Sometimes it takes sticking it out to the end in order to win the battle. You can call it perseverance, you can call it patience, or you can call it stick-to-it-tive-ness - it's a matter of finishing what you have started no matter what the cost. Self discipline is much like a battle within. The more we stick to the plan we set out to do and bring ourselves in line the more we'll enjoy the sweet victories along the way. But there's always a temptation in the loneliness of self discipline to give in and give up.

There's an account in the Old Testament where David is reviewing the people in his life that have really meant something to him. Stuck in the middle of the list is a guy named Eleazar. Eleazar's claim to fame in the eyes of King David was his "stick-to-it-tive-ness."

2 Samuel 23:9-10 (NIV) Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, 10 but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

Catch the scene. David and his men went out and taunted the enemy. Can you hear them? "Here we are come and get us." When the enemy decided they heard enough and started after David and his men - everyone retreated but Eleazar. It says he stood his ground. And did he ever. He stayed put until the job was done. He had every opportunity to run like the rest. He had every reason to give up. But he didn't give up. He didn't run away from the challenge. He stayed until the job was complete. Even when his hand grew tired he just held on all the more tightly and did not quit.

What a lesson! You and I can find every excuse in the book to leave whatever we know we should do. We can find every reason to give up and join others not engaged in the job we are doing. We can allow our weariness to overcome us and give in to giving up. Or we can be like Eleazar and grip a little tighter, go on a little longer, until the job is done.

It makes me think of the discipline it takes to compete as an athlete. It's amazing how many people you see doing other things when you set out to train. There's no glory in training and the distractions are many. Self discipline is a lonely job. Weariness can get the best of you if you let it. Or you can stick to it and know it will pay off in the long run.

Paul in the New Testament was quite impressed with the discipline of athletes as he wrote:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

There's that "stick-to-it-tive-ness" again. Paul is not going to give up on the battle of self discipline. He knew he had to hold on just like Eleazar, and just like we do.

Don't let go. Stick to it. Keep your grip tight and you like Eleazar, and like Paul can find victory in your life too.

Strapped tightly to the ejection seat, it was like a dream come true to be sitting in a MiG-29, awaiting clearance for takeoff. I never thought we'd be taking off and flying in formation with another plane nor did I really know what I was about to experience, even though we had been through a pre-flight briefing with the Russian pilots.

Although I do not understand Russian, I could hear the voice from the tower and the command from the pilot in the other MiG so braced myself for the thrust of the engines and afterburners. It seemed like it took only an instant to get airborne. Up we went, wing to wing with the other plane then back over the runway upside down. Rolling, turning, and a multitude of other aerobatics sent my heart racing and my eyes in awe as we stayed in perfect formation. Then a check on my condition, "Bob are you alright?" asked my pilot, Vladimir Loginovsky. "Yes sir!" was my response. Just then the two planes made a quick vertical move as we went to the right as the other plane split to the left. "Good, let's go supersonic!" exclaimed Vladimir as he increased the thrust of the MiG-29 and turned on the afterburners and we climbed to about 50 thousand feet. I just watched the Mach meter go up and up until we hit nearly one and a half times the speed of sound. "Mach 1.5 and 2.5 feels just about the same Bob. What do you say we spend a little time doing some maneuvers at this speed?" "You are in control. Whatever you think, sir!" And away we went, twisting, turning, free falling, upside down. I don't know all the technical names for the stunt maneuvers. I do know it made any roller coaster ride feel quite tame in comparison.

Once we landed and compared notes about what all we had done, at what speeds, and what heights, I realized I had placed my complete trust in a pilot I knew nothing about, as he flew a plane that was completely foreign, in a country that had long been declared "the enemy."

God offers all of us "The ride of a lifetime." All He wants is for us to trust Him as I did the pilot of the MiG-29. God has promised to see us through every circumstance in life. He has promised to look out for our good. He just wants us to trust Him.

I never gave the loops, turns, or upside downs a second thought because I knew the pilot was in complete control. So too, when we face the ups and downs and turns of life, we can trust God who is in control.

One time Jesus was in a boat with His disciples. He fell asleep as they faced a storm. In other words, they were going through some maneuvers. They assumed since He was not worrying and fretting, as they were that He did not have everything under control. However, all He had to do was speak the word and everything calmed down.

Mark 4:35-41 (NIV) That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

As my pilot in the MiG-29 was along for the ride, so God has promised to go with us through life including all the ups and downs.

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

As my pilot continually checked on me so he wouldn't give me any more than I can handle so God also knows what we can take.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

I am thankful that I had the opportunity to ride in a MiG-29 and for a pilot who knew what he was doing and who looked out for my safety, wanting to make the most of my experience. I am even more thankful for a God who is piloting me through life, who has my best interest in mind, and in continually looking out for my safety.

You can have that same confidence - IT'S A MATTER OF TRUST.

GODSPEED!

Bob Brubaker, a.k.a. "SPAM MAN"

It's not an easy question to answer because we are so programmed to accept limitations, some of which are self-produced. How rich would you be if you had a dollar for the things you thought about trying but talked yourself out of trying?

Let's face it we do it all too often. We get an idea and the idea floods our mind with excitement. Then we come down off the cloud because we focus on the fear of the unknown.

In the New Testament, Peter stood before a crowd who had gathered at the Feast of Pentecost and described for them the great works of God as he quoted from the book of Joel.

Acts 2:17 (NIV) "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

Have you allowed yourself to dream lately? Have you allowed your spirit to be free, allowed God to expand your horizons into the unknown? Life gets so boxed in and our spirit seems to be in a cage because we are afraid to let go and dream. So why not dream again? What do you have to lose? You never know your spirit may just be dying because you haven't set yourself free to dream.

In case your forgot what it is to dream let's go back in time. Remember how it was as a child someone would ask you, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" And you would give an answer that came direct from an unrestricted dreaming heart. "Astronaut!" You'd answer. Or maybe, "Doctor." The possibilities were limitless and it seemed like our spirit knew there were no bounds on how far we could dream.

As we grow up we begin to dampen things and figure out why we can't and we hold on to the manageable part of life even though it seems to restrict how far we can really go in life.

If you'd like to feel free, and who wouldn't? - Take a chance and allow yourself to dream, set your spirit free to hear from God's spirit. Begin to record the thoughts and dreams that come into your mind, no matter how ridiculous it may sound. Get it down and your spirit will be set free.

I love doing this while running and cycling. It seems repetitive motion really sets my mind free, especially if I begin my workouts meditating on a passage of scripture. I carry a pen and paper and have learned that as soon as I get an idea, I stop and write it down. It's amazing how many thoughts come and dreams flow though my mind.

Jesus said, "ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and it will be given to you." So why not begin dreaming, and allowing God's Holy Spirit to speak to you and move you out of the everyday into an exciting world of the unbelievable.

As a reminder of how much God wants to take us to places where we've never been, consider the following verses:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

God has great things for you if you'll just get close to Him, listen to Him and follow Him.

GODSPEED!

Bob Brubaker, a.k.a. "SPAM MAN"