PRE GAME WARM UP# 2 for Christ Church Quaker Farms' Purpose Driven Life Program

Sunday, September 9, 2012 RUNNING THE RACE OF LIFE (Abridged) from Rick Warren The Winner’s Circle at the Ancient Olympic-styled games n Corinth, is the setting for today’s reading from St. Paul. Historians tell us the prizes for the winners of these games were incredible: Winners received a crown for your head and a hometown parade in your honor, and a cash purse of gold. But better than that, if you won your event, your children would win a tuition-free education. And, you would be automatically exempt from compulsory military service, and exempt from all taxes for the rest of your life. Actually, today’s reading tells us how to win at the most important race of all—the race of life. Using the image of the foot race, Paul teaches 3 principles for successful living. Three things you have to do if you’re going to win at what matters most. [Please turn to page 6 in bulletin, and pass out pen. F you follow along with me, I think that this will be crystal clear} 1. Category # 1, First question--IF I want to win at life, it takes desire. If I want to make my life count, if I want to win in life, if I want to succeed in life, I must want to win. Watching interviews of modern Olympic athletes, one cannot help but see the common denominator----No matter what their event is, no matter what country they come from. THEY ALL HAVE A DESIRE TO EXCEL and to WIN. . It’s a passion. They eat it, they sleep it, they talk it, they think it, and they live it. So, are you really passionate about something? What is it that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? What really gets you going? Whatever you call it, that’s your spark. You see, a passionless life is a wasted life. If life is to be full, rich, and meaningful, you must have passion. You must have desire. You must know what you want in life so you can go for it. Paul was a passionate person. Notice what he says in our reading---“You know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize. So run to win.” Winning in life is why God created us and gave us the desires to succeed, to love and be loved, to create, to and build, and to excel. To win in life means that I want to be the best ME that I can be ----at whatever age I happen to now be. The SAD reality is most people really just live mediocre lives. They don’t run to win. They run to retire. Their whole goal in life is to just get enough money so that I can retire and veg out. 2nd question under category # 1, Let’s look at question # --God did not put you on this earth to retire. He put you here for a purpose, for a reason. He wants you to make your life count. You are capable of far more things than you’ve ever imagined. Ephesians 3:20 says “With God’s power working in us God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” So, ask yourself a question: What do I really want most in life? Everything starts with desire. Nothing happens until you start discerning and living out God’s purpose for your life, getting God’s dream for your life. . So, looking a category # 2, first question: Wing is life also requires Direction. St. Paul says is it takes direction. I must focus on a goal. Today’s reading says, “I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadowboxing or playing around.” Notice Paul says, I have a goal. I have a purpose. I want to do something with my life. I’m headed in a definite direction. Notice he says," I’m not just playing around. Too many people never really get serious about their own life. They never really get serious about the contribution they intend on making in this world with their lives. They live little selfish, petty lives of mediocrity. They just play around, going first to this, then dabbling in that, and then moving on to yet something else. They never seem content with what they are dong or what they have. A fool starts off in many directions. IF YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO COUNT, THEN YOU’VE GOT TO SETTLE ON YOUR DIRECTION. YOU’VE GOT TO DISCERN, KNOW, AND DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE. IF YOU DON’T DECIDE WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE, THEN OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE GLAD TO DO IT FOR YOU. Have you discovered that? You will go through life guided either by your priorities or by pressures of others. When you let other people decide for you your direction that’s called stress. Some of you are acquainted with that term. You need to know not only the desire – “I want to do something with my life” – but you’ve got to clarify the direction. So looking at the 2nd line of the 2nd category: Ask yourself: “What is my goal?” Continuing on to category # 3: Wining requires desire, direction. Also n life, winning requires determination. So, It takes determination. Life is a marathon, not a sprnt. I must press one, and never give up. Paul says, “I treat my body hard so that I myself will not be disqualified.” He’s saying I do whatever it takes to keep on keeping on. To keep going. I am not going to stop in the middle of the race. I’m not going to quit the race of life halfway through. I’m going to make it to the finish line. That’s determination. Jesus showed us determination. God’s word tells us “Let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus. Think about His example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to Him. So don’t get tired and stop trying.” That is something to hold on to. He says remember Christ’s example when you get discouraged. He held on. He didn’t give up when people were putting Him down and criticizing Him and misunderstanding Him. He didn’t get discouraged. He just kept on keeping on. Although his emends tried to defeat him on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead finished the race on Easter Sunday. He won the race of life, so that we all can WIN with Him. So, looking at category # 3, What is the key to determination & perseverance? 1. Keeping your eyes on Jesus. The key is determination s what you have your eyes on. God’s word says,” “Let us look only to Jesus.” Focus growng your sprtual lfe, and you wll fnd the desre, the direction, and the determination to win. One day you’re going to stand before the Lord. Will you be able to say, “God, I didn’t waste my life? You gave me the desire. I waited for the direction. With your help, I determinedly finished the race. As I stand before you, I know that I am a winner in Christ. “ The Purpose Driven Life program is about empowering us all to win the race of life. The race begins when we Kick Off next Sunday, when will begin reflect upon mini-teachings by the Rick Warren, which are designed to complement his book, and the weekly Small Group discussions, for those choosing to sign up. Meaningful participation in The Purpose Driven Life has helped millions of women & men to find greater harmony, balance, and strength for daily living. And this has been true of teenagers, and the elderly; the sick and the healthy; the rich & poor; long time church goers, and those who are not. No matter where you are n your race of life—it’s never too late to get back and win in Christ. Paul says, “For everyone who competes in the race of Christ wll get a crown that will last forever.” He’s talk about living a life of purpose, for fulfillment, meaning and love now, and on and on to eternity. Let’s all run this one together. AMEN.