Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Have you ever lost track of God’s plan for your life? His plan is always to give you a hope and a future.
When I ran track in high school, I learned that you must maximize every stride—and only winners get medals. As 1 Corinthians 9:24 NKJV says,
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
In this race called life, we’re looking to win! If you run with endurance, if you persevere, and if you’re purposeful with every step, you receive the imperishable crown.
In Revelation 3:10, John records Jesus’ promise to the church in Philadelphia that they would be saved from the time of trial. Why?
“Because you have kept My command to persevere.”
In the original Greek, this means “because you have kept the logos of endurance.”
We know this points to Christ because John writes in John 1:1,
“In the beginning was the Word”
—the “logos.” Jesus literally is the embodiment of all of God’s message for the whole creation for all time. He endured the cross, despising its shame for the joy set before Him.
Jesus goes on to say in Revelation 3:11,
“Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
What is your crown? Paul tells us clearly:
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)
All that we take to heaven with us are the souls we win.
And Paul writes in Philippians 3:10-11:
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed in His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Through the fellowship of suffering, we get to know more about Jesus—the embodiment of truth and holiness, and the logos of endurance.
I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me (Philippians 3:12)
It’s a two-way relationship: He lays hold of you and you lay hold of Him.
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)
We have Christ in us—the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). So we run the race for a crown that will last for all eternity. This is why Galatians 6:9 says,
Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Endurance and reaping go hand in hand.
And we know we win. For Jesus assures us in Revelation 22:12,
“I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me…”
God bless you.
~
Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
About The Author
GORDON ROBERTSON is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Broadcasting Network, as well as a member of CBN’s Board of Directors. He is also Chancellor of Regent University and the Chairman of the Board of Operation Blessing, CBN’s humanitarian organization.
The son of Pat and Dede Robertson, Gordon graduated from Yale University in 1980 and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University in 1984. He then practiced law in Norfolk, Virginia, for 10 years.
In 1994, Gordon had a profound encounter with the Lord and moved to the Philippines, where he established CBN Asia. The following year, he founded the Asian Center for Missions (ACM), dedicated to training and sending Asian missionaries throughout the world. ACM is now one of the largest missionary agencies in the Philippines with more than 2,000 graduates trained in cross-cultural missions.
In 1996, Gordon created CBN Asia’s flagship television show, The 700 Club Asia, which is now one of the longest-running Christian television shows in the Philippines and is distributed by satellite around the world. Also in 1996, CBN Asia started a humanitarian organization, Operation Blessing Philippines, which has been recognized as “NGO of the Year” by the Philippine government.
Over the next three years, Gordon launched CBN centers in Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Thailand. He moved back to the United States in 1999 to serve at CBN’s headquarters in Virginia Beach.
As Executive Producer of The 700 Club, Gordon oversees all aspects of programming for the ministry. He hosts CBN’s original flagship program, The 700 Club; as well as 700 Club Interactive, a daily show airing on Freeform and online; and Miracle Living Today.
Gordon has produced a number of documentaries and features as Executive Producer of CBN Films, including:
- Oracles of God: The Story of the New Testament
- Oracles of God: The Story of the Old Testament
- Written in Stone four-part series: House of David, Kings and Prophets, Secrets of the Temple, and Jesus of Nazareth
- The Asbury Awakening
- I Am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland
- Treasures of the Second Temple
- Christmas: The Story Behind the Traditions
- To Life: How Israeli Volunteers Are Changing the World
- In Our Hands: The Battle for Jerusalem
- The Hope: The Rebirth of Israel
- Whose Land Is It? Jewish and Arab Claims to Israel
- Made in Israel
- Temple of Heaven, filmed in China
Gordon is also Executive Producer of CBN Animation’s Superbook, the reimagined animation series. Its guiding mission is to bring the stories of the Bible to the children of the world in their own languages. With over 65 episodes completed, Superbook has been broadcast to millions of viewers in dozens of languages throughout the world. Other Superbook-themed videos are also being produced and released.
Gordon and his wife, Katharyn, reside in Virginia and have three grown children.
