A MESSAGE From the Men & Boys - Fathers/Sons retreat at Mt. Lemmon, Tucson, AZ 6.12.2021

This is one of three short exhorations given at the Men/Boys - Fathers/Sons retreat at Mt. Lemmon, Tucson, AZ 6.12.2021.

MENS/YOUNG MENS MT. LEMMON Retreat

 A GUARANTEE of GOD According to TRUTH and HOPE

COLOSSIANS 1:3-5 
 3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 

RUNNING THE RACE OF THIS SINGLE LIFE TIME

"Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest of these are 'It might have been'."

This life is a testing ground, and for the saints, it's a race - how well we run will depend on our source of strength; either in our own strength, or by renewing (literally 'exchanging') our strength for the LORD's own (ISAIAH 40:31). Those who run well receive the prize (crowns, rewards, etc.).

Paul stated the following:

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; *but we an incorruptible*. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.