HOLY BIBLE
Running the Race
welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread reading titled running the race was written by Adam Holt
 the careers of most National Football League players are remarkably brief just 3.3 years on average according to statista.com then there's NFL Quarterback Tom Brady in 2021 he began his 22nd season at the age of 44 how perhaps is famously rigorous diet and exercise routine have enabled him to maintain his Competitive Edge Brady's Seven Super Bowl rings have earned him the title of goat greatest of all time in the NFL but it's a title he never could have achieved a part from letting his single-minded pursuit of football Perfection shape everything in his life the Apostle Paul recognized athletes exhibiting similar discipline in his day but he also saw that no matter how much they trained ultimately their Glory faded
 in contrast he said we have an opportunity to live for Jesus in a way that affects eternity if athletes striving for momentary Glory can work so hard at it Paul implies how much more should those living for a crown that will last forever
 we don't train to earn salvation rather just the opposite as we realized how truly wondrous our Salvation is it reshaped our priorities our perspective and the Very things we live for as each of us Faithfully run our own race of faith in God strength
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verses 24 through 27
 do you not know that and erase all the runners run but only one gets the prize run in such a way as to get the prize everyone 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 therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly I do not fight like a boxer beating the air now I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others I myself will not be disqualified for the prize
 let's pray
 father help us to grow in discipline as a response to your love and not as an attempt to earn something you've already given us
 thank you Lord It's in Jesus name we pray amen
 thanks for listening today I'm Steven and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries