LIVING FOR GOD'S APPROVAL (21 OF 36)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
This content is part of a series.
Living for God's Approval (21 of 36)
Series: Saints Gone Wild
Keith Krell
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
On June 28th, 1991 I watched one of the greatest displays of strength and endurance I've ever seen. The location: Las Vegas. The setting: Caesar's Palace. The event: Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. "Iron" Mike Tyson in a scheduled twelve round championship bout. This was a much-anticipated fight because it was the rematch that followed their highly controversial bout. In their previous brawl, the referee stopped the fight because Tyson was pummeling Ruddock.
Well, in the rematch Ruddock was out to prove that he deserved another chance. Ruddock and Tyson were pretty evenly matched in the first three rounds, but in the fourth round Ruddock suffered a broken jaw. Most people expected him to favor his jaw and fight soft, but not Ruddock. He came out fighting round after round after round against, at that time, the world's greatest fighter and most devastating puncher. He fought eight more rounds after the broken jaw and actually finished the fight stronger than he began! The fight went the scheduled twelve rounds and Tyson won by the judges' decision.
Although Tyson won this fight, I believe the real winner was "Razor" Ruddock. Why? Because he endured to the final bell and finished well. He overcame many obstacles and saved his best fighting for the final rounds. I want to encourage you to be a Razor Ruddock. This will require enduring to the end and finishing well.
This raises the questions: "Why is endurance so important?" "Isn't my perseverance guaranteed?" Well, if we are to take seriously the numerous warnings and exhortations that are presented in the New Testament, we had better consider the possibility that our endurance is not so certain. While our salvation is quite certain and totally secure, our success in our Christian lives and ministries is not. That's why the Scriptures teach that living for God's approval requires finishing well. I'd like to tak ...
Series: Saints Gone Wild
Keith Krell
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
On June 28th, 1991 I watched one of the greatest displays of strength and endurance I've ever seen. The location: Las Vegas. The setting: Caesar's Palace. The event: Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. "Iron" Mike Tyson in a scheduled twelve round championship bout. This was a much-anticipated fight because it was the rematch that followed their highly controversial bout. In their previous brawl, the referee stopped the fight because Tyson was pummeling Ruddock.
Well, in the rematch Ruddock was out to prove that he deserved another chance. Ruddock and Tyson were pretty evenly matched in the first three rounds, but in the fourth round Ruddock suffered a broken jaw. Most people expected him to favor his jaw and fight soft, but not Ruddock. He came out fighting round after round after round against, at that time, the world's greatest fighter and most devastating puncher. He fought eight more rounds after the broken jaw and actually finished the fight stronger than he began! The fight went the scheduled twelve rounds and Tyson won by the judges' decision.
Although Tyson won this fight, I believe the real winner was "Razor" Ruddock. Why? Because he endured to the final bell and finished well. He overcame many obstacles and saved his best fighting for the final rounds. I want to encourage you to be a Razor Ruddock. This will require enduring to the end and finishing well.
This raises the questions: "Why is endurance so important?" "Isn't my perseverance guaranteed?" Well, if we are to take seriously the numerous warnings and exhortations that are presented in the New Testament, we had better consider the possibility that our endurance is not so certain. While our salvation is quite certain and totally secure, our success in our Christian lives and ministries is not. That's why the Scriptures teach that living for God's approval requires finishing well. I'd like to tak ...
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