The Way - A Race To Run

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Rev. Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Amen. God bless you. Today we are talking about the way, the way, the way. In John chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus said, I am the way.

[0:26] Jesus said, I am the way. So Jesus is the way. If you know Jesus, you know the way. If you have Jesus, guess what? You have the way.

[0:37] Paul puts it this way. Actually, the Christian life is so much a way. So it's not necessarily a place, but it's a way.

[0:48] It's kind of a journey. So when we talk about a way, in fact, the Greek word translated way sounds like something like hodos. It's a travel path.

[0:58] You are not staying in one place, but you are on your way somewhere. That's why I know that your latter end shall be better than your former because where you started from is not where you remain.

[1:11] You are going somewhere. So that stands to imply that where you are now is not where you will always be. Life is a journey. And the Christian life is a way to the destination.

[1:22] And the way is Christ. And the destination is Christ. Hallelujah. Praise God. And so Paul puts it this way. Paul said in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7.

[1:34] He said, let me read it. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7. He said, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course and I have kept the faith. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course.

[1:44] I want to place emphasis on the fact that he said, I have finished. So he started something and he has finished. And the course he's talking about is not like an academic course, but it's a course of action.

[1:57] He started a course he's on and an assignment he has been given and he has finished it. So I pray that before Christ comes or before Christ calls you home, you will be able to say, like Paul said, I have finished my course.

[2:12] And so to finish your course, that means it requires a lot of work and hard work. And I think it acts, Acts chapter 20 verse 24, Acts 20, 24, I suppose.

[2:25] He said, but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

[2:41] So he says that there are things that I'm hearing and there are things that are happening around me. There are things that are threatening my life, threatening my breakthrough, threatening my peace. But he says that none of these things move me.

[2:52] Why? I will allow these things to move me out of finishing my course. So that's why I said at that time that even in your church life, you have to be careful that somebody's behavior doesn't stop you from fulfilling your own assignment.

[3:07] You don't allow lockdown to stop you from fulfilling your assignment because guess what? Guess what? After all he said, it's just like, yeah, they say, oh, you'll be given a loan so you can leave.

[3:22] Maybe there's no money to do a few things. So the companies are going to give you a loan or the bank will give you a loan to be able to pass through this COVID situation, COVID-19 situation or lockdown situation or whatever.

[3:36] Guess what? It's a loan. It's a loan. It's like a student's loan in United Kingdom. Student's loan. It's not a gift. It's not a gift. You will pay for it later. So the better you stay away from a loan and the earlier you stay away from loans, particular loans that you just spend for your enjoyment, the better.

[3:55] So the point here is that he says that none of these things move me. There are things that will come in my way that are meant to divert me from my assignment. However, after all he said and done, oh, I didn't like the way this person spoke to me.

[4:09] I didn't like that. I've been, I was going through a difficult patch. And after all he said and done, the assignment still remains. So you still have to finish the course. After everything, there's a course. Everyone has got an assignment.

[4:21] I've got my assignment. You have got your assignment. Because the Christian walk and the Christian life and the Christian calling is a race. It's a race. And because it's the way.

[4:32] All right. So Paul puts it this way. He says that none of these, never, never, none of these things move me. None of these things you're talking about. None of these things. He said, save the Holy Ghost is saying that in every city, saying, sorry, the Holy Spirit is witnessing in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

[4:53] They are waiting for me. But none of these things move me. I know troubles are ahead because of the assignment I'm supposed to fulfill. But he said, none of these things move me. Why are you not moved by the challenges and the difficulties you have faced?

[5:06] He says that none of these, these things move me. None of these things. None of these things move me. Neither count I my life.

[5:17] This is serious. My life dear unto myself. You know, one of the ways you will not be able to do God's work is when your life is so important to you. As for me, I don't like when people, when somebody says this kind of things to me.

[5:29] I don't like it when this happens. As for me, I'm, you know, because of how I grew up, because of the circumstances I grew up in, because of this, that, because of this, I'm very sensitive. So we always justify our failure by our feelings.

[5:44] Because I'm failing because, no, there's no reason why you should fail and you will not fail in Jesus' name. Much more. You can't fail in fulfilling your assignment. None of these things move me. Neither count I my life dear to me.

[5:56] Many people are not able to do God's work and fulfill the assignment God has given them. And many people are going to be shocked when Christ returns because they will lose so much reward.

[6:09] They will have reward. Why? Because they counted their life so dear to them. Jesus posted this way. What does a man profit? What does it profit a man? In Matthew, if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.

[6:21] So you can gain everything. But if you lose your soul, it's no profit. And the enemy, and in our modern days, the enemy is using the self-centered ideology and self-centeredness of people.

[6:34] It's me. It's about me. Even this church, when I went to the church, I didn't really get anything. The music was not nice for me. The people were not nice for me. Shut up. It's not about you. It's about God and your assignment.

[6:46] You understand that? So it's so important to understand that this thing, for you to fulfill it, you have to come to a place where you say, I do not count my life dear to me. Not because my life is not important.

[6:58] But if it comes to the assignment, it's like a mother. A good mother who has a baby. She hasn't eaten. The baby hasn't eaten. She won't say, oh, I have to eat and leave the baby because of what I'm going through.

[7:08] No. No. In spite of what, oh, wonderful, wonderful mothers are amazing. Good mothers. In spite of what a woman, a mother might be going through, she still will sacrifice anything in her comfort and her life so that her child will be okay.

[7:26] It's just that stuff that when the children begin to do, then in a modern day, mothers, some mothers also begin to think about their lives and my life. I can't be bothered about my children. But a good mother will think about their children.

[7:38] In the same way, a good pastor. A good pastor. A good pastor. This is how Jesus puts it in John chapter 11. I think verse 13. I think so.

[7:49] It says that a good shepherd lays down his life for his flock. Those of us who want to be pastors, it's a call to lay down your life for others. That is the real pastoral life.

[8:01] It's not to come for them to serve you and for them to do things for you and for people to do things and give you things. Or for people to make you have self, for people to give you self-worth and self-importance.

[8:15] That is not the purpose of being a pastor. Rather, it's the other way around. The purpose of being a pastor is to lay down a good pastor. I mean, a good pastor. To be honest, some pastors are very bad pastors.

[8:29] But I know you are not one of them. And you, some of you who God is calling to be pastors, you will not be a bad pastor. May you not be a bad pastor. And may God deliver you from bad pastors. Some pastors, it's in the Bible, some pastors are bad shepherds because they are thinking only about what they are getting, their own peace, their own security.

[8:51] They don't really care about the people God has given them to care for. Well, so he said that neither do I count my life dear to myself. Why?

[9:02] So I can, Paul, he said, Acts chapter 20 verse 24. But none of these things will be neither count my life dear unto myself. Why? So that I might finish my course with joy.

[9:14] It's why when anybody is serving in church and they are thinking about what they are getting, it becomes a problem because it looks like you are holding the stick at the wrong end. I mean, how can you want to be a pastor for income?

[9:29] I will never stop saying these things. Because there is a distortion of the true Christian path that we have been called to. And people are doing Christianity for their personal comfort.

[9:41] It is a pernicious aberration. It's a serious distortion. Out of the way. Christianity is a call to, a higher call to sacrifice.

[9:55] So, if you hold the stick at the wrong and thinking that you are doing this because of what you are going to get. Even watch this. Even watch this. If God will give you a reward. All right. Everything the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 10.

[10:10] He said, for God is not unrighteous. To forget your labor of love, which you have shown towards him. In that you minister to the same. You minister to the same. And you do minister. So, God will not forget.

[10:22] In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 57 or 58. It says that, be steadfast and unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord.

[10:32] Knowing that your labor in the Lord will not be vain. So, God will reward you. There is nothing you do in God that will not be rewarded back. Watch this. Don't do it focusing on physical reward now.

[10:45] Physical rewards come. The Bible says that godliness is profitable both for the life that it now is and the life to come. 2 Timothy chapter, 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7.

[10:58] You see, spiritual exercise, physical exercise profits little. But godliness is profitable. Verse 7 and 8. Even on this earth and the life. So, there is a profit that comes on here.

[11:10] You get something. But what I'm saying is that the ultimate reward is always at the coming of Christ. Ultimate reward. So, then that is what every Christian must focus on.

[11:22] The Christian's ultimate reward must be towards, it must be the, Bible, Paul says that I pray for you that you, the eyes of your understanding, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 16 down.

[11:35] That you will be giving the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you will know the hope of his calling. The hope of his calling is not the benefits of the now.

[11:48] It's the hope. It's the hope. Hope is always pointing to the future. It's ahead. That you will know the hope. So, when you know the hope of his calling, you work towards it. You work towards that hope.

[12:00] And not just what you are getting now. Bible talks about who Jesus Christ in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.

[12:10] So, there was a joy that was set before him. Hallelujah. Brothers and sisters, there is a joy that is set before us. The joy of salvation. There is a joy set before us. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.

[12:24] And Bible talks about in Hebrews chapter 11, I think verse 24, 25, 26. 24, 26. Bible talks about Joseph. By faith, Joseph, when he was full grown, did not, he forsook the pleasures of Egypt.

[12:40] You know, it wasn't about not being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He left that one, abandoned that one, and he was not ashamed to suffer affliction with the people of God.

[12:50] Watch it. I think verse 26. For he saw, seeing him that was invisible. He was seeing something ahead. He looked ahead. All true godly people always look ahead.

[13:03] Abraham looked ahead. Bible said he dwelt in tents. He dwelt in tents with the heirs of promise. Verse 10 of Hebrews 11. He looked for a city which had foundation whose maker and builder was God.

[13:17] So, he was looking ahead. So, he wasn't bothered by his current living. That is the difference between Christianity and a lot of other practices. Christianity gives us a hope.

[13:29] And we don't live for the now. We live for the second coming. Even though physically, God will also reward us. He says that there's nobody who has left mother and father for my sake who will not receive much more on this earth and in this life and in the life to come.

[13:45] In Luke chapter 18 and 19. Matthew chapter 18 and 19. Somewhere there. Verse 27, 28. So, it is important to understand that this life, our main reward is hinged to the coming of Christ.

[13:58] It's hinged to the coming of Christ. Probably, I'll mention a bit more. I'll say a bit more about that in the course of the... But Paul said that I... That I might finish my course. I count not my life as dear to me.

[14:11] So, what I'm saying is that Paul spoke about finishing his assignment in first... In Titus... Sorry, in Philippians. In Philippians chapter 3 verse 13.

[14:23] Philippians chapter 3 verse... I think I opened it here. It's easier. This is New King James Version. Let me read it from the New King James Version. Philippians chapter 3 verse 13. It says that, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do.

[14:38] Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Did you hear that? I'm reaching forward to those things which are ahead. May you receive grace to reach forward to the things that are ahead.

[14:51] So, you don't miss what is ahead. What is ahead is better than what is behind or what you can experience now. There is always better ahead. When you walk with God, the future is always brighter and better.

[15:02] As I quoted earlier, the path of the just is like a shining lamp that shines brighter. Your future is better than your current. And it shall be greater and greater and better. Because we are being transformed from grace to grace.

[15:14] Hallelujah. From glory to glory. He says that, Breaching forward, but I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

[15:29] Watch this. I'm reaching forward. It's like I'm stretching to grab something ahead of me. I'm trying. I'm reaching. I have a target. You are reaching forward for something. And every human being, you have to have a target.

[15:40] And I'm not talking about business target. But I'm talking as a Christian, you must have a target to fulfill the assignment of God in your life. And you work towards it. That's why you don't have to, first of all, don't have to consider what you are getting now.

[15:55] Consider what he's getting now and how he'll reward you later. If you want to do ghost work, stop considering what is in this thing for me now.

[16:05] What is it? Musician, stop considering singer. Stop preacher. Stop considering what am I getting now. These people, they invite me to come and preach. How am I going to get? What am I going to get? Don't decide where you go and preach based on financial considerations.

[16:21] Do not decide to receive preaching invitations or singing invitations or ministry invitations. Do not decide which ministry invitation you are going to receive based on financial consideration.

[16:34] Mainly, mainly on financial considerations. Mainly on financial considerations. It should be based on fulfillment of assignment and sensitivity to God. And so, don't do anything for God so long as God is concerned.

[16:48] We don't have to do things for what is in it for me now. We have to do things for what is in it for God now. What is in it for God now and tomorrow. And then God himself will take care of you.

[17:01] So, he says that, I pressed on towards the mark of the high. Sorry, he says, reaching forward to the things that are ahead. I pressed towards the goal for the price of the upward call of God in Christ.

[17:14] It's pressing. That tells you that somebody is putting himself under pressure and pushing because there is a race ahead. In Philippians chapter 2 verse 16, it says that, Holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain.

[17:37] I haven't run in vain or labored in vain. Alright. So, the Christian walk, the Christian life is a race to run. It's a race to run.

[17:48] In Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1, it says that, Therefore, seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance or with patience.

[18:03] So, it's a race to run. The Christian walk is a race to run. You don't have time to trot. You got to keep running. It says, let us run.

[18:13] In 1 Corinthians, in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, lovely text. In 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse, I think I'll put it in this Bible.

[18:25] 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24. Know ye not that they which ran in a race ran all, but one receives the price.

[18:36] So, ran that ye obtain. So, he's talking to believers. He said, you also ran to obtain. You must run with the target. Running to obtain. The Christian walk is a race to run.

[18:48] The Christian life is a race to run. It is not an invitation just to relax, to be fed. It is a race to run. He said, I have finished my course. You, you finish your course.

[19:00] So, in these times, unprecedented times, uncertain times, keep this on your mind. Even in your marriage, in your family life, in your career, in your studies, in your education, there is one thing that must always be on your mind, that there is a race to finish.

[19:16] There is a course to finish. There is a race to run. And everybody, guess what? Rich people, poor people, educated people, uneducated people, posh people, crude people, nice people, not so nice people, or mean people.

[19:35] Everybody. Whether you attended Oxford University or Oxbridge, or you attended any university somewhere.

[19:48] Whatever university you attend, whatever course you read, how much your earning is, it does not matter. In the grand scheme of things, what matters is the fulfilling of your assignment in God.

[20:02] Because it gets to a time, everything will be stripped off. Everything. It's a time coming when your value is not based, genuinely, so long as God is concerned, your value and my value is not based on the suit I wear.

[20:15] It's not based on the house I live in. It's not based on the friends I, the quality or the kind of friends I have. It's not actually based on that. My value is not based on the clothes or the car I drive.

[20:30] Or how I look. My status. All those things don't determine my value. What determines my value is the assignment I carry and how I'm fulfilling the assignment.

[20:41] What determines your value is the assignment from God you carry and how you are fulfilling your assignment. That is what will determine your value and your rating in heaven.

[20:51] Your faithfulness in fulfilling your assignment God has given you is what determines your rating in heaven. Your rating in heaven is what determines how quick your prayers get answered. How quick your prayers get answered is not determined the kind of benefits you enjoy on earth.

[21:08] What you can be exempted from and what you won't be exempted from. It's important to understand my brothers and my sisters that we should, there is a race to run. There is a charge to keep and we have to focus on doing it.

[21:21] So he says that, don't you know that in a race all run, but run obtains. Run in such a way. So run. I like the way he said. So run. That means run in such a way that ye may obtain.

[21:33] Verse 25. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do this to obtain a corruptible crown, but we are an incorruptible crown. So he says every man that is striving for the mastery is temperate because of, you are trying to finish this course.

[21:49] You want to really pass this exam well. And so because of that, a lot of fun, so-called fun things, you don't engage in it. Because really, what is on your mind, you really are, you become temperate.

[22:02] You even, you don't sleep too much. You don't give your attention to a lot of things. Why? Because you are striving for masteries. And he said, that's how, and people do these things.

[22:15] They strive for masteries for physical benefits, for good academic grades, for success in business, for good romantic relationship, to catch that woman's interest and attention, to catch that man's attention.

[22:32] If you don't put in diligence and intention or to raise their children to be, to do well in life, it requires some effort. All right. So you have to be, you will be, end up being temperate in a lot of things because of this particular thing you are trying to achieve or you are trying to accomplish.

[22:51] In the same way, Bible says that yet all these things that we do physically, it is just for a reward that will perish. So that means that when you are temperate, you get a reward, you know, when you have your leisure time, you know, a lot of people use their leisure time for other things.

[23:08] So some people are studying and they say, oh, because I'm studying, I can't do church. You are lying. Because people are studying and they are doing other things. They are playing video games. They are watching movies. They are going for nightclub.

[23:18] They are having relationships and messing up in relationships and doing all kinds of amorous, erotic stuff they shouldn't be doing. But they are writing exam. They have exam coming.

[23:29] So the fact that you have an exam coming doesn't mean you can't do anything at all by only prepare. But what I'm saying is that you must have mastery. Prepare for the exam whilst other things don't suffer.

[23:40] But a time comes when you have finished your exam where you can give more attention to something. You can't be, you have an interview tomorrow morning and you are trying to practice your keyboard tonight.

[23:52] For what? What has that got to do with the interview? Stop the keyboard. Go and do the interview. When you finish there and you pass, you can even buy a grand piano in your house because now you've got a good job.

[24:03] But if you don't have a good job, that keyboard you are playing is your neighbor's one. They will come and collect it. You understand that? So these are just basic things that sometimes if you are not taught well, you would think that if I don't do this, I'm not spiritual.

[24:15] Spirituality is not based on activities. Spirituality is based on enjoyment of God and oneness with Christ. You know, just tuning with Christ anyway. So the scripture says that they do it.

[24:28] Anyone who strives for the masteries, that's what I'm talking about, strives for the masteries, is temperate. You have to be temperate. So in your Christian life and the race, we have to be temperate as well and put in, I am sitting here.

[24:43] I can't just get up and not prepare, just come and start talking. I have to go through a process. I've been preparing for several days to be able to sit here and be able to talk right, rightly divide the word of truth in a way that is assimilatable and in a way that can be a blessing.

[25:02] So everything you are doing, you have to give yourself properly to it. I hope I'm communicating to somebody. So it says that in a spiritual assignment too, don't give your diligence to other things.

[25:15] Some of us who, all there is to you is my work, my work, my work, my work, my work, my work, my work. When you lose that job, we will see what there is to you. My work, my work, my work. Every time is your work. You are not taking time to develop a healthy spiritual work.

[25:29] Develop your spiritual work. You are not taking time to develop good relationship with your wife or your husband or your children and all your significant people around you. You are not taking time to even invest your energy and your resources, your energy.

[25:43] I'm talking about your human resources and abilities into the work of God. You are a computer guru. And in what way is it building the church? Yes, you are making money, but that human ability to, you must see how you can also use it in building the work of God.

[25:59] Because that is what God is going to reward you on. It's going to reward you based on how you have built his work. It's very important because in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 14, it says that everyone's work will be tested.

[26:14] Take it from verse 10. Take it how you build. But no for me as a wise master, I've laid the foundation. Let each one take it how it builds. For there's no foundation laid except the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

[26:26] Then he goes on to say, if anyone builds with silver, gold, silver, precious stone, wood, straw, and hay. He said, everyone's work will be tested.

[26:37] Verse 13. Everyone by fire. That they will reveal the kind of work you are building by fire. And if anyone's work survives, he will receive a reward. Verse 14. He will receive a reward. So there's a reward coming. But it must be, we must go through the process of testing.

[26:51] The quality material you are building with. And guess what? He's talking about the house of God. He's not talking about any other thing. He's talking about the church. The building of God's work. The house of God. If you read it in context, 1 Corinthians 3 from verse 9.

[27:05] It says, we are co-laborers. You are the husband real. We are building together with God. So then everybody take it how you are building. And he's talking about the work of God.

[27:17] Praise God. So it's important to remember that don't focus on human or physical acquisition at the expense of your reward in God.

[27:30] It's very important. Whoa. That's a race to run. It's a real race to run. The Christian life is a race. So let me read the verse 26. Because that is. I therefore so run, not as uncertain.

[27:43] So fight I, not as one that beats the air. So he said, this Christian walk and this Christian life, I'm running it not as uncertain. I run with certainty.

[27:54] I run with the target. So I'm trying to draw your attention to the fact that the Christian walk is a race to run. We are called to run. In Galatians chapter 2 verse 2, it says that, And I went up by revelation and communicated unto them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which are of reputation, lest by any means I should run and have had run in vain.

[28:21] So he's talking about my life. All what I'm doing is a race. I'm running. No wonder towards the end of his life, he said, I'll finish my race, you know. So I pray that we will finish our course.

[28:32] You will finish your course. In Galatians chapter 5, this is an interesting one. Galatians 5, 7 says that, You did run well. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?

[28:42] You are doing well. Doing well in your Christian life can be same or can be referred to as, You are running. You are running well. Run well, bro.

[28:54] Run well, sis. Run well. Man of God, run well. Keep running. You are running well. Don't let somebody's attitude, somebody's approach to God's work discourage you.

[29:09] Run well. You are running well. Keep running well. You've done well so far. You've done well so far. You deserve a pat on the back, but there's a lot ahead of you. So don't be thinking, no one is encouraging you.

[29:21] Just keep encouraging yourself and keep running. Run. Keep running. Go for it. Go for it. Run well. You have run well so far. Who cut in on you? Who crossed you for you to be diverted in such a woeful way?

[29:37] Who cut in on you? Galatians 5, 7. Yeah. He said, you did run well. Who did hinder you? In that translation, he said, who cut in on you? I think the, I believe it's the NIV. I have an NIV here.

[29:49] I believe it's the NIV who cut in on you. Thank you, Jesus. Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I just like to. It's good to read the text. It's good to read the text.

[30:00] It's good to. Galatians 5, 7. You are running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? Who cut in on you? Don't give anybody the privilege.

[30:12] Don't give anybody the right. Don't give anybody the opportunity to cut in on you. The person can even be a pastor. The person can even be a church leader. It can be, and they did something.

[30:23] They said something to you. They treated you in a way that has discouraged you from doing God's work. Hey, please. Don't let anyone cut in on you. You were doing very well. You were doing. Look at the number of souls you were winning. Look at how faithful you were serving and how fulfilled you were.

[30:36] You were so fulfilled because you were doing it from your heart. And someone took advantage of you. At least, thank God, you have noticed it. Redraw yourself and get, withdraw from such one and get involved with God's work.

[30:48] Don't let anyone cut in on you. Pastor, you were doing so well until that person betrayed you. You know, to be a pastor means people will betray you. It comes with church leadership. Church leadership means that readiness may be prepared to experience betrayal.

[31:03] It comes with church, human beings. Jesus got his ovation. Judas. So, not even Judas. Peter even denied him. The one who said, me? Pastor, I am there for you.

[31:14] Pastor, this thing, we are there together. He went to pray, they slept. Not because they are malicious, but just that they couldn't. They couldn't take it. So he said, the Christian life is erased.

[31:25] Now, let me come back to where I started from because I'm talking about the way. We run in the way. So, Christianity is actually referred to as the way.

[31:37] That is why you run. What do we do in the way? We run in the way. Paul said, I finish my course. I press on. He said, so run I. He said, so I don't run in vain. He says that, looking unto Jesus, the utter run.

[31:53] Okay. He said that, let us run with perseverance. So we run. It's a race we run. It's a race we run. And what? We are, thank you, Jesus. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 26.

[32:04] We are running. Verse 24, sorry. We are running to obtain. So run to obtain. Verse 26. So run to obtain. I think verse 24, both of them. So run to obtain. We are running to obtain.

[32:15] We are running. Verse 24. 1 Corinthians 4, 24, 9, 24. We run to obtain. We run to obtain. We run to obtain. We run to obtain. Run to obtain, my brother.

[32:26] Run to obtain. Because there is a reward ahead of you. God will reward you. Now, so because it's a race, or because it's a way, Jesus said, I am the way.

[32:37] When you come into Christ, you are in the way. Watch this. In several places in the scriptures, starting from the book of Acts, or particularly several places in the book of Acts, the Christian journey was described as the way.

[32:55] In Acts chapter 9, verse 2, watch this. Let me start from verse 1 to make sense of it. And Paul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way.

[33:24] Talking about Christianity. Talking about Christianity. Talking about Christianity. Talking about Christianity. It's called the way. I possibly think the new King James version will render it a bit.

[33:38] Acts chapter 9, verse. Thank you, Jesus. Acts chapter 10, verse 1. And so, and so, still threatening, still threatening, sorry, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, see the way is capital way, that's a new King James version. If he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. So he was traveling from city to city, went for special letter to Damascus in the synagogues to go and find, look for anyone who were of the way. Christianity was called the way. In Acts chapter 9, so chapter 19 verse 9, it's said they spoke evil of the way. When some would not believe, but spoke evil of the way. Paul withdrew the disciples to one school of Tyrannus. In Acts chapter 19 verse 9, but when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the way.

[34:56] Christianity was referred to as the way. Paul said, Bible said he went for letters, finding people who were of the way. Christianity was referred to as the way. In Acts chapter 18 verse 25 and 26, talking about Apollos. Acts chapter 18, verse 25 and 26. Apollos, this man had been instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in the spirit, in the spirit.

[35:27] He spoke and taught accurately the things of God, though he knew only the baptism of John, who, so, so he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Prisla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. So, you see, the way, very important, the way of God, the way of God more accurately. In Acts chapter 26, 22 verse 4. Acts chapter 22 verse 4 says that, this is Paul, Paul talking. He said, I persecuted this way to the death. So, he called Christianity and people of Christianity as this way. They are the way. They are the way. The scriptures, and they were known in those days as the way.

[36:16] They were known. Acts chapter 19 verse 23. Look at Acts chapter 19. Back to Acts chapter 19 verse 23. It says that, and about that time, there arose a great commotion about the way. I think I would like to read this one from the Message Bible. Message Bible puts it in a very interesting way.

[36:39] Acts chapter 19 verse 23 in the Message Bible, the Message version, it says that, but before he got away, a huge wrackers occurred over what was now being referred to as the way. Talking of Christians. Christians, Christianity, and everything about Christianity was being referred to as the way. Jesus said, I am the way. So, Christianity is called in the book of Acts as the way. Here, he said it was being referred to as the way. There was a huge wrackers, commotion, confusion, with respect in regards to church and Christianity, that preaching. It's always been like that, though. When you do God's work, expect people to react. Sometimes people will react in a very terrible way, in a very unreasonable way against you because you are just being a Christian. And so, because you are preaching. What the devil doesn't even like, he doesn't like preaching at all.

[37:39] If you attempt to preach, the devil will try to stop you in your tracks. He doesn't like preaching. He fears, he doesn't fear prayers. He fears the genuine Christian prayer. Satan doesn't mind you praying. But if you are going to pray a Christian prayer in the name of the Lord as a Christian, he fears it. He doesn't mind anybody preaching. But if you are going to preach the truth of God's word, he's going to come after you. Hell will rise against every preaching of God's word. And so, there was commotion against the way. In Acts chapter 24 verse 14, look at this. In Acts chapter 24 verse 14, I like that. I'll just read that and then move on and then round up. Potentially, I would like to continue. I wouldn't like to keep you to know. Christianity, just showing you from Scripture that Christianity is the way and I will explain why it is the way. Acts 24 verse 4 says that notwithstanding, I'm sorry, verse 14, I need to read verse 14. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, I worship, I worship, I worship, sorry, so worship I the God of my fathers.

[38:54] I believe in all things. So, after the way, I worship God after the way. In the, what they are calling heresy, that is how I worship the God of my fathers. Verse, I read from the New King James again.

[39:06] Permit me to use different versions. That's how we do Christian studies. Hallelujah. Verse 14, it says that, but this I confess to you, that according to the way, in the New King James, the way is capital, according to the way, this I confess to you, that according to the way which they call a sect, they were actually calling the Christian life.

[39:32] Watch this, this is interesting, a sect. Most times, genuine people who are doing genuine Christian life, secular people see them as sects. Oh yeah. I'm not saying that that means that every sect is correct. No.

[39:47] But I'm saying that it's very easy to be branded extremists, or to be branded unusual, antisocial, to be branded negatively. So, it says that, that which, let me read again, verse 14. It says, I confess, I confess, Acts 24, 14, yeah. But I confess to you, that according to the way which they call a sect, that's how I'm worshiping the God of our fathers. I'm worshiping the God according to the way which they call a sect. That's how. So, you know, when you are doing it God's way, some people have problems with it. Let's, let's, let's be clear on that. If you do things God's way, expect people to have problems with it. Listen to what I did not say, please. I did not say that when people have problems with you, that means you are doing something right, or you are doing it God's way. I never said that. If people have problems with you, you have to be sure and check yourself, because sometimes you are doing something wrong. You might be doing something wrong. That's why people are having problems with you. The reason why your neighbors are not talking to you is not because you are a Christian. It's because you are very annoying. So, um, there was a Christian gentleman I knew a while ago. He didn't, I think he lost his job or he was going through a rough patch.

[41:06] And he's one of the Christian brothers said, you can come and live with me. So he, but a Christian brother also, they were all sharing a house. So the Christian brother was sharing a house with other, other tenants. And those tenants, this is about 15 years ago in London. Those tenants didn't, I mean, they were not believers. They were working, going work and coming. And then this Christian brother brought another Christian brother to come and live with him for a while. And the tenants were brothers, so they didn't mind. But this other Christian brother, who, brother who didn't have a job and was in, the, uh, was kind of, didn't have a place to live in, was lodging or perching with somebody. You know, what, when he wakes up in the morning in the house, his own place was just a room with his friend.

[41:53] And, you know, people are sharing other rooms. But he wake up in the morning and whispering, Hey, Lord, hear me! And the other Christian brother came and said, told him that my, the people are complaining, the noise, because they are sleeping. Some of them are waking, like they've come to sleep.

[42:08] He said, what? He, he didn't understand. You, Christian brother, you are telling me I shouldn't pray. No, he didn't say he shouldn't pray. See what you are doing, you are doing it wrong. You are doing the right thing in the wrong way. People are sleeping. You are also, come, poto, poto, poto, poto, come, poto, poto, because you are trying to bind the devil.

[42:25] Their sleep is not the devil, though. Their sleep is not the devil. You have enough faith to move mountains, but you leave the mountains in the path of others. That is why sometimes, so I'm not saying that the fact that you are doing the, the fact that people are having problems, you means you are doing the right thing.

[42:40] But what I'm saying is, if you do things the God way, you are likely, not likely, you are definitely going to come up against severe opposition from different people, different cortices. Sometimes the whole government will rise against you, as it is in a lot of other places, as it was in the early day and as it is in our current times, wherever you find yourself. Sometimes you even lose the job because you are a Christian and you are a genuine Christian. Sometimes you lose a vote because you are a Christian. And a lot of people, because they don't want to suffer losses, they choose that, well, let me just do this Christian thing very calmly. But there's no Christian, calm and private Christian life. Christian life is a way, is the way, the way of living. I'll go a bit more into that as time goes on. So, the point I'm making here is that, he says that, what they, the way, they call, I worship God, I confess that I worship God in the way which they call a sect. So, they are calling a sect, yeah, that is the way I'm worshiping God.

[43:37] And so, the way can sometimes be found on. The Christian life and the Christianity is a way. What way it is? It is a way, the way, watch this, is the entire, the whole full salvation is the way. So, it's not only how you are saved, but the entire Christian world, right from how you are saved. So, when Christ comes, the whole Christian life is the way. Right? Now, watch this.

[44:05] It's the way, that's, I call it the, the spectrum of the Christian life. Like, how, the, the, the, the spectrum of the full Christian life or the four aspects of the full Christian life. The four aspects. Number one aspect is, is the way Christianity is the way God is working. He's putting himself into human beings. So, guess what? If you're a Christian, God is in you.

[44:32] It's in you. It's in you. Christ in us. Romans 8.10. Christ in us. So, if you're a Christian, God is working himself. Galatians, Colossians 1.27. God is working himself into you. All right? So, he works himself into us. So, it's the way he does that. He does that through the redemption of Christ and the, the release and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. So, the redemption of Christ is actually what brings us out of the death we owe God, brings us out of sin.

[45:00] So, we are no more sinners in the sight of God. Now, he can, by his Spirit, work himself. So, that's, the working of God is the way God works himself into human beings. That remains a mystery.

[45:10] The way God works himself into human beings. And not just that, but it's the way we, after God has worked himself into us, how we become partakers of the divine nature.

[45:22] According to 2 Peter 1.4. It says that, He has given us exceeding and great precious promises whereby we will be partakers of the divine nature.

[45:32] So, we share in God's nature. Hallelujah. You are a Christian. You share in God's nature. The nature of God. That is what distinguishes a Christian from an unbeliever.

[45:43] So, so, when you see a Christian and an unbeliever, externally, they look the same. That is why there are people who might be in church thinking they are saved, but they are not saved. Thinking in this way. Thinking they are believers, but they are not believers. Why are you saying that? In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus said, some will come and say, Lord, Lord, I cast out demons in your name.

[46:04] And say, I don't know you. Who are you? You are not one of my people. Oh, but I was with the church people. No, no, you are not one. You are not. So, being with church people doesn't mean you are one of us. You might be, but you are not one of us. And so, it says that we are, what is different, the difference, what makes you a Christian is not so much your behavior.

[46:25] It doesn't start with your behavior, but it starts with the nature of God which has been worked into you. So, we partake. We share in His nature.

[46:35] So, it's the way we share in His nature. And not only that, we enjoy God. If you don't enjoy God, you can be effective in your Christian work. So, Satan will use anything to try and discourage you, but even in the midst of discouragement, you can still give doxology.

[46:53] You can still sing songs of praise. Why? Because you are enjoying God. There are times when things can... You know, in many poor countries or third world countries as it's branded, there are a lot of more people in third world country happy, happy.

[47:10] There are a lot of happy people. More happy people than in first world or developed countries. But they are happy. And there are times where somebody is living in a mansion.

[47:24] He has all the money. This woman is married to the wealthiest man, but she's very miserable. Whilst another woman is married to a poor man, but they enjoy themselves, each other.

[47:35] But the point I'm making is that you can enjoy your life even in the midst of turmoil, of troubles. What makes you think Paul and Silas, they were able to sing praises to God in Acts chapter 16 verse 25.

[47:51] At midnight in prison, they have been beaten with wombs on their bodies, whipped for casting out a devil who was harassing them. They were walking their way. The devil kept harassing them. He said, devil, get out. They were arrested instantly and beaten and put into prison without trial, nothing.

[48:06] They put them into prison. But at midnight, the Bible said, they decided to give him praise. How can you give God praise for being in prison because of preaching or doing his will?

[48:17] Doing his will has put you in prison, yet you could praise him. Why? Because the joy of the Lord is from inside. You enjoy the Lord. It's not based on physical circumstances, but it's based on the reality of who God is to you.

[48:31] And so the way we partake in God and enjoy God. So it's the way God, number one, the way God works himself into us. The full spectrum of God's salvation is the way of salvation is the way God works himself into us.

[48:45] The way we partake, how we partake, the way we partake in the nature of God and enjoy God. Number three, the way the spirit, the way we worship God in the spirits.

[48:58] How do we do that? We worship God in the spirit by following Christ, following Christ, obeying in obedience to Christ and honoring him in our lives. As I thought, I took a bit of time to teach on true worship, right?

[49:12] By obeying Christ, even in the midst of suffering, in the midst of persecution, we still follow Christ and obey him, becoming one with him. We are so one with Christ. When you see us, you can tell these are Christians.

[49:25] These are people who represent Christ. That is worshipping him in spirit. So we worship him in spirit by enjoying, just we enjoy God and following Christ, even through crisis.

[49:36] We follow Christ, even in the midst of crisis. We still are faithful and following him and becoming one with him. That's the third way, the third aspect on the full spectrum of the way of God.

[49:50] All right. And then the last, the last way is the way we bring believers are brought into the church and are built up as the body of Christ. So that's what I'm doing now.

[50:01] What I'm doing now is bringing believers. That's why when I finish, I give people the opportunity to respond positively to the call of God in their lives. Bringing believers into the church by bringing believers into the church and building them as the body of Christ.

[50:17] So when you come into the church, that's not all there is that, oh, now I go to church. Oh, oh, oh, oh, that's the beginning. It's a race. That's the beginning. Being part of a church is the beginning. Now you must be taught and grow in your Christian work alongside others.

[50:32] Bible said, so we all come to the unity of faith. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 13 and 14. Verse 13, actually. So we all come to the unity of faith. So we are all being built up. We are all being built up.

[50:45] We are all being built up. And so the way believers are brought in and are built up as the body of Christ. So the full spectrum of the way of God, the Christianity is the way.

[50:57] And the way is four aspects of it, full spectrum of the four aspects of the way of God. Number one, how God is working himself into us. Number two, how we are partaking of God and enjoying the nature of God and enjoying.

[51:10] And number three, how we are becoming true worshippers. We are worshipping him in spirit through following Christ and becoming one with him and enjoying him.

[51:21] And number four, number four is how believers are being brought into the church and being built. So they come and we build up. They are coming, we build up.

[51:32] They are coming. That's the full spectrum of the way of God. And next time, I'll continue in our next teaching. And in our next teaching, I'll actually speak more about the way. All right. You can find out in the scripture, the Bible calls it the way, is the way of peace, is the way of salvation, is the way, is the straight way, is the way of righteousness, is the way of God, is the way of the Lord.

[51:55] I'm talking about the way, the way of peace, the way of righteousness. I'm going to actually speak some deep stuff about the way of peace. Christianity is the way of peace, is the way of the Lord, is the way of righteousness, is the way of salvation, is the way of truth, is the way of God.

[52:21] So, several aspects of the way, I'm going to take my time to talk about it. But remember, today, I'm talking about the way. We run in the way. We run in the way.

[52:32] Because Christianity is the way, as soon as you get born again, start running. Start running. Don't wait for anybody. Because there is a charge to keep. According to 1 Corinthians 9, verse 16, there is a charge to keep.

[52:45] It said, necessity is laid on me if I preach the gospel. I'm not doing it because of what people will say about me or what people will give me. But necessity is laid on me. There is a charge to keep, and it's the way.

[52:56] I want to encourage you. I want to pray for you that it's a privilege and it's a blessing to be called to be part of this thing. It's the way, the only way of life, the only way of salvation.

[53:08] It's the only way. Christianity is the only way. Jesus said, I am the way. Paul said, what I worship God in the way which they call a sect. They may have a problem in their definition of it.

[53:20] Because, you know, all of us, most of us, before we became true Christians, you know, we have our own mindsets about, all these people are like this, all these people, I don't like the way this man is praying, all this kind.

[53:31] But until you test it and become one, a true Christian, you realize that you actually were so lost. Usually, you don't realize you are lost until you are found in Christ.

[53:42] When Christ, or when you find Christ, that's when you realize that you are the one who are lost. When you find Christ, that's when you realize you are lost. And so, then suddenly, you have come into the way, and then you begin to live in the way.

[53:56] And I'm going to, in our next session, I'll talk more about the various ways and how to walk in the way. How to be able to maximize the opportunity of the way or how to walk, talk the talk, and walk in the way, run in the way, and make use of the way.

[54:18] Hallelujah. God bless you. We thank God for using this servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at karris.org.

[54:31] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Karis Ministries. Stay blessed.