Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 13
Friday


LASTING
REWARDS

READ:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
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Ukranian gymnast Larisa Latynina held the record of 18 Olympic medals. She won them in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics. The 48-yr-old record was surpassed when Michael Phelps swam for his 19th gold in the 4 x 200-meter free-style relay in the 2012 London Games. "[Latynina] kind of got lost in history," the publisher of the International Gymnast magazine said. When the Soviet Union broke up, "we had forgotten about her."

Paul, the apostle, reminds us that sometimes hard work is forgotten. Athletes subject their bodies to great discipline as they train to win perishable medals for their effort (1 ccor. 9:25). But it is not just that the medals are perishable. Over time, people's memory of those achievements dim and fade. If athletes can sacrifice so much to achieve rewards on the earth, rewards that will eventually be forgotten, how much more effort should followers of christ exert to gain an imperishable crown? (1 Tim. 4:8).

Athletes' sacrifice and determination are rewarded with medals, trophies, and money. But even greater, our Father in heaven rewards the discipline of His children (Luke 19:17).

God will never forget our service done out of love for Him who first loved us. __D. P> Hia

``````````````I thank you, Lord, for the opportunities to use the`````````````````
```````````````gifts You have given me for Your service today.`````````````````
``````````````Help me to do so in obedience, expecting nothing````````````````
`````````````````more than Your "well done" as reward.```````````````````````
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Sacrifice for the kingdom is never without reward.

************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 9:24-27********************

24 Do you not know that
those who run in a race all
run but one receives the
prize? Run in such a way
that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who
competes for the prize is
temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a
perishable crown, but we
for an imperishable crown.

26 Therefore I run thus: not
with uncertainty. Thus I
fight: not as one who beats
the air. 27 But I discipline
my body and bring it into
subjection, lest, when I
have preached to others, I
myself should become
disqualified.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In today's reading, we see how Paul used the Greek athletic games
to teach believers how to be strong finishers for christ. A strict
diet and rigorous physical training, as well as control of personal
desires, were part of the athletic process. Paul saw a parallel with
running the race of the Christian life. It requires self-control__a fruit
of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16,22-23). Although the athlete competes for
a reward that soon fades away, our reward at the end of life is of
indestructible value.