[Rembrandt's Apostle Paul]Fighting isn't really my bag, to be honest. I've had a few fights in my life, and lost most of them. I also played High School football & lacrosse, which can be like a war out there on the playing field. There can be hard knocks and intense struggles in this life, or you could say, "I have a fight for life on my hands."
These kinds of fights have their own heaviness, and can leave bruises for sure. But the fight Paul is telling Timothy about, is much more intense. This fight is a spiritual fight. It's a fight my soul has to fight against a world full of devils and spiritual evil. And make no mistake, it can be hard, even excruciatingly intense. BUT, I have the Lord. And every Christian for that matter has his, or her, Lord fighting their battle with them.
Here are a few words from JC Ryle that may encourage us:
"Let us settle it in our minds that the Christian fight is a good fight--really good, truly good, emphatically good. We see only part of it yet. We see the struggle, but not the end; we see the campaign, but not the reward; we see the cross, but not the crown. We see a few humble, broken-spirited, penitent, praying people, enduring hardships and despised by the world; but we see not the hand of God over them, the face of God smiling on them, the kingdom of glory prepared for them. These things are yet to be revealed. Let us not judge by appearances. There are more good things about the Christian warfare than we see."
2 comments:
This is good stuff to keep in mind while we are in the trenches. Also, I like one sermon where my pastor pulled different episodes from Scripture and emphasized how God promised the one who struggled, "I will be with you." Time after time, the would-be victim saw what his enemies had in store for him. He saw his limitations. He felt anguish and pain. But time after time, the Lord's promise was "I will be with you."
Good word Craver. Thanks my brother. Have a joy-filled Lord's day.
"My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now."-William Featherston
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