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2 Timothy 4 7
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.
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1 Corinthians 9 24-1 Corinthians 9 27
In a race all the runners run. But only one gets the prize. You know that, don’t you? So run in a way that will get you the prize.All who take part in the games train hard. They do it to get a crown that will not last. But we do it to get a crown that will last forever.So I do not run like someone who doesn’t run toward the finish line. I do not fight like a boxer who hits nothing but air.No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules. If I did break them, I would fail to win the prize.
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Luke 21:34
“ Be careful. If you aren’t, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. It will happen suddenly.
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Philippians 2:16
You will shine as you hold on tight to the word of life. Then I will be able to boast about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing.
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Philippians 3:10-14
I want to know Christ better. Yes, I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to join him in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death.Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.I have not yet received all these things. I have not yet reached my goal. Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal. So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it.Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me.I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.
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Hebrews 10:35-39
So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants. You will receive what he has promised.“ In just a little while, he who is coming will come. He will not wait any longer.”And,“ The one who is right with God will live by faith. And I am not pleased with the one who pulls back.”( Habakkuk 2:3, 4)But we don’t belong to the people who pull back and are destroyed. We belong to the people who believe and are saved.
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Galatians 5:7
You were running a good race. Who has kept you from obeying the truth?
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Colossians 3:5-8
So put to death anything that comes from sinful desires. Get rid of sexual sins and impure acts. Don’t let your feelings get out of control. Remove from your life all evil desires. Stop always wanting more and more. You might as well be worshiping statues of gods.God’s anger is going to come because of these things.That’s the way you lived at one time in your life.But now here are the kinds of things you must also get rid of. You must get rid of anger, rage, hate and lies. Let no dirty words come out of your mouths.
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Romans 12:12
When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.
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Romans 5:3-5
And that’s not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on.The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope.And hope will never bring us shame. That’s because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. This happened through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
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1 Peter 2 1
So get rid of every kind of evil, and stop telling lies. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have, and don’t speak against one another.
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Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray.You were taught to be made new in your thinking.You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.
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2 Corinthians 7 1
Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So let us make ourselves pure from everything that makes our bodies and spirits impure. Let us be completely holy. We want to honor God.
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James 5:7-11
Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to produce its rich crop. See how patient the farmer is for the fall and spring rains.You too must be patient. You must remain strong. The Lord will soon come back.Brothers and sisters, don’t find fault with one another. If you do, you will be judged. And the Judge is standing at the door!Brothers and sisters, think about the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They are an example of how to be patient when you suffer.As you know, we think that people who don’t give up are blessed. You have heard that Job was patient. And you have seen what the Lord finally did for him. The Lord is full of tender mercy and loving concern.
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Romans 13:11-14
When you do these things, keep in mind the times we are living in. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your sleep. The full effects of our salvation are closer now than when we first believed in Christ.The dark night of evil is nearly over. The day of Christ’s return is almost here. So let us get rid of the works of darkness that harm us. Let us do the works of light that protect us.Let us act as we should, like people living in the daytime. Have nothing to do with wild parties, and don’t get drunk. Don’t take part in sexual sins or evil conduct. Don’t fight with each other or be jealous of anyone.Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ as if he were your clothing. Don’t think about how to satisfy sinful desires.
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Hebrews 6:15
Abraham was patient while he waited. Then he received what God promised him.
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2 Timothy 2 4
A soldier does not take part in things that don’t have anything to do with the army. Instead, he tries to please his commanding officer.
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1John 2:15-16
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Romans 2:7
God will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good. They want glory, honor, and life that never ends.
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James 1:3
Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue.
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Matthew 24:13
But the one who remains strong in the faith will be saved.
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Matthew 10:22
You will be hated by everyone because of me. But anyone who remains strong in the faith will be saved.
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Romans 8:24-25
That’s the hope we had when we were saved. But hope that can be seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?We hope for what we don’t have yet. So we are patient as we wait for it.
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Luke 8:14-15
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth.But the seed on good soil stands for those with an honest and good heart. Those people hear the message. They keep it in their hearts. They remain faithful and produce a good crop.
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Revelation 3:10
You have kept my command to remain strong in the faith no matter what happens. So I will keep you from the time of suffering. That time is going to come to the whole world. It will test those who live on the earth.
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1 Peter 4 2
As a result, they don’t live the rest of their earthly life for evil human desires. Instead, they live to do what God wants.
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Luke 14:26-33
“ Anyone who comes to me must hate their father and mother. They must hate their wife and children. They must hate their brothers and sisters. And they must hate even their own life. Unless they do this, they can’t be my disciple.Whoever doesn’t carry their cross and follow me can’t be my disciple.“ Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you sit down first and figure out how much it will cost? Then you will see whether you have enough money to finish it.Suppose you start building and are not able to finish. Then everyone who sees what you have done will laugh at you.They will say,‘ This person started to build but wasn’t able to finish.’“ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. And suppose he has 10,000 men, while the other has 20,000 coming against him. Won’t he first sit down and think about whether he can win?And suppose he decides he can’t win. Then he will send some men to ask how peace can be made. He will do this while the other king is still far away.In the same way, you must give up everything you have. Those of you who don’t cannot be my disciple.
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2 Peter 1 6
To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness.
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Revelation 22:16
“ I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this witness for the churches. I am the Root and the Son of David. I am the bright Morning Star.”
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Revelation 13:10
“ Everyone who is supposed to be captured will be captured. Everyone who is supposed to be killed by a sword will be killed by a sword.”( Jeremiah 15:2) So God’s people must be patient and faithful.
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Luke 12:15
Then he said to them,“ Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has.”
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John 3:32
He is a witness to what he has seen and heard. But no one accepts what he says.
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1 Timothy 6 9-1 Timothy 6 10
People who want to get rich are tempted. They fall into a trap. They are tripped up by wanting many foolish and harmful things. Those who live like that are dragged down by what they do. They are destroyed and die.Love for money causes all kinds of evil. Some people want to get rich. They have wandered away from the faith. They have wounded themselves with many sorrows.
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Revelation 1:9
I, John, am a believer like you. I am a friend who suffers like you. As members of Jesus’ royal family, we can put up with anything that happens to us. I was on the island of Patmos because I taught God’s word and what Jesus said.
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Matthew 10:37-38
“ Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.Whoever does not pick up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
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1 Peter 5 12
I consider Silas to be a faithful brother. With his help I have written you this short letter. I have written it to encourage you. And I have written to speak the truth about the true grace of God. Remain strong in it.
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Luke 18:22-25
When Jesus heard this, he said to him,“ You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich.Jesus looked at him. Then he said,“ How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom!Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!”
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Hebrews 11:2-38
That is what the people of long ago were praised for.We have faith. So we understand that everything was made when God commanded it. That’s why we believe that what we see was not made out of what could be seen.Abel had faith. So he brought to God a better offering than Cain did. Because of his faith Abel was praised as a godly man. God said good things about his offerings. Because of his faith Abel still speaks. He speaks even though he is dead.Enoch had faith. So he was taken from this life. He didn’t die.“ He couldn’t be found, because God had taken him away.”( Genesis 5:24) Before God took him, Enoch was praised as one who pleased God.Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him.Noah had faith. So he built an ark to save his family. He built it because of his great respect for God. God had warned him about things that could not yet be seen. Because of his faith Noah showed the world that it was guilty. Because of his faith he was considered right with God.Abraham had faith. So he obeyed God. God called him to go to a place he would later receive as his own. So he went. He did it even though he didn’t know where he was going.Because of his faith he made his home in the land God had promised him. Abraham was like an outsider in a strange country. He lived there in tents. So did Isaac and Jacob. They received the same promise he did.Abraham was looking forward to the city that has foundations. He was waiting for the city that God planned and built.And Sarah had faith. So God made it possible for her to become a mother. She became a mother even though she was too old to have children. But Sarah believed that the God who made the promise was faithful.Abraham was past the time when he could have children. But many children came from that one man. They were as many as the stars in the sky. They were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one could count them.All these people were still living by faith when they died. They didn’t receive the things God had promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a long way off. They openly said that they were outsiders and strangers on earth.People who say things like that show that they are looking for a country of their own.What if they had been thinking of the country they had left? Then they could have returned to it.Instead, they longed for a better country. They wanted a heavenly one. So God is pleased when they call him their God. In fact, he has prepared a city for them.Abraham had faith. So when God tested him, Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham had held on tightly to the promises. But he was about to offer his one and only son.God had said to him,“ Your family line will continue through Isaac.”( Genesis 21:12) Even so, Abraham was going to offer him up.Abraham did this, because he believed that God could even raise the dead. In a way, he did receive Isaac back from death.Isaac had faith. So he blessed Jacob and Esau. He told them what was ahead for them.Jacob had faith. So he blessed each of Joseph’s sons. He blessed them when he was dying. Because of his faith he worshiped God. Jacob worshiped as he leaned on the top of his walking stick.Joseph had faith. So he spoke to the people of Israel about how they would leave Egypt someday. When his death was near, he spoke about where to bury his bones.Moses’ parents had faith. So they hid him for three months after he was born. They saw he was a special child. They were not afraid of the king’s command.Moses had faith. So he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. That happened after he had grown up.He chose to be treated badly together with the people of God. He chose not to enjoy sin’s pleasures. They only last for a short time.He suffered shame because of Christ. He thought it had great value. Moses considered it better than the riches of Egypt. He was looking ahead to his reward.Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. It wasn’t because he was afraid of the king’s anger. He didn’t let anything stop him. That’s because he saw the God who can’t be seen.Because of his faith, Moses was the first to keep the Passover Feast. He commanded the people of Israel to sprinkle blood on their doorways. He did it so that the destroying angel would not touch their oldest sons.The people of Israel had faith. So they passed through the Red Sea. They went through it as if it were dry land. The Egyptians tried to do it also. But they drowned.Israel’s army had faith. So the walls of Jericho fell down. It happened after they had marched around the city for seven days.Rahab, the prostitute, had faith. So she welcomed the spies. That’s why she wasn’t killed with those who didn’t obey God.What more can I say? I don’t have time to tell about all the others. I don’t have time to talk about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah. I don’t have time to tell about David and Samuel and the prophets.Because of their faith they took over kingdoms. They ruled fairly. They received the blessings God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions.They put out great fires. They escaped being killed by swords. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became powerful in battle. They beat back armies from other countries.Women received back their dead. The dead were raised to life again. There were others who were made to suffer greatly. But they refused to be set free. They did this so that after death they would be raised to an even better life.Some were made fun of and even whipped. Some were held by chains. Some were put in prison.Some were killed with stones. Some were sawed in two. Some were killed by swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats. They were poor. They were attacked. They were treated badly.The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains. They lived in caves. They lived in holes in the ground.
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Isaiah 60:8
“ Whose ships are these that sail along like clouds? They fly like doves to their nests.
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Luke 16:28
I have five brothers. Let Lazarus warn them. Then they will not come to this place of terrible suffering.’
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John 4:39
Many of the Samaritans from the town of Sychar believed in Jesus. They believed because of what the woman had said about him. She said,“ He told me everything I’ve ever done.”
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Psalms 18:23
He knows that I am without blame. He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning.
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Ezekiel 38:16
They will advance against my people Israel. They will be like a cloud covering their land. Gog, in days to come I will bring you against my land. Then the nations will know me. I will use you to prove to them how holy I am.”
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Luke 9:59-62
He said to another man,“ Follow me.” But the man replied,“ Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”Jesus said to him,“ Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”Still another person said,“ I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”Jesus replied,“ Suppose someone starts to plow and then looks back. That person is not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”
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Ezekiel 38:9
You, all your troops and the many nations with you will march up to attack them. All of you will advance like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering their land.”
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John 4:44
He himself had pointed out that a prophet is not respected in his own country.
