Tag Archives: faith

October 30
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“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”  (2 Timothy 4:6-8, NIV)

What awaits you after this life?

In his final days on this earth, Paul — writing to his protege Timothy — declares that “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” awaits him.

The trials of this life are many, and often cause us great pain and suffering.  However, do not despair.  Fight the good fight, meaning: Draw on all of your resources — in heaven and on earth — to resist the evil one and his schemes.  Stay in the race to the finish, meaning: Don’t quit — ever.  Keep the faith, meaning: Remember that God, through Jesus, has assured victory at the end of all things — even if it doesn’t look that way now.

The rewards written of by Paul are not only his — but ours, as well, if we wait in longing for His appearing.

What awaits us after this life?  Life in the presence of the Lord.  The crown of righteousness.  Hearing the righteous Judge say to us, “Well done.”  – Luther

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October 29
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“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings — what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. . . But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  (2 Timothy 3:10-11,14-15, NIV)

In these, Paul’s final words to his protege Timothy, we have the commendation of a holy life to another person walking the same path.

What will we “senior” disciples commend to those coming behind us? Does our lifestyle, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, and our personal testimony of the Lord’s deliverance from perils give them courage and hope in their time of testing?

A benefit of our pain and suffering is our testimony of God’s faithfulness through all of it.  When those who know us best look at our life, do they see a faithful God and an unyielding hope; or is it something less?  – Luther

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August 18
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“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” (Proverbs 24: 19-20, NIV)

When it seems that evil and the servants of evil have gotten the upper hand, the word of God reminds us to “not fret” because “the evildoer has no future hope.”

The resistance of evil can be wearying to the spirit because there never seems to be an end to it.  Evil seems to be everywhere and in everything; and its agents seem to thwart even the smallest grace.

Even so, remain faithful to the word of God and to the leading of the spirit of God.  There is no future in the practice of wickedness; and there is no hope for the agents of evil.  The extent to which we are able to confront evil without becoming like it; and to resist evil without losing heart, is a measure of our faith.  – Luther

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