christian OLYMPIANS

It is rare in life to be an Olympian. Only the cream of the crop, the best of the best are ever recognized and able to compete for the prize. And only a small few of those that get to compete actually win the prize. Nevertheless, there are many in training-as early as 2 years of age, planning, preparing, practicing for a chance to be an Olympian. They work long hours, push themselves to extreme lengths, spend outrageous amounts of money, sacrifice everything, simply for the chance to compete. All of this for a piece of gold to hang around their necks.
What if there were some Christians that chose to train as if we were headed for the Olympics...truly trying to compete for the gold. What if we started training early, planning, preparing, practicing. What if we worked long hours, pushed ourselves to extreme, radical lengths and spent our money on and for things of the KINGDOM of Heaven instead of our kingdoms here on earth? What if we sacrificed it all, simply for the CHANCE to compete...to be a Christian that was unleashed, untamed and barbaric? What if we abandoned other things for the call to follow Christ and treated it as if we were training for the Olympics-instead of the half hearted effort most of give?
And the reward is much greater than gold around our necks, trophies on a shelf or crowns on our heads. Our reward-to run the streets of Gold, knowing we have no need to be ashamed because we buffeted our body in such a way that we attained the prize-the high calling of Jesus Christ, to walk in a manner worthy of Him, pleasing Him in all respect, bearing fruit in EVERY deed, increasing in the knowledge of Him, strengthed with all power, giving thanks and knowing that we are truly the champions!
ALL FOR YOU

Passion lives here

I have been watching the Olympics. It has been incredible to watch the competition between countries and competitors and to see the spirit in which the competition is played. It has been both inspiring and motivating to watch atheletes compete for the gold with their whole heart. In the midst of it all, no matter what venue you are watching, there is a sign that is the theme of the Torino Olympics. It reads PASSION LIVES HERE. I love that sign, but I love the message even more. And it is true. It is evident that those who are there indeed have passion within them for what they do. No one has called into question their passion or their quest for gold.
I wonder if the same could be said for us as believers and church members. PASSION LIVES HERE? might be a better way of reading the sign for us. We might declare that as a fact, but people watching would question that truth in many of us. Why? because there is no PASSION for what we are doing seen in how we live. We do not compete as if we were striving for gold, motivated to win with a passion for glory (God's) so great that it pushes us beyond the natural boundaries of human frailities, fears and acceptance. We say there is passion, but we are not inspiring and motivating to others-in hopes of drawing them into the competition. We do not strive for excellence. We are comfortable and lazy. And we will never be an Olympian-in this world or for the Kingdom.
This is not a competition you say? I beg to differ with you. We are in a battle for the souls of men. And if our enemy/our competitor can convince us not to compete or to have a lack of passion, motivation and inspiration-he wins.
I want the sign at my house, my church, for my family to read....PASSION LIVES HERE!!!!! OH YEAH!!! I don't want there to be any doubt as to whether I am passionate about what I do for the glory of the Lord. I don't want there to be any doubt that I AM a COMPETITOR. I don't want there to be any doubt about the passion that lives within me and I want to inspire, motivate and challenge others-so that the world look at our sign not with a question mark, but with an exclamation mark. I am on a quest for gold. I will not sit on the couch, be comfortable or lazy. I will press on towards the call of Christ Jesus. I will buffet my body and run in such a way that the prize is won. I will....because PASSION LIVES HERE. ALL FOR YOU

In need of rest

Today I find myself exhausted. I am need of rest. Sleep. Downtime. And yet, who has time for that. I push and push until I crash and burn. Rest....I need of rest.
As I dwelt on that thought, I was so thankful for my husband who recognized that need and provided extra time for me today. I was reminded how Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her-even though she was underserving. I am so thankful for a VALENTINE who loves me as Christ loves the church. I am so thankful for a God that is not just concerned about the things I do, but is also concerned about things I need to stop doing so that I can rest. Discipline is a good thing, but there should also be times of rest. Sometimes I forget that. I am so wrapped up in the idea that there is no retirement in the time of war-that I forget that tired soldiers make dumb mistakes. So today....I shall rest with VALENTINE...in Him. For He is good-both of them! Thanks honey....for being my VALENTINE and for giving your all for me. What an example of Jesus you are to me! ALL FOR YOU

infected

Over the weekend, my computer caught a virus. At first, we thought we had stopped it by simply removing the program. But over the next couple of days, we realized it was slowly eating through my hard drive. It was nasty and a huge problem. The frustration came because I got it from someone else-who sent it to me. So for the past couple of days, I have thought a lot about what it means to be infected with a virus that is passed on from someone else and the idea of how that affected me.
Infected....we all are infected. Maybe not with a computer virus, but most definately with sin. we are born with it. Just like the computer virus, the sin of one affects us all. And when you are infected, it stops you dead in tracks until you deal.
Miriam understood that. For it was her sin and her leprosy that stopped the forward progression of God's people. Her sin/infection kept everyone from moving forward-until she dealt with it. It is the same for us today-sin in the camp stops the forward progression of God's people. If one of us is infected and we do not deal-it will affect all of us. Just like a computer virus....it may not be my sin-but we all crash and burn if it isn't dealt with.
So I want to be sure my sin is dealt with...but I also want to be sure that those who affect me are dealing as well-so that the forward progession of God's people is not stopped and we don't all crash and burn. ALL FOR YOU