by Dr. Paul Chappell

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Determine now to finish your Christian race with faithfulness.

Someone once said it's not how you start but how you finish that matters. Think of a marathon winner. While he may have started at the back of the group, and even endured a fall, cramp, or misstep along the route, all is forgotten if he finishes first. How he began the race was not as important as how he ended it-how he pushed himself to finish first.

Consider the following inventions and how they began (despite their current success):

-The first electric light was so dim that a candle was needed to see its socket. Now nearly every family in America uses electric lights to light their homes.
-One of the first steamboats took 32 hours to chug its way from New York to Albany, a distance of 150 miles. Now steamboats cruise the mighty Mississippi River, transporting goods from one end to another.
-Wilbur and Orville Wright's first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds. Now planes can travel thousands of miles before stopping to refuel.
-The first automobiles traveled 2 to 4 miles per hour and broke down often. Carriages would pass them with their passengers shouting, "Get a horse!" Now the automobile industry is so large it funds entire cities in our country.

As Paul neared the end of his life, he wrote the book of 2 Timothy as an instructional guide to his spiritual son, Timothy. Throughout the book of 2 Timothy, Paul gives advice on how Timothy should live his Christian life, conduct spiritual ministry, and spread God's love to others. But one thing he taught, and showed with his life, is the importance of finishing the Christian race strongly.

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Timothy had begun his ministry well, learning much from Paul, yet Paul charged him to continue on the path of faithfulness.

How did you begin your Christian life? Some people were saved as children while others were saved from a life of sin. What matters isn't from what kind of life you were saved, but how you live your Christian life now, how faithful you are to God's work.

Think back on your Christian life. Can you point out times you gave into temptation? Can you remember times you messed up? The memories of past mistakes can sometimes hinder people from serving God, yet God commands you to put aside past failures, and determine to end your life faithfully serving God.

The end of your life may seem far away to you, but none of us know when God will call us home. Take a few minutes right now to commit to God that you will live faithfully even to the end of your life.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 60-62 | Romans 5