Three Golden Apples

I John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 

is not of the Father, but is of the world.

 

My husband use to preach a sermon in children’s church called "The Three Golden Apples."

The three apples represented the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the world (pride of life).

He would tell the story about a beautiful princess. Her father wanted to marry her off, but she did not want to get married. Finally she agreed to marry, but under the condition that the man that she married had to beat her in a footrace.

If they did not win the race, they would be put to death. The princess could run extremely fast, so all of the men who ran against her would die.

One day a young man figured out a way to defeat the princess. He got three golden apples and while they were racing, he would drop an apple one at a time to distract the princess. She would quit running long enough to retrieve each apple. It took all three apples and all of his speed, but finally he won the race and married the beautiful princess.

Our lives are like a race. We are running to receive the prize, but along the way we are so many times tempted by the things of the world.

I know what I want in my life and I know who I am. I know someday I will win this race here on earth. But it is so easy to get distracted along the way. 

I know I want to be a good Christian who is an encourager and a help to other Christians, I want to have a good testimony. I want to live my life so that others may see Christ in me. 

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,