Colossians 1:28-29 - NASB

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• Colossians 128-29 - NASB 28 And we proclaim
  Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man
  with all wisdom, that we may present every man
  complete in Christ. 29 And for this purpose also
  I labor, striving according to His power, which
  mightily works within me.

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• Hebrews 116 And it is impossible to please God
  without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him
  must believe that God exists and that he rewards
  those who sincerely seek him. 

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Great Rewards

• Run to Win!

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I. Incentives

• Incentive - something that incites or tends to
  incite to action or greater effort, as a reward
  offered for increased productivity. Stimulates

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• 1 Corinthians 924 - 27
• Everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize
• So run to win! 
• Athletes are disciplined in their training
• They do it to win a prize that will fade away
• We do it for an eternal prize
• So I run with purpose in every step

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• Growing Kids Gods Way discipline with
  encouragement

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• Bribes
• Offering something in exchange for good behavior
  before you get it a manipulative appeal to the
  childs lust of the flesh or greed

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• Goal incentives used to motivate development
• Philippians 312 - 14
• I have not already achieved these things
• I press on to possess that perfection for which
  Christ Jesus first possessed me. 
• I focus on this one thing Forgetting the past
  and looking forward to what lies ahead
• I press on to reach the end of the race
• Receive the heavenly prize for which God, through
  Christ Jesus, is calling us.

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II. Endurance
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• Hebrews 121 - 3
• Let us strip off every weight that slows us down,
  especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
• Let us run with endurance the race God has set
  before us. 
• We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the
  champion who initiates and perfects our faith
• Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful
  people then you wont become weary and give up

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III. Great Rewards (Prizes)

• Both Heavenly and Earthly
• Prolific in the Word
• God appeals to our sense of achievement and
  desire to win, overcome, rule (created in his
  image)
• What prevents these from being bribes?
• We can wrongly turn it into stimulation of the
  lust of the flesh, greed

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• Rewards both good and bad
• Incentives
• Reward for accomplishment
• Fear of punishment
• See the rewards as natural consequences
• Example (Isaiah 263 NIV) "You will keep in
  perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, (KJV
  staid on Thee) because he trusts in you."

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• 2 Corinthians 59-10
• Whether here in this body or away from this body
  our goal is to please him
• All will be judged each receive what we deserve
  for the good or the evil done in this earthly body

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• Ephesians 210 For we are Gods masterpiece. He
  has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do
  the good things he planned for us long ago.

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• Conclusion
• Run to win attaining your potential
• Strip off the weights that cause you to stumble
• Make it your goal to please the Lord
• Do the good things he has planned for you
• Win the prize receive the reward the natural
  consequences of you serving him

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Interaction Time

• What kind of response do you have when you hear
  the words all will be judged for their deeds
  whether good or bad? Is it fear and trepidation
  or excited anticipation?
• How can you reward your children without bribing
  them? How can you get their response to be one
  of desiring to please you rather than a temporary
  obedience to get the goods? How can you give God
  the same response that you would want from your
  children?

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• In what ways do you believe God rewards those who
  sincerely seek him? Share some personal
  experiences of these rewards.

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