DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 9.26.20

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. -2 Timothy 4:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/keep-your-eyes-on-the-prize-3/ - Listen In the Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding laurel leaves in plain sight. This was the reward given to the victor. As the runner came around thatlast stretch, feeling exhausted and unable to go another inch, he would catch a glimpse of the prize in the judge's hands. And then a new burst of energy would kick in. That is the picture we find in Hebrews 12:1-2. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin whichso easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (NKJV). Looking unto Jesus. . . . This keeps us going. We can get discouraged in the spiritual race. People let us down. They disappoint us. They don't appreciate our hard work.They don't see our efforts. They don't see our real motives. They criticize us. But we say, "I'm not running for you. I'm running for the Lord, and I'll keep going." We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. Our prize is the crown of righteousness that He will give to us. That is why we live the Christian life. That is why we try toreach people for Him. It is not for applause. It isn't for notoriety. It is so we can hear Jesus say to us on that final day, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" If this were your last day on Earth, would you be able to say with the apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy4:7 NKJV)? Would you have any regrets? Prayer is a Habit Worth Having by Max Lucado Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? At the risk of sounding like a preacher�which I am�may I make a suggestion? Why don�t you check your habits? In Romans 12:12, Paul says, �When trials come endure them patiently; steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.� Prayer is a habit worth having. Don�t prepare to pray. Just pray. Don�t read about prayer. Just pray. Don�t attend a lecture on prayer or engagein discussion about prayer. Just pray. Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don�t think about it too much. Don�t be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all. And if you feel you shouldonly pray when inspired, that�s okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day. Satan's Strategy Luke22:31-62 All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. The question is, How are you going to respond? Plenty of people give up and exchange a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure need not be an end. It's a chance for a new beginningliving in Christ's strength. Peter had a life-altering failure. Jesus warned that Satan had asked permission to "sift" the disciple like wheat (Luke22:31)—vigorous shaking is required to separate wheat kernels from debris. The Enemy wanted to shake Peter's faith hard in hopes that he'd fall away from Jesus like chaff. Peter fervently believed the promise he'd made to Jesus: "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not" (Mark14:29). But Satan knows a few things about the power of fear. What's more, he realized that the disciple would be wounded by his own disloyalty. A man with tattered pride can't help but question his usefulness. When Satan sifts believers, his goal is to damage our faith so much that we're useless to God. He wants us shelved far from the action of the Lord's kingdom. Therefore, he goes for our strengths—the areas where we believe ourselves to be invincible, or atleast very well protected. And when the Devil succeeds, we are disappointed and demoralized. But we don't have to stay that way. If we are willing, God can use failure to do spiritual housecleaning. Peter laid down his pride and instead put on the Holy Spirit's courage. Thereafter, he risked humiliation, persecution, and death to proclaim the gospel. Failure was the catalyst thatbrought forth greater faith and true servanthood. Extra column On the Enemy "The Devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men, some for their instruction, some for their ruin." —Augustine of Hippo Least in the Kingdom “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be calledthe least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19) The Lord Jesus was evidently speaking here not of the differences between saved and unsaved people but rather of degrees of reward in His future kingdom. The criterion for achieving “greatness” in the future life is simply to believe, teach, and obey the completeWord of God in this life, not just the major doctrines and general principles. Those who undermine any part of God’s Word, either in teaching or practice, will be relegated to “least in the kingdom of heaven.” In the words of the apostle Paul, such a person “shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15). Thus, no Scripture is unimportant, for “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Timothy 3:16). In fact, the verse just previousto our text, providing the basis for the Lord’s warning about breaking even the least commandment, is His remarkable assertion about the verbal inerrancy of Scripture: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). There are many Christians (especially among intellectuals) who say they believe the Bible but are nevertheless quick to adapt their interpretations of Scripture to the latest speculations of scientists or to current fads of world living. This is insulting toGod, who surely can say what He means! “Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). If we aspire to greatness in the coming kingdom, then clearly we must believe and teach “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) according to His revealed Word.HMM A Godly Touch The power of a godly touch. Have you known it? The doctor who treated you, or the teacher who dried your tears? Was there a hand holding yours at a funeral? Haven’t we known the power of a godly touch? Can’t we offer the same? Some of you use your hands to pray for the sick. If you aren’t touching them personally, you’re writing notes, calling, baking pies. You’ve learned the power of a touch. The Tragedy of a Wasted Life Luke 12:15-21 Death is inevitable, but at times it surprises us. Perhaps you know someone who died unexpectedly. Today's parable is a warning about such situations. It tells of a man who acquired comfort and wealth but thought only of his time on earth. Death came without warning, and he could take nothing with him. God called him a fool for living focused on "self." Though rich in the world's eyes, the man had no relationship with God and hadn't invested anything in Christ's kingdom. All the treasures he stored here were worthless once he died. What's worse, without Jesus, he would be separated from God forever. Whata tragic waste of life. As I think about this person's choices, two questions come to mind that are important for all of us to contemplate. First, if you were to die today, would you go to heaven? Salvation is a free gift for those who trust in Jesus as the acceptable sacrifice for our sin. He is the only way--no excuses or even sincere beliefs in other "ways" will work. And Jesus promises that when believers die, they immediately find themselvesin His presence (2 Cor. 5:6). Second, what is your life accomplishing? Are you driven by selfish purposes, storing security and wealth for yourself? Or is your motivation to further God's kingdom? Like the man in this parable, we don't know when we will die. We do know, however, that death is inescapable. Though dying is an unpleasant topic, eternity is a long time and worthy of our attention. It's definitely a wise investment to make sure of yoursalvation and to invest in God's kingdom. Hope Through the Word “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.” (Psalm119:49) The saints of God have always faced something of a two-pronged challenge to their hope. First, those “that will live godly” and love His laws will “suffer persecution” (2Timothy 3:12) and, secondly, will be troubled by the “prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). The pressure of the first and the perplexity of the secondoften test our expectations. But the Word of God provides “comfort in my affliction” (Psalm 119:50). Jeremiah, often called the “weeping prophet,” found that the “word was unto me thejoy and rejoicing of mine heart” simply because he embraced with unshakeable confidence the fact that he was “called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah15:16). When the psalmist asked, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” (Psalm 42:5, 11), his answer—in spite of the troubles of the hour—was his certainknowledge that he “shall yet praise him.” We may recoil in holy anger when the wicked “forsake thy law” (Psalm 119:53), but we can still live with “songs” in our hearts (Ephesians5:19), knowing that our great Creator God is working “all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11) and that even the “wrath of man” will eventually bring praise to Him (Psalm 76:10). Our time is short. We live for about 100 years and brag as though we have lived forever. The Creator reckons the nations as mere “dust of the balance” (Isaiah40:15). We need to shift our viewpoint from the “temporal” to the “eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18) and rest in the absolute God-given knowledge that “ourlight affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “This I had,” the psalmistexclaimed, “because I kept thy precepts” (Psalm 119:56). HMM III The Fruit of the Spirit by Max Lucado The Bible says, “If God were to withdraw his Spirit, all life would disappear and mankind would return again to dust” (Job 34:14-15). And Ephesians 1:13says that the Holy Spirit enters the believer upon confession of faith. From that point forward the Christian has access to the very power and personality of God. They begin to think the way God thinks, love the way God loves, and see the way God sees. And this power includes the gifts of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” As our relationship with God is secured and unmarred by rebellion, sin, or stubborn behavior, we can expect a harvest of fruit! We need not force it, but we can expect it. It simply falls to us to stay connected. And because God’s promises are unbreakableour hope is unshakable! Redeemed! “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vainconversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) How glibly we use the terms redeemed, redemption, and ransom. But what do they mean, and more importantly, what did Christ’s act of redemption mean? Three Greek words and their derivations are used in the New Testament to denote various aspects of this truth. In our text, “redeemed” comes from lutroo, which means to set free, buy back, or ransom. Christ’s innocent blood, sacrificed for us, bought us back. “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews9:12). Redeemed from what? From slavery to sin. Jesus taught, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). Thankfully, “Christ hath redeemed usfrom the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13). The Greek word here is exagorazo, meaning to buy up, to ransom from the market place (i.e., agora), which could be called “the slave market of sin.” He ransomed us, He redeemed us from the horrors of slavery to sin by His death on the cross. The final word is apolutrosis, “to ransom in full.” He has paid the full penalty! “It is finished” (John 19:30), He said as He died. In Him alone “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Each of us needs to appropriate His plan, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans3:23-24). JDM Mercyfrom the Word “Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.” (Psalm119:41) The Hebrew word hesed, used here for “mercy,” has a breadth of meaning. Its basic connotation is “kindness” and is most often used in God’s patient dealing with the nation of Israel through their long, and often rebellious, history. The mostfrequent contextual use focuses on God’s withholding judgment during specific times or events rather than executing the just sentence demanded by disobedience to His laws. It is in that sense that “salvation” is often connected to mercy. God “rescues” a person or nation from the consequences of foolish or rebellious actions because He is merciful: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans5:8). This section of Psalm 119 clearly states that these mercies are according to the Word of God. No event dilutes the holiness of God. No judgment withheld violates the innate nature of the thrice-holy Creator. Mercy may delay judgment for the sinner, and justificationthrough redemption will eliminate judgment for the sinner, but God’s holiness does not abrogate the law. The sentence is carried out—either on the sinner or on the Lord Jesus Christ in the place of the sinner (Proverbs11:21). The psalmist thus praised the basis for God’s mercies, told of his trust and hope in the Scriptures, and then gave a series of promises to the Lord that marked his own commitment for obedience (vv. 44-48). As the stanza closes, the psalmist promisedhe would lift up his hands in public praise of the Word and meditate in private as well. Would God that all of God’s children emulate the heart of this dear brother from the past. HMM III TheComfortable Church “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not thatthou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17) This is the heart of Christ’s rebuke of the church at Laodicea, the “lukewarm” church (v. 16) of the last days. This is an evangelical church for its candlestick is still in place (note Revelation 1:20; 2:5), but it has become a neutral church, “neither cold nor hot” (3:15). The reason for its tepid witness is because it has become “rich, and increased with goods,” comfortable in a culture that tends to equate material prosperity withsuccess and God’s favor. It may have acquired large and beautiful facilities, developed special programs of many kinds, featured a variety of musicians and other artists, and even gained a measure of political power. Yet, Christ calls it poor and blind andnaked! Not all large churches become like this, of course, but it is always a real danger. The desire for large congregations can easily lead to compromising biblical standards of doctrine and practice. “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion,” the prophet warned (Amos6:1). Note that the Lord began His letter to the Laodicean church by identifying Himself as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation3:14). This strongly suggests that a major reason for the development of such complacency in a large church (or a small church, for that matter) is neglect of these three doctrines—the sufficiency of Christ, the inerrant authority of God’s Word, and thespecial creation of all things by God. The letter to this church ends with the sad picture of Christ standing at its door, seeking admission (v. 20). “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (v. 22). HMM Cross the Finish Line - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? -Galatians 5:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/cross-the-finish-line-2/ - Listen The Bible is filled with the stories of so many people who had tremendous potential but crashed and burned in the spiritual race. There was King Saul, the namesake of Saulwho later became the apostle Paul. King Saul was handsome, tall, brave, and anointed by God to be the king of Israel. He even prophesied. Saul had incredible potential, but he disobeyed God repeatedly. He allowed pride into his life, giving way to paranoiaand jealousy, which ultimately consumed him. He met a tragic end on the battlefield. What a wasted life. Then there was Samson. Talk about power. He had an incredible ability to vanquish his enemies. He would kill them left and right on the battlefield. On one occasion Samsonkilled a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Yet Samson went down in flames. Because he played around with sin, sin ultimately played around with him, and it culminated in his own death. There was Gideon, who had such humble beginnings and was mightily used by God to defeat his enemies. But as Gideon's life came to an end, he lowered his standards and fellinto immorality and pride. All of these men started well, but they didn't finish well. They ran fast in the beginning, but they didn't get across the finish line as they should have. The apostle Paul, however, wanted to be in the company of those who finished the race, joining the ranks of those who did so in God's winners' circle-men like Caleb andJoshua who finished well. He said, "I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful" (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT). If your life were to end today, would you be able to say, like Paul, "I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful"? Jesus Honors You You are valuable just because you exist! Remember that the next time some trickster tries to hang a bargain basement price tag on your self-worth. Just think about the way Jesus honors you�and smile! I do. I smile because I know I don�t deserve a love like that. None of us do. When you get right down to it, any contribution any of us makes is pretty puny. All of us, even the purest of us, deserve heaven about as much as that crook on the cross did. It makes me smile to think there�s a grinning thief walking the golden streets of heaven who knows more about grace than a thousand theologians. No one else would have given the thief on the cross a prayer. But in the end that is all he had. And in the end, that is all it took! No wonder they call Jesus the Savior. Obedience and Righteousness �For as by one man�s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be maderighteous.� (Romans5:19) Certainly the focal point of all history and the climax of Christ�s earthly ministry, was His sacrificial death on the cross. Christ knew from ages past what was in store for Him, and yet He was �obedient unto death, even the death of the cross� (Philippians2:8). However, as we see in our text, Christ�s obedience included more than His death, for He was perfectly obedient throughout His entire life. Indeed, it is a good thing, for any act of disobedience would have invalidated His sacrificial death. Animal sacrificesin the Old Testament (which prefigured the final sacrifice of Christ) had to be �without blemish� (Leviticus22:19). But even a perfect animal was not enough (Hebrews10:4) to satisfy God�s justice and take away sins. �Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things.... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot� (1Peter 1:18-19). Christ�s obedience, therefore, consisted not only of His obedience in death but in His entire earthly life�from His incarnation, �I come...to do thy will, O God� (Hebrews10:7)�to His childhood, �[Know] ye not that I must be about my Father�s business?� (Luke2:49)�to His healing and teaching ministry among the people, �I must work the works of him that sent me� (John9:4)�to His preparation for death, �nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done� (Luke22:42). Now, in His obedience, Christ calls us to a life of similar obedience. �Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him� (Hebrews5:8-9). JDM Guardingthe Word �Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.� (Psalm119:57) Three stanzas within the 22 stanzas of Psalm 119 have all eight Hebrew terms used to describe the Word of God. How appropriate it is that the central theme in these verses (vv. 57- 64) provides us succinct ways to keep (guard) His Word. Principally, our �whole heart� must be involved in seeking the �favour� of God (v. 58). The �great commandment� (Matthew22:38) rests on loving God with �all� of our hearts. If we seek God�s blessing, both during our earthly life and in the eternity to come, we can �trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledgehim, and he shall direct thy paths� (Proverbs3:5-6). Such a heart thinks (considers, reckons) about the ways of God and turns (turns back, corrects) its �feet unto [His] testimonies� (Psalm119:59). The godly life is not an unplanned life. The godly life seeks to understand and obey the words of God�s Word. And the godly life makes �haste� and will not delay in keeping His commandments (Psalm119:60). Circumstances may cause temporary difficulties in the life of a godly person (Psalm119:61), but he will not forget the laws of God. Rather, he will rise at �midnight� (the deepest time of trouble) to give thanks to our Lord �because of thy righteous judgments� (Psalm119:62). The one who wants to guard the Word of God is a companion of those who fear God and keep the precepts of the Word (Psalm119:63). The godly heart sees the mercy of the Lord everywhere and longs for the �Creator of the ends of the earth� (Isaiah40:28) to teach it the eternal statutes of His Word (Psalm119:64). May �such an heart� (Deuteronomy5:29) be ours as we seek to serve Him. HMM III How to End Well 2Timothy 4:6-8 Many people think about the last years of life as an opportunity to just relax. But this does not align with God's purpose for us; He wants us to serve Him all the days of our lives. Let's look at the apostle Paul's journey and explore what it means to finish well. He spent time pouring into others until the very end of his life. Consider the letters he wrote to Timothy from a prison cell prior to being executed. In every season of life,God calls us to serve others. Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven. The character of a person is also checked by thumping. Been thumped lately? Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You’ve-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren’tbig enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I’m being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these twoparagraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump. The Powerful Practice of Fasting Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah's brother arrived from Judah with some bad news: the Israelites living in Jerusalem were in great trouble. After hearing about their plight, Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord for several days. During this time, he discovered God wanted himto ask the king of Persia for help. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us center our attention on the Lord and discover His will so we may act according to it. People fast in different ways: some abstain from food while others refrain from various activities. The period of time canvary as well. But the focus in each case is to be the same—to seek God and know His will. When Grace Goes Deep by Max Lucado The prodigal son trudges up the path. His pig stink makes passersby walk wide circles around him, but he doesn't notice. With eyes on the ground, he rehearses his speech: "Father"—his voice barely audible—"I have sinned against heaven and against you. Iam not worthy to be called your son." He rehashes the phrases, wondering if he should say more, less, or make a U-turn to the barnyard. After all, he cashed in the trust fund and trashed the family name. Over the last year, he'd awakened with more parchedthroats, headaches, women, and tattoos than a rock star. How could his father forgive him?Maybe I could offer to pay off the credit cards. He's so focused on penance planning that he fails to hear the sound of his father…running! The dad embraces the mud-layered boy as if he were a returning war hero. He commands the servants to bring a robe, ring, and sandals, as if to say, "No boy of mine is going to look like a pigpen peasant. Fire up the grill. Bring on the drinks. It's timefor a party!" Big brother meanwhile stands on the porch and sulks. "No one ever gave me a party," he mumbles, arms crossed. A Partner for Accountability Galatians 6:1-10 An accountability partner is able to perceive what we can't see when blind spots and weaknesses block our vision. Such a person serves as a tool in God's hand to promote spiritual growth, and he or she watches out for our best interest. When choosing thistype of confidant, look for these characteristics: 1. Godly. A person who walks in the Spirit will offer genuine wisdom based on biblical principles rather than personal opinion. 2. Trustworthy. No matter what you share with this individual, you must be certain that he or she will keep everything in the strictest confidence. 3. Accepting. He or she must allow you to be yourself--frailties and all--and not try to remake you into someone "perfect." Keep Moving Forward - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. -Ephesians 6:10 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/keep-moving-forward-2/ - Listen During a call-in segment of a radio program I was doing, a man asked, "Does there come a point in the Christian life where somehow you just don't get tempted to think evilthoughts anymore?" "Yes, it's funny you should ask that," I told him, "because I just reached that point yesterday. It's great." I was kidding, of course. In reality, this doesn't ever happen in the life of a Christian. Some believers are surprised to discover that the Christian life is not a playgroundbut a battleground. It isn't easy being a Christian, because immediately we discover that we have an adversary, the Devil, who wants to bring us down. The spiritual battle is raging every single day. As I have often said, the Christian life is a constant process of moving forward. And the moment we stop moving forward, we will start moving backward. We need to put ourspiritual armor on. We need to suit up. As we are told in Ephesians 6, "Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers andauthorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (verses 11-12 NLT). And you know what? This wrestling match won't end until we are safe in the arms of Jesus. Wouldn't it be great to think that as a Christian, you somehow could reach a plateauat a certain moment in your life where you would be above it all and no longer be vulnerable? This spiritual fight will rage on until the final day. So keep your armor on. Be aware and alert. And constantly move forward. Get Up and Keep Running - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! -1 Corinthians 9:24 When I was in high school, I went out for the track. I was a pretty good runner in the short-distance events. But I got killed on long-distance runs. I would take off at the beginning of therace and leave everyone in my dust. I would be ahead of the crowd and feeling good. But then I would start getting a little fatigued. And pretty soon people started passing me. I think the apostle Paul must have been something of a sports fan, because he used athletic analogies quite often, especially the analogy of running a race. Writing to the church in Corinthhe said, "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25NLT). And in Philippians 3:14 Paul wrote, "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (nlt). Paul was saying in effect,"I'm like a runner in the last stretch, and it hurts. But I'm going to make it. I'm determined." A lot of Christians start out their spiritual race with a bang, much like the way I started my races in high school. They are so excited about the Lord. They take off running and leave everyoneelse in their dust. Then they collapse and fall. The Christian life is a race, but it isn't a sprint. It's a long-distance run. There will be times when we collapse and fall. And all we can do is get up again and keep running until we crossthe finish line. Building Bridges to the Kingdom Matthew25:31-34 Scripture refers to "the kingdom of God" frequently, but many people are unclear as to its meaning. Let's look at the past, present, and future reality of this concept. The first thing we must realize is that the heavenly kingdom refers to everything under Christ's control. At the moment of salvation, we are transferred from the reign of darkness to the bright authority of Jesus. And we are eternally secure in Him. A Spiritual Litmus Test - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org 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 Timothy 4:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-spiritual-litmus-test-2/- Listen Are you looking forward to the day when Christ returns? Does the thought of Jesus coming back at any moment cause your heart to leap with excitement? Or does it sink with dread? I think yourresponse is a good litmus test of your spiritual character. If your life is right with God, then I think you'll welcome it when you hear that Christ could come back at any moment. You will rejoice in it. Like the apostle John, you will say as he did,"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20 NKJV) Writing to Timothy, the apostle Paul described those who were looking forward with great anticipation to the return of Jesus Christ. He was speaking of believers who are leading lives thatare right before God, believers who are living lives that are honoring to God-believers who are ready for the return of Christ. If that describes you, then the promise that was given to Paul is for you as well: "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will giveto me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV). Do you love His appearing? By that I mean, are you truly ready for the Lord's return? If so, it will impact the way you live. We're told in 1 John 3:3, "And everyone who has this hope in Him[the hope of Christ's return] purifies himself, just as He is pure" (nlt). This simply means that you're living a life that is right. You're prepared. You're looking forward with anticipation to the return of Jesus Christ. If you're living that way, then God promises you a crown of righteousness in that final day. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM