Faith - Setting up for Gold

Chris Ney - When we were kids we would play different sports and I know for myself I would work really hard at getting ready for game day. It didn’t matter what sport I played I wanted the win. That gold trophy or gold medal was all I wanted to see for all my hard work. I can even remember a time where my team came in second place and got silver out of 24 teams in our league and we were mad. It wasn’t good enough we said, we worked to hard to just get silver. It was a reflection of our hearts and our pride but most of all it was so hard to spend all the time we did and not finish well. Today some many years later it can look the same, sometimes, it is not as bad however I know there are times where I can look back and not be happy until I am winning; then God intervenes and shows me a picture of what winning looks like. The tough part is that when God reveals what victory looks like it is hard to bare.

Victory really looks like a perfect man (Jesus) allowing himself to be arrested, allowing himself to be tried, and beaten and tore apart. Victory looks like Jesus carrying a cross up a hill, and laying down on it, while stretching out his hands and feet so that nails could be driven into them. Victory looks like being stood up on that cross with nothing on in pain while people around Him laughed and mocked. Victory looks like Jesus giving His last breath by saying “father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Hmmm.

It all of a sudden brings me to tears even writing this as I think about what real victory means, its not sports, its not the Olympics, its not anything we can do, but victory is His. Jesus won the victory, not a medal or trophy, Jesus won the victory over death, hell and the grave. He did so by taking all of the penalty for each and everyone of us so that if we would just believe in Him we would have everlasting life. That if we would turn from our sin and look to Him as Lord and Savior we would not have to bare the weight of it all. In fact Jesus already did that for you and for me. The sad reality is that there is no second place here, there is no silver medal. Only eternal life with Jesus in heaven or eternal life without Jesus in Hell. It doesn’t have to be that way, God wishes that none would end up in second place but that all would repent and believe. That we would all turn to Him and look to Him as our victory, look to Him for eternal life.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life, no one comes to the father except through His victory. How awesome is that for us , we can win and we don’t have to be the perfect athlete, or person we just have to come as we are. Jesus died with you on His heart, He loves you, and me. Come to Him now. If you already know this then this should be a fire starter in your heart to say I want to know Him more. Maybe you have been on the bench for a while and now, NOW Jesus is calling you to get in the game. If that is you and your looking for a place to find family and fire, I would invite you to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:30am at Vertical Church 1200 Ken Thornton Blvd.

If you have never been to church I would personally like to invite you to come and meet my Jesus, join us on Sunday and cone and be a part of the family

You are loved!