Running the Race and Looking Forward to Christ's Coming
There's the question of are you moving forward or backward? Are you looking forward to the second coming of Christ? Just think about it that the signs of the times are showing. The biggest sign of the times isn't Middle Eastern conflict, isn't the One World Religion coming - it's all about the spreading of the Gospel! The Great Commission is to be fulfilled. Matthew 24:14 says that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be spread throughout the Earth as part of the fulfillment of prophecy.
Philippians 3:13-15 has beloved Paul's exhortation of running the race and forgetting what's behind. It's very easy to let past successes, good works, wrongdoings, and failures hold anybody back. It's very easy to get complacent in today's comforts or yesterday's good memories. Ecclesiastes 7:10 says to stop thinking about the former days. True, there are the good old days which gives pleasant memories but they can hold anybody back. You can forget about it because the world is getting worse. Should pleasant memories of the good old days be more valuable than eternity in Heaven for the Christian?
There's also the narrow road to think about while running the race. Matthew 7:13-14 says that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life. Are you a Christian? You are in a difficult, narrow road. The race track may be broad enough for several contestants. However, each contestant is confined to a narrow space as their lane. Christian life gets narrower and narrower as the days go by. Ever noticed that the racetrack goes only forward and not backward? That's the picture of the Christian life. That's a picture of Christian growth. The focus is sanctification to glorification. Christ is Lord of the Christian's life. The aim to move forward has a light yoke and easy burden when one relies on God's grace and not on themselves. Jesus never saves people only to leave them alone to grow. Instead, Christians are saved with God's empowerment all the way!
Then there's Matthew 24:14. I still think about the painful anecdote of the pastor asking two questions. His first question was, "Who wants Jesus to come back?" Everybody raises their hands. The second question was, "Who wants to go on missions?" Most people raise their hands. Sad to say but the Laodicean age is today. I even thought of why Jesus didn't come back on January 1, 2000, and December 21, 2012, or even during the installation of Pope Francis. I would say it's because Matthew 24:14 isn't complete yet. Somehow, the pastor would then say, "Look, if you want Jesus to come back then you have to do missions!" What a sting that would be to Christians who suddenly decide that they'd wait for Jesus to return while ignoring missions!
I think that the number of times natural disasters occur itself is a call to move forward. A church is asleep and God will wake it up. God always finds ways to keep Christians back on track. One of the greatest ways is by allowing failure and suffering. Sometimes, a rather huge success makes people lazy and complacent. Natural disasters are still happening at a rapid rate. I believe God is telling the Elect to move forward in the missions and run the race. If you were running away from a disaster - isn't it that your eyes must be forward not backward? God used a storm to bring Jonah back on track. God may use all types of storms to bring the Christians forward in fulfilling the Great Commission and move forward.
2 Timothy 4 was believed to have been written when Paul was near death. He was charging Timothy with what could be a last will and testament. He knew his end was coming under the rule of Emperor Nero. What really interests me is the instructions given to Timothy. Paul knew that he was going to die any time soon. So, he gave the instructions to Timothy to preach while warning about the worsening last days. Timothy is told to endure affliction while doing the work of evangelist and make full proof of the ministry. He had said that he had fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. He also reveals Demas' nature as a false convert after he reveals that a crown of righteousness is there for him and them that love Jesus' appearing. In short, Paul was moving forward and not backward. Sadly, I can't say the same for myself and many Christians today who may be showing signs of true conversion while failing to produce more fruit. Paul left Alexander to God's hands and Christians too should leave Judas Iscariots to God's hands too. Paul acknowledges that his preaching was strengthened by God. Paul knew his life was coming to an end and gave encouragement to his son-figure Timothy to continue in diligence.
The exhortation this New Year and every day of the Christian life is run the race, move forward, and focus on Jesus.
See also:
Philippians 3:13-15 has beloved Paul's exhortation of running the race and forgetting what's behind. It's very easy to let past successes, good works, wrongdoings, and failures hold anybody back. It's very easy to get complacent in today's comforts or yesterday's good memories. Ecclesiastes 7:10 says to stop thinking about the former days. True, there are the good old days which gives pleasant memories but they can hold anybody back. You can forget about it because the world is getting worse. Should pleasant memories of the good old days be more valuable than eternity in Heaven for the Christian?
There's also the narrow road to think about while running the race. Matthew 7:13-14 says that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life. Are you a Christian? You are in a difficult, narrow road. The race track may be broad enough for several contestants. However, each contestant is confined to a narrow space as their lane. Christian life gets narrower and narrower as the days go by. Ever noticed that the racetrack goes only forward and not backward? That's the picture of the Christian life. That's a picture of Christian growth. The focus is sanctification to glorification. Christ is Lord of the Christian's life. The aim to move forward has a light yoke and easy burden when one relies on God's grace and not on themselves. Jesus never saves people only to leave them alone to grow. Instead, Christians are saved with God's empowerment all the way!
Then there's Matthew 24:14. I still think about the painful anecdote of the pastor asking two questions. His first question was, "Who wants Jesus to come back?" Everybody raises their hands. The second question was, "Who wants to go on missions?" Most people raise their hands. Sad to say but the Laodicean age is today. I even thought of why Jesus didn't come back on January 1, 2000, and December 21, 2012, or even during the installation of Pope Francis. I would say it's because Matthew 24:14 isn't complete yet. Somehow, the pastor would then say, "Look, if you want Jesus to come back then you have to do missions!" What a sting that would be to Christians who suddenly decide that they'd wait for Jesus to return while ignoring missions!
I think that the number of times natural disasters occur itself is a call to move forward. A church is asleep and God will wake it up. God always finds ways to keep Christians back on track. One of the greatest ways is by allowing failure and suffering. Sometimes, a rather huge success makes people lazy and complacent. Natural disasters are still happening at a rapid rate. I believe God is telling the Elect to move forward in the missions and run the race. If you were running away from a disaster - isn't it that your eyes must be forward not backward? God used a storm to bring Jonah back on track. God may use all types of storms to bring the Christians forward in fulfilling the Great Commission and move forward.
2 Timothy 4 was believed to have been written when Paul was near death. He was charging Timothy with what could be a last will and testament. He knew his end was coming under the rule of Emperor Nero. What really interests me is the instructions given to Timothy. Paul knew that he was going to die any time soon. So, he gave the instructions to Timothy to preach while warning about the worsening last days. Timothy is told to endure affliction while doing the work of evangelist and make full proof of the ministry. He had said that he had fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. He also reveals Demas' nature as a false convert after he reveals that a crown of righteousness is there for him and them that love Jesus' appearing. In short, Paul was moving forward and not backward. Sadly, I can't say the same for myself and many Christians today who may be showing signs of true conversion while failing to produce more fruit. Paul left Alexander to God's hands and Christians too should leave Judas Iscariots to God's hands too. Paul acknowledges that his preaching was strengthened by God. Paul knew his life was coming to an end and gave encouragement to his son-figure Timothy to continue in diligence.
The exhortation this New Year and every day of the Christian life is run the race, move forward, and focus on Jesus.
See also: