Faithfulness's Fitness/Litmus Test (or All For Christ)

Today's song and poem, a very personal challenge!!

Ps.130:1-4

Out of the depths

I cry to You, O LORD!

2O Lord, hear my voice;

let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

3If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities,

then who, O Lord, could stand?

4But with You there is forgiveness,

so that You may be feared.

I Surrender All

 

Invitation Medley-Anthem Lights

Oh, am I ready to be hated as I take a steadfast stand

When sinfulness is celebrated without fear for God’s command

Am I equipped with the Full Armor, (that without, none can endure)

Where an unscrupulous charmer tosses many a lovely lure

Am I prepared to be reviled, rejected, ridiculed, loathed, jeered

When discernment is unbeguiled, because God’s precepts are revered

Am I willing to be accused falsely, yet answer not a word

While I am spit upon, abused, will love suffer long, for my Lord

Am I careful to leave unspoken trendy, empty sentiment

And where my will is still unbroken, am I willing to be bent?

Am I devoted to God's calling for His glory, by His grace

Ready to face the Enthralling Exodus from Fleeting Chase 

Am I committed to take up the cross of Christ with heart and limb

Ready, no matter what the cost, self-sacrificed, to follow Him

Am I hungry for His kind favor rather than the world’s applause

And vigilant of my behaviour in accordance with His laws/cause

Am I longing to be to be like Him, challenged and misunderstood

Knowing, for all who truly love Him, God works out all things for good

Oh, am I ready to portray Him, with faith all but Jesus-blind

To humbly love and obey Him with all heart, soul, strength and mind

© Janet Martin

1 Cor.1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Eph.5:1-17

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, 

an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, 

let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 

4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, 

which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 

5 For [a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man,

 who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things

 the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Walk in Light

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 

Walk as children of light 

9 (for the fruit of the [b]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 

10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,

 but rather [c]expose them. 

12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 

13 But all things that are [d]exposed are made manifest by the light,

 for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

Walk in Wisdom

15 See then that you walk [e]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 

16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is...

Let no One Deceive You...Part 1

 

Part 2

Morning Wonder-storm

A bitty dawn-ditty before a little blogging summer-break.

See you, Lord willing, in August🙏💝

Heb.13:5

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,

because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Dawn’s countryside is steeped in mist-kissed hues

The Unknown cradled in a cup of gold

The pressing presence of impending dues

Glitters where dew bedazzled worlds unfold

The gleaming gong upon earth’s eastward edge

Is drawn by a hand that eye cannot see

By He who keeps His unwavering pledge

‘Wherever you go, dear, there I will be’

© Janet Martin

Praise God from Whom all bounty flows...

No Greater Grief and Joy Have I

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4

How often in my own parental joys and sorrows

I think of my patient Heavenly Father, where I, his willful child

need his faithful goodness, mercy, rebuke and forgiveness!

Lord, I Need You

No greater grief has a (Christian) parent than watching a precious child choose the hard

road of rebellion ,(where we all once were, but by the grace of God have been saved!)

No greater joy has the same parent when watching a child

 choose the hard road of repentance, of truth, obedience and faithfulness!

All that I bring to Thee

Is but what you bestow

Nothing have I save love’s reply

Each gifted breath will owe

Forbid that I betray

My Lord and King of kings

As Want uncouth disdains God’s truth

To covet carnal things

Lord, purge all boast but One;

The faith that makes me whole

Through Jesus Christ who sacrificed

His life to save my soul

No greater joy have I

Than Truth that sets us free

With holy awe to keep the law

Of love’s humility/of perfect liberty

No greater grief have I

Than to bear witness to

Emboldened hard, cold disregard

My faithful God, to You

Lord, hear my heartful prayer

Where joy and grief travail

To praise and plead and trust each need

To love that will not fail

© Janet Martin

Dear praying parent! Keep on keeping on!

Psalm 5:3&11-12

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly....

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

The Fight is Real, My Friend

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

 but against principalities, against powers, 

against the rulers of [a]the darkness of this age, 

against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

Eph.6:12

...as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

 through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,

 that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, 

having escaped the [a]corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 1:3-4

Wonderful, Merciful Saviour

 

Jesus Paid It All...

The fight is real, my friend

The enemy we face

Will often tempt us to defend

Errors of truth and grace

We should be on our guard

Armed with the Word of God

Because the fight is real and hard

And without worldly laud

Pride goes before the fall

How careful we should be

To seek God’s Kingdom first of all

With awed humility

The foe we fight is sly

Unscrupulous and vile

With all that cannot satisfy

He lures us with a smile

Seduction’s schemes seem sweet

Enslavement’s camouflage

Disguises stampedes of defeat

With pride’s vain entourage

…and we would all fall prey

To depravity’s sewer

Without God’s Word to light the way

So that we may endure

His divine power grants

Everything that we need

To equip us as we advance

Through (battle) fields of thought and deed

© Janet Martin

Just as Jehoshaphat cried, as he stood in the assembly

of Judah and Jerusalem, do we...

2 Chron.20:

6,

O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, 

and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, 

and in Your hand is there not power and might, 

so that no one is able to withstand You?

12,

O our God, will You not judge them? 

For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; 

nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

15,

“Listen, all you... Thus says the Lord to you:

 ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, 

for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

17

Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,

 who is with you...

Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them,

 for the Lord is with you.”

In this promiscuous age we pray for wisdom like never before...

Prov.9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, 

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Today's post inspired in part by today's

Bible Love Note

The Certainty of Uncertainty

One thing is certain; uncertainty!!

The uncertainty of North America

feels more ominous than ever before

as leaders,

once seeking to be led by God

have been replaced

by leaders who disregard the Christian faith

these countries where founded on!

I was touched by this phrase, 

'the good hand of God'

repeated through the book of Ezra

in the Old Testament, as he viewed 

the ruinous results of rebellion and disobedience, 

when he came to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple...

Oh God, are there yet men of understanding that your good hand will

bring to the high places of our fallen countries, 

Canada and the United States of America?!!

Oh God, for all who seek You and obey your commands Your

good hand is faithful in its guiding and keeping!

Your rod and staff comfort us! (Ps.23)

***

The certainty of uncertainty could cause us to fear

Could rob us of joy’s sweet delight because of dread’s veneer

Could blind us to the blessings where mercy’s fount overflows

Could keep our eyes fixed on the thorns rather than on the Rose

Could oppress us with ominous impressions of despair

Could shackle us beneath anxiety’s burdens of air

Could distract us from promises that anchor hope and trust

Could steal the perfect peace that ought to cheer faith’s frames of dust

The certainty of uncertainty should cause us to pray

And reach for God’s good hand outstretched to lead us day by day

Should make us more aware of He who is Faithful and True

Where come what may, nothing can His perfect purpose undo

© Janet Martin

Rev.19:11

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.

And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True...

(The only) Harvest Worth Gathering

Disclaimer; 

(Today is one of those

'much-easier-writ-than-run/said-than-done' posts)

The older I get the more evident this age-old Bible truth becomes;

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Faith's foolproof  evidence is obedience💗

Faith without works is dead

Obedience opens the doors to the extra-ordinary life

every believer may experience.

God's invitation to 'come' is extended to everyone!

All are created by Him, 

and dearly loved by Him:

 nobody is a nobody

and His word is for everybody!!)

Hallelujah!

1 Sam.15:22

So Samuel said: 

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, 

As in obeying the voice of the LORD? 

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 

And to heed 

than the fat of rams.

Today's post was inspired in part by a few recent devotions in

My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers 

Oho, what want and woe we sow when we usurp God’s Word with vice

And disregard and oft forego the waiting that His way requires

But oh, what hope and joy and peace rains on altars of sacrifice

As we, with yielded will release the impetus of vain desires

How fraudulent, faith’s holy fight if we reserve the right to ‘I’

How fickle, the compass of sight and logic’s crafty rigmarole

The words we say do not portray the ‘yay’ of love’s utter reply

To trust in God and to obey is the love-language of the soul

For all the change that spills its art through progression’s scarred institute

The proneness of the human heart, no ‘enlightenment’ reinvents

The Tempter’s ‘did God really say’ when eying the forbidden fruit

Still presses us to disobey, blinding us to its consequence

Oh, what sad harvest we commence when we cultivate pious talk

Justifying glossed ignorance, without surrender to God’s way

Oh God, convict us of our sin, lest we become a stumbling block

Oh, work Your miracle within, and make us eager to obey

God’s everlasting Word is true; a light that never beams awry

A Beacon to guide pilgrims through a world that aggrandizes sin

Oho, what blessing we forego when Self is too stubborn to die

Only obedience can sow a harvest worth gathering in

© Janet Martin

To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice-Keith Green

 

Jer.17:5-10

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

who draws strength from mere flesh

and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;

they will not see prosperity when it comes.

They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

8 They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

9 The heart is deceitful above all things

and beyond cure.

Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart

and examine the mind,

to reward each person according to their conduct,

according to what their deeds deserve.”

Because Satan is a Charmer (we need God's Armour)

The reason deceit is so cunning/detrimental is because

it comes in a way that seems right to us, 

but leads to death-

Prov.14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way of death.

Because, without knowledge of the Truth

we are prone to believe logic's lie...

Matt.22:9

Jesus answered and said unto them, 

Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, 

nor the power of God.

The knowledge of the power of God 

is the true believer's comfort and peace in these troubled times!

Hallelujah! but...

this is not a sit-back-and-do-nothing-warfare,

it's a watching-God-work as 'we do all we can to stand' warfare...

(see Eph. 6:10-20 below)

Because the wars of faith are fought on battlegrounds within

The Armor of the Lord is for the man beneath our skin

To guard the heart and mind against the liar’s insurgence

Whose mission is to blind us to sin’s dire consequence

Therefore we need God’s armor in a land where evil smiles

So that we may be able to withstand the devil’s wiles

Because rulers of darkness, disguised as angels of light

Are both cunning and heartless, we must be equipped to fight

Without the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness

We are like open prey to he who breeds ungodliness

Therefore, we need God’s armor to protect thought’s open street

Where Satan is a charmer and a master of deceit

Pity all whose feet are not shod with the gospel of peace

Who have no shield of faith in God to quench bold wickedness

No helmet of salvation to enrich hope undeterred

And no sword of the spirit which is God’s eternal Word

Oh, pity all who live without God’s armor to secure

Defenseless against darts of doubt, or glamour’s lethal lure

Today, before we take another step, oh pray we pause

And do a thorough armor-check with prayerful care because

We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but evil’s ruthless brood

Who are the enemy of God, truthless, devoid of good

But, with the name of Jesus and the power of His might

God’s grace equips and frees us from the fear of death/man, to fight

© Janet Martin

Take the Name of Jesus with You

 

Eph.6:10-20

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 

11 Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. 

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 

but against principalities, against powers, 

against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, 

against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, 

and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,

 having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 16 above all, taking the shield of faith 

with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

17 And take the helmet of salvation, 

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, 

being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 

19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, 

that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; 

that in it I may speak boldly, 

as I ought to speak.

If I Should Turn From Thee

1 Tim.4:1 NLT

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly

 that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith;

 they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.

John 6:60;66-69

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said,

“This is a [a]hard saying; who can understand it?”...

...From that time many of His disciples went [d]back

 and walked with Him no more. 

67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, 

“Do you also want to go away?”

68 But Simon Peter answered Him,

 “Lord, to whom shall we go?

 You have the words of eternal life.

 69 Also we have come to believe and know 

that You are the [e]Christ, the Son of the living God.”

How often it hurts pastors, teachers and parents

as wise and true counsel is ignored, scorned 

and heedlessly turned away from!

How much more, our Heavenly Father!!

May we echo the words of Peter if we are tempted

to put our trust in what we see rather than what/Who we know!

 “Lord, to whom shall we go?

Where Could I Go But to the Lord

To Whom Lord, shall I go

If I should turn from Thee

Whose spirit and life can bestow

The truth that sets me free

Whose blood but Thine atones

From age to age to age

Whose ear but Thine attends the groans

That wrack this mortal cage

In who else can I trust

Without fear or dismay

Whose Word transcends time’s dust-to-dust

And cheers me day by day

Whose purpose will prevail

To crush the enemy

Whose love and justice will not fail

Throughout eternity

Whose law is love but Thine

Who whispers peace to me

Who else laid down his life for mine

With such humility

What can this world afford

But pleasures vain and fleet

What compares to Thy joy, my Lord

Abiding and complete

Then, should I turn from Thee

Lord, where else can I find

A sweeter, surer sympathy

Compassionate and kind

…to heal my broken heart

Whose assurance can ward

Defense against deception’s dart

Without Thy armour, Lord

Who can quench Want’s wild thirst

Or offer Living Bread

Who can save us from this world, cursed

With ignorance and dread

If I should turn from Thee

What can I hope to find

To satisfy the longing plea

Of heart and soul and mind

If I should turn from Thee

Lord, to whom shall I go

To entrust all eternity

Pray, I may never know

© Janet Martin

Coming Soon-Jesus! 

Give Me Jesus

This Little Flicker of a Tree

 

Sometimes dread tries to drive a wedge between joy and hope’s promises

Sometimes it tries to trump the pledge of mercy’s renewed faithfulness

Or darken the doorway of dawn with doubt and fear for the unknown

Until I hear the voice of One who whispers ‘You are not alone’

Sometimes the weight of creature care could rob me of would-be delight

Love’s load in constant need of prayer, life’s road a walk by faith, not sight

Sometimes the winds and waves of love could defeat courage thoroughly

Until I am reminded of ‘no longer I, but Christ in me’

Sometimes a formless enemy hisses and kindles vain debate

This liar tries to threaten me with Logic while God whispers ‘wait’

Where sometimes discouragement bends this little flicker of a tree

Until I cry to God who sends angels to minister to me

© Janet Martin

Jer.17:5-8

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

who draws strength from mere flesh

and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;

they will not see prosperity when it comes.

They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

8 They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

This cross in the sky felt like a tangible whisper this morning!!

Psalm 147:1

Praise[a] the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

God's Precious Promises- Dr. Charles Stanley

Tangible Reminders (of Who God Is)

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 68:19

Sometimes when we pass through seasons of (prayer)-discouragement,

God convicts and comforts us 

with tangible reminders of who He is; 

Faithful 

As surely as nature displays his faithfulness

in every season,

so too is His perfect timing in our lives!

These two poems by Edgar A. Guest remind us to take a breath

...and Behold!

The birthplace of today runs rife

(In spite of weight of care)

With much to make this little life

A lovely thing to bear

Beauty’s showcase is marvelous

Winter-spring-summer-fall

Makes it impossible to miss

The One who wills it all

The budded branch bursts into song

The tresses of its hymn

A shelter for the feathered throng

The nests in lofty limb

A masterpiece of petals spills

From frilly lily-loom

River-ribbons wind between hills

At night star-gardens bloom

…and as the afternoon unwinds

To twilight’s vestibules

The Artist of dusk’s murals finds

Constant originals

Beneath a canopy of sky

Oft aweing mortal gaze

We go; God sees the low and high

Of every trail we blaze

…and beckons us to trust the love

That moves His mighty Hand

In ways that grants grand glimpses of

Who none can understand

© Janet Martin

…and as the afternoon unwinds

To twilight’s vestibules

The Artist of dusk’s murals finds

Constant originals...

The budded branch bursts into song...

The tresses of its hymn

A shelter for the feathered throng

The nests in lofty limb...

1 John 5:14

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 

that if we ask anything according to his will, 

he hears us.

Legacy of Faithfulness

No matter who we are or whatever our call,

both practically and spiritually,

it takes a lifetime to leave behind

a legacy of faithfulness.

Is faithfulness scarred by many a blow/wound?

Yes. But faithfulness is both gauntlet and goal!

Its achievement possible only through persistent perseverance.

Persistent perseverance only truly possible through many-a-prayer

and the sacred awareness of the giver of our abilities and its charge!

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; 

He cannot deny Himself.

2 Tim.2:13

(click link to the whole glorious chapter on guidelines for faithfulness)

Whether carpenter, housewife, spouse, 

preacher, poet, parent, 

teacher, butcher, baker,

truckdriver, candlestick maker, you-name-it...

faithfulness is never an overnight success!

My carpenter good naturedly allowed me to take his picture 

and said he doesn't mind if I use it on today's post...

He has just started his own business and is hoping, 

task by task to leave behind

a legacy of faithful care to his calling.

Below is his business card if you live in the area

and are looking for someone to do a home-project!

 

(With so many carpenters in my family & friend circle its hard to choose who to ask!!)

but while Shawn (family friend) was trying to decide whether to take this leap of faith

and go on his own we promised him if he does, 

we will give him this bathroom to do😊

A legacy of faithfulness is not hastily wrought

It cannot be accomplished by the high of noble thought

The reeling rush of feeling as it meets matters of fact

Cannot be counted on to keep meek faithfulness intact

A legacy of faithfulness does not attract applause

As it weathers the thick and thin of Is becoming Was

No one grand leap of faith is faithfulness, over and done

But step by step and day by day its legacy is won

A legacy of faithfulness perseveres, come what may

In its steadfast commitment to love, honor and obey

Through ebb and flow of high and low, faithfulness grins and groans

While learning the footwork/knee-work of stumbling blocks and stepping stones

A legacy of faithfulness, forged from prayers, smiles and tears

Awakes awareness of how moments are the sum of years

And years become far more than numbers on a birthday cake

Years are the culmination of what meted moments make

A legacy of faithfulness takes a lifetime to fill

Where today, always center stage gathers its scenes until

Life’s summary of seasons has collected in its sway

The very best of reasons to live/give our best each day

No matter who, or what we do, or where, we share this lot;

The onus of a legacy of faithfulness, or not

Where it is futile to despair; but rather bear in mind

The beauty/duty of this moment and how we leave it behind

A legacy of faithfulness is not impossible

He who is faithful helps us, like a daily miracle

By His sufficient grace we go, entrusting to His keep

Life's legacy of faithfulness; till faith's last flying leap 

© Janet Martin

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, 

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

For Athletes (in Life's Race)

Living in a culture bombarded with sensationalism and a buffet of distractions,

can subtly infiltrate our best intentions. 

On more than one occasion the small group I am part of from our local church 

ponders what living faithfully looks like...it always ultimately comes back to,

not what we do, but Who we do what for. 

The gift of salvation is free but comes with a cost;

to be a living sacrifice!

Rom.12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,

 in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, 

holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Matt.6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 

and all these things shall be added to you.

The prizes we pursue are subtly immersed

In what we think and say and do, then hence, who we seek first

For all the poise of words the voice of Choice transcends

The noise of speech, and undergirds what wordless proof defends

To keep perspective true and not fooled by fine lies

Begins with the important Who we put first in our lives

We need no script, well-versed, no proficient prowess

To humbly seek God’s kingdom first; to seek His righteousness

What better way to start the Unknown of Today

Than, with a yielded seeker’s heart, come what-so-ever-may

Then, as we strive toward tomorrow, pray we find

A dearer drive to love the Lord with heart, soul, strength and mind

We, athletes in life's race, are not judged for our speed

We trip and fall and all need God's patient grace to proceed  

But step by step, faith smiles where once more, morning dawns

For, step-by-step turns into miles, and miles to marathons

Until the finish line is crossed; the race complete

(to win this race at all cost is each life's most solemn fete)

To be faithful and true, with every gifted breath

To Jesus who loved/loves me and you, obedient to death 

God, rich in mercy grants redemption for our sins

And with each morning a fresh chance to run as one who wins

Greater is He in us, than all the world times ten

Then pray that we, through Jesus, shine as lights for Him. Amen.

© Janet Martin

1 Cor.9:24-27

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? 

Run in such a way that you may [i]obtain it. 

25And everyone who competes for the prize [j]is temperate in all things. 

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 

26Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. 

Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

 27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, 

when I have preached to others, 

I myself should become disqualified.