2 Timothy 4:8

"Doubting one! thou hast often said, "I fear I shall never enter heaven." Fear not! all the people of God shall enter there. I love the quaint saying....."

Why did this brokenness, this pain, this shattering, come upon us if it is not God's intention for us? James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that sin, both rebellion and missing God's goal of goodness for us, has reaped destruction on all we touch, but that this is not what God intended for us, there is redemption coming!

Don't you want to be ready when the time comes? Don't you want to be ready to go when Jesus returns to take us home to glory?

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the..."

"Dear Father, warrior against evil, Help me to fight the good fight. Help me to finish the race. Help me to keep the faith, so that I will receive the..."

Inspirational illustration of 2 Timothy 4:7-8 -- I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day...

Which way would you run? Phil Ware continues his series on The Story and focuses on both the events at the Boston Marathon and West Texas and also on Paul's confident hope in the face of his death in a Roman prison.

As we share this bread and drink this cup, let's be reminded of our home on the horizon and the joy we will share when we arrive! Phil Ware talks about longing for home and the food of home and challenges us to see Communion as our taste of home while we are away.

Are you caught up in all the rapture debate? We mustn't be distracted by the discussions about Jesus' return and lose sight of what is crucial about our discipleship.

Why keep getting up? Terese Bell Kindred shares a story of a friend she admires and compares her to a prize fighter because she keeps getting up and going on after bad things and cancer.

So you started well, but how did you finish? While starting well is important, finishing is the most important thing of all!

So are you ready for the buzzer to sound? Teresa Bell Kindred reminds us to use the fourth quarter wisely and finish strong.

How can you keep holding on and believing? Hanging and persevering is worth it because joy follows morning just as morning follow night.

Honoring vows made more than a half century before 57 years earlier they stood before a minister and repeated the vows, their vows, to each other. "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part."

If a tree falls in the forest, is it really funny? We can choose our own joy because we get to choose our ending.

What will you write? Tom Norvell reflects on Paul writing the final chapter of his life and finishing his race.

"Dear Father, source of our strength, Be with every disciple, especially with your preachers. May they be urgent in season and out of season. Empower...."

Watching a Road Race taught me a lot about my life as a Christian The Christian life is much like a race. If you finish, you get a medal. If you don't finish... no medal.

The Lord's Supper is our regular reminder that Jesus is coming for us to share in his victory! Phil Ware continues our focus on the Lord's Supper called Beyond Bread and Wine: this week our focus is on Jesus' return in glory!

We wait in eager expectation until we share in our reunion with Jesus in glory! Phil Ware reminds us that The Lord's Supper is not a time to just look back, but also a time of great anticipation and eager expectation for the Lord's return.

Will you finish even if the going gets really tough? Hanging in there and persevering during tough times is not easy, but it is necessary and will develop our character.

How did the snail get on the ark? Paul Faulkner encourages us to press on and persevere.

Are you full of anticipation for this event? We should live passionately expecting the Lord's return.

What prizes have you found in Scripture? Phil Ware shares with us the surprises that he found in reading 2 Timothy and compares them with prize eggs at an event called Eggstravaganza.

Can you live certain that you will finish all you are supposed to do in this life before you leave it? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to challenge us to live for God and finish what he has given us to do by investing in future generations to carry on God's work.

As long as there is life, we have a mission and purpose to complete. Phil Ware reminds us that we are called to accomplish the mission God has called us to do so that when our days on earth are over we can say we have finished the work he has given us to do.

What a strange way to get folks to a display on Memorial Day! Phillip Morrison remembers a dear friend and patriot and faithful disciple named Bette Johnson.

What will they sing when you are gone? We miss our loved ones when they die, but we can live in such a way to make sure that we see them again.

Being the last to finish can still make you a winner It's not enough to start the Christian race. We have to persevere to the finish line if we want to win the prize.

Christmas isn't over; it has only just begun if we recognize that it is our job, together, to be Jesus to the world! Phil Ware reminds us that Christmas isn't over, but now our role is to be Jesus' people, his presence, in our world.

"Dear Beloved, As My apostle Paul's death grew near, he was confident of his deliverance as well as My return. Hear his beautiful words of faith:For I..."

Why do we present our children such a passionless discipleship? Phil Ware challenges us to a life of passionate discipleship and challenge our children to follow with boldness, using the life of Paul.

What can we learn from a chubby little Hobbit? The world needs more people like Sam, who are willing to be loyal, faithful, plodders and endure to the end.

"Dear Friend, I want you to feel the urgency in today's words that Paul wrote to Timothy. They come from the last of Paul's writings to his son in the..."

As human beings, we can survive almost any 'how' if we have a 'why'! — Viktor Frankl James Nored and Phil Ware share God's message for us about purpose and meaning through words and video, focusing on Viktor Frankl and the apostle Paul.

When it all goes in the box, how will your prayers end? Tom Norvell reflects on the words from Psalm 72 that the prayers of David are ended and he hopes his life, his prayers, end with praise like David's did.

What's good about sermons? Sermons are great and sorry, exciting and boring,

When is finishing third actually about winning? Olympic Marathon 2004 was wild with Vanderlei de Lima finishing third because of a weird attack, but he still finished.

How could we have this completely wrong? Phil Ware concludes his end of the year series called Beginning in Endings by talking about Anna and Simeon from Luke 2 and what they should teach us about aging and what to expect as we grow older.