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Daily Strength Blog

Read 1 Corinthians 9:19–27
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24
Athletes must be disciplined if they are to win the prize. Discipline
means giving up the good and the better for the best. Athletes must
watch their diet as well as their sleeping schedules. They must smile
and say, “No, thank you,” when people offer them fattening desserts
or invite them to late-night parties. There is nothing wrong with food
or fun, but if they interfere with people’s highest goals, then they
become hindrances.
We Christians do not run the race in order to get to heaven.
We are in the race because we have been saved through faith in Jesus
Christ. Only Greek citizens were allowed to participate in the games,
and they had to obey the rules both in their training and in their
performing; any contestant found breaking the training rules was disqualified. Famous athlete Jim Thorpe had to return his Olympic gold
medals because it was discovered that he had previously played on a
professional team.
In order to give up his rights and have the joy of winning lost souls,
Paul had to discipline himself. That is the emphasis of 1 Corinthians 9:
Authority (rights) must be balanced by discipline. If we want to serve
the Lord and win His reward, we must pay the price.
Something to Ponder
In what ways has your spiritual life been like a race so far?

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