"Good Runner"

This is dedicated to Delbert Elwood Bowen. This was a man of God who finished his race February 23, 2008. He will be missed but we know that he has now gone to be with God.

Paul describes the Christian journey as a race. The race we are to run is for the crown of righteousness. It is our personal journey in which we are in pursuit of righteousness. Paul tells us that we not only need to finish this race for the crown of righteousness we also need to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given us to do.

Acts 20: 22-24
22"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

In these verses Paul says “if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me. “And” is the key word, Paul did not use the word “or” this makes it two goals. The first one is to finish the race for righteousness and the second one is to complete the task.

Paul in Acts states that his life has no meaning if he does not complete the task Jesus Christ had given him. There are two parts to the race. Paul states that he must finish the race and complete the task. We are in a race for righteousness but the task we are to complete is an individual assignment given by God. Paul’s assignment was to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

Paul knew that God had designed a specific, exclusive, and individual mission for him. He had been called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Gal 2:7-10). In Galatians Paul had returned back to the disciples to make sure he was still completing the task God had set before him. The task is our assignment. We need to ask, seek and knock to find the task God has ordained for your life. To remain in God’s perfect will, God has designed a task for your life.

To make this clearer, Paul was an apostle and missionary. If Paul would have stayed in the church and assisted with growth of the church he would have missed the task the Lord Jesus had given him. He would have conducted himself in an acceptable manner by building the church of God and running the race for righteousness but would have missed the job responsibilities God had designed especially for him. God wanted him to travel and bring salvation to the Gentiles. He knew his personal mission or his task. It did not come from anyone other than God.

First, we are going to look at the race God has outlined for all of us. Then we will list some verses in which you may use to find specific tasks God has for your life*.

Okay, runners on your mark.., get set... go. Our first question is what do we need to run the race for righteousness in which God has designed for us?
 

Determination
All runners have determination. On our Christian journey we must have determination. Here are examples of Paul’s determination:
Hebrews 12:1-3
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In Hebrews, he encourages others to continue in the race with determination and perseverance. He encourages them to fix their eyes on Jesus Christ. Paul did not want the members of the church to grow weary or lose heart. They must always remember to look to Jesus Christ.

As a nurse for many years, I used this technique every time I needed to start an intravenous injection (IV). I informed my patient of what I needed to do and why it needed to be done. I would ask the person about their most enjoyable vacation. Then I would listen intently to their greatest time of joy. It worked because once they had accepted the fact that this was necessary they then focused on other topics of enjoyment.

As Christians, we are to focus on Jesus Christ so that we will not be pulled into sin that so easily entangles our lives. Sometimes when life dispenses difficulty, we often want to revert back to sin because it seems so much easier to deal with the situation at hand. In reality it is much worse for us in the long run if we forget our focus which is running the race for righteousness and fixing our eyes on the Lord Jesus. However like the patient in whom I need to start an intravenous injection, if he/ she decides they don’t need or want the IV the outcome can be much worse.

I Corinthians 9: 24-27.
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others; I myself will not be disqualified for the prize

    In Corinthians, he is striving for the prize and is willing to make his body a slave and go into strict training to obtain the crown that will last forever. The next question is how do we go into strict training and discipline our bodies as slaves to righteousness in order to complete this race?
 

Exercise
 

We need strict training and discipline in order to complete the race. Jesus tells us three things that we should do, deny ourselves, take up cross, and follow Him. The key word is we are to daily take up our cross. This is our exercise program. We are to daily seek the will of God in our life. These verses give us no opening for selfish, self-centered behavior. We are to exercise in the righteousness of God.

Luke 9:23-24
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Romans 12:1-2
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
 

In Romans, Paul is talking about the physical body. It is a spiritual act of worship to offer our body as a sacrifice to God. So part of our exercise is keeping our physical body holy and pleasing to God. We need to take care of the physical body to display a spiritual act of worship.

Then Paul says we are to be transformed (change mind dramatically) by renewing (making our mind new again). We change our mind dramatically by making our mind new again. Most Christians have heard these verses before and seem to focus their attention on the transforming of our mind but seem to brush over the fact we are to make our mind new again.

I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew.

Matthew 12:43-45
43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

The man had been transformed the demon had gone out of the man. However, the demon came back to find the “house” empty and came back with seven other spirits and he was worse than at the beginning. So, remember we are never to just be transformed we must be transformed by renewing our mind. We must change our mind dramatically by making our mind new again. Both must be done in order to be complete.

This is an exercise that needs to be done daily. We need to make our mind new everyday and fill it with God’s word and the Holy Spirit.

James 1:19-25
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

James states that anger does not bring the righteous life. He also states that we are to accept the word (of God) planted in us because this will save us. James then adds one more step. He says that we must not only listen but apply the information or “just do it”.

James uses a wonderful example of looking in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what he looked like in that mirror. I cannot give a better example but I can give a different example.

Let’s say that God tells you that you should not gossip. You know that it is wrong. You have looked in the “mirror” and it says “you need to stop gossiping”. As soon as you go away from the “mirror” you talk about what the neighbor did last night. The mirror is the word of God. The Bible tells us what we need to do so we need to “just do it” and not forget what God has told us to do.

In summary, James is saying humbly accept the word (of God), get rid of filth and evil, and do what the word of God says to do. Exercise is important when we are running a race. It is part of the conditioning we need to run.

II Timothy 2: 15
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Paul tells Timothy that “exercise” is studying the word of God. We need to study to the word of God to be acceptable “workmen” for God’s work.
These are just a few things in which we need to do in order to exercise in a race for righteousness. On to the next question, when do we need a good environment?
 

Practice Environment

We need to maintain a good environment all the time in order to practice righteousness and be respected by others outside of the body of Christ. Paul was always trying to establish and maintain the church he had started. I Thessalonians tells us about how to behave and be an example to others.

We need to love one another, lead a quiet life, mind our own business, and work. This is what we need to practice daily in order to win the respect of outsiders. This should be our practice environment.

 

I Thessalonians 4:9-12
9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,
12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

As runners in the race for righteousness, we are not to encourage our sin nature but serve one another in love. They could be destroyed by each other if they continue to bite and devour each other.

Galatians 5:13-15
13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Solomon gives us personalized instruction. He wants us to guard our heart. This is the wellspring of life. Our heart is the point of origin for everything in our lives. Solomon says to watch our speech, keep our eyes straight ahead, walk on level paths that are firm, and keep our feet from evil. This can be a tough practice environment. This race is not for the weak or faint of heart. It is for those who know their source of strength which is God. They must daily seek God and continually give Him glory and honor.

Proverbs 4:20-27
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

In the book of Titus, it reminds us of our community service. To have a good practice environment we need to include those around us. We need to do good, be obedient, peaceable, and humble. We should not slander, be disobedient, live in malice, envy, hate or hating others.

He then proceeds to say that God saved us and we were washed by rebirth and renewed by the Holy Spirit. The final verse sums it all up by saying do what is good. This is excellent and profitable for everyone.

Titus 3:1-8
1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,
2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
 

This is an awesome practice environment but where do we find the strength to run this race?
 

Healthy Diet

In order to have the strength to run a race we need to have a healthy diet. The physical body cannot survive without food and neither can the spiritual body survive without spiritual food. Here are verses about spiritual food.

Job 23:11-12
11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Psalms 42:1-2
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalms 63:1-5
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

The body requires food to function. It is mandatory for physical health. Job knows this and compares the physical body to the spiritual body. He has no problem saying that the words of God’s mouth are more treasured than earthly nutrition. Job craves the words of God more than his need for physical bread. Also, David chimes in this same sentiment in the book of Psalms. He thirsts for God so he will be satisfied in his soul.

Isaiah 55: 1-11
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Matthew 5:6
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Isaiah is asking Israel to seek God more than earthly food. We are to crave God more than anything. We are to seek His righteousness to be complete and for our soul to be satisfied. In the final verse it contains a promise that it will not return empty. It will accomplish what God desires and achieve what purpose God sent it.

Jesus says that we are blessed if we seek righteousness as we do when we are hungry and thirsty. The outcome is being filled. We will know complete satisfaction when we are filled with righteousness. Righteousness will fill our spiritual body when we desire it as much as food and drink.

Deuteronomy 8:3
3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Matthew 4:3-4
3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
 

We must have spiritual food which is the word of God in order to live a Christian life. Jesus uses the words of God in Deuteronomy when the devil is tempting him in the desert. Of course, heavenly or spiritual food is the word of God. We cannot truly live on physical bread alone. We must have the word of God to be complete and grow as a Christian.

God is righteous…so the words of God are righteousness. We must crave a healthy diet of righteousness which is the word of God. If we have such a desire for righteousness as we do for earthly satisfaction we will be filled.

Hebrews 5: 11-14
11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.
12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
 

In Hebrews Paul makes it clear that God’s word has milk and solid food. As we mature, we must advance to solid food. This food will help us to distinguish good from evil. Let us not forget that the mature must constantly train themselves to distinguish the truth.

Philippians 1: 9
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
 

Our spiritual diet should fill us with the fruit of righteousness. We have all heard the saying “you are what you eat”. Let’s choose to eat the fruit of righteousness every day so we can be filled.

The entire Bible is the word of God. These are just a few verses which compare the physical bodies to the spiritual body. It is clear that spiritual food and drink are more important than physical food and drink.

The Bible is the word of God so our meals are ready-made and easily available. This will give us the wisdom needed to teach righteousness. This should be our daily prayer for others and our self. Now that we have the proper nutrition this leads us to ask, who do we need as our profession coach?
 

Professional Coach
 

Every runner needs a professional coach. Our Coach is God. Hebrews talks about God discipline. He wants us to share in His holiness but in the process we may endure hardship. We were born with a sin nature so we need God’s discipline and instruction to run the race. This discipline leads to a harvest of righteousness and peace.

Hebrews 12: 4-13
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
13"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
 

Solomon reminds us that we need to trust God and not lean on our own understanding. Our coach knows everything about us and everything that we need, so we need to trust Him. Runners would not need a coach if they knew everything. Runners know that their coach has information they need to run the race faster and better. The same is true about God. He knows what we need to run faster and better.

Proverbs 3: 5-6. 11-12
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
 

Paul assures us that God will finish the good work in us until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-6
3I thank my God every time I remember you.
4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
 

Now that we know that God will finish what He starts our next question is when do we receive our reward?
 

Reward

In Matthew we are reminded of where our reward is located. This is the place where moths and rust cannot destroy, and where no one can steal it. This is also the place where our heart should always be. In Corinthians it discuss the training but then says the quality of this reward which is that it will last forever. So our reward is well kept and of the best quality.

Matthew 6:19-21
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I Corinthians 9:25
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
 

Paul had fought the fight and finished the race. He had a crown of righteousness in store for him in heaven. Okay we now know that Paul was a winner, the final question is do you want to be a winner?

II Timothy 4:7-8
7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
 

In summary, a runner needs determination, exercise, a good practice environment, a healthy diet, and a professional coach. The runner will then receive a reward for all his hard work. Now let’s continue to encourage one another as we RUN THE RACE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

*If you are unsure how to run this race on a daily basis, pray and read the Bible so God can guide and direct you. Here are some scriptures that you can pray in order to seek the perfect will of God in your life. Remember that God has a task for you. You own personal mission. Please don’t miss God’s opportunity for your life. Here are some verses of promise to use when you pray.

Matthew 7:7-12
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Luke 11: 5-13
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'
8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

We not only need to ask, we need to ask persistently. The very best way to find God’s will for our life is to read His Holy Word. We also need to ask for His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can help us find God's will.*

*read paper on Prayer and the job of the Holy Spirit in our lives.