They are totally good with knowing these trophies will burn up one day, because they are thankful their life has been saved, it will not burn up, but last forever in victory, with God, all because of Jesus!
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Col. 3:23
“Jesus is my ultimate reward-gift. I am going to be with Him forever”- Isaac
“The greatest trophy is Jesus Christ” – Maximus
“This tournament was all for Jesus, because all of life is for Jesus” – Maximus
“All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won
Will crumble into dust when it’s said and done,
‘Cause all that really mattered
Did I live the truth to the ones I love?
Was my life the proof that there is only One
Whose name will last forever?”
Casting Crowns – Jesus is the ONLY Name to Remember
Many aspects in Karate can easily be applied to the Spiritual life of a Believer in Christ. We will face challenges and difficulties. We must put aside the circumstances and push ourselves through the difficulty to become stronger and overcome.
Behind these trophies are children who have fought against fears, pains, (life circumstances even-stroke-) and more-depending on Christ’s power, as He works in them through trial, conforming to the image of Christ. As a parent it is extremely difficult to see our children hurt, struggle, and face real hard oppositions in their lives. As a Christian parent it is a gift to point them to God in His Word, pray fervently, seek God, and see that through all things He is working it out for their good (often seeing in FAITH in HIS WORD against our human sight), His perfect faithful plan, and to see them TRUST GOD more, and see His glory. No greater joy, to see them exercise in all of life the things they learn in relationship with Christ.
I spent hours and hours and hours sharing the scriptures with them, preparing their hearts, minds, souls. Seeing the Lord help them, to see His perspective in trials they have faced. They have grown in their faith through these trials. We cling to dependency on Jesus, His Word, promises, and commandments. He overcomes the hang ups in our hearts, minds, souls.
We press on, push past ourselves, our desires, feelings, obstacles, hurts and pains, and look to JESUS Who we know is our ultimate reward.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
As they walked about this tournament, God answered the cries of my heart for peace, joy, strength. The love of God present with us, in us, and sharing this with the people around. Only Jesus can take the wrestlings of our flesh and sinner’s hearts, and conform them to His way.
It’s fun to receive trophies. God created us to participate in athletics and desire to set goals and achieve. How beautiful is the bible to include real life examples of competition-athletics and use it to spur us on to the Spiritual life in the Savior.
Whether they received a trophy or not, we know the hard work, and effort they put in to do this, and that we live to please Him. Whether Karate or life in general we are always a work in progress until we see the Lord. We acknowledge in our walk with God every day areas we need to grow in, as we push on to seek God more, confessing our weaknesses, our sins, our DEEP need for Him, and in His power at work in us, victory in JESUS.
Because of Jesus we have been given the power and the help continually through the Holy Spirit who resides in us.
AS HE is continually our Helper who never sleeps or slumbers and is always working on our behalf, we will..
CONTINUE –
“continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven” Col. 1:23 We not only proclaim the gospel with words, but with living it out in action. Stand firm, in truth, in love.
“My praise shall be continually of You.” Ps. 71:4
“But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.” – Psalms 71:14-16
BECAUSE JESUS IS THE ONLY NAME TO REMEMBER…
“Do 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. 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. No, 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.” 2 Cor. 9:24-27
To know more about the life to come for unbelievers and believers, please read here :
A New Heaven and a New Earth Revelations 21:1-8 – OUT WITH THE OLD – ALL THINGS NEW!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now 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.” 2 Tim. 4:7-8
