Dear Christian friends:

All of us are tempted to be lazy and careless about our faith. Often we think it is easy to stay a believer or Christian. We think it is easy to get saved and go to heaven. We say, "Jesus died for me." If I believe in Him I will be saved. That's easy. You must

By comparing our life of faith with a race St. Paul wants to impress upon us that it is not easy to travel through this world to heaven. Many dangers and temptations can make us fail and fall. Our choir just sang:

My soul, be on thy guard
Ten thousand foes arise;
and hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the skies."
TLH 449, My Soul, Be On Thy Guard

Paul says, "Many run in a race, but only one gets the prize." Like them run to win. One who does not run hard and with all his might will not win the prize or medal or garland.

So we must think of our faith. Not easy to keep our faith alive and strong. We can easily lose our faith because of temptations. And when we doubt God's Word and promises. Or maybe we want to be popular or rich and for riches or fame or for sinful pleasures we give up our faith in God.

Paul said of one of his helpers, "Demas has forsaken me, because he loved this present world." (2 Timothy 4:10) King David loved another man's wife and lost his faith. Judas loved money and lost his faith and soul. Peter wanted the friendship of men more than God and denied Jesus.

So you also have your old sinful nature that loves this here world more than God. Unbelievers will mock you. The devil will give you no rest during all your life. Every day and hour he is near.

So Peter warns, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may destroy, who still resist and believe."

Yes, we are in a very hard race or fight: the race of faith, the good fight of faith. Not easy to keep our faith. If you think it is easy, you perhaps have already lost it or you will anytime. Don't think your faith is easy.

The ladies sang verses 2 and 3. Verse two, "Oh watch and fight and pray etc. Verse three, Ne'er think the victory won nor lay thine armor down.

Even St. Paul said he had to fight hard to keep his faith and not fail in the race for heaven.

But how should we run the race of faith? Paul says, "Anyone who runs in a race goes into strict training." (verse 25) Athletes must train: Right food, right sleep, exercise practice. No smoking, no drinking or drunkenness. They must keep their bodies in perfect health by training.

So we Christians who run the race of faith must be in training. Our faith must be strong so that when temptations come and troubles we will trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

How do we keep our faith strong? By honestly attending to God's Word and by going to the Lord's Supper. By reading our Bibles and by daily prayer.

But we must do this truly, sincerely, really mean it that we are sorry about our sins. Really believe that God loves sinners and forgives them in Jesus crucified.

That's why Paul says about the Jews who followed Moses. They all were baptized, they all ate same spiritual food and drank from the spiritual Rock, Jesus. But he says God was not pleased with many of them and they were killed in the desert. (1 Corinthians 10:1-5) Why? False faith. Pretenders and hypocrites.

They went to Church; prayed; heard God's Word; Got baptized, but did not really believe in their heart. Jesus said of them, "This people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." So we must attend to God and His Word with true and honest hearts.

Really love Church. Really love our Bibles. Eager for Bible Class and Bible Study. Really believe Jesus' wonderful words and promises. Run to win the prize, a crown of life. Paul says athletes run and train hard to win a crown that fades away.

But the crown we run to win is heaven with life eternal and glory everlasting. Let's not fail to run our race with all our strength. Let His Holy Spirit live in our hearts by hearing His Word with true and honest hearts.

Amen