www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTihNTFNOcc
Ok, I tear up almost everytime I see the part of the movie when Adrienne tells Rocky from the hospital bed "Win Rocky". Rocky's attitude and whole being in transformed. He is not only fighting for himself but now he fights for and with Adrienne. The music comes on and Rocky is training like a champion. Paul knew he had to discipline his body; he had to force himself to maintain he daily routine and the consistent practice needed for success.
v. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection...
Paul had the best training available but he did not assume he would persevere to the end of the race. He continued to discipline himself to fight, and to follow his call from God.
Many of you know I enjoy racing in the sport of Triathlon. Before the gun goes off I know if it's going to be a good race or a bad one based on my training leading up to the race. Lately my training has been slacking and I feel it in my workouts and in my belly. I don't consider myself a serious triathlete but I do consider myself a serious follower of Jesus Christ. If I miss more than two days working out I start going backwards in my training. Many times I have blown up in a race. Blowing up means I just can’t keep the pace I set for myself or I strained a muscle and I basically have to shut down and putt to the finish line. I have also had the days when I know that I have done the training and I know it’s going to be a great day. A serious follower of Jesus Christ is also serious about their devotions, media intake, mindset, fellowship with the body and also serious and confident in who they are in Christ.
v.26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
Today it’s all about examining our training. I know this cup of Joe has made me more confident in my walk and calling with God. I also know that I could use even more time in the word. How about you…What adjustment do you need to make in your training?
YO…ADRIENNE…WE DID IT….WE DID IT…
In light of this post I am inviting whoever on a run tomorrow (weds) at 7:15am from my house. We’ll go for about 6 miles and eat raw eggs after. If the post is choppy it’s because my computer keeps throwing me off the internet.
Yo!
Rocky
8 comments:
1 Cor 9:14 "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." Cross reference Matthew 10:9-10 "Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for your journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep."
I would love to know your thoughts on this question: Why do you think the Lord wants those who preach the gospel to receive their living from the gospel?
In my personal experience, when I began preaching the gospel I had a non-ministry (secular) focused job that provided my necessary income. The church felt no obligation to excercise care for me. I was providing for myself (or was I?). It made it easier to preach about finances and the like because noone could accuse me of benefitting from those giving to the Lord's work. As a matter of fact, I was one of the major financial contributors to the ministry I served as Pastor. It actually became kind of a pride thing for me. It didn't cost the church anything to have me as their Pastor.
Then came the day when the Lord had me surrender my other employment and rely totally on the ministry for my financial support. What a difference. I had to make several adjustments. In the process I learned to depend totally on the Lord for everything. If He didn't make it happen... it didn't happen. It really put me in a position of total dependance on the Lord. HE used His people to provide, joining shepherd and sheep in a unique relationship.
This is a process that continues to this day. Yet there are so many bi-vocational Pastors today, some focusing on Paul's personal choice of tentmaker as their guide. Is this truly the best way to do the work of the gospel or are our churches and their pastors missing out on the special blessings that come from what the lord commanded?
Shout out and be blessed!
Pastor Joe asked a good question. What adjustment do we need to make to our training? After looking at the video portion of this post I realized that even though Rocky did the hard work, he needed the encouragement from his wife, as well as from his trainer. Makes me realize the need for a trainer. We can't run this race alone. We need someone to push us beyond what we even think we are capable of doing. Who's your trainer? I'm self motivated but it sure helps when someone else comes alongside. Praise God for the "paraclete", the perfect helper, called to come alongside us. "May we listen to HIS encouragement and draw strength from HIS voice."
Pauls heart is laid out in front of us in this chapter. it's so encouraging to read. Pauls willingness to sacrifice his life in order to win people.{ vv.19 for though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.} rather it was his list of trials in 2nd Cor 11 23-29 where he is taken to the brink of his life in more than one occurrence. He offers all of his life to serve and come underneath others. Paul has the ultimate example we read of in verse 1, "Have I not seen Jesus our Lord" Jesus says that he came to serve and not to be serve" thus Paul is expressing this as the way of life. this is the reason why we Discipline our bodys, why we run with such a Perseverance, with a self control in all things as Paul says in vv 25. Rocky ran, he trained, he fought and he conquered. Why?? not for himself, but for others! for Mic, for the city of Philly, and of coarse Adrienne !!!!!!!!!
I run the race not to see myself achieve or obtain a prize, but, to see those who are lost and those who are tired lifted up and Glorified through he Power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
EPHESIANS 6:10 " FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD, AND IN THE STRENGTH OF ALL HIS MIGHT!"
I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL, AND WILL BE WITH YOU GUYS SOON! -Toes-
(Nate dawg, stay up baby! praying 4 you!)
I really like what everyone has to say. Pastor Juan i totally agree with you on how the sheep should take care of their shepherd. v7 "who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?"
Pastor Joe, I am totally on board with disciplining oneself for this race we run.
Right now v19-23 stick out most to me. Being all things to all men is tough. It is really about laying yourself aside and coming alongside someone else. I think that's how we build relationships with others. I'll give an example. I have some youth kids who love video games. Me, I'm a fan, but not like this. In fact, I really don't care too much about them. But because they have such an interest in them, I too now take a greater interest in them. By doing so, I become like one of them. Someone they can trust, someone who cares about what they care about. That makes a statement to someone. It really disarms them. So I totally feel what Paul is saying. That's all I got. Short, quick and to the point.
pr. Juan and luis reminded how important training partners are. Is anyone running with me in about 10 minutes. When you run with someone it's a whole lot easier and so much more enjoyable. What I miss most is not racing but the times I had with teammates. So who is training with me after mens bible study tomorrow. We will probably get started around 8am since bible study ends around 7:30.
Well I'm sure I'm probably the only person on this blog that has never seen Rocky. However I just watched the clip, so now I've seen PART of it.
In response to P. Juan's question: I think the Lord wants those who preach Him to receive their living from it because it requires faith on both ends! Of course, if you don't have a direct source where the money is coming from, or a guarenteed amount, that surely makes you trust God. But for those who support, it also comes down to faith and trust. This is why some people can't bring themselves to tithe - they just don't trust God's going to provide for that need they are sacrificing. but it's a wonderful cycle that god set up so everyone has to trust in Him alone. As tithers we must believe in God's storehouses and his willingness to open them, and give to support those who feed us spiritually. Those who feed us spiritually must trust that god is moving in the hearts of his people and that they are willing to make a choice to give. This way God gets to come through on both ends which we all know is his favorite thing to do!
This chapter is really awesome but I'm going to try to keep it "short" by answering the question "how will I be changed by what i just read?" Hmm... Well for one thing, I do feel a need to practice more discipline in my life - physically and spiritually. As most of you know I am losing my job next week and I think in some ways it's good, because I hope this will mean a change in my lifestyle which right now is fairly sedentary because of the office job. I realize I need to take a little better care of this temple and am reminded from life experience that saying "well I'm pretty healthy - more healthy than most probably" only puts you in the lane of getting more unhealthy. Spiritually, the place I've always lacked (despite my easy memory of dances, lines in acting and lyrics) in in memorizing Scripture. I memorize it fairly quickly but then can never seem to remember it a week or two later. I find mysef sitting there for 5 minutes before coming up with a butchered version. So I'd really like to kick my training in that up a notch. Also I want to check myself and make sure i don't get too comfortbale in the CA/OC lifestyle. I don't have to go to Coffee Bean again today. I don't have to have ice cream. I'm not really entitled to anything, but thank you Jesus for giving me everything!
In closing, I would just like to point out how my fiance appears in this chapter - well in the NIV version anyway (it is the only cool version j/k) VS 10: This was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the THRESHER threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. heehee - ok now I'm done. :)
"Hey..uh...I got gaps...and uh...you got gaps...and together we..uh, kinda fill those gaps"
-Rocky speaking to Adrienne
I love all the comments that connect physical training with the spiritual. It’s definitely simple in context, and when looking at it from the outside (new) perspective, it fits. In all actuality, it’s true and Paul makes an incredibly valid point:
“…but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” [v.27]
What an awesome perspective that is to cultivate and practice on a daily basis! Paul tells us to, “…run in such a way that we may win.”[v.24b]; and why not? He’s not telling us to simply run to lose weight and to look sexy, although that certainly is a byproduct; paralleling that with God not asking us to be like Him for the sole purpose of “not sinning” or being “good”. Those are all byproducts that are thoroughly enjoyed by all persons involved, but by all means that purpose isn’t the end result. We are called to love God and love others, and to live each day, each fight like it’s our last and that we’re gonna go out on top!
This chapter also contains one of what I call my "tattoo verses". Verses 9:22-23 are solid:
“…To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
The reason I give the above verse the titled designation of a “tattoo verse” is as follows: when I used to toe the line and come close to the should I/shouldn’t I boundary, I simply read Paul’s word of seeming encouragement to blend in and take a “when in Rome” mentality to justify current said actions. How ridiculous was I?! Paul didn’t write this to say…”hey, if my friend is an alcoholic, I’m gonna drink a beer to seem comfortable and fellowship.” Two thumbs down to that fo sho!! In context, Paul simply is stating that he is of flesh and blood as the next believer, and that he can be tempted just as easily. The only difference is the aspect of spiritual maturity that he discussed in the previous chapter, and with certain “liberties”, discretion may be the best action to take hold of.
Jesus, give me courage and boldness to be counter-cultural in a dying world and the wisdom to seek Your heart in times where I think I’m enough…
[love ya Toes]
Chapter 9: So to answer Pastor Juan's questions. I think the Lord wants to bless us directly for serving him. It builds our faith and to those who tithe. Their faith is built up too which is a blessing in itself. The only reason that Paul did not exercise this right was to show people that he was not doing it for the money. Verse 15 "... it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void"
I love verse 16 where Paul says,"woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel!" If he does not serve as he was called to serve then woe is him. I believe it is like that for all of us. How do we feel when we are not serving the Lord. It sucks. I know that after a while I just lose focus. My eyes lose sight of the prize in the race I am running and then I just kind of slow down and stop running for a bit. It is not until I look up at the crown again that I start running faster. We definitly need to keep our training up. For me it is not a training but diligence in that training. When I read I read. When I pray I pray. But it is not every day and that is something that I really need to change. I want to make everyday a day for the lord. This is the day that the lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it. James and Nathan clearly nailed the verses talking about Becoming all things to all men to save some men. this is the missionary verse of the week. Paul would go as far as he could go withing the law of God to save people. Paul went above and beyond the call.
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