2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith.
To be a true witness you must discover that you have a race to run— meaning you have an assignment from God that only you can complete.
That assignment starts with you taking the time to learn of God and to learn how to live in His Kingdom— to mature and be like Him. To be like Him and to model how to live in His Kingdom right here and now is being a witness for Him.
Living in God’s Kingdom here on the earth in short —is living like life is lived in heaven. Living like God lives and being like Him, is living in heaven on the earth. Living in Gods Kingdom right here and now is living like we are already in heaven and is how God wants us to live.
You might be thinking that’s impossible (yes it is without Him). But if you look at how Jesus lived when He was here, you can see He modeled to us how to live God’s way. He said the Kingdom of God is within you, it is not here or there (Luke 17:21). What He was saying was, the Kingdom of God happens when we live it, when we apply His principles to our lives we live in His Kingdom, even right here on the earth!.
He lived like life is lived in heaven, right here on the earth when He was here— in fact that was the reason He came, to teach us how to live His way—He didn't conform to our way. He modeled how we can live in the Kingdom of God and be a witness for God right here on the earth.
He also said we should ask for God’s way to be done here on the earth. He said pray God’s Kingdom come here on the earth, His will be done here as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). God's will being done here is our obligation as Christians.
That’s the race—our race to run is living in the world, but as if all God said is true. Living in heaven on the earth right here and now. That would mean taking every part of the Bible, every Word God said literally— and making it our authority!
Why is it a race? Because as soon as you hear the Word, Satan comes to steal it (Mark 4:15) His objective is to convince you, you can't. You can’t run the race, you can't live healed, you can’t have favor, you can’t be happy, you can’t be prosperous, you can’t be like God, you can’t forgive, you can’t this, and you can’t that.
If you look up everything I just mentioned in the Word of God you will see all those can not’s are lies we believe because we let Satan steal the Word from us— and because we believe those lies we live outside of the Kingdom of God—in error.
When we live outside of our privileges it grieves God. As His children living without hurts Him. Just like if your kids wouldn't receive all you did for them would hurt you, it hurts God that we won't take what He died to give to us.
I would like to challenge you today to live in the race, not the race that is distracted from God running after things that are temporary, but run the race to prove that we can live in His likeness by His authority right here and now, in His Kingdom, right here on the earth —as Jesus did. Prove His will is good and perfect—run the race!
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
1 Peter 2:24 He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.
John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
Some facts about crabs that are like us:
1. Crabs learn from their mistakes
2. Crabs are neat freaks
3. They come in different sizes and colors
4. The Bromeliad crab mom is so nurturing she places old snail shells in the water around her babies to make sure they get enough calcium.
5. crabs can be left-handed or right handed or all handed (ambidextrous)!
6 When a male Australian fiddler crab’s burrow is being invaded by an intruder his male neighbor will leave his burrow to help fight the intruder.
7 Crabs that are neighbors will never fight each other.
8. Crabs eat fish.