SERIES: FROM THE EDITOR, LESSONS FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Monday: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:7 (ESV)

Fighting the Good Fight

Nowhere is this verse more evident than in the life of Eric Liddell.

Liddell was the 1924 Olympian who honored God by not running on Sunday, winning the Olympic 400 meters, setting a world record, and afterwards going to the mission field in China.

While there, he was imprisoned in a work camp where he ministered to other prisoners before becoming sick and then dying months before the war ended.

By the accounts given by Liddell’s fellow prisoners, Liddell exemplified II Timothy 4:7. He fought a good fight, finished the race and kept the faith.

As an encouragement, I challenge you to re-evaluate your life. Are you fighting a good fight? Are you ready to finish? Are you keeping the faith? If not, ask God to help you today to do all three so that you can see Him better and encourage people the way God would want you to do.

By Brett Honeycutt, Sports Spectrum

Tuesday: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

Overcoming

Chris Herren is only one of many current and pro athletes who have overcome some type of addiction to continue on with their life.

For Herren, it was overcoming 14 years of drug addiction, which he overcame through his faith in Christ.

“There was some time in my life that I never thought I could get through this guilt and this shame, and I was so wrong.” said Herren. “Christianity is about forgiveness and allowing someone else to move forward in life.”

Herren understood what the Bible said about laying aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and that is clearly seen by his starting an organization to help others with addiction so that they could receive the help that he was given.

Do you have a sin that holds you back from doing things for God? If so, ask God today to heal you so that He can use you to your fullest.

By Brett Honeycutt, Sports Spectrum

Wednesday: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 (NIV)

The Power of Two or More

No other set of verses represents teamwork quite like the ones above.

Through these verses we learn about the value of not doing things on your own.

First, we see that the reward is greater when we have someone helping (two can surely do more than one).

Second, we see that when one falls, the other can help him up (this can be done physically and emotionally through encouragement.).

And third we see that having another person join the group is even better.

Remember that God created us for relationships (first, He created us to have a relationship with Him, and second He created us to have relationships with others). Because of all of that, it is evident that we should not go alone when trying to do things.

Today, if you are trying to do things all alone, ask God to lead you to people who you can encourage, befriend and grow stronger in your faith.

By Brett Honeycutt, Sports Spectrum

Thursday: “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” I Corinthians 9:27 (ESV)

Proper Training

Every athlete can relate to this verse because it implies that training and discipline are necessary to do well in whatever you’re trying to accomplish.

For the Apostle Paul, he understood that it was a life or death situation because he was speaking to the spiritual side of life.

Even though a lack of training or discipline won’t be detrimental spiritually, it can be detrimental physically because you won’t be prepared like you should—and, therefore, you wouldn’t be using the talent that God gave you.

Today, rededicate yourself to what you’ve been given, not only physically but spiritually, as well.

By Brett Honeycutt, Sports Spectrum

Friday: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” Ecclesiastes 9:10

Using God’s Gift

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine

The late American running legend Steve Prefontaine never claimed to be a Christian, but he did understand that we all have certain gifts, and that to not use them would be a shame.

Not everyone could run like he did (at one time he held seven American running records), but everyone could dedicate themselves to whatever gift they had the same way he dedicated himself to running.

He also understood that to not do so would, essentially, be sacrificing what was given to us. In our case as Christians, we understand that everything given to us is because God gave it to us.

If you are sacrificing your gift by not using it to its fullest, ask God to help you refocus and dedicate yourself so that you can maximize what He has given you.

By Brett Honeycutt, Sports Spectrum

Weekender: “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:20 (KJV)

Going Long

The apostle Paul was so in love with Christ that he essentially considered himself tied to or enslaved to the cause of telling others about Christ. Reflect on the level of importance Paul had with sharing his faith with others. Essentially, it was life or death for Paul. Sharing gave him life. Not sharing, essentially, meant death (a cause not to live).