Verse of the Day 10/31

 

Verse of the Day 10/31

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. English Standard Version (ESV)

I was watching game 4 of the World Series last week and went to bed after the 6th inning because it looked like the Dodgers pretty much had it wrapped up, especially with the reputation of their bullpen. The next morning after I had done my devotions, which included today's verse, I was surprised to find out that the Red Sox had posted nine runs in the final three innings. It all started when one of their star pitchers went on a tirade before the start of the 7th inning. I watched the video, there was no sound but he got in the other players faces and you might say he was "exhorting" them to get back in the game. In watching it, I thought that I could read Chris Sale's lips saying "wake up, wake up". I also heard that he had said "two pitches" that the opposing pitcher had only two pitches, inferring that they should be able to sit on one or the other and be ready for it. Whether it was inspiration from his "speech" or not, who knows, but he was telling the team to wake up and play ball, have faith in the team, fight the good fight if you will.

Sometimes things in our lives get us down. We may know the scripture but we keep it inside and it may take someone else to come along and "wake us up", it could be a family member, pastor or other friend, but we are exhorted to fight the good fight of faith, to keep believing, to take a stand against the opposition and hold onto the things we have learned.

The Red Sox didn't finish the season with the best record in baseball by rolling over once they lost the lead in games. They assembled that record by playing good fundamental baseball and relying on the talents that God gave them while encouraging, challenging and rallying around each other, running hard down the baseline and around the bases.

The next time that you are down, let someone else encourage you, to start the rally and to go back to the fundamentals that you have learned from God's Word and put into practice those fundamentals that brought you to where you are in the first place.

Read the passage below from The Message which goes under the caption of "Running Hard".

Blessings,

Mike

1 Timothy 6:11-16 The Message (MSG)
Running Hard
11-12 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

13-16 I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.

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