Finishing Well!!!

1 Corinthians 9:27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize

As I approach my 15th year in ministry, I realize how important it is to stick to the basics. The rudimentary principles that often make one passionate in ministry or effective in their endeavors quite often fall by the wayside once “success” is attained. Some of my friends who started out when I did have simply fallen by the wayside. Oh, not necessarily into sin, but they have lost the flame that we all possessed. Gone is the love, passion and self sacrifice that marked our spirits. Instead is spiritual apathy, longing for material satisfaction, and a mediocre faith at best. In our theme scripture the apostle Paul writes on not being comfortable even though you are esteemed as a leader of others in the faith. As I reflect back over the years, and even in my pre-ministry days, I understand where he is coming from. Only the grace of God has kept me consistent in this race of faith. I realize how easy it would have been to succumb to pressures to relax, or indulge in false passions. God’s gentle but firm nudge to keep the prize in view helped me to take Paul’s caution to heart. King Asa reigned over Jerusalem in the Kingdom of Judah for four decades. He sought God in all his affairs, and served him excellently. His leadership career was almost flawless. But in his last remaining years, he wavered in his commitment to God. An imposing enemy unnerved this veteran spiritual champion who had indeed thwarted many similar enemies in his earlier years. King Asa sought an earthly king for help in the form of Ben-Hadad of Aram, instead of focusing on God. He did buy temporary security for his kingdom, but at what cost? The story ends 5 short years later, with the aged king sickly in his feet, and losing his life from an ill timed disease. Recorded on his spiritual epitaph are the words of the Chronicler

though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. 2 Chronicles 16:12b

Can I encourage you to finish strong. This means staying consistent. What are the things you did in your earlier days in Christ, that helped you stay passionate. Some of you were in church every day, or read your scriptures during your lunch break at work. Others attended retreats, conferences, evangelistic exercises and visited soup kitchens. Maybe you won’t be able to do everything, but at least try something. Pray for God’s leading, and pick that one activity that you feel was the key. Whatever you do lean on the grace of God, but remember Paul’s advice, and work really hard. As you do I trust that you will indeed finish the race as good or, even better than you started.