get the Word out
  • read & share
  • Welcome!
  • CLICKSCHOOL Semester 2
    • Week 1 John the Baptist
  • clickschool primary
    • Week 1 Creation
    • Week 2 Noah
    • Week 3 Joseph
    • Week 4 Moses
    • Week 5 Joshua
    • Week 6 Samuel
    • Week 7 David
    • Week 8 Solomon
    • Week 9 Elijah
    • Week 10 Daniel
    • Week 11 Esther
    • Week 12 Jonah
    • Week 13 Zechariah & Elizabeth
    • Week 14 Mary
    • Week 15 Joseph
    • Week 16 Jesus
    • Week 17 & 18 Review
  • Homeschooling
    • Curriculum Planning
    • Bible Curriculum
  • Discipleship

I Have Finished The Race

10/3/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
10-3-13 
“I Have Finished the Race”
1 Peter 1:3 
(This passage is titled: “The Hope of Eternal Life)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.


I’m so glad for born again! I’m so glad to live with great expectation! I’m so glad for God’s great mercy! I’m so glad Jesus was raised from the dead that we might have eternal life as well! I’m so glad!

Last night, my sister called because her father-in-law, John Whitaker, had just passed away. I asked how everyone was doing and she said it was amazingly peaceful in the house. He died at home, so they were still waiting for the body to be taken. But her mother-in-law and her husband and his siblings were all doing just fine. And my sister said to me, “It is so different when a Believer dies. We know he is not in pain anymore, we know he is with God, and we know we will see him again.” How could these truths produce anything but an amazingly peaceful, hopeful atmosphere even during the saddest of days for a family. God is wonderful.

Pastor Chuck of Calvary Chapel also died last night and Pastor Greg Laurie posted this verse about it this morning.

2 Timothy 4:7-8  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 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.

This is the result for life of a Believer... Even in death there is hope and fulfillment. Only God can do that. Only His Great Reward is what brings peace to the dying and the loved ones they leave behind.

2 Corinthians 5:1-9  For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

The life of the Believer is torn. We love being with our families, but we long to be with Jesus very much. (Philippians 1:21-23) Likewise, with death, we miss our dear ones so much, but can’t help but celebrate the fact that THEY ARE WITH JESUS!

We are sad when one’s earthly tent is taken down. But we also rejoice because of this Great Expectation for all who Believe in Jesus - we will join them! We are confident that our heavenly home and eternal bodies, made for us by God himself, await us. And there is wonderful comfort in that!

Dear God,

Thank you for John’s life touching so many people, showing them godliness, integrity, and hard work. Thank you for his son he discipled and raised to be the perfect husband for my sister. Thank you for their family and for their support and encouragement over the years. And I pray for their memories to be happy ones and for the comfort of Your Great Reward to continue to embrace them all today. I thank you for the models in my life who’ve fought the good fight and finished the race. And I thank you, most of all, for the fact that we will see them again. I love you and pray in your Son’s name, amen.


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2023
    January 2023
    September 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly