Good morning,
The prize awaits us!
If God is so good, why do most people hate him and the people who love the God of the Bible? The religious Saul was famous for his hatred of Jesus and Jesus’ followers. After Paul trusted Jesus as his Savior and Lord, he then began to understand why he had been acting that way. He discovered that he, used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil–the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.(Eph.2:2) Since we are all born as sinners, the most natural thing for us to do is to listen to the Prince of sinners. He hates God and anyone who loves and trusts God. It’’s not a surprise that, All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.(v.3) What is surprising is that the God who gives us life would also be the one who loved the world and all who would live in it.(Jn.3:16) In fact, God the Father, sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.(v.17) What God longs for us is our willingness to allow him to fill our hearts with his love and to trust his plan for our lives for time and eternity.
What God also longs for us to understand is that if we choose to trust ourselves and God’s sworn enemy, we will have to face him as our Judge when we leave this world behind us. What that means is that, anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.(Jn.3:18) God’s judgement is based on, God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.(v.19) There is no reason for any of God’s children to be surprised when we are hated and attacked for our love and care for our God and the people living around us. While the rebels around us are driven by fear and self control, Jesus, our Savior, has, raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.(Eph.2:6) As God’s children we can look forward to living a life controlled by our perfect Lover and Lord and Good Shepherd. No matter how difficult and dangerous our lives now become as we listen and obey and love our Savior, we know that our lives will have eternal meaning and usefulness.
The Apostle Paul was a man who faced hate and pain and fake news about him all the time. Looking into the future he also tells us, For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.(2Tim.4:3) So how should we be serving our Savior in our days? Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.(v.5) His final words for us:
2 Timothy 4:8 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.
Roy Wisner
