Ultimate Fighting Championship - Fight the Good Fight!

2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Philippians 3:14 - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


Most, if not all of you have heard of the UFC: Ultimate Fighting Championship. The guys would think that it's pretty cool... like myself. Most ladies would probably think that it's just too violent for them. I've had the "opportunity" to stay in a hotel the last few nights due to some flooding in our basement. We don't have cable or anything like that at home, so I have been taking advantage of the free TV here at the hotel. When my wife goes to bed, I like to watch UFC for a little while before I go to sleep.

Something that has occurred to me is just how much preparation goes into getting ready for these brutal fights that these men get themselves into. It's their job; their life, so they have dedicated their lives to being the best fighter in the UFC. They have all the tools available to them to help them get ready: Professional trainers, top of the line training facilities and equipment...etc.

When you watch the fight, you can't help but notice that each fighter gives it everything they have. They punch and kick and grapple and throw down with all the skills and training they have learned and practiced. All they want is that next win... that next victory and they keep that as their main goal in this whole process. As Paul the Apostle put it: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize..."

I can't help but parallel that with our own lives. We have all the equipment that we need to train ourselves and grow with Jesus: Our Bibles, Christian literature, Worship services, fellowship with other Christ followers, Small Bible study groups, Accountability partners, youth groups, young adult groups, volunteer opportunities, mission trips... you get the picture. These are tools that God has given us to grow in our walk with Him and our walk with each other. We have it really good in North America because we have absolutely no opposition, relatively speaking, to our faith. We can utilize these things to the fullest extent that they are meant to be used.

Our busy lives often side track us from the main goal that Paul talks about in Philippians. The challenge is to keep the main thing the main thing. How many of us keep "church things" as just something else in our busy schedule as opposed to making those things the main thing that takes up most of our time? Getting caught up in life is normal this day and age. We just have to slow down a little and refocus and re-prioritise. It's not easy. It never will be. That's why we have God's grace... His free grace. Putting the things of God number one in our lives has to come from within us. We have to ask God for the strength for this because in our own human nature, there's no way we can do this.

Seems discouraging, but God is good. He understands that we are not perfect and He knows it's tough, but He does expect us to use the tools He`s given us to grow and excel in our walk and relationship with Him.

I guess my ultimate challenge here today is whether or not we are doing everything in our power, using everything that God has provided, with God`s help, to make our lives and our relationship with Him everything He wants it to be and pleasing in His sight? Are we setting aside regular time to be with God and be in His Word and be with, serve and love His people? Is God just another thing that we need to fit into our schedule, or is He the main thing we are focussed on?

Like the UFC fighters train hard to be the very best at what they do, let's train hard to be strong in the Lord so we can say "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" like Paul was able to say nearing the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4:7.

~Bry...