Bible League: Living His Word I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.The Apostle Paul's words to Timothy were spoken near the end of his ministry. He was in prison and he was expecting to die soon. He wrote, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come" (II Timothy 4:6). Many of his associates had deserted him, probably for fear of ending up in prison like him. Onesiphorus and Luke were among the few who remained with him. Paul summed everything up in three statements. First, "I have fought the good fight." Paul used a metaphor derived from military battle to describe his life and ministry. It had been a fight. One is reminded of his teaching on the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18. Our fight or struggle is not against human beings, but "against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Thus, his fight was not just any fight; it was the "good" fight. It was good because he fought for the Lord Jesus Christ against the hosts of hell. Second, "I have finished the race." This time, Paul used a metaphor derived from athletic games to describe his life and ministry. It had been a race. One is reminded of Acts 20:24 where Paul referred to his desire to finish "my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." His life and ministry had been a race on a course around the known world. He had fought the good fight in every place that he had visited in his missionary journeys. Finally, "I have kept the faith." With this statement Paul stopped using metaphors to describe his life and ministry. During the good fight he fought in the race on a course around the world, he had remained faithful to Jesus Christ and the ministry he had been given. His fight was over, his race was finished, he had kept the faith, and it was now up to Timothy to follow his example. Timothy kept Paul's letter, obviously, and Paul's message to him has now become a message to all of us. Hence, let us also follow Paul's example. Let us fight the good fight, and finish the race, and keep the faith. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 14, 15, 16 1 Chronicles 14 -- David's Family Grows, Defeat of the Philistines NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 15 -- The Ark Brought to Jerusalem NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 16 -- A Tent for the Ark; David's Psalm of Thanks NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 9:24-41 John 9 -- Jesus Heals a Blind Man; Pharisees Question His Authority; Jesus Affirms He Is the Son of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For I know the vast number of your sinsand the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Insight Why does God put so much emphasis on the way we treat the poor and needy? How we treat the rich, or those of equal standing, often reflects what we hope to get from them. But because the poor can give us nothing, how we treat them reflects our true character. Challenge Do we, like Christ, give without thought of gain? We should treat the poor as we would like God to treat us. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 38:21 Forsake me not, O Lord.Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation, but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy, in which we can do without his constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion or in temptation, we alike need the prayer, "Forsake me not, O Lord." "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." A little child, while learning to walk, always needs the nurse's aid. The ship left by the pilot drifts at once from her course. We cannot do without continued aid from above; let it then be your prayer today, "Forsake me not. Father, forsake not thy child, lest he fall by the hand of the enemy. Shepherd, forsake not thy lamb, lest he wander from the safety of the fold. Great Husbandman, forsake not thy plant, lest it wither and die. Forsake me not, O Lord,' now; and forsake me not at any moment of my life. Forsake me not in my joys, lest they absorb my heart. Forsake me not in my sorrows, lest I murmur against thee. Forsake me not in the day of my repentance, lest I lose the hope of pardon, and fall into despair; and forsake me not in the day of my strongest faith, lest faith degenerate into presumption. Forsake me not, for without thee I am weak, but with thee I am strong. Forsake me not, for my path is dangerous, and full of snares, and I cannot do without thy guidance. The hen forsakes not her brood; do thou then evermore cover me with thy feathers, and permit me under thy wings to find my refuge. Be not far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.' Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation!'" "O ever in our cleansed breast, Bid thine Eternal Spirit rest; And make our secret soul to be A temple pure and worthy thee." Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 31:19 How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men!Isaiah 64:4 For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9,10 but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." • For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. • They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. • For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. • O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart. 1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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