I enjoy very much the NCAA basketball championships called “March Madness.” Many basketball enthusiasts fill out their “bracket,” that is, their predictions for every game played in the tournament. I have never done very well on my card and forgot to fill one out this year. There are 68 teams at the start of the tournament, and on April 8th, the two teams that have survived that rigorous tournament will play for the National Championship. The teams that play in the championship game will have played in 6 games, all against the best teams in the nation. It isn’t just a physical marathon for those final two teams. It is an incredible display of managing pressure. These games are all on national television, and there are possible multi-million dollar contracts with NBA teams in the balance.

When the tournament ends, all the experts will try to figure out why specific teams won and others lost. There are always several significant upsets in the tournament. Why did certain players do well while others flopped? There is already all kinds of discussion on why third-seeded mega basketball powerhouse Kentucky lost to 14th-seeded, no-name, dinky college Oakland, who won an NCAA tournament game for the first time in the school’s history.

I wonder that all the time when I see certain people grow like weeds in their Christian walk, others in the same environment plateau and backslide. What is the difference, and what factors made the difference? The apostle Paul used athletics often in his epistles, describing our life as Christians and our service to Jesus as His disciples.

2 Timothy 2:5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Some key principles gleaned from the above verses on growing rapidly as a Christian and being hot, not lukewarm is;

discipline is essential as is self-control.
The desire to win makes a huge difference.
Endurance is the key factor in finishing well.
Those who have goals do exceptionally well.
There are many non-essentials we need to get rid of if we are going to run fast.
There are many other verses and principles; see if you can find them, and then live them.