Keep the Faith In the book of 2 Timothy, we find Paul writing a letter to Timothy, a fellow missionary. Many Bible scholars believe that this was the last letter Paul wrote before his death and that he wrote it from a Roman prison cell. Reflecting on his own life and believing that his death is coming soon, Paul writes that powerful passage: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 NIV Faithful. Paul was faithful to God and, without end, God was faithful to Paul. Shipwrecked. Stoned. Abandoned by friends. Imprisoned. The list of what Paul ‌suffered goes on and on. But he ‌persevered. He ‌remained steadfast in his devotion to Christ. When you think about your life, what do you want to be able to say at the end? What will you see when you look back? In Paul, we see an example of what it is to cling to faith in Christ. He knew what it was to be dependent on God for everything. He drew strength from God because he could not do it without him. In our own lives, we will face moments of doubt or discouragement. Let us hold fast to the truth of God's Word, knowing that He is faithful and will never leave us. May it be said of us, at the end of our lives, that we, too, fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

Love One Another Jesus gave a new command to His disciples toward the end of His life. He said to them… “A new commandment I give you to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 ESV John later wrote to Christians reminding them of this command. He said... “And now I ask you … that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments: this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning so that you should walk in it.” 2 John 1:5-6 ESV John taught that it was an act of love when Christians obeyed Jesus by loving one another. This was important because it would show the world that they were His disciples. Christ-followers who loved one another despite their differences in race, country, background, and experience showed how much the saving grace and love of Jesus could change and save people. This is still a command for us. The love we have for one another is vital to what others see when they look at Jesus' followers. If people who don’t believe in Jesus see Christians loving each other in the midst of difficult or violent times, it will be a picture of the love God has for all of us. It’s while we were still sinners that Christ died for us. It’s while we were apart from God that He loved us. He loved us enough to die for us. This is the kind of love we are to have for one another. So think of some ways you can show love to other believers in Jesus. By doing so, you will obey your Lord Jesus and you will be walking in His ways.

Let's Love People Well You were created for community. When God designed humans, He made us with the intention of placing us within a loving family. Today, we call that family the Church. God’s original intention was that we would exist within a family of other believers. He didn’t intend for us to exist in isolation or be separated from other people. Life was not meant to be lived alone. Regardless of what your family experience was like, God intended for His family to be loving and caring. And it’s the qualities of God’s family that Paul is writing about in Romans 12. Paul says to be devoted to one another in love. That means that we are to walk alongside other people through the various seasons of life. We should never abandon people when life gets hard. Paul also encourages us to honor others. Instead of seeking self-recognition, we should honor and encourage each other. Instead of pursuing what seems best for us, we should seek the good of other people first. Devotion and honor are just two aspects of loving people well, but Jesus said that the world will recognize us as His disciples by the way that we love. This means that we have to genuinely love others—not just pretend to love them. And the place we need to start showing genuine honor is within our spiritual family. Rather than letting self-promotion divide the family of God, our goal should be to honor those around us. If we won’t learn how to love people who follow Jesus, then we won’t know how to love people who don’t. That’s why we should frequently pause and take an assessment on how we are doing at loving others. So take a moment right now to think about the ways in which you loved and honored people this past week. Write down two or three things you can do to continue to show love to those in your life.

Patient Endurance When we become Christians, we might be tempted to cling to a false belief that our lives will be problem-free. But the truth is: everyone experiences suffering. However, when you belong to Jesus, you don’t go through painful situations alone. And whatever hardships you face, it’s not the end of your story. God sees us on the best and worst days of our lives, but His love for us does not change. He understands our deepest suffering because He experienced it Himself when He became Immanuel, “God with us.” When we feel overwhelmed by our circumstances, God can show us how to find rest. When we give our burdens to Him, He can refresh our heavy hearts. God can handle our pain because He understands our hardships. He is trustworthy and faithful. Even when our circumstances feel dark and hopeless, we can trust that He will carry us through every situation. Suffering is a part of being human, but we honor God by handing our hardships over to Him, and looking for the ways that He's at work in our situations. Today, spend some time with God and talk to Him about your hurts. Ask Him to comfort you, and tell Him what you need in order to face your circumstances with courage and strength.