Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

FRIDAY JULY 3


A LETTER FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

READ:
2 Timothy 4:7
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I have fought the
good fight, I have
finished the race,
I have kept the
faith.
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For more than two decades, Andrew Carroll has been urging people not to throw away the letters written by family members of friends during a time of war. Carroll, director of the center for American War Letters at Chapman University in California, considers them an irreplaceable link to tie families together and open a door of understanding. "Younger generations are reading these letters," Carroll says, "and asking question and saying, 'Now I understand what you endured, what you sacrificed.' "

When the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome and knew his life would soon end, he wrote a letter to a young man whom he considered a "son in the faith," Timothy. Like a soldier on the battlefield, Paul opened his heart to him: "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 TIM. 4:6-8).

When we read the letters in the Bible that the heroes of the Christian faith have left for us and grasp what they endured because of their love for Christ, we gain courage to follow their example and to stand strong for those who come after us.

**Lord, give us strength for the spiritual battles we face today, knowing that You have won the ultimate victory and that we will one day live eternally with You.
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Run the race with eternity in view

***********************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Timothy 4:1-8*********************
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His
appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready
in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to
their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will
heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears
away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you
be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and
the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally,
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not
to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Titus and 1 Timothy were probably written
after the apostle Paul was released from house arrest in Rome
(AD 61-62) and during his fourth missionary journey (AD 62-63; SEE ACTS
28:30-31). When persecution broke out under Emperor Nero, Paul
was imprisoned again. During this second Roman imprisonment