The Good Fight

How does one "fight the good fight of faith"?

Flee materialism--live a godly life of contentment. That's as rich as a man or woman's life can become.

"Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. "Take hold of eternal life" . . . "Take hold of that which is life indeed." Hang on tightly with both hands to His promise to meet all your needs.

There is no greater threat to the child of God than the love of money--"some longing for it have wandered away from the faith."

Flee. Pursue. Americans will call you a fool. God will call you a good and faithful servant.

"Fight the good fight of faith."

Never

Remember in all those times of our lives--Peter by the fire, Thomas in his doubting, the prodigal son in his loneliness and despair, Mary crying in the garden, Paul broken-hearted over Demas--if we will just be still and listen, we will hear His whisper: "I will never let you go."

Meditate

He washed my sins away.

Just sit quietly somewhere and meditate on those words.
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"In my heart there rings a melody, there rings a melody, with heaven's harmony. In my heart there rings a melody, there rings a melody of love." What is the melody that is ringing in the chambers of your heart? I bet your friends can tell. Your enemies?

"I love the song that Jesus gave me . . ."

Reflections on Prayer

"Above all that you ask or think" is not an aberration. It's standard operating procedure for our Lord.
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The prayer I pray most often and most fervently is that every student who walks into my room will feel safe--academically, personally, emotionally, and spiritually. If I ever cross your mind, feel free to join me in prayer.
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Make a list of all the people that you love.

After each name record how many times this week you prayed for him or her.

Make a list of all the people you love.
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A morning prayer: Lord, help me through my life and my words to prove the old song true: "Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all."
"For me, to live is Christ."
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An evening prayer:

Thank You Lord for another day in Your care--another day safely on the journey Home.
Thank You for those You have placed in my life as my encouragement, as agents of Your love. May I never take them for granted--not even for an hour of each day You give me.
Thank You for those I found easy to love today. Thank You for those I found difficult to love today and the grace to do so. (So many people remind me of myself.) I pray You will keep me from being too much of a rascal to love--and if not, thank You for those in my life who will love me anyway. Starting with You. Thank You that loving is such hard work--what a blessed reminder of the majesty of Your love.
Thank You for the simple things of this day--food and taste buds; leaves still changing, an insane cat, a still house, a soft rain--even if it was cool, songs in my heart, Your Word in my life--even when, especially when, it's the quiet voice of conviction
Thank You for the need for prayer and for its reminder of our utter dependence on You our promised Strength.

Thank You. This was "the day," and I rejoice in it--what a marvelous gift.
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A morning prayer:
Help me Lord put my armor on this morning. Give me the grace to rest in its protection and not my human strength. May the Sword be effectively used to resist the enemy--knowing He will flee from the Spirit's wielding.
Give me patience--with those in my life to whom you have called me to love. And with myself when I do stupid stuff instead of edifying others.
Give me wisdom--I'm not too bright on my own, though I often in my arrogance assume so.
Give me joy to combat my weaknesses. So often, I confuse them and think they are a strength.
May my thoughts today be an unceasing prayer--that my words might glorify you.
Help me to see the majesty of ordinary things--such love gifts you give us, and I take them too often for granted.
May I be quick to forgive, quick to ask for forgiveness--slow to anger.

May I spontaneously reflect You in all that I do.
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 Our prayers should include our personal needs, adoration, intercessions, and thanksgivings. And we should intercede for all men from those in authority to those we love and adore. Such prayer is transformational. Such prayer will enable us to live "a tranquil, quiet life in all godliness and dignity." Yes, prayer has a direct influence on our behavior, on our ability to do what is "good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."
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For my children by birth and by faith I echo Paul's prayer for his child in the faith--Timothy:

I pray that you will rejoice in the "promise of life in Christ Jesus"--the promise of grace that is greater than all your sin; the promise of mercy that has delivered you from all condemnation; the promise of peace that in the storms of life will calm your restless soul and set you on the Rock.

I pray that you will never neglect the gifts that God has given you. Don't become apathetic--indifference, a lack of loving obedience, can grieve the heart of your God who loves you so wondrously.

I pray that you will never be afraid--trust and obey in all circumstances in the presence of all the people you interact with. Let people know--lovingly, gently, and humbly--through your life and through your words that you are on the Lord's side. Fear will sap your love, your spiritual power, and your sound judgment. What can man do to you?

I pray that you will never be ashamed. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. We know whom we have believed; we have confidence in His ability to guard our hearts for all eternity. He stands before the Father and defends us. Let us stand before men and defend Him.

I pray that your faith will be sincere, spontaneous, and without hypocrisy. Remember failure and struggle are not hypocrisy. Selfishness in service for Him is hypocrisy.

I pray that you will serve Him from pure motives, for His glory and not your own.

I pray that you will live a life of integrity, be a man or woman whose word is totally reliable, whose "yes" is "yes" and whose "no" is "no.".

I pray that you will faithfully pray the same things for me.
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 "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Ask. The supply is infinite. He only gives good gifts. He knows what you need. Ask.

History

A biblical view of history:

God is in control--every second.
Sin is a fact. If you don't believe that, you have no chance of understanding history.
History is linear. God commenced it and will bring about its end.
The possibility of redemption is a fact. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved-whoever you are.
You are a vital part of God's plan. Be steadfast.

Diligence

Diligence: Doing what God has called you to do because you are convinced that it is God who has placed you exactly where you are at precisely this moment in time and eternity.
Diligence produces the following: a life of moral excellence, a growing experiential knowledge of God through your circumstances, self-control in your circumstances, perseverance in your circumstances, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love toward those who are in your circumstances with you. Diligence transforms you inwardly and that inner transformation changes your external behavior. What you believe becomes a lifestyle not a creed.

The diligent will find their lives being constantly enriched by those spiritual blessings.
Diligence will destroy the complacency and apathy that kills Christ-like love.
A lack of diligence will afflict you with the worst kind of blindness: a short-sighted, self-centered focus on what you believe is best for you--and those you've been called to love and serve--right now. This is the blindness that Christ compares to being in a darkened room and thinking you are standing in the floodlights. Paul calls it "walking blindfolded in a world of illusion"--the same blindness that infects the ungodly. And you wonder why people can't see Christ in you; why you've lost a clear vision of God's will for you and for those you love. Diligence will keep you from stumbling in the darkness of a selfish life.
And you wonder why it is so difficult to be diligent? Why the enemy hates diligence? Why the enemy wants you to believe that what you have been called to do is "just not worth it," just not making a difference anyway"? He's a liar!
Diligence is evidence that I am trusting in the wisdom of God's will for my life. Diligence is the evidence that I really do want to become more like Him.
Diligence is necessary for the vision God wants to give me into who He is and what He desires to do for others through me--the vision that if I lack it, my work for Him will shrivel up and perish in the muck of complacency and apathy.
Diligence and godliness are synonyms.

Be careful

Be careful. Be sure your faith is in what He has revealed and not in what you believe. I can't think of anything more subtly dangerous than faith in myself.
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Be sure your understanding of God is complete. Yes, He is love, compassionate, kind, tenderhearted, forgiving. But He's also righteous and just.

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All too often the enemy gets us to doubt that who we are at this moment is exactly the person God needs in the situation in which He has placed us. There's a reason He only made one of you. He loves who He made you to be.
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Nothing is more spiritually debilitating and frustrating than trying to deepen one's relationship with God solely on the basis of a second-hand relationship to the Word. We must have an active relationship with God's Word.