Today’s Scripture Threshings for Friday, February 22, 2019
Today’s Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-21
Key Verse: ”Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (vs. 12, ESV)
Ours is a struggling generation. We fight and struggle over anything; especially things that are not really worth struggling for. We devised such encouraging maxims as life is a battle and survival of the fittest for ourselves. Somehow, we are not incorrect about it; it is only incomplete. The only things worth struggling for are heavenly treasures and rest. That is why the Christian life is likened to a struggle, a tournament, a wrestling match, or a fight in scriptures.
Apostle Paul admonished his spiritual son, Timothy, to think less of the things of this world; and pay attention to his life, which is itself a state of warfare. Unfortunately, the enemy often plays a fast one on us. He lets us see wrong enemies and battlefields so that we may entangle ourselves with wrong things and people, while our true adversaries — Satan, his principalities and powers; and sin, and all it’s lusts — are ignored.
The apostle‘s emphasis rests mainly on the words “the good fight” and “eternal life” so that we do not waste our energies fighting amiss. The goal of eternity is placed in strong contrast with the struggle of covetousness and the misery of perishable crown we get from earthly struggles. As Christians, our true contest and struggle is against the world (not world of people, but the systemic and material world), the flesh, and the devil.
Like Timothy, we have a lot of legitimate fight of faith to engage today. The war against materialism is intense; but the war against empty religiosity is also real. False teachers in Timothy’s time may not even be as rampageous as they are today. While we’re not to engage in physical fight against them, but we must set ourselves in defense of genuine doctrines of the Gospel and of faith, which was once delivered to the saints. This is what Paul calls a "good fight." It is a good fight because it is for a good course, championed by a good Captain, Jesus Christ, and aimed at a good crown. Therefore, a good fight under a good Captain needs a good spirit and good weapons (the whole armour of God) to win the good crown. This batter is not carnal, but spiritual and mighty.
Where are you on the Lord’s field? Are you on the side of victory, with your eyes set on the crown of glory, so that no worries and struggles are capable of distracting you from laying hold on eternal life? Friends, there is no better thing to strive for than eternal life. It is the prize of the high calling of God, preserved for those who are fighting the Lord's battles.
Quote for the Day: “As long as we we think and live in terms of time, our goals are temporal and gains perishable; but if we focus on heavenly course, whatever we lose is temporal but our gains are eternally imperishable.” (Simon Olatunji)
Prayer: Dear LORD, help me to live in daily consciousness that I have been raised with Christ so that I may set my heart on things above, and struggle only for my place where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Help me Lord to set my mind on things above, not on earthly things, in Jesus Christ name. Amen.
With all my Love and Prayer,
Simon Wale Olatunji, PhD
The Darling Bishop (DaBishop),
2321 S Belt Line Rd., Suite 144,
Grand Prairie TX 75051 USA
Email: reachingout@hopeforallnations.org
BBMme: E3F988D2
[Today’s Scripture Threshings is a devotional guide of The House of Prayer Evangel Church USA. Feel free to use it in your family altar and personal quiet times; and to contact us for further enquiry, help and partnership.]
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