Calvary Chapel Columbia

Finish Strong

Wow! What an eventful and crazy couple of weeks it has been for my family. My wife and I were just blessed with a new baby girl. She is an entire new definition of serving. During her first couple of weeks home I was able to take some much needed time off of work. Much needed! I also took a short break from ministry as well. Just to ensure that my family would be my number one ministry. I have a tendency to over work myself in ministry and not think twice about my spiritual treadmill odometer reading.

I was ready to get back into ministry, Lily Beth sure can cry.

Upon returning to Agonizomai Youth Church the Lord birthed a message entitled “Finish Strong,” It could also be titled start strong, depending on where you are currently.

Many of the students in Youth Church are beginning to look ahead towards graduation and summer breaks and part time jobs. I do the same thing, I tune out to life and commitment when I’m ready for a change. That s not a problem in itself, my problem is that sometimes the “game” is hard and rough and physical. And when you get to the bench for a half time or the start of a new quarter, you realize that it feels good to sit down, the bench is easy, the bench is not demanding, the bench is comfortable.

Paul says in Hebrews 12:1-2 that we should run with endurance the race set before us, and look unto Jesus, who also ran His race with endurance for the joy that was set before Him. (paraphrased)

Here is the kicker about the bench, “A person on the bench is Just a person, a person in the game is a threat to the enemy.”

God is not done with your family, God is not done with your school, God is not done with your willful wanderer or your prodigal, and he especially is not done with you.

Keep going, we need to finish strong, imagine if Christians ran their race like we really believed we were winning. So at the end of our journey we like Paul can say. I have finished the race.

Let us together spur each other on to finish strong,.

The bench doesn’t have a recliner on it because it wasn’t made for long term sitting.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT…..AGONIZOMAI