Last Minute Encouragement

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
-2 Timothy 4:6-8 (King James Version)

In studying the letters of Paul, and studying his life as found in Acts, you can tell that Paul was a man full of faith. He also endured his share of trials as he preached the Good News of Jesus Christ. Now, as he is nearing the end of his life and ministry on earth (well, maybe not his ministry, because it lives on, even today) he is writing some last minute instructions to Timothy. Timothy was a man Paul considered to be his son. The verses I want to focus on isn't any last minute instructions, but rather some last minute encouragement that Timothy will need. Well, we need as well.

In verse 6, Paul is reminding Timothy that his time of departure is near. Paul knew he was going to die, and he was ready. Paul knew there was more ready for him in Heaven. Verse 8 says, "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Paul was one of the greatest evangelists that ever lived. He established churches, his teaching made many people come to Christ, and now, at the point of his death, he was looking ahead to Heaven. He knew what was to come. I've heard so many people saying things like, "We don't know what Heaven will be like." or "We just hope it will be better than it is here." Paul was ready for what was to come to him, and I believe he was looking forward to it. Notice, though, his words. "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness....and not to me only, but unto all them that also love his appearing." If you've given your life to Christ, there is a crown of righteousness waiting for you! Isn't that exciting? When we get to Heaven, we'll finally be all that God wants us to be. We'll no longer battle evil desires and temptations, we'll not longer deal with trials. We'll be right before God. Does that mean we should just give up and not strive to be the people Jesus wants us to be? No. Look at verse 7.

 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Paul has fought the good fight. Paul has defended the faith. If you take time and study Paul's life in Acts, you will see that he was stoned, he was thrown in jail, all for his faith. Earlier in this chapter, Paul warns Timothy that there is coming a time when people will no longer want to hear the truth, they will  only listen to what they want to listen to (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Sounds like today. He told Timothy to preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2). He is preparing Timothy to fight the good fight.

Paul also finished his course. All of us has tasks that we must accomplish. Are you allowing the will of God to control your life? When Paul was stoned because of his preaching, it would have been easy for him to walk away from the Lord. Many Christians wouldn't have blamed him. Yet, Paul knew it was more important for him to fulfill the Will of God in his life, than to take the easy way out. Are you finishing the course that Jesus laid out for you?

Finally, Paul kept the faith. In spite of opposition, in spite of difficulty, in spite of persecution, Paul kept his faith intact. Can you say the same?

Friends, take these words from Paul, and use them as a measuring stick for your life. Are you fulfilling the Will of God in your life? Are you fighting the good fight? Are you finishing the course that Jesus laid out for you? Is your faith intact in spite of your surroundings? Think About It.

Categories: Encouragement, Faith, God's will

What's Your Goal?

²⁶For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
-Matthew 16:26 (KJV)

I came from a business background. In fact, I worked for a Chick-fil-A store from 1989 until 2004. I was the general manager of the location. Profit and loss is a big part of business. Every business wants to earn a profit and keep the losses to a minimum. When you think about it, life is the same way. Many of us want to profit from life, while keeping our life losses to a minimum.

Jesus asked "for what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Another way to read that verse is "For what is a man benefited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" What are your goals this day? Is it just to make it through another workday? Is your goal that you can share your faith with someone today? Goal setting is another business topic that I think applies here. Many, many people, Christians included, set goals for their life and careers. They set goals like, "I want to retire at 55." "By the age of 35, I want two kids, a house by the lake, and a vacation home in the mountains." Maybe your goals are not like those I mentioned. But, what does all this have to do with the verse I quoted? Let me tell  you.

Jesus is asking a question that is vital to our life. What benefit do we have in accumulating wealth and possessions? None. We can't take those things with us. So, what are we benefited if we gain the whole world, yet lose our souls to hell? We are not benefited in any way. Let's back up and look at verses 24-25, "²⁴Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Look at what Jesus told His disciples. If we will come after Jesus, meaning if we follow Him, we must: deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. We must deny ourselves. This is where we start submitting ourselves to His will. This is where we start fulfilling what God wants us to do. It's where our thoughts and desires and wants line up with the thoughts, desires and wants of Jesus for our lives. We must say "NO!" to ourselves and "YES!" to Jesus. We must take up our cross, we must be ready to die for Him. That's a hard pill to swallow, but we must be ready to die. We must die to self. Paul said in Romans 6:6, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Our sins has been paid for, why do we still live like they control us. We must not serve sin, we must die to self to live in Christ. Then, we can follow Him.

Discipleship means a total commitment to Christ. Are you willing to give Him total control of your life? What are your goals? For me, it is to become more like Jesus. Think About It.

Categories: Discipleship, Faith, Jesus, Life

Spirit Work

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

-John 16:7-11(King James Version)

In these passages of Scripture, Jesus is teaching us about the Holy Spirit, and teaching us about the work of the Spirit. One thing to note before we study about the Spirit's work, is  found in verse 7. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." The Disciples, no doubt, clung to Jesus. The time of His departure was at hand, and they were going to carry out the work Jesus started. They may have been terrified at this thought, yet Jesus promises them someone who will be with them. He calls Him the Comforter. Many of us who live in colder climates know that a comforter is usually a big, thick, heavy blanket that we use to protect ourselves from the cold weather. The Holy Spirit (the Comforter) will protect the Disciples so they can do the work they are called to do. This same Comforter will protect us as well. Jesus says that it is expedient for you that I go away. Why is it so important that Jesus goes away? Because if He doesn't the promised Comforter will not come. Now, the work of the Spirit is threefold.

We read in verse 8, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment." Reprove means "convict or convince." The Spirit will do work in the world. Look at what He does:

• Convince the world of sin. We all need a Savior. The Spirit will convince us that we, indeed, fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23)
• Convince the world of righteousness. We can't attain the righteousness of God without Jesus, and without the Spirit, we will not realize our sin and our need to be right with God. To many of us try to make our own brand of righteousness. We proclaim things like, "Live for today." "It's my life and I'll live it like I want!" We can't make our own rules and expect God to bless it. (Rom. 10:3) We need to live in such a way as to glorify God. 
• Convince the world of judgment. Judgment is coming. One day, each and every one of us will stand before God. For those without Christ, they will be sentenced to an eternity in Hell. For those who have given their lives to Christ, to those who followed the convincing of the Spirit in regard to sin, and who followed the convincing of the Spirit in regard to righteousness, those are the ones will will enter into Heaven. You see, the world around us is evil, you don't need me to tell you that. It's those who put their faith in Jesus that will overcome the world.

Have you answered the convincing of the Spirit? Has the Spirit been calling your attention to your need for a Savior? Think About It.

Categories: Faith, Judge, Life, Spirit

What Are You Thinking About?

¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
-2 Corinthians 4:18

Think about this: what things do you think about most often? If you're like me, you think about what needs to be done, what I won't have time to do, and what I'll have to make time for. This kind of thinking is what is prevalent in our world today. But, Paul offers a different take on how we should view things. Look at the verse above, Second Corinthians 4:18.

Paul is teaching us to not look at the things which are not seen. What things is he referring to? Things like perceived problems, our wishes and desires, as well as, the things that cause us to struggle in our faith and day to day lives. Look at this list. Each of these things can (and will) sidetrack our faith. If we constantly think about our problems, or the things we struggle with, they will appear so large that we will not be able to overcome them. Have you ever had a problem that you thought was too big for God? Sure, if you're honest, we all have. Paul tells us not to "look" at the things which are seen. Why not? Because they are temporary. What may seem like a huge problem or struggle today, we will find out is nothing but a small bump in the road tomorrow. Believe me, I've been there. There have been days when I dreaded the thought of crawling out of bed because I didn't think I'd be able to handle the trials and problems of the day. But there is hope!

If we shouldn't focus on the things that are seen, what should we focus on, or what should we look to? According to Paul, we should focus on the things which are not seen. What does he mean? I think he is referring to focusing our attention on God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We should focus our attention on the desires and will of God for our lives. We should focus our attention on what our calling from God is on our lives. These are the things we should look to, the things which should be at the forefront of our minds. Why? Because these things are eternal. Our trials and problems here are temporary, while God and His will for our lives is eternal.

Friends, as you start this brand new day, let me ask you a question. What are you thinking about today? Is your mind racing with thoughts of the problems you will face today? If so, remember, what seems big right now, is only temporary. Focus your mind on Jesus, commit this day to Him, and allow Him to lead you in the path He wants for you. Think About It.

Categories: Faith, Jesus, Life, Thinking

No Excuse

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 KJV.

Paul is teaching us some valuable things here. So many people worship things in creation rather than the Creator. Why? Because people find it difficult to put their faith in what they cannot see. Paul is teaching, in these verses, that what may be known of God can be seen in the world, can be seen in creation. While we may not see God physically, we can see Him through what is found outside our window. To believe that all we see just happened to come about by some kind of cosmic explosion (aka The Big Bang Theory) takes more faith to believe than to know that all we see was created by a God who wants a relationship with you.

Paul said in verse 20, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." The existence of God is clearly seen through the things we can see. To say "there is not God" is just wrong. God is there, God is real. And we have no excuse for not believing He exists because God is clearly seen through the things that are made. When we start believing otherwise, that is when the falling away starts. That is when we start worshiping the creation rather than the Creator.

The question we need to explore today is this, do you worship the creation instead of the Creator? Think About It.

Categories: creation, creator, excuse, Faith

The Glue Trap of Sin

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,
-Hebrews 12:1 (King James Version)

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 
-Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)

While at work the other day, I was driving my forklift outside to get some supplies. As I was opening the garage door, I noticed a bird that was caught in the middle of a glue trap. It was flapping its wings trying to escape the trap. I noticed, along with the bird, there was about a dozen insects in there as well. My guess is that the bird was trying to make a meal on those bugs, and became stuck. The first thing I though of was sin-it works the same way.

We may see something we want, something that we know is a sin. It could be a lie that's told to keep from getting a speeding ticket. It could be the sexual attraction of a married coworker. There are other examples I could use, but what may seem innocent enough (take the bugs in the glue trap), so we go for it. Like the bird who tried to take a free meal from the glue trap, we get stuck. 

The writer of Hebrews 12:1 said, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." Sin easily trips us up. Sin slows down our walk with Jesus. We must get rid of sin from our lives. How can we do that? Look to the lives of the men and women that's written about in Hebrews 11, the hall of faith. See how they overcame the same obstacles that you and I face each day. They finished the race, and we can learn from their example.

What sin is tripping you up today? Are you stuck in the glue trap of sin? Think About It.

Categories: Faith, sin

Is Your Faith Useless?

If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself....Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?
-James 2:15-17, 20 (HCSB)

We've been having a discussion in a Facebook group about faith. Is it enough to say "I have faith in God." Or, is there more to faith than just saying of you belief in God. I think there is more.

James is giving a practical example of faith. Verse 15-16 says, "If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,' but don't give them what the body needs, what good is it?" It's a pretty pointed question to the believers here. Is your faith where your mouth is? Look at his challenge. If you see someone who has needs, (food and clothing in this example) is your faith strong enough to help meet those needs if you are able. For many of us, we could probably meet at least some of that brother or sisters need, but is our faith strong enough to put us into action? I remember many years ago, a friend and I were in line at McDonalds one evening. A man came in, and you could tell by his look that he was homeless. He kind of stood in the back of the restaurant. We both felt God nudging us to help this man out. And we both gave him some money to order dinner. It may have been his only meal. Anyway, he got his food before us, and we watched him as he went and sat down. Less than a minute later, we each received our order and decided we'd sit with this new friend. We searched the restaurant, and he was gone. I've heard that people "entertained angels" and didn't know it. That homeless man may have been just that. James challenges us, and our faith, when he says "but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it." If my friend and I would have ignored the homeless man that night, what would that have said about our faith? What good is it to proclaim a faith in God, yet do nothing with that faith?

Verse 20 says, "Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?" Faith without works is useless.It's good for nothing. Is your faith proven by your works? Is your works done out of your love for Jesus? Think About It. 

Categories: active faith, Faith, help, Life