Until the age of 40, most people do not have time to look back on their lives, only forward and sideways. However, at 40, they take a moment to look back and take account of their lives. When I was young, I heard from the grown-ups that it was very difficult to get beyond the age of 40. At the time, I thought that when a person reached 40, something happened to threaten his or her life; it caused me to worry. However, it wasn't a threat on life, but at 40, a person reaches a crossroad to failure or success in life. After 40, people begin to look back on their lives and realize that before long, they will be 60. After 60, people spend 70% of their time looking back on their past.
      When the teacher Paul became old and felt that his days of martyrdom were reaching the end, he sent a letter to his spiritual son Timothy (2 Ti 4:6-8).


1. I have fought the good fight (Mt 11:12).
   1) From the very moment a person accepts Christ as Savior, the physical and spiritual
      struggle begins. It is a struggle between whether a person will follow Christ every
      moment or follow the temptations of Satan, worldly seduction, and the fleshly body
      (Ro 7:18-23; 2 Co 10:3,4; Eph 6:12).
   2) The hope and goal of believing in Christ and going to heaven is a noble one
       (Pr 3:5,6).
      (1) Before Israel could reach Canaan, they had to face the struggle of the Exodus, at
         the Red Sea, in the desert, and in Canaan (Dt 7:1,2).
      (2) Until we reach heaven, we face the struggle with our carnal and fleshly desires,
         the temptation of the world, the conflict due to our life of faith, the slow decay of
         faith, and persecution (Heb 12:4,5; 1 Pe 2:11).

2. I have finished the race.
   1) Life is a race. To go forward, we cannot walk slowly. We must run.
      (1) Each individual must run.
      (2) The people and the nation must run.
      (3) Don't be a dropout in life.
   2) The life of faith is also a race.
      (1) The Israelites departed from Egypt, passed through the Red Sea, the desert,
          Kadesh Barnea, and finally to Canaan (Ps 106:24-27,28,29).
      (2) Our church has been running, too (Php 3:12-14).
      (3) The personal life of faith is also a spiritual race (Heb 12:1; 10:37,38; 1 Co 9:24).

3. I have kept the faith.
   1) After the Israelites came into Canaan, they could not keep the land.
       They departed from God, worshipped idols, and followed after the world and Satan
       (Ps 106:34-36,40,41).
   2) The Christian world that could not keep the faith.
      (1) Europe only has traditions remaining and has lost the faith.
      (2) America is becoming secularized very quickly.
      (3) Korean churches are also slowly becoming a shell of tradition (Rev. 3:15).
      (4) Has our church lost the zeal it had in the beginning? (Rev. 3:19,20)
   3) The ones standing must be careful not to fall (1 Co 10:12).
      (1) Starting up a business is less difficult than maintaining one.
      (2) America, after its victory over Iraq has more trouble in maintaining that victory.
      (3) Don't be lazy, but be zealous as you serve the Lord (Ro 12:11,12; Jn 14:16;
          Ro 8:14,26; Mt 4:4; 1 Pe 4:7,10,11; Gal 6:8,9; Isa 40:31).

4. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.
   1) The crown given to those who prevail to the end - His Kingdom, His righteousness
      (1 Co 9:25; Rev 3:11).
   2) The crown given to those who keep true to their calling - Parable of the Talents
      (Mt 25:21).
   3) The crown given to those who long for the Lord's return (Da 12:3; 2 Ti 4:7,8; 1 Pe
      5:3,4; Rev 2:10; Jas 1:12; Rev 4:4).


      Like the apostle Paul, we must all fight the good spiritual fight without becoming exhausted. The race of faith that we have begun must be run with patience and perseverance; we must fight with all of our strength to keep the faith that was entrusted to us by the Lord (Jude 1:3). On that day when we stand before Him, all of us should hear the Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"