Randy Hartford's Devotion # 19
Apr 30, 2023 05:56:18 #
DEVOTION # 19
“BE PREPARED / FINISH STRONG”
I hope you all enjoyed a few laughs with last week’s devotion. With all that’s been going on in our world, it just feels nice to be able to relax and kind of put our troubles to rest for a bit. That being said, we know that reality is just “that”, so we are going to pick back up where we left off with the subject of “end times”.
Two weeks ago, we talked about how it seems we have been given “The Two Minute Warning” for life as we know it. This week we will be talking about what our response should be, going forward, for both those who “identify as” (common phrase these days) Christians, as well as those who have yet to accept that “identity change”. (aka nonbelievers)
Many of you on FS have mentioned the fact that you used to be in Boy Scouts at one time. Even those who were never in “scouts”, recognize the motto of BSA as “Be Prepared”.
That has been a great motto for the Boy Scouts for many years, and I believe it has stood the test of time because it is such an important principle in all our everyday lives.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, or begun a personal relationship with Him, please consider the importance of “being prepared” on a spiritual level, as well. This principle is just as important for those who HAVE accepted Christ and are looking forward to His return. As a Christian, on our way to Heaven, we are NOT DONE - The “game” is NOT OVER! We must still “FINISH STRONG” and continue to “be about the Father’s business”, as long as we are still earthly inhabitants.
After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT).
The great apostle was saying, “I have so far to go. I have so much to learn. So much is still before me. I am going to forget what is behind me, not only my past failures, but also my past victories. I want to keep growing. I want to press on.”
If we can look at our lives and say, “I don’t really need to study the Bible that much anymore. I think I have it down. I don’t know that I need to go to church that often. I think I’ve heard all there is to hear,” then we are far from where we need to be.
If we have a sense of self-satisfaction about our spiritual lives and a resulting complacency, that is an indication that we’re in bad shape spiritually. Certainly, we have things in our lives for which we need God’s cleansing on a regular basis. There are sins of both commission and omission. A sin of commission is breaking a commandment, while a sin of omission is not doing what God tells us to do.
If we don’t confess our sins, then our prayer lives will come to a halt. And if we are holding on to some kind of sin, then we won’t have our prayers answered in the affirmative. The psalmist wrote, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18 NLT).
The closer we are to God, the greater our sense of sin will be.
-Greg Laurie
So, let’s all be prepared and finish strong, so when our time on earth is over, we can say just what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT
The following is another message from Pastor Allen Jackson, with more details on “finishing strong”.
The actual sermon starts at 14:55.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fnmt_YlUrCk
Thanks for reading and/or watching, and May God bless you!
“BE PREPARED / FINISH STRONG”
I hope you all enjoyed a few laughs with last week’s devotion. With all that’s been going on in our world, it just feels nice to be able to relax and kind of put our troubles to rest for a bit. That being said, we know that reality is just “that”, so we are going to pick back up where we left off with the subject of “end times”.
Two weeks ago, we talked about how it seems we have been given “The Two Minute Warning” for life as we know it. This week we will be talking about what our response should be, going forward, for both those who “identify as” (common phrase these days) Christians, as well as those who have yet to accept that “identity change”. (aka nonbelievers)
Many of you on FS have mentioned the fact that you used to be in Boy Scouts at one time. Even those who were never in “scouts”, recognize the motto of BSA as “Be Prepared”.
That has been a great motto for the Boy Scouts for many years, and I believe it has stood the test of time because it is such an important principle in all our everyday lives.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, or begun a personal relationship with Him, please consider the importance of “being prepared” on a spiritual level, as well. This principle is just as important for those who HAVE accepted Christ and are looking forward to His return. As a Christian, on our way to Heaven, we are NOT DONE - The “game” is NOT OVER! We must still “FINISH STRONG” and continue to “be about the Father’s business”, as long as we are still earthly inhabitants.
After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT).
The great apostle was saying, “I have so far to go. I have so much to learn. So much is still before me. I am going to forget what is behind me, not only my past failures, but also my past victories. I want to keep growing. I want to press on.”
If we can look at our lives and say, “I don’t really need to study the Bible that much anymore. I think I have it down. I don’t know that I need to go to church that often. I think I’ve heard all there is to hear,” then we are far from where we need to be.
If we have a sense of self-satisfaction about our spiritual lives and a resulting complacency, that is an indication that we’re in bad shape spiritually. Certainly, we have things in our lives for which we need God’s cleansing on a regular basis. There are sins of both commission and omission. A sin of commission is breaking a commandment, while a sin of omission is not doing what God tells us to do.
If we don’t confess our sins, then our prayer lives will come to a halt. And if we are holding on to some kind of sin, then we won’t have our prayers answered in the affirmative. The psalmist wrote, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18 NLT).
The closer we are to God, the greater our sense of sin will be.
-Greg Laurie
So, let’s all be prepared and finish strong, so when our time on earth is over, we can say just what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT
The following is another message from Pastor Allen Jackson, with more details on “finishing strong”.
The actual sermon starts at 14:55.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fnmt_YlUrCk
Thanks for reading and/or watching, and May God bless you!
Apr 30, 2023 07:47:57 #
I was in the scouts and you are so right we have to be prepared for whatever the world puts in front of us, if not we may very easily get off on the wrong path.
Thanks for the lesson today. We got to talk to God every day and let him know that he's in our hearts and thought all the time, and thank him for another day to pass his word along to others. Hope everyone has a blessed day 🙏
Thanks for the lesson today. We got to talk to God every day and let him know that he's in our hearts and thought all the time, and thank him for another day to pass his word along to others. Hope everyone has a blessed day 🙏
Apr 30, 2023 08:24:07 #
Apr 30, 2023 10:42:16 #
Scudrnr wrote:
Great lesson Plum
It's Randy's Devotion Scud. I just post it for him in his absence from the stage. Hopefully he will be back soon.
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