Friday, February 3, 2017

A Crown of Righteousness


2 Timothy 4:8 "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."

Isaiah 62:2-3 “The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will name. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."

1 Corinthians 9:24-26 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly.”

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

In this life, we run the race set before us by God, to the best of our ability. There is a purpose to a race and the point is to practice, condition and perform with the intent to finish and win. The same is true in our run for glory; we (as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession) run for the glory of God towards our glorification by Him. The Lord Jesus Christ came and gave His all, that we might give our all by His justification of us for our salvation. Heaven is the finish line. 

Matthew 27:29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Hebrews 2:9 “ But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”


1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Blessings, in Christ,
Brian

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