Wednesday, April 25, 2018
It's Your Race!
It's Your Race! In the race of life you're not running against the competition. You're running for your personal best. Run to Win. I'm praying for you. www.jeffhoracek.com | #runtowin #runyourrace
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Which Crown Will You Be Wearing?
The Bible speaks of five specific crowns of reward for believers. Which crown or crowns will be yours?
The Imperishable or Incorruptible Crown—For victorious lives of purity.
“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.” 1 Corinthians 9:24–25 NIV
The Crown of Exultation or Rejoicing—For soul winners.
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!” Philippians 4:1 NIV
“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 NIV
The Crown of Righteousness—For those who love and long for His return.
“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 Timothy 4:7–8 NIV
The Crown of Life—For those who persevere and endure/martyrs.
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV
“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victorʼs crown.” Revelation 2:10 NIV
The Crown of Glory—For faithful servants.
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:1–4 NIV
Run your race. Run to win. Christ has a crown waiting for you.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Five Crowns
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Your Laurel Crown of Victory
Christ wore the crown of thorns, so you could wear the laurel crown of victory.
“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.” 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NIV
Before the horror of the crucifixion, Jesus was viciously flogged to near death, beaten, spit on, mocked by putting a purple robe on Him and then tearing it off His torn and bleeding flesh, a crown of thorns mashed onto His head, and beaten with a rod given to Him as a mock scepter. He endured all that for you.
We might think of the crown of victory as a gold, star-pointed crown covered and inlaid with precious jewels. But the true ancient crown of victory from the Greek and Roman eras was the humble crown of the living shoots and branches of the bay or cherry laurel or sometimes the wild olive, twisted into the memorable Olympiad crown of victory that we still see today. This was the crown of honor and victory and achievement and the highest accomplishment. This was a crown that was alive and vibrant and fresh and new. Not anything like the degrading and sorrowful crown of thorns.
Run the race of this life to win. Run to get the prize. Train yourself each day in such a way that you will win. Do not stop and become disqualified and do not rely upon your past successes to sustain you into tomorrow—that’s “resting on your laurels”—and the race your running isn’t over yet. You can do this. You can run your race and win. Christ has your crown wreath of laurel waiting for you at the finish line because He wore the crown of thorns for you.
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:4, 10–11 NIV
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
The Laurel Wreath Crown
Christ wore the crown of thorns. So you could wear the laurel crown of victory. I'm praying for you. www.jeffhoracek.com | #crownofthorns #laurelcrownofvictory
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Walk This Way
Is your spiritual GPS working correctly? Do you truly know the path that you are on and where it leads? Are you wandering through life aimlessly, or following in the footsteps of your Master, who has blazed the trail and prepared the way for you?
Matthew 11:28–30 AMP
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer. 6:16.] For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
Jeremiah 6:16a Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
—Robert Frost
Matthew 7:13–14 AMP
Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. [Deut. 30:19; Jer. 21:8.]
John 10:9 AMP
I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.
Enter through the Door, the Narrow Gate, the eternal path where the good way is—this is the path that goes through the Cross—this is the path of victory, of true success, of wholeness and wellness, the path of life and rest for your weary soul. Walk in it. Walk this way.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Follow Me
Lay your burdens down and follow Me. Drop your burdens at the Cross and follow Jesus. His path leads to victory, true success, and wholeness. jeffhoracek.com | #followchrist #footstepsofjesus
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