~ Faithfulness Will Allow You To
Finish The Race Strong ~
Overview Scripture ~ “For
you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness,
righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).
Series Scripture ~ “But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against
such there is no law. And those who are
Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). It is
important to note that while this passage lists nine fruits of the Spirit it is
not a complete list—which includes “all
goodness, righteousness, and truth” as seen above in Ephesians 5.
Comment ~ Faithfulness
in a Christian will result in finishing strong.
The Apostle Paul could say: “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 Timothy 4:7-8). Do you
long for His return to take you to be with Him forever in heaven? “And everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
Natural Man
~ The natural man puts their
faith in another man such as a preacher—not realizing they too have feet of
clay. The only One who is truly faithful
and who deserves our faithfulness is Jesus Christ. On earth, the Word of God and Jesus Christ
deserve our faithfulness.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the
word! Be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with
all longsuffering and teaching. 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” (2 Timothy
4:1-5).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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