II Tim. 4:6-8 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me---the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.
I don't know about you, but I live with these verses in mind. I don't know when the Lord is going to take me home to heaven. Until He does, I must continue to do what He has given me to do. Each day I live draws me closer to that day. I know that what lies before me in heaven is the prize the Lord has prepared for me, and I want to be able to accept it in humility knowing I have finished well. The crown of righteousness awaits all who faithfully live righteously here on earth.
We are in a fight, and it would do well for us to never forget it. The life of a Christian is not an easy life. Satan is a bully and he is always looking for a fight. He is stubborn and does not take no for an answer. He relentlessly keeps throwing punches at us in an attempt to knock us down and out. He is determined to win the battle for our souls.
In order to fight a good fight, we must train well, study his moves, and plan well our defenses and attacks. We must not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to but instead recognize that we must rely on the Lord to help us fight our battles.
We must never give up in this race of life. It is a marathon and faithfulness to Christ is an absolute must until we cross the finish line.
Earthly crowns fade, are forgotten over time, and sometimes are even taken away from us. Our heavenly crown is eternal and will never be forgotten or taken away from us.
What awaits us is the completion of our salvation. We will be able to stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We will join all those who are faithful to Christ when He comes for the Church and go home with Him to heaven.
How are you doing? Are you fighting a good fight? Are you running a good race? Are you confident that when the Lord does come for you that He will find you to be faithful and that you will be ready to go to heaven with Him?
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