Race To Win Series

• What would happen if a team sent players into the field all those players decided that they were going to wear I-Pods out on the field.

• Last week Rach had her first game, what if she while she was playing second base she started texting a certain young man?

• Would the team do well? Why not? Lack of FOCUS.

• Look at verse 26 with me.

• SLIDE #8

• 1 Corinthians 9:26 (ESV) So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

• In the passage, we are told to run in such a way that you may win. We are also told that the athletes Paul was speaking of were putting all this time and effort into winning a wreath made of leaves that would turn brown and rot away someday.

• These people were focused on what they were doing.

• Do you notice that when you are focused you do thing better?

• Paul said as he ran the race of faith, he did it with focus and purpose. He was not boxing without aim.

• When we play the game, we play with the purpose of winning; we are focused on doing what we need to do so that we have a chance to win.

• If those folks were so focused to win a pine wreath, how much more focus should we put on our race?

• There is more to this life than living and dying. There is more to this life than just working and getting stuff. We have an eternity to face. It is my prayer that not one of us faces that eternity without Jesus.

• In life it is easy to put all of our focus in the wrong places. It is not evil in itself to make money, to own things, but when these things is what our life is all about, our focus is off.

• Look at what Jesus said.

• SLIDE #9

• MAT 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

• Where is your focus? To be able to Race to Win, we need to focus on the prize!

• I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14 (ESV)

CONCLUSION

• What race are you running right now? Are you running the rat race of the hectic life or are you running the race for heaven? I will promise that if you will run the race for heaven, the rat race becomes much easier and tolerable.

• Jesus wants you to cross the finish line! Are you willing to do your part? He did His by dying for your sins. God loved you so much that He sent Jesus to pay your sin debt, a debt you could never pay on your own!

• I have ALWAYS told Rachel, you leave it ALL on the field. Meaning you give it ALL you have. Put Jesus left it all on the field for you.

• Do you want to be a winner? Then have the right attitude, combine it with the right training and the right focus and you will be a winner in life.

• SLIDE #10

• This is what I want to be able to say at the end of my race.

• 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

• Let’s fight the good fight together, let’s run together to WIN!