Crown of Righteousness

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Tim 4:3-8

Life is tough right now. Families are under stress. So are marriages, careers, and faith. The world around us is shaking. Foundations not built on Jesus Christ are shifting in the sand. Cracks are appearing.

Life for Paul was tough. He had just faced Emperor Nero. The Roman districts were steeped in fear, uncertainty, and tyranny. Paul knew his time of death was near. Yet, Paul looked beyond his environment to the promises of Christ. It was the appearing of Christ that Paul looked for, longed for, and hoped for. Paul also longed for his crown of righteousness, one of the many crowns God would give him. An eternal crown and gift given him by a Savior who’s blood… cleansed him of his sins.

Dear Christian know this… your sins are forgiven, your robes are white, you are clothed with Christ’s righteousness. Until his return… fight the good fight, finish your race, keep the faith and look for, long for the appearance of his coming.

The Victor's Crown

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, be we for an imperishable crown.” 1 Cor. 9:24-25

I grew up hearing the certain reward for those who rejected Christ. It’s not good. But what of those who believe in Christ, who live the principles of scripture, who live and walk in the Spirit, and who produce… goodness. A goodness not coming from themselves, of course, but through the working of God’s Spirit in their lives.

Paul knew this and so he strove for the imperishable crown, the victor’s crown. A crown given to overcomers, those who “overcome him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev. 12:11). “As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” (Rom. 8:36).

As a Believer we go through a lot. Sometimes we find ourselves in crises and problems that others don’t have. Other’s it seems have a life that is smooth sailing while we struggle. We fight against the motions of our own flesh (our sin nature), we struggle against the negative influence of the world, and we fight against the tricks of Satan. On every hand we are tested, tried, rebuked, excluded and harassed.

Yet, we endure, we fight, we struggle because we’ve fallen in love with Jesus Christ. Our ultimate desire is to see him, be with him, and glorify his name by overcoming, by trusting, by believing, and thereby earning our crown of victory. A crown we desire, that we long for, a crown like our Heavenly Father’s, a crown we can one day lay down at our Savior’s nail scarred feet and worship. (Rev. 4:10)

Crown

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Revelation 3:11

So March Madness is coming to a close. Who will win and who will be upset and who will be the collegiate national champion? I don’t know and neither does my watching buddy, Belinda.

Yep, we watch basketball together, football also, and guy and romantic flicks. Watching sports is one of our favorite pastimes but our passion is watching Biblical prophecy come to pass right before our eyes. That’s who we are and what we do.

Until the rapture we do what we can to help, assist, and encourage other ministries and those in need. Watching others succeed is soo much more a blessing than any sports individual or team. For one is temporal and the other is eternal.

Each of us everyday have gifts and talents that encourage, teach, lead, and guide. How much the more in these days that we live in do we need willing hearts who step out of their comfort zones and into the grace of God. No, it’s not easy, there’s fear to deal with and doubt but the love of God is great and his love compels us.

Walking the walk of Christ takes effort, great effort. Just as those young basketball players give their all for a material ‘crown’ so I must, we must, give our all to the work of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 9:25)

Why? Well, if no one’s noticed the world’s gone a little nutty these days. Irrationality, seems to be the new norm… retirement plans are pretty much gone, economically, the bulls are having their day. Yet, in Christ we are to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20).

What could that mean? Stay tuned…

Listening and Hearing Father

“Intelligent children listen to their parents; foolish children do their own thing.” Proverbs 13:1

Why is it that parents want their children to listen to them? So that the parents can teach their children the way to do things in life. How to live. How to be safe and how to treat others.

Our Heavenly Father desires to teach us how to live as well. But we must listen. Listening to our Heavenly Father requires our time and our attention. Jesus gets our attention and speaks to us through his Word.

Have you read His Word today?

Jesus listen’s to our prayers and if we are quiet before Him, He will speak to our hearts and minds. He does this through the Spirit of God that resides in a believer’s heart. God’s Spirit ignites a passage of scripture to our minds to lead us and guide us.

Have you prayed today?

Have you listened today?

Listening and hearing God takes faith. You must believe that your relationship with him is good. It’s always difficult to have a relationship with guilt is involved. So if guilt arises, remove the guilt. Ask your Father for forgiveness. He will forgive. He promises in His Word that He will.

For you Heavenly Father loves you and He wants the best for you. He’s not against you, he’s for you and more than anything He wants you to talk to Him and to read and live His counsel.

Judgment Seat of Christ

“Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:9-10

The judgment seat of Christ or ‘the Bema seat’. A judgment for believers of Christ following the rapture. A time when “each one’s work will become clear: for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is” 1 Cor 3:13.

Seeing and believing that such events will occur how should our lives be? How broken and pure? How merciful and bold? How unpretentious and focused?

This calls us back to the very foundation of the gospel, a focus on Jesus Christ. A heart focus that causes our hearts to desire ever more a purity, a cleansing, a holiness, and a repentance. Not for the mere sake of Christ’s coming review of our lives but for the realization of peering into his eyes and seeing his pain at our shortcomings. All the while enjoying the joys of recognition that fully come from Christ alone anyway.

O how the heart aches for sanctification in Christ!

Contentment

“Don't work yourself into the spotlight; don't push your way into the place of prominence. It's better to be promoted to a place of honor than face humiliation by being demoted.” Proverbs 25:6-7

In our push and shove society it is easy to fall into career climbing madness. Yet, what does it get us? An ulcer, a bad name, and a life without relationships. We worry and stress over a promotion that is not really ours in the first place. Is it not God who raises up or tears down? Throughout the pages of God’s history is it not Him who is in control and who determines our place and position? Does not God have a plan and a purpose for us?

God wisely asks us to focus not on a position but on the character needed. That is faithfulness and honesty. Faithful to carry out what is needed done today. Faithful to follow through in areas that don’t feel good and are not easy. Faithful to be there through the everyday grind of good and bad. God likes consistency.

And honesty. Honest enough to tell the truth when the truth puts us in a bad light or someone else. Honest enough to stop lies and deceit and to stand on principle and for righteousness.

God has a way of giving out that promotion when the time is right. In the meantime is there not enough work at present for us to accomplish faithfully and with honor? Maybe we are in the position granted us for the work of God? Maybe we are there to speak to someone, to share, to care, and to encourage?

Being thankful and learning contentment is key!

Rich or Poor

Don't for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God—That's where your future lies. Then you won't be left with an armload of nothing. Proverbs 23:17-18

In a time of great wealth people tend to turn from God to their riches. President Lincoln warned of this as have so many others. It is when times are not so great, when wealth flies away and when trouble comes then some turn to God.

Trouble is actually God’s blessing.

May our hearts always look to God for the answers in life, whether in peace or trouble. If we are blessed with much then give to those in need, giving God thanks for the opportunity given. Recognizing with every token God’s vessels we are. And if we are poor give God thanks for the blessing of dependency and the blessing of less distraction.

For what creates more lasting joy? A shiny trinket of distraction or meeting a need of another?

For wealth is an instrument and so is being poor. The one has more earthly things and lesser heavenly while they other is more open to the heavenly.

We all have our lot in life, our time, and our place. With the days given us may we honor God, help others, and in all give God thanks.

Believing God's Promises

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

It is of the greatest comfort to know that God is with you. So many times our negative thought life tells us just the opposite. How often do we hear in our minds, “well, you really screwed up now, there’s no way God is going to listen to your prayer,” or “God must be against me” or “God will never forgive me for doing that”.

The opposite is the case. If you are a person seeking after God and seeking his truth then the promise of Isaiah 41:10 is with you. You can stand on this scripture, you can hope and believe the reality of God’s Word. Your doubts may inflict you, your emotions may scream doubt, fear, and anxiety but it is our ‘will’ that places our trust in God Almighty. Our minds are frail and faulty and our emotions fickle but God’s truth and promises are eternal and sure.

Listening, Living, and Loving

"The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. (Mark 4:18)

Let’s admit it, there’s a lot to worry about. Seemingly everyday there is more and more to do and less time to do it properly. There’s no time for consideration or reflection… only reaction. Such reaction living creates stress… a lot of stress. And stress over the long term becomes distress that weakens our ability to sleep, to think, to concentrate and leads to depression.

There’s a lot of distress and depression these days. So much so that many can’t hear the Good News of the Gospel… only apprehension.

That’s where listening, living, and loving comes into play. We all need to be heard, especially when we are hurting. We all need to see Christ lived out before us in others. And we all need to be loved and to love. Listening to others, living the words in the Bible, and loving others is the Christian medicine against stress and depression. A medicine that will help and heal and prayerfully lead a way out of the weeds to the peace and comfort found in Christ.

Let it Ride

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4

Like many of you I’ve read this passage many times. And many times I’ve thought I have this down pat… well, I don’t. Like cold water hitting a hot frying pan I still jump to conclusions or explode when trying times come my way. I’m still far from the maturity taught here by James. How about you?

What I hear James say is… let it ride. That is, when trying times come you way how about sitting still and doing little. Allow the pain of loss, the embarrassment of failure, the burning of pride, the pressure shape the character of Christ in our hearts.

Gifts & Sin

James 1:16

So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

There’s no doubt that we are all gifted of God. We have talents and abilities granted by him for the benefit of others. Some encourage, some give, some show mercy, some preach, some teach, some organize, and some lead, among others.

Yet, an ability left to itself withers… the vessel and ability must serve. It is servitude, recognition of others, and dependency upon God that lifts an ability beyond the unused mundane to the excellence intended by the creator.

An excellent ability often unseen and unappreciated. Abilities that work in and around us as slightly as the whisper of the Spirit of God. Gently guided by Christ for the work of leading, guiding, and shaping individual lives into the Body of Christ.

We are then representatives of Christ to a fallen world. Yet, how do we represent when church members behave just as sinful as those beyond the door? Our veil of religious deceit must be replaced by confession and repentance. Sinners do not crave hypocrisy but the pureness of truth. Truth lived out by action, be deed, coming from the heart, whose hands were once stained by sin but now cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.

Mercy and Hashness

“Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.” James 2:13

Goodness, kindness, and mercy are better than harshness.

They lead… they don’t drive.

Mercy towards others requires faith, hope, and belief.

A belief in a Creator whose creation we have no right to harm.

Only harm will come out of harshness.

Harshness, bitterness, coldness, indifference… these cripple, these maim, these destroy.

We’ve not been called to destroy but to heal… just as God heals us through mercy.

The Hope of Home

Ezekiel 36:8"'But you, Mountains of Israel, will burst with new growth, putting out branches and bearing fruit for my people Israel. My people are coming home! Do you see? I'm back again. I'm on your side. You'll be plowed and planted as before! I'll see to it that your population grows all over Israel, that the towns fill up with people, that the ruins are rebuilt. I'll make this place teem with life—human and animal. The country will burst into life, life, and more life, your towns and villages full of people just as in the old days. I'll treat you better than I ever have. And you'll realize that I am God. I'll put people over you—my own people Israel! They'll take care of you and you'll be their inheritance. Never again will you be a harsh and unforgiving land to them.”

There’s nothing like coming home after a long trip. There’s an excitement and growing anticipation with every mile closer to those you love and to those who love you. Your headed home! As one airline attendant asked me, ‘so, how are you doing today?’ To that I responded with a smile, ‘I’m going home’! The message came across.

This passage of prophecy predicted Israel’s coming home as well. A prophecy that carried them beyond their return from Babylonia to our present age. A return to their promised land. A land they found scarred with war and drought but today is bursting with new hope and life.

Each day we also have a great hope. The hope of going home. A hope of returning to the rightful, peaceful, and joyful relationship with our Heavenly Father. A hope of a new body that doesn’t ache, creak, or groan at us all the time. A hope of seeing Christ on the throne in full glory!

Along the way we may get bumped around or tossed back and forth. We may endure hardship of our own doing or from the cruelty of others. But may we never take our eyes off of the hope we have, the hope of going home.