win" that spring day and earn bragging rights.

Scripture says we to are in a race and that we should run in such a way as to get the prize. We should run with heart and a drive. So many times we forget that this life is only temporary and what really matters is where you stand at the end of this race. It's easy to get stuck in the routine and grind of every day life and forget our purpose and lose sight of the goal. We lose our genuine desire to be with Christ and to see others come to know Him, and before we know it our full-on pursuit has been reduced to a mere walk or even a stand still. 

The great news is that life is a marathon and if your reading this your still in the running.  It's not always easy to pursue Christ completely and there will be times your lungs are burning and your cramping up and your gonna feel like giving up.  But, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, our goal, our prize and consider what He bore for us it will give us the strength to endure.

So...quit standing there like a statue, walking like you just escaped the senior center, and start running like your  IN IT TO WIN IT!

Hebrews 12:1-3
"...and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."


1 Corinthians 9:24-25
"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. 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."

HOW MUCH YOU BENCH?

How much ya bench? It is probably one of the most common questions asked in any weight room among guys.  It is like a staple of one's manly hood. Although it is one exercise, it is treated like it sums up a guy completely on how strong of an individual he is.  The impression it makes upon having a big bench weight is what spurred on the events that took place. 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hit the gym with a friend of mine.  Working out was a fairly new experience for him but he displayed a lot of heart as we grinded out the reps.  After about halfway through our intense workout I asked him to do something I knew he was incapable of doing.  I asked him to put 315 pounds on the bench and to press it! I knew (as well as he did) that 315 pounds was way more than his 150 pound frame could handle.  He had no shot at lifting that much weight by himself, but I thought it would be clutch to get it on vid knowing that I could spot him picking up the slack.  As he got under the bar, camera rolling, he almost decided to cop out because of fear that I wouldn't be able to lift the weight and he would be trapped under the iron.  I assured him I was there and encouraged him to trust me.  Despite his fear, he laid down under the bar, lifted it, lowered it to his chest, and pushed with everything he had in him.  It wasn't easy but I was there to carry any load that he couldn't press on his own.  Needless to say, we got a sweet vid of this skinny kid pushing some mad weight! 

I have come to a place in my life where I am that skinny kid in the weight room.  I have never planted or pastored a church, but yet my heart is burning with this desire to fulfill what God wants for my life.  So, I get to the gym and God says I want you to plant a church I want you to do something that is bigger than you, something that you know you can't do on your own.  At first there is that great excitement and pumped feeling...and then a little fear starts to kick in.  But, Christ has always been there assuring me the whole time, encouraging me to step out in faith and to trust Him knowing in myself it is way to much weight for me to handle.  The funny thing is, that is the beauty of this whole experience.  I know that the success of Vertical Church will be through nothing I have or could do on my own, but only through Christ and to him be all the Glory. 

God doesn't expect us to be the strongest, most qualified, and talented to use us.  He just wants us to get under the bar and trust Him when He calls.  It won't always be easy and at times it will be a struggle, but we can rest assure that if we keep our eyes focused vertical on Jesus He will never fail us. 

How much ya bench?  I think that is the wrong question. The real question should be: Who is your spotter?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31