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My son and his friend went to the Minnesota Wild hockey game last night. The Wild had a 4-1 lead with three minutes left in the game. The arena was electric with excitement because the team was coming out off a very long loosing streak. Incredibly, the opposing team scored three goals in less than three minutes tying the score and with 29 seconds remaining, the opposing team scored the winning goal.

1. Start
Our hockey team started well, but did not finish well. If you do not start, you have nothing to finish.
2. Know the Cost
Jesus told this story about the importance of not only starting to follow Him, but know that it requires a complete commitment to stay with Him.
Luke:14:28-30 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
3. Keep on Keeping on
Paul writes this about finishing well:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Perseverance is keeping the faith, not giving up, and to keep on keeping on. A credit to the winning team, they never gave up.