There is so much happening in the world right now. I have spent weeks just pondering and praying about things that are happening around me. I haven’t blogged because I have been thinking so much about these things that I haven’t been able to totally focus on any particular subject.
One of the big issues right now is racial unrest. We are even seeing it on much larger scales in much smaller, rural towns than ever before. This morning, as I was scrolling through Facebook, I came across a meme of this nature. Its caption struck me.
Immediately, a certain scripture came to mind.
But, before we look at it, let’s visit 2 Timothy 3. Here, in Paul’s letter to Timothy, we see him telling Timothy about things that are going to take place in the end times. He said, “In the last days perilous time shall come.” He goes on to list many things we shall see. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
After reading this list, how can anyone possibly not believe that we are living in these times right now? We see all this happening around us. I am struck by the fact that Paul said there will be those who have a “form of godliness”. This tells me that he is talking about those who call themselves Christians, but are so in name only, not in deed. He is talking about Isaiah 4. He says, “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach.” Simply put, “let us be called a Christian, but we want to partake of what we want and cover ourselves with our own garments instead of Christ’s robes of righteousness.” Is there any doubt that we see this happening right now? Simply put, Paul is saying, “true believers should turn away from make believers.”
Looking again to the racial unrest that I mentioned above. The meme says, “There is only ONE race, the HUMAN race.” While this is true in the natural realm, I want to focus on the spiritual side of this statement. If I were to rewrite the statement I would say, “There is only ONE race, ‘therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.'”
Scriptures throughout the bible speak of this one race. We are instructed that there is a race, and how to run it to ensure that we win it.
Some encouraging scriptures that show this are Hebrews 12:1, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:7, Philippians 3: 13-14, Galatians 2:2, Proverbs 4:25.
If I were training for the Olympics I would train hard and diligently, with discipline, that I could obtain the gold medal. The silver and the bronze are good, but the gold is what I would go after. If I’m going to put my time and energy into training for, and running a race, I want to win it! God will bless us if we train for the good, (silver and bronze) but if we are after the holy (gold) we are promised things that the others are not promised.
James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
Wow! Now that’s what I call promises!
Jesus told us, “ye are not of the world.” (John 17:16) Although we are “in” the world, we do not have to be “of” it. The difference between “in” and “of” is that even though we live “in” this world we don’t have to partake of the things “of” the world. Psalm 4:3 says, “The LORD set apart the godly for himself.” So, we are living in this world but we are not a part of it ways.
As we continue to be “in” this world, (for however long each of us has left on this earth), let us train in such a manner that we will obtain that spiritual gold medal that awaits us. We must focus on that ONE race, that all-important race, and give all diligence to win it! Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision (goal), the people perish.”
What is your goal?
