[Dramatic Theme]
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It has stood the test of time.
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God's book. The Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It is written sharing
hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me today.
I4m John Bradshaw and this
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is It Is Written. You
know, every four years
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the whole world
forgets momentarily about its
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quarrels and problems
and focuses for two weeks
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on something that seems to
be a fascination for just about
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everybody--- the Olympic Games.
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You can't get away from
it. Around the world warnings
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were given to people about
the problems of coming in to
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work in the morning
tired and the effect that this
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might have on their health.
But of course record numbers
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of people watched the
games in spite of the warnings
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of the health professionals.
Before the London Olympics
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in 2012 there were
reports about some of the issues
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that were plaguing the
games: there were structures
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--buildings--that may
not be ready on time; it was
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thought there might not
be enough security people
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to make sure the organization
ran smoothly throughout
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the actual games.
Once the games started
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all those
concerns were forgotten.
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The minds of people
were turned to their nation's
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competitors and the question
of whether or not they would
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win medals - with gold being
metal of the preferred kind.
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One country that
entered the London Olympic Games
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with stellar
expectations was Australia.
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Over the years the Aussies
have always punched well above
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their weight in the
Olympic Games and at London
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they were expecting to do
the same thing - especially
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in the swimming pool.
[Triumphant Music under]
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They had assembled a
strong team of swimmers, many of
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whom had been successful
at the Beijing Olympics four
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years earlier, as well as
at the world championships.
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So when the Australian
swimmers took to the pool
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there was an expectation
in Australia that they'd do
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well and to bring back a
significant number of medals
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back to Australia.
And one of their mostly
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highly favored swimmers was
a man named James Magnussen.
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Now James Magnusson was
the reigning world champion in
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the 100 meters freestyle
-- that4s one of swimming's
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glamour events.
At the 2011 world
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championships in Shanghai,
China, Magnussen became
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the first Australian to win
the gold medal in that event.
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He was a national
hero in Australia.
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Aussies nicknamed
him "the missile".
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Understandably he
placed great expectations on
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himself. In fact,
he said he thought
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he would win in London.
He was now the best in the
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world and he had swum the
fastest time in history over
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100 meters for any
swimmer wearing a conventional
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swimsuit. Now,
that4s in contrast to
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those high tech swimsuits
that were worn a few years
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ago but then
banned from competition.
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No one was able to
match James Magnussen in his
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favored event. So
when the London Olympics
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arrived James Magnussen
was expected to win gold for
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Australia. Before
the men's 100 meters
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was the men's 4 x 100m
relay and Australia was expected
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to dominate that race as well.
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They won their
heat comfortably and all
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the country thought
that they would win the final
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in a canter.
Magnusson swam first in
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the final and went out hard.
In his second lap Australia
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waited for the missile to
fire, but it didn't happen.
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When Magnussen finished
his leg of the relay Australia
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was placed third --and
they ended winning bronze.
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In many countries Third
in the world would be cause
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for celebration. But
for Australia there was
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real disappointment.
Magnussen himself was
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dejected. The
weight of a nation was
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on him. He felt
like he had let his
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country down. At
the post race interview
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he couldn't find words to
speak and he faded into the
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background. There was no real
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explanation. The
game plan simply hadn't
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worked. Now the
whole of Australia
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began to worry about how
James would do in the 100
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metre race itself.
After some soul searching
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and time with his coach
Magnussen lined up in the
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100 meter heat.
He swam well and came
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second. He won
his semi-final quite
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convincingly. It
seemed like the missile
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was back. The
whole of Australia was
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there with him, it
seemed. In his home town of Port
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Macquarie - a beautiful
seaside city on the coast of
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New South Wales -- almost
the whole town got up in the
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early hours of the
morning to watch the final.
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There was a big
screen in the town centre.
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Many people went
down there to watch.
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[Sports Music] The
big screen event started
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at 4:30 am. James'
race would start at
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5:15. All sorts
of of people from
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Port Macquarie showed up
to watch their home town hero.
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The result of the final
is now in the history books.
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James Magnussen competed.
He swam incredibly well.
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When the race ended many
Australians thought their
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man had carried the
day. But the cruel truth for
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Australia was that James
Magnussen had been beaten by
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Nathan Adrian from
Bremerton, Washington by the
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smallest measurable
margin in swimming: 1 100th
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of a second. This much.
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Magnussen was gracious in
defeat, but the smiles were
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forced and everyone in
Australia was feeling what
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he felt. The
disappointment of being
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so near and yet so far.
And then Australia began
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the post mortem.
For the first time since
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Montreal 1976 Australia
hadn't won an individual
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swimming medal.
Instead, they had "only" won
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a single gold (in a
relay), six silvers and three
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bronze. Only five
countries won more
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swimming medals than Australia.
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Yet one Olympic champion
swimmer from Australia said
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that the swimmers
didn't try hard enough.
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Coaches were blamed for
not adequately preparing
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the athletes, and the coaches
themselves said that they
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didn't have enough resources
which were being diverted to
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other
programs... and on it went.
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Now contrast that with
another Australian Olympian.
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Jessica fox raced in
the final of the K1 canoe
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slalom. She
wasn't expected to do
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very well but
Jessica made the final.
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Now her mother had won
a bronze in the same event
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at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
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After her final run Jessica
found herself with the fastest
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time of all of the competitors
and she held on to that
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top spot until
until a French paddler
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paddled her final
run. Jessica was ultimately
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beaten by just six
tenths of a second.
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The Eighteen years
old and a silver medalist.
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So how did Jessica
react? She was ecstatic and when
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being interviewed she
said that she was still
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'in the clouds'.
What a contrast between
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Jessica and James
Magnusson. They both competed.
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They both came
second. Neither of them won.
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They both walked
away with a silver medal.
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They both felt very
differently about it.
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But let4s shift
this just a little bit.
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What is it do you think
that God most wants from our
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lives? Is God
sitting on the edge
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of His throne during the
Olympics - waiting to see
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who will win
gold? Is he cheering
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competitors on? The
truth is God wants every
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one of us to win something
golden - but His sights are
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set on far more
than simply a gold medal.
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I'll have more in just a moment.
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¤ [Gentle Music] ¤
Every Word is a one
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minute Bible-based
daily devotional presented
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by pastor John Bradshaw and
designed especially for busy
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people like you. Receive a daily
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spiritual boost.
Watch Every Word.
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¤ [Rythmic Melody] ¤
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He threatened to blow
up a restaurant with what?
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No joke - police in China were
held in an hour-long stand-off
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with a man trying to
hold up a restaurant.
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The man threatened to blow
the whole place up if he wasn't
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given all the money in the till.
Police thought he had explosives
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and detonators strapped to his
body but it turn out the man was
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armed only with - pork sausages.
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They were under his clothes
strapped around his waist.
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No, I don't get it either.
Paul wrote in Romans 7:15,
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"For what I am
doing, I do not understand."
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If you're not led by the
Holy Spirit - surrendered
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- you'll find yourself
doing things that will leave you
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say-ing, "What was I thinking?"
It's better to live a life
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without regrets. The
grace of God can lead you
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today in that kind of
life. I'm John Bradshaw
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for It Is Written. Let's
live today by Every Word.
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This is It Is Written.
Thanks for joining me today.
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You know in the book of
Mark chapter 10 and verse 45,
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the Bible says this, "For
the Son of man also has not
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come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as
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redemption for many".
When I look closely at
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the words of Jesus I find
it hard to think that Jesus
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is going crazy over the
Olympics, that he is setting
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his clock so that he does
not miss any of the events.
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That Jesus entered into
the sorrow that James Magnusson
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experienced at his
loss. I don't think that Jesus
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is going to be spending his
days planning for that great
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Olympics in the sky when
he will assemble the greatest
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athletes ever to fight
for the title of swimmer
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of the galaxy. I
don't think it's going to
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happen that way. I
don't think that when
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Jesus is taking his people
into his kingdom he will be
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lining them up according
to the amount of Olympic gold
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medals they have won.
Or even by our professions
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so that the brightest
scholars all line up first.
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No - God will be
lining us up according to our
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characters. Now am
I saying that God is
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not interested in what
you or I are doing or what
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athletes are doing?
Oh, no I don't mean that.
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In fact the apostle Paul
speaks at some length about
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the athletes of his day.
The beginning of organized
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games began with
Alexander the Great after he had
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conquered the world.
He had organized games
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for Greece and for his soldiers.
Sports were introduced into
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Palestine and a gymnasium
was erected in Jerusalem.
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During the time of the
apostle Paul the games were well
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established and by then
everyone had heard of the Greek
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Olympic Games. The
Gentiles loved the games
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but they were repugnant to
the pious Jews because they
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were of a
demoralizing character.
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And there was good reason
for the Jews to be put off.
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Those who took part in
the contests competed naked.
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The Olympic games were
held every four years in Olympia
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in honor of the god Zeus.
They had a variety of games
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including leaping, and
racing, and quoits, spear
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throwing, and wrestling.
They had chariot racing,
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boxing, running in armor.
Now you just didn't turn up
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on the day and compete.
The competitors usually went
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on a special diet and
preparation, they stayed
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under supervision at one
place, they exercised their
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bodies regularly and when
they competed, they had to
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obey all the rules.
Very much like today.
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Paul was aware of this when
he wrote to the Corinthians.
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He wrote to the Corinthians
and said these words,
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"And every man that striveth
for the mastery is temperate
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in all things. Now
they do it to obtain
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a corruptible crown;
but we an incorruptible"
00:10:46.54\00:10:49.71
(That's I Corinthians
9:25). And to his young friend
00:10:49.71\00:10:54.05
Timothy he wrote
these words, he said,
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"And if a man also strive
for masteries, yet is he not
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crowned, except he strive
lawfully" (II Timothy 2:5).
00:11:01.86\00:11:07.46
When an athletic event
was completed, a herald
00:11:07.46\00:11:10.33
proclaimed aloud the name
of the victor and the city from
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which he came. He
was presented with a palm
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branch by the judges,
and the prizes were given out
00:11:15.57\00:11:17.77
on the last day of the
games. There was only one winner
00:11:17.77\00:11:21.01
per event, crowned
with an olive wreath made
00:11:21.01\00:11:23.75
of wild-olive leaves from
a sacred tree near the temple
00:11:23.75\00:11:26.08
of Zeus at Olympia.
This was a matter of honor
00:11:26.08\00:11:29.48
for the competitors.
But nevertheless Paul says
00:11:29.48\00:11:32.29
that their reward was
something that they strove
00:11:32.29\00:11:34.86
after even though there
was only one reward per event.
00:11:34.86\00:11:39.93
But then Paul contrasts
the reward that the athlete
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received with the reward
that the Christian receives.
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He said these
words, "so run to win!
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They do it to win a prize
that will fade away, but we
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do it for an eternal
prize. (1 Cor 9 24-25).
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So we are called
on to "run to win".
00:11:59.45\00:12:04.49
Peter had the same thought
in mind when he wrote this
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in 1 Peter 5:4, the Bible
says this, "you will receive
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the crown of glory
that does not fade away"
00:12:14.46\00:12:18.40
(1 Peter 5:4). James
Magnusson was clearly
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disappointed when he lost
and yet he was only reaching
00:12:19.87\00:12:22.00
for something
that WOULD fade away.
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According to he Bible
it's a whole lot better to be
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a nobody and yet be striving
for the crown that God will
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give to those that love
Him. God wants to give us
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something that we can
have for all eternity --
00:12:32.11\00:12:34.48
not simply a prize we have
for just a short time before
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the memory of it
becomes consigned to the history
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books. Do you remember the name
00:12:39.29\00:12:41.29
Johnny Weissmuller?
Johnny Weissmuller won two
00:12:41.29\00:12:43.93
gold medals for
swimming during the 1920s.
00:12:43.93\00:12:45.99
You might remember
that he went on to become
00:12:45.99\00:12:49.00
the "Tarzan" of his
era. But I can't think of any
00:12:49.00\00:12:51.93
other Olympian from that
time. They have faded from
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.94
the mind of mankind and now
the only memory of them is held
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.51
online or in the library.
And even it I read about
00:12:57.51\00:13:00.64
them I doubt if I would
have heard of any of them.
00:13:00.64\00:13:03.65
Paul said "They do it to
obtain a corruptible crown;
00:13:03.65\00:13:07.12
but we an incorruptible"
This will be placed on our
00:13:07.12\00:13:11.22
heads by Jesus' own
hand. What a day that will be!
00:13:11.22\00:13:14.99
For each of God's
children there'll be a crown of
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.56
victory. Each of us will receive
00:13:17.56\00:13:19.56
the victor's palm
and the shining harp.
00:13:19.56\00:13:22.06
Then we will live
with God for all eternity.
00:13:22.06\00:13:24.93
In a moment - the apostle
Paul compares himself to an
00:13:24.93\00:13:28.17
Olympic athlete.
I'll be right back.
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.94
¤ [Adventurous Theme] ¤
00:13:32.81\00:13:41.25
Time For today's bible question
and thanks for submitting
00:13:49.46\00:13:52.13
bible questions to
us here at It Is Written
00:13:52.13\00:13:54.36
How can a person
really believe the Bible
00:13:54.36\00:13:57.47
is true? It was
written years ago,
00:13:57.47\00:14:00.40
it has been copied so
many times, it was written
00:14:00.40\00:14:03.04
by a lot of different people
and those people wrote different
00:14:03.04\00:14:05.17
parts of the Bible
at different times.
00:14:05.17\00:14:08.68
Help me believe the
Bible is believable.
00:14:08.68\00:14:11.15
Great question. Thank you.
00:14:11.15\00:14:13.85
I'll do my best.
You know what's funny?
00:14:13.85\00:14:16.89
There are historical
books that not many people
00:14:16.89\00:14:20.26
question when it
comes to authenticity.
00:14:20.26\00:14:23.26
An historian named
Tacitus wrote The Annals
00:14:23.26\00:14:27.56
of Imperial Rome.
Few people question
00:14:27.56\00:14:30.00
its accuracy or its
veracity, even though what is
00:14:30.00\00:14:32.90
available today comes from
a copy and doesn't NEARLY date
00:14:32.90\00:14:36.17
back to the original.
Now I'm not knocking Tacitus
00:14:36.17\00:14:39.74
and the Annals of Imperial Rome.
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.68
I'm just pointing out
that there's a bit of a double
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.51
standard when it comes
to considering the accuracy
00:14:44.51\00:14:47.08
of the Bible.
Now there are several
00:14:47.08\00:14:49.38
reasons you can trust the Bible.
00:14:49.38\00:14:51.12
I'll name just a few.
Historically it stands up.
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.86
Luke, who wrote Luke and
the Book of Acts, is a very
00:14:53.86\00:14:56.62
accurate historian, and
the historical details found
00:14:56.62\00:15:00.23
in what he wrote stand
the test of thorough scrutiny.
00:15:00.23\00:15:04.67
Archaeology has validated
the Bible again and again.
00:15:04.67\00:15:08.04
On numerous occasions it
has been said that portions
00:15:08.04\00:15:10.34
of the Bible couldn't
be trusted because they
00:15:10.34\00:15:12.61
couldn't be validated by
the archaeological record.
00:15:12.61\00:15:16.04
But again and again
archaeologists have found
00:15:16.04\00:15:19.58
records of cities or
other evidences that show
00:15:19.58\00:15:24.19
the Bible record
was accurate after all.
00:15:24.19\00:15:27.19
It's happened many, many times.
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.89
Then there are the manuscripts.
There are hundreds of old
00:15:29.89\00:15:32.36
manuscripts or portions
of manuscripts that show us
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.63
that what has come down
to us today is consistent
00:15:35.63\00:15:38.17
with what was written hundreds
and hundreds of years ago.
00:15:38.17\00:15:41.87
The Dead Sea Scrolls,
discovered in the late 1940s
00:15:41.87\00:15:45.47
and early 1950s are compelling
evidence that the Bible
00:15:45.47\00:15:48.81
is legitimate.
They date back as far
00:15:48.81\00:15:51.88
as before the time of
Christ, and they show us that
00:15:51.88\00:15:54.85
the Bible we read today
is fundamentally the same
00:15:54.85\00:15:57.45
as what was
written way back then.
00:15:57.45\00:16:00.76
Now the 'differences'
that exist in manuscripts
00:16:00.76\00:16:02.79
are generally so small
that they're just irrelevant.
00:16:02.79\00:16:06.56
You don't find a manuscript
where Jesus says He is not
00:16:06.56\00:16:08.86
the Son of God, or where
the Christ is teaching something
00:16:08.86\00:16:11.87
bizarre. And consider prophecy.
00:16:11.87\00:16:15.47
Many prophecies of the
Bible that have been fulfilled
00:16:15.47\00:16:18.91
and this demonstrates, I think,
conclusively that the Bible
00:16:18.91\00:16:21.31
can be trusted. When
you've got predictions
00:16:21.31\00:16:24.05
made that name a king
before he is born or that name
00:16:24.05\00:16:29.42
an certain invader or conquerer
before he is born and then
00:16:29.42\00:16:32.22
these things come to pass...
When you have got all those
00:16:32.22\00:16:35.32
prophecies about
Jesus coming to the world,
00:16:35.32\00:16:37.73
one saying He would be
crucified, another saying
00:16:37.73\00:16:40.76
not a bone would be
broken, another saying He would
00:16:40.76\00:16:42.63
be born in Bethlehem, another
saying He would die in dishonor,
00:16:42.63\00:16:45.13
another saying He would be
rejected by the ones He came
00:16:45.13\00:16:49.44
to save, and on and
on... You've got a real problem
00:16:49.44\00:16:51.44
if you want to argue against
the inspiration of the Bible.
00:16:51.44\00:16:55.28
What are you going to
do with all that evidence?
00:16:55.28\00:16:58.68
But you know what?
At the end of the day we
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.42
accept the Bible by faith.
The Bible's critics do raise
00:17:01.42\00:17:05.42
fair questions at times
- sometimes questions that
00:17:05.42\00:17:08.12
aren't easy to answer,
especially to everyone's
00:17:08.12\00:17:10.29
satisfaction. But
there is enough clear -
00:17:10.29\00:17:13.29
what I would call -
"evidence" for us to know
00:17:13.29\00:17:16.43
the Bible really
is the word of God.
00:17:16.43\00:17:19.63
You can accept it by faith.
Not blind faith, but reasonable,
00:17:19.63\00:17:23.67
studied faith.
There are many, many good
00:17:23.67\00:17:26.61
reasons to trust the
Bible. So many that I'm not sure
00:17:26.61\00:17:30.55
how somebody can really
be confident in rejecting
00:17:30.55\00:17:33.72
the Bible. If
there's a question you'd
00:17:33.72\00:17:36.55
like answered, please send
it to me at itiswritten.com.
00:17:36.55\00:17:39.42
I'll do my very best
to get your Bible question
00:17:39.42\00:17:42.56
answered. [Adventurous Theme]
00:17:42.56\00:17:49.83
¤ [Thoughful Melody] ¤
00:17:51.17\00:17:55.00
But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost
00:17:59.61\00:18:03.08
is come upon
you: and ye shall be
00:18:03.08\00:18:04.85
witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem,
00:18:04.85\00:18:07.32
and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria,
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.85
and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.
00:18:09.85\00:18:13.39
The uttermost part of the earth
seems like an appropriate way to
00:18:14.96\00:18:18.73
describe Mongolia,
sandwiched between China
00:18:18.73\00:18:23.00
and Siberia. About
two and a half percent of
00:18:23.00\00:18:26.90
Mongolians are Christians.
Or to put it another way,
00:18:26.90\00:18:31.64
Mongolia is 97.5
percent non-Christian.
00:18:31.64\00:18:38.08
Per capita, there are less
Christians in Mongolia today
00:18:38.08\00:18:42.85
than there are in Saudia Arabia
Official statistics say there
00:18:42.85\00:18:47.29
are more
Christians in North Korea
00:18:47.29\00:18:49.56
than there are in Mongolia.
00:18:49.56\00:18:51.76
In 1989 there were four
Christians in all of Mongolia.
00:18:52.03\00:18:58.10
There's simply very little
knowledge of Christianity.
00:18:58.10\00:19:02.44
The church hasn't
made real inroads here.
00:19:02.44\00:19:05.87
And according to the
Bible, somehow or other,
00:19:05.87\00:19:09.31
Mongolians will all be given
an opportunity to know Jesus.
00:19:09.31\00:19:14.92
It Is Written's Mission Mongolia
is bringing the Good News of
00:19:14.92\00:19:18.79
Jesus Christ to
the people of Mongolia.
00:19:18.79\00:19:22.26
People here must be reached,
and they are being reached
00:19:22.26\00:19:25.46
with Mission Mongolia
People are having their health
00:19:25.46\00:19:29.06
needs met.  Those who need
clothing to protect themselves
00:19:29.06\00:19:32.73
against the brutally cold
winter are being helped also.
00:19:32.73\00:19:37.54
Your support of Mission Mongolia
will make it possible for
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.38
It Is Written to
send teams of missionaries
00:19:40.38\00:19:42.58
to Mongolia, to share
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:19:42.58\00:19:46.45
Doctors, nurses and other
medical workers will minister to
00:19:46.45\00:19:49.78
those needing medical attention.
Bibles are needed in the
00:19:49.78\00:19:53.92
Mongolian language.
And your help will make it
00:19:53.92\00:19:56.73
possible for people to
own their very own Bible
00:19:56.73\00:19:59.19
for the first
time, and learn of Jesus.
00:19:59.19\00:20:03.10
Other humanitarian needs will
also be met, as Mission Mongolia
00:20:03.10\00:20:07.50
provides for many people who are
being left behind by a society
00:20:07.50\00:20:12.31
relentlessly rushing
forward. Don't leave Mongolians
00:20:12.31\00:20:16.14
in the dark. Your
help will make it possible
00:20:16.14\00:20:19.48
for Mission Mongolia to
introduce people to Jesus.
00:20:19.48\00:20:24.55
Call now, 1-800-253-3000.
That's 1-800-253-3000,
00:20:24.55\00:20:32.56
to support Mission
Mongolia. Or visit us online at
00:20:32.56\00:20:37.07
www.itiswritten.com. Or
you can support this work or
00:20:37.07\00:20:42.24
learn more about it by writing
to It Is Written, P O Box 6,
00:20:42.24\00:20:47.18
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401.
00:20:47.18\00:20:51.25
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written
00:20:53.05\00:20:55.28
The Apostle Paul compared
himself to an Olympic racer
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.12
when he wrote these words:
I press toward the mark for
00:20:58.12\00:21:00.86
the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus"
00:21:00.86\00:21:04.76
(Philippians
3:14). And he says in
00:21:04.76\00:21:07.76
2 Timothy 4:7: "I
have finished my course".
00:21:07.76\00:21:11.47
The writer to the Hebrews
sees the Christian's race
00:21:11.47\00:21:13.77
as being run with
endurance before a great crowd
00:21:13.77\00:21:17.07
of spectators. We read this in
00:21:17.07\00:21:19.17
Hebrews 12:1.
"Therefore we also, since we
00:21:19.17\00:21:23.65
are surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us
00:21:23.65\00:21:28.18
lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily
00:21:28.18\00:21:30.89
ensnares us, and let us run
with endurance the race that
00:21:30.89\00:21:34.72
is set before us" And that
advice belongs to us today.
00:21:34.72\00:21:39.43
Paul refers to this when
he talks about wrestling,
00:21:39.43\00:21:42.60
a modern day sport for
sure. The contest with Satan he
00:21:42.60\00:21:45.67
likens to a wrestling match.
In those wrestling bounds in
00:21:45.67\00:21:49.64
the ancient olympic games,
the winner was the wrestler
00:21:49.64\00:21:52.44
who succeeded in first
throwing down, and then
00:21:52.44\00:21:54.91
holding down his opponent
with his hand upon his neck.
00:21:54.91\00:21:56.91
When Paul wrote to the
Romans: "Strive together
00:21:56.91\00:22:00.42
with me in your
prayers" (Romans 15:30), he was
00:22:00.42\00:22:03.55
wanting them to put the same
energy into their prayers as
00:22:03.55\00:22:06.65
a wrestler would put
into his efforts to win his
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.99
contest. In
writing to the Corinthians
00:22:08.99\00:22:11.09
Paul also refers to
boxing. Here is what he says,
00:22:11.09\00:22:14.66
he writes: "Thus I fight:
not as one who beats the air.
00:22:14.66\00:22:21.07
But I discipline my body
and bring it into subjection" (I
00:22:21.07\00:22:23.67
Corinthians 9:26-27).
He is thinking of keeping
00:22:23.67\00:22:28.71
his body under control
lest if he fails to do so he be
00:22:28.71\00:22:31.65
disqualified as an
effective Christian worker.
00:22:31.65\00:22:35.12
And what applies to Paul
in that situation certainly
00:22:35.12\00:22:38.05
applies to us. As
we can see the Apostle
00:22:38.05\00:22:40.49
Paul was fond of making
use of popular sporting events
00:22:40.49\00:22:42.86
to illustrate truth. To
the Philippians he spoke
00:22:42.86\00:22:46.53
of "striving together
for the faith of the gospel"
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.30
(Philippians
1:27). The words "striving
00:22:49.30\00:22:52.17
together" actually
mean "acting as athletes in
00:22:52.17\00:22:54.97
concert." In the
language of modern
00:22:54.97\00:22:57.47
athletics, he was thinking
of the importance of what we
00:22:57.47\00:22:59.71
call "team
spirit" in the church.
00:22:59.71\00:23:02.71
When Jude urged his readers
to "earnestly contend for
00:23:02.71\00:23:05.98
the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints"
00:23:05.98\00:23:08.65
(you read that in Jude
3), he was using another
00:23:08.65\00:23:10.89
athletic word. One
of the chief forms of
00:23:10.89\00:23:13.12
amusement among the Romans
-- the early Christian era
00:23:13.12\00:23:16.06
-- was to condemn criminals,
and especially Christians,
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.99
to fight with lions, bears,
elephants, or tigers in the
00:23:18.99\00:23:22.13
amphitheatres of the
empire before huge crowds of
00:23:22.13\00:23:25.07
spectators. The
crowds would urge on the
00:23:25.07\00:23:28.24
beast by throwing darts
or by shouting in sort of a
00:23:28.24\00:23:31.34
maddening spirit.
Then they'd watch the poor
00:23:31.34\00:23:34.31
victim be torn to
pieces by the animal.
00:23:34.31\00:23:37.51
Paul referred to this
practice when he said,
00:23:37.51\00:23:40.52
"If after the manner of
men I have fought with beasts
00:23:40.52\00:23:43.42
at Ephesus" (I
Corinthians 15:32).
00:23:43.42\00:23:46.92
So what is God's
counsel us to do today?
00:23:46.92\00:23:49.02
Most of us will never
have to prepare for an Olympic
00:23:49.02\00:23:51.16
games. But we do
have a far greater
00:23:51.16\00:23:52.93
prize to reach for.
Not a medal that will
00:23:52.93\00:23:56.26
eventually be forgotten
about but a life that we
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.57
will live for all
of eternity with Jesus.
00:23:58.57\00:24:01.87
That is a wonderful
thing to strive for.
00:24:01.87\00:24:03.97
We can explore the universe
with Jesus as our guide.
00:24:03.97\00:24:07.01
There are some simple things
that Jesus advises us to do.
00:24:07.01\00:24:09.58
In the book of Joshua
(24:15) Joshua said 'choose
00:24:09.58\00:24:13.75
you this day
whom you will serve...
00:24:13.75\00:24:16.99
but as for me and my
house we will serve the Lord".
00:24:16.99\00:24:21.96
What good advice. You
can wake up each morning
00:24:21.96\00:24:24.83
and put the day into God's hand.
00:24:24.83\00:24:27.50
The first thing we can do
every day is to reach out to
00:24:27.50\00:24:31.10
God and say "Lord I dedicate
this day to you, please use
00:24:31.10\00:24:33.77
me in your service that
I might serve you and give
00:24:33.77\00:24:36.54
honour to you during this day.
00:24:36.54\00:24:39.44
In Luke 13:24 Jesus tells
us to "strive to enter through
00:24:39.44\00:24:44.41
the narrow gate" Like an
athlete that is striving for
00:24:44.41\00:24:48.48
a gold medal, God
wants us to strive.
00:24:48.48\00:24:51.62
In the days of Paul
there was only one winner.
00:24:51.62\00:24:54.22
Everyone else was a loser.
With God we can all winners.
00:24:54.22\00:24:56.83
He doesn't line us up
according to what we have
00:24:56.83\00:24:59.89
won or achieved in this life.
00:24:59.89\00:25:02.33
If that were the case only
the fortunate, or well off,
00:25:02.33\00:25:04.60
or well educated
would reach his kingdom.
00:25:04.60\00:25:06.70
God looks upon us according
to our characters - and the
00:25:06.70\00:25:10.01
good news is that He
will give us His righteousness
00:25:10.01\00:25:13.21
and live His life in
us. You can't be a loser -
00:25:13.21\00:25:17.31
and you'll always be a
winner - when you choose Jesus
00:25:17.31\00:25:20.98
as your own.
00:25:20.98\00:25:22.88
¤ [Bright Musical Interlude] ¤
00:25:23.12\00:25:27.09
When you hear the word "heaven,"
00:25:28.62\00:25:30.26
what comes to your mind?
If it's little more than harps
00:25:30.26\00:25:33.03
and clouds, my guess is you
might not be too excited about
00:25:33.03\00:25:35.66
spending an eternity there!
But the Bible has good news
00:25:35.66\00:25:39.00
for you! Heaven
is a very real place
00:25:39.00\00:25:41.30
for real people!
And God has great things
00:25:41.30\00:25:44.31
in store for you there. If
you'd like to know what the
00:25:44.31\00:25:46.61
Bible says about
heaven, let me send you
00:25:46.61\00:25:48.48
a booklet called,
"As Good As It Gets."
00:25:48.48\00:25:50.91
It's absolutely FREE.
Just call 1 (800) 253-3000 and
00:25:50.91\00:25:55.55
ask for "As Good As It
Gets." If the line's busy,
00:25:55.55\00:25:58.99
do keep on trying. You
can write to It Is Written,
00:25:58.99\00:26:01.99
at P.O. Box 6,
Chattanooga, TN 37401,
00:26:01.99\00:26:06.43
and we'll mail a free copy to
your address in North America.
00:26:06.43\00:26:09.76
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry supported by
00:26:09.76\00:26:12.20
people like you. Your
help makes it possible for
00:26:12.20\00:26:14.60
us to share God's
good news with the world.
00:26:14.60\00:26:17.44
Your tax-deductible gift
can be sent to the address
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.64
on your screen,
or you can support us
00:26:19.64\00:26:21.61
online at itiswritten.com.
Thank you for your continued
00:26:21.61\00:26:25.68
prayerful support.
Our toll-free number is
00:26:25.68\00:26:28.38
1 (800) 253-3000
and our web address
00:26:28.38\00:26:31.82
is itiswritten.com.
00:26:31.82\00:26:35.72
Let's pray together.
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:40.13\00:26:43.73
we thank you today for
the certainty that we can win
00:26:43.73\00:26:47.50
through Jesus and salvation
never has to be for us a
00:26:47.50\00:26:50.74
loss or even a
matter of coming in second.
00:26:50.74\00:26:53.78
I thank you that you
encourage us to strive,
00:26:53.78\00:26:55.71
that is, to strive to yield,
to strive to surrender, to put
00:26:55.71\00:26:58.68
the important things
first, and to press towards
00:26:58.68\00:27:02.32
the mark. Bless us this day
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because soon we know
Jesus is coming back.
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On that wonderful day we
will receive as Paul said,
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not a gold medal,
but a golden crown,
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a crown of gold that
will never fade away.
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I ask that that
day will come soon.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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¤ [Thoughful Musical Interlude]¤
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Thanks for joining me today.
I look forward to seeing you
00:27:47.10\00:27:49.43
next time. Until then, remember
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it Is Written:
man shall not live
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by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds
00:27:54.60\00:27:58.01
from the mouth of God.
¤ [Theme Music Swells] ¤
00:27:58.01\00:28:03.88