True Success

At the Survivor Weekend Retreat recently, we studied 2 Timothy 4:7 in our Saturday morning class. Paul says "I have fought the good fight, finished the course, kept the faith..." What a bold statement! Will we be able to (or can we) say that regarding our lives? Of course, Paul is not bragging. He is confident that he had led a Godly life. How can we achieve this type of success instead of the worldly standards that surround us?

1) Begin with God. James 4:8 reminds us to draw near to Him and he will draw near to us. We can't expect God to take the first step, it must begin with us. We must put forth the effort to have a strong relationship with Him.

2) Be obedient. John 14:15 reminds us that love and obedience go hand in hand. It is one thing to say that you love God and another to prove with with doing God's will.

3) Be faithful. Rev. 3:10 reminds us to we can't sway from our dedication to God. It doesn't say just "Be faithful" but "Be faithful until death." And when we are, we have the hope of a crown of righteousness. We need to fix our minds on that reward, not anything worldly.

Let's work hard to be like Paul. After all, he aimed to be like Christ. I hope that one day we all can confidently have said "I have fought the good fight...."