A message that needed to be shared

A lot of this is from the message my dad gave yesterday called, "Ending Well" then of course mixed with some my thoughts.

Around this time of year there is a lot of reevaluating looking back over the past year. With this holiday this is common, however; there are many other times in life we look back over our lives or the lives of others: thanksgiving, after an accident, a sickness, a death, birthdays, or maybe if you're like me several other random times just reflecting. As believers, when we reflect it isn't, hopefully, focused on: success, wealth, health, happiness, or desires that came true but rather a couple other things. Paul hits these as he comes near to his end.

As Paul writes 2 Timothy he is aware that his death is to come soon. Specifically in 2 Timothy 4 verse 6 we see this: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. But then Paul continues with what our focus as believers should be in verse 7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Paul lays out our "blueprints" for reflection here. It is a good ending if we... fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. But what do those mean?

Fought the Good Fight:
first off we are at battle with sin in our own hearts. It means putting to death the desires of our flesh (Colossians 3). It is a fight against yourself. That there may be nothing left of us but solely Christ.
Fighting the good fight also means fighting the world. We are to be set apart from this world not falling to the corruption of this world - movies, music, theology, thoughts on marriage, on life, on others, money, work, church, school, family, relationships, etc. - but to be constantly renewing our minds to be more like Christ (Romans 12:2).
It is also a fight against the enemy, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:11-12
Now this does not mean we fight just to fight. There are some who pick fights but we are not suppose to be those individuals. For as 2 Timothy 2:24 says, "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful."

Finished the Race:
This race is not a race we choose but one that Christ set out for us. Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Notice Paul didn't say that I win the race but finish. Not to say that this is any way passive, Paul said that he considers his life worth nothing but rather his entire life was about finishing the race Christ set before him, preaching to the Gentiles. As Christ followers we are to be about the things Christ is about and He is about redeeming His people back, this is the race set before us.

Kept the Faith:
There are different times when Paul is writing his letters and mentions that certain people have turned away from Christ, from the faith. Don't give up on faith! Christ will never give you anything you can't handle, remember this? Or how about His promise that He will never leave or forsake you (Hebrew 13:5), that He will be with you until the end of the ages as you run the race (Matthew 28:20)? Don't give up, rely on Christ! "The moment you think you could never fall is when you are most vulnerable." - my dad.

So as we reflect we need to ask: (in this situation, this year, this lifetime) have I fought the fight? Finished the race? Kept the faith?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrew 12:1-3


And if we do these; fight the fight, finish the race, keep the faith, then we will receive a crown (verse 8): 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.

One last thought, in verse 8 it says those who long for his appearing...are you looking forward to seeing Jesus? Paul writes to the Philippians that he is torn because he wants to be in heaven with Christ but realizes that it would be more beneficial for him to be here on earth for now (Philippians 1:21-26). Do you want to see Jesus Christ so badly that you would go right now if you could?