For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:6-7). Our opening Scripture is so profound and touching. The Apostle Paul was writing from prison, anticipating his own death. He knew his life was about to be poured out; he was ready to go and be with the Lord, but not without affirming, “...I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Paul’s conviction about the Gospel was absolute; and this was obvious in the kind of life he lived. He was sold out to the Gospel.
Your greatest passion should be the spread of the Gospel around the world. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” These compelling words capture the urgency and need to preach the Gospel to every man, woman, boy and girl, and keep at it until the knowledge of God’s Word and His righteousness cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. I’m sure you must have wondered at the commitment of those who wreak havoc through terrorism in different parts of the world. They believe in a wrong cause, and are willing to die for it. Now, if such folks could be willing to die (and are dying) for something that’s so wrong and hurtful to society, how much should you be ready to put into the true message—the Gospel—which is the only hope and power for man’s salvation? How far are you willing to go for the Gospel? Paul said, “I’m ready to be offered”; in other words, “I’m ready to die for the Gospel.” This was his mindset. In Romans 1:16, he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you for stirring up in me passion, complete allegiance, and unwavering commitment to the Gospel, which is your only saving power to the lost. I pursue your dreams, your plans and purpose for my life, without distraction, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study:
John 4:31-34 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Mark 14:53-72 Numbers 29-31
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Acts 26:24-32 Psalm 71-72
No comments:
Post a Comment