2 Timothy 4:7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:
And then it was Saturday; that beautiful, lazy, sleep in day! Although I don’t think a lot of people will be sleeping into day because some of the restrictions on the lockdown have apparently been lifted. Don’t ask me what they are, because I have stopped paying attention since they are always so confusing. (smile)
But if yesterday was any reflection of that, with the crowded streets and plentiful traffic, more than we’ve seen for over a year, then today will indeed be crazy. Let’s hope though that people will still pay attention to some of the realities of the situation, because this thing is not over, far from it, and like we’ve had before, a relapse is still possible, especially with all the new variants out there. End of sermon!
Let’s turn to our Saturday business now; that of checking out the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.’ Now that’s all well and good in theory, but in actual practice, it’s not so easy to do. Just look at how the nation of Japan rose to greatness by first cheaply copying the designs of other countries, and now China is doing the very same thing. So what does it say about originality eh? (smile)
And remember that famous saying: ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.’ Meaning that it’s a compliment to do or think like someone else. The problem is that though we should all try to be original, not all of us can, or will be. Some of us will just have to settle for making the original things better. (smile)
And the next quote says: ‘There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.’ Now that’s no lie, for some people are just scared to take a risk, to step out on a limb, just want to always play it safe, but you can never succeed by playing it safe. And the other type is the jealous ones. Those who don’t want to see you get ahead of them, who desire you to be just as unsuccessful as they are. But it’s up to you to decide what you truly desire and don’t listen to the naysayers, regardless of the reason they have for saying nay.
But that means you must also pay close attention to the following quote: ‘Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.’ Now that certainly has a ring of truth to it. For the only way to succeed is to move on from your failures, and though it’s difficult to always have enthusiasm after a failure, it’s important that you do have it, since that’s the only way you will ever get fully into your next attempt at success. And the next quote segues very nicely into that one: ‘Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.’
That first part is gospel truth: to be successful you have to do certain things that most people will not do; like getting up and trying again, and working long, tough hours, although you are not seeing any daylight on the project. Not to mention doing all sorts of menial and supposedly low-life jobs, just to forward the project. And yes, most of wish our tasks were easier, that’s the normal human attitude. But then, as they say, nothing good, or worth accomplishing is ever easy. And that’s generally true, no wonder our society today is so listless and lazy, with so many of us just satisfied to sit on our laurels and enjoy the easy life.
But when a society gets lazy and listless and stops being creative and productive that’s when it begins to die, for a worthwhile life is only achieved through continual improvement and productivity. Consequently, this upcoming quote describes what a person or a society has to be about to not only survive but to prosper. ‘It’s not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating, they have to be about change.’
Yes, friends, we have to be in a continually creative frame of mind and accept that some change is necessary to move on up. But please, let’s not do like so many of us in our society are doing today, just embracing change for the sake of change, for not all change is productive, necessary or improves one’s life. And the advent of social media with its countless tentacles spread all over the world is just such one bad influence, for it gives the evil and wicked an even greater chance to spread their evil influence.
True, it also gives the good and righteous a chance to spread their beliefs, but it so happens that because of our natural sinful nature and the broad way of the evil stuff, it is spreading more than the good stuff, which seeks the narrow path. And if we, the good and righteous want to have more influence in this world, we have to start doing much better than we currently are, and using the many tools available to us much more intently and purposefully.
Remember some of Christ’s last words to His disciples: ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20) Now, as followers of Jesus, His disciples and earthly representatives, that’s our life-long mission! We refer to it as the Great Commission, and it is indeed a great commission, as it comes directly from our Lord and Saviour, and it is a big, though very worthwhile task.
And this explanation from the scholars is excellent. ‘The closing promise, though given to the apostles, is transmitted by every generation of believers (cf. John 17:20). Christ’s promise of His presence, I am with you always, guarantees the success of the church’s mission because it is really His mission carried out by His called-out disciples. The phrase unto the end of the world means until the end of the “age.”
Therefore Christ’s empowerment of the church to evangelize the world is available in every age, even unto the end of the church age. In comparing the Great Commission with Jesus’ promise to continually build His church (Ch. 18), we must conclude that He intended His church always to be spiritually militant and evangelistically aggressive as we take His claims of Lordship to the entire world of our generation.’
Now my fellow believers, the important question is, are we being spiritually militant and evangelistically aggressive in our earthly walk? Now, if we are truthful, we will admit that we are definitely not as engrossed and purposeful in Christ’s work as we ought to be. So what’s the answer? It’s simple! To retake the world, we must become more spiritually militant and evangelistically aggressive, and at least match the efforts of the evil doers, until we eventually overpower them!
That’s it in a nutshell my fellow saints. And it’s now up to us to rise up, with a strong sense of purpose and do our job, so that at the end, like Bruh Paul, we can truthfully say: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:’ (2 Tim. 4:7) Yes friends, unless we can all truthfully say that at the end of our earthly days, then our lives would have been worthless in the cause of Christ! Much LOVE!
…it’s time for believers to rise up…to be bold and aggressive…in spreading the good news of Christ…
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