How did we finish? A question commonly asked after the
race is run. What determines how we finish? What determines how well we did?
Our finishing position doesn't always indicate how we ran the race. In fact
sometimes finishing last means victory. Greetings in the name of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“How'd you do?” is a familiar refrain. I remember the line from a
popular movie, “the same as usual, I lost.” We determine how much progress
we are making based on our finishing position.
One of the biggest hurdles in any career is learning how to finish.
Finishing the race is the first step in the development of any driver.
Anyone can drive fast, many can handle a car, but only a few learn what it
means to finish. They are the drivers that advance their careers.
Funny thing about finishing is you have no chance of winning if you
do not finish the race. Yogi Berra said “90% of the putts that come up short
don't go in.” Oh, in case you were wondering the other 10% don't go in
either.
When you are learning how to finish the race your position doesn't
matter as much as the fact that you finished. I always look at the laps
completed in the race statistics along with the status of the car. They give
me a good indication of who was prepared to finish and who wasn't. I know
things happen that are out of our control, but to be running at the finish
and take the checkered flag indicate a perseverance that marks a winner.
Hebrews 12:1-3,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will
not grow weary and lose heart.
We can learn many things that will help
us learn how to finish. First we need those who know how to finish to show
us the way. Those who have experience and knowledge about the cars, tracks
and other drivers provide invaluable information for us.
In life it means those who have come before us and have lived a
life that honored God. Take a look around; is there someone who you can
follow that is leading the right life, a life that honors God?
We need to be wary of the traps that we can get caught up in. In
racing we can be distracted and lose focus when we forget what the goal is;
finishing the race. Someone bumps us or pinches us down and suddenly our
goal is to get even instead of finishing the race. When we get caught up in
getting even we fail to finish the race. We end up parked right next to the
guy we thought we showed a lesson to.
We can be easily distracted. We lose focus and we find ourselves
entangled in situations and circumstances that God did not intend for us to
experience. We let our selfishness get in the way and when we pursue what we
want instead of what honors God we end up in places we should not be.
How do we find our way out of situations that have distracted us?
First, don't get discouraged. There is hope in Jesus. Adjust your thinking
and turn to Him. He promises that when we turn to Him, He will be faithful
and deliver us from our sin.
We need to develop perseverance. That means it won't happen
overnight. It will take time for us to get out of the entanglements we get
ourselves into. It will take effort and prayer. We need to turn our focus to
Jesus and learn from His example.
What does that mean in our lives? Are we right with God? Do we live
lives that honor Him? If we put focus on Jesus and accept the sacrifice He
made for us we can be right with God. We can have hope. We will live a life
full of joy regardless of the circumstances that surround us. We prepare
ourselves to finish the race.
The term joy escapes our grasp sometimes. We think it means being
happy. Not so. Joy is an inner peace and contentment that we experience when
we please God. When we are doing God's will and living the life He planned
for us we experience joy. Joy is of the Lord. Paul wrote;
Philippians
4:4-7, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let
your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We must remember that Christ gave His
life for us. We live lives that in many ways fall short of the life that God
has for us. But Christ gave His life for us. Think about that, how easy is
it to do something for someone else? Now add to that the fact that the
person you are doing it for doesn't deserve it. It is very difficult for us
to be generous to someone who we don’t feel is undeserving.
God is different, He loves us unconditionally. God doesn't provide
for us based on whether we deserve it, He provides for us in spite of our
actions. When we consider the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the fact that
God offers salvation to us in spite of our actions we start to see how we
need to respond.
Hebrews
12:1-3, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who
endured such opposition from sinful men,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
I want to encourage us to look toward the
finish, don’t worry about where we started but persevere through the race
and finish well!
THOUGHTS
FROM THE ROAD
THOMPSON CROWNS NEW WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR
CHAMPION - Ryan Preece wears the crown of NASCAR Champion as he closed
out the season in spectacular fashion. Preece took the race for the victory
as seriously as the race for the championship. Although he needed only to
finish twenty-second or better to secure it that didn’t hold him back from
competing for the win.
Some could be excused for riding out the race and trying to avoid
any chance of getting derailed on their way to the championship, but not
today. The WMT race was a classic three way battle for the win between
Preece, Lia and Pennink.
Pennink won the race, his second, that ended a long drought and
finished a championship season of his own. He took home the Valenti Modified
Championship and a Whelen Modified Tour win. We look forward to having Rowan
in our booth at Motorsports 2014 along with one of his Modifieds.
Preece came home third but not because he didn’t want first. It was
refreshing to see the champion in the heat of the battle for victory. I
don’t think he knows any other way to drive. I am sure his crew chief, Sly
Szaban, was pacing pit road with each side by side battle.
Great job by a hard working team, congratulations; look for Ryan
and his #16 Flamingo Motorsports Modified in our booth at Motorsports 2014
in January.
NEMA CROWNS A FIRST TIME CHAMPION - After six seasons with
NEMA John Zych Jr. nailed down his first championship with a dramatic
victory Sunday at Thompson Sunday. John fought back two late race restarts
from point leader Randy Cabral to dethrone Cabral as NEMA Champion.
John said it was the last thing he wanted to see, yellow, but he
was up to the challenge and finished 1.4 seconds ahead and 17 points ahead
in the final standings.
Congratulations To both John and His dad, who also won the owner’s
title. This was a championship six years in the making and not the last for
this talented, young driver.
K&N PRO SERIES EAST CROWNS CHAMPION AT ROAD ATLANTA - Rev.
Dan made the trip to Road Atlanta Friday for the final race on the K&NPSE
schedule. With the point battle in single digits this was another
championship that went down to the wire.
In the end Dylan Kwasniewski, the 18 year old from Las Vegas ,
dominated the inaugural race at Road Atlanta and left no doubt that the
title was his. This Rockstar Energy drink driver completed the double for
the first time in history; he won the K&NPSW last year and added the K&NPSE
this year. He proved his point; he can get it done on the West Coast and the
East Coast, congratulations to Dylan and his whole team.
PRAYER AND ENCOURAGEMENT NEEDED - It was learned this week
that longtime Modified supporter and engine builder Norm Case was diagnosed
with Pancreatic Cancer. He was in the hospital, receiving tests and
treatment but should be at home shortly and will receive treatment at home
if needed. Our prayers are needed.
I’m sure many of you know Norm, Precision Automotive built engines
for many of the racers at our local tracks especially Riverside and Stafford
and also drag racing and hotrods.
Join us as we lift Norm and Linda up in our prayers. If you’d like
to send a note to Norm they can be sent to him at home. The address is
Norman Case, 9 Dara Lane , North Granby , CT 06060 . I know he’d be happy to
receive a card (especially a comical one).
REACHING OUT - I spoke with Rick Raducha at The World Series
and he is still looking for options that will help him be able to spend time
in Florida this winter. As you may know with his brittle bone condition the
cold weather is very hard on him. If you are willing to help out please give
him a call at 860-796-7223 or drop him a note at rraducha@sbcglobal.net. I
am sure he could use any help and encouragement we can offer.
Until next time, be a witness for our Lord with the ministry decals
and apparel. See them at the Show Your Faith Apparel Store at
http://www.rwjm.com/store. Send us your prayer and counseling needs no matter
what part of our racing family you are in, or give us a call. Remember that
God loves you, we love you and
Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing. GOD BLESS.
Mail reaches us at Racing with Jesus Ministries, PO Box 586,
Tolland, CT 06084.
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Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord
make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face
toward you and give you peace."
May God always Bless you, everyday in everyway. Rev. Don
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