Living Letters

Most of us want to hear Jesus say one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord”(Matt. 25:23).  But finishing well doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not how we start the race that defines us, it’s how we finish it.

Think about the Olympic 4×400 relay. Team USA has had some of the fastest runners in the world, yet they’ve been disqualified more than once, not because they lacked speed, but because they broke the rules or dropped the baton. The same is true spiritually. Talent isn’t enough. Good intentions aren’t enough. We must run faithfully, obediently, and with endurance.

Scripture gives us sobering reminders of what happens when we drift. Eli grew comfortable, then complacent, then compromised (1 Samuel 1-4). David, a man after God’s own heart, made devastating choices that rippled through his family for decades (2 Samuel 12-16, 24). Sin always has consequences, even when we’re forgiven.

But the Bible also calls us to something higher: Finishing Well. Dr. J. Robert Clinton, professor of leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary said, “only about 30% of biblical leaders in the Bible finished well.” This resource comes from Dr. Clinton’s lifelong research on biblical leadership from his book “The Making of a Leader.” That statistic should wake us up! Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to the rock, which caused him not to go into the promised land (Num. 20:1-13). God used Uzziah mightily, but he got prideful and was struck with leprosy in the end (2 Chron. 26). Asa trusted Syria instead of God (2 Chronicles 15-16). And if we’re honest, we know how easy it is for us to stumble.

So how do we endure? Paul gives Timothy, and us, a roadmap in 2 Timothy 2:1–8:

1. Endurance Begins With Grace

Paul says, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”(2 Tim. 2:1). Our strength doesn’t come from willpower but from union with Christ. Grace saves us, sustains us, and empowers us to keep going when we want to quit. Prayer, Scripture, and fellowship keep us rooted in that grace. The same grace that saved us is the same grace we need to bring us home.

2. Endurance Multiplies

Paul tells Timothy, “to entrust the gospel to faithful people who will teach others” ( 2 Tim. 2:2). The gospel was never meant to die with us. Passing it on strengthens our own endurance and builds the church for generations to come. Jesus’ last command was, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20). Just like passing on the baton in the 400-meter relay, we must pass on the gospel baton.

3. Endurance Looks Like a Soldier, Athlete, and Farmer

Paul gives us three 3 illustrations of what this endurance looks like in verses (2:3-6):

i.) A good soldier must deny himself and stay focused (Luke 9:23-27). The good soldier does not complain, or whine, or get mad during hardships or when he doesn’t get his way, instead he endures. A soldier does not tell the Commander what they are going to do! Instead, he reports for duty. A good soldier stays focused on the task at hand! We must be careful not to get entangled with the affairs of this life! Because a distracted soldier is a dead soldier. We must be “about our Father’s business” (Luke 2:49) because “the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). Paul wrote, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).

ii.) An athlete is disciplined and must compete by the rules (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Just think about any professional sport or the Olympics and the time and training the athletes do to get where they are at. We must do the same for our Lord and Savior. We must be fully committed, disciplined, and dedicated to Christ and the gospel, if we are to endure to the end! If we do not train or commit to it we will either quit or become disqualified! Jesus said, “It’s he that endures to the end that will be saved” (Matt. 24:13).

iii.) A farmer works diligently and patiently. The farmer gets up before the sun comes up and does not stop till the sun goes down. Farming is hard work! The farmer must be diligent and patient! The labor of the farmer is plowing, planting, sowing, fertilizing, weeding, protecting, harvesting, storing, transporting, and selling. Let’s not forget asking God for rain! The farmer must be patient before he will reap what he has sown (Gal. 6:7-9). The farmer’s diligent investment of sweat and toil earns him the right to be the first in the field to enjoy its bounty. And no one else will enjoy it more!

These images remind us that the Christian life requires denial, discipline, diligence, sacrifice, and perseverance. The Christian should work harder than the soldier, athlete, and farmer because souls are at stake! Paul encourages Timothy to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

4. Endurance Anchors Itself in Jesus

Paul ends with the ultimate motivation:

Remember Jesus Christ! Remember whose you are (1 Cor. 6:20).

Remember the empty tomb. He is Risen! (Lk. 24:5-7; Ps. 18:46)

Remember the throne is occupied. God’s got this! (Heb. 1:1-3; Phil. 2:5-9; Rom. 8:34)

Remember He is coming again. (John 14:1-3; Rev. 19)

That’s why we endure. That’s how we finish well. We will run in a way that makes it clear which team you are on! Let us be honest and ask ourselves: Am I on team Jesus or team Satan? Paul says, “Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).

So ask yourself today: Am I running in such a way that glorifies Christ? Ask Him for grace. Ask Him for endurance. And keep your eyes on Jesus, the One who will never fail you.

Keep Running,

Heath

Luke 17:26-30 people were eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building.

(February 13, 2026)

            Last time I wrote about “What is a God-Conscience?” and “How can I attain a God-Conscience?” I believe that it is only wise to show the other side of the coin: “What does it mean to not have a God-Conscience?” I heard a statement the other day that piqued my interest, and it was “Contrasts are the mother of all clarity.” I find this to be true, maybe that is why the Bible is full of them (good & evil, light & dark, wise & foolish, righteous & wicked, life & death).

            I believe Jesus paints us a perfect picture of what it is like to not have a God-Conscience when the Pharisees asked Him about His return. He told them, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).

            Notice first of all what Jesus did not say as He mentioned the days of Noah and Lot. He did not mention how evil and wicked men were in that day (Gen. 6:5). Nor did He mention how corrupt the earth was and that it was filled with violence (Gen. 6:11), during the days of Noah. Jesus also did not list all of the gross sins of Lot’s days in Sodom & Gomorrah. Like when all the people of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house to try to have sex with the two angels (Gen. 19:4-5). Or when Lot offered up his two virgin daughters to the mob to take the place of the angels (Gen. 19:8). Even after the angels struck the sex crazed mob with blindness, they were still trying to find the door until the point of exhaustion (Gen. 19:11). Jesus did not mention any of this! But instead, He said, “people were eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building.” These are not sins, or are they! These are not bad things, so what is Jesus saying? What Jesus is saying is just like the people in the days of Noah & Lot: they were going through everyday life, life as usual, without God in any part of their life, so it will be when He returns the second time! In other words, these things Jesus listed are idols if they come before Him, they are sins. As we look at our culture, we are there. Not only do people not think or care about God, but these sins that were prevalent in those days are just as prevalent today. John MacArthur wrote, “People will ignore all these warnings God has given us, and life will go on as usual until it is too late and divine judgment falls on the unprepared world.” This is what it means not to have a God-Conscience.

            Let us prayerfully consider these questions for self-examination. One is “How often do we think about the Lord and the works of His hands?” Secondly, “How much private, intimate time do we spend with the Lord?” Have you ever thought about how much you are on the Lord’s mind? David writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You” (Ps. 139:13-18). All one can say is “Wow” and be in reverence and Awe of our Great and Awesome God.

But God does not stop there. Have you ever thought about what the Lord was doing before He created everything? I thought about it, and I discovered you and I were on His mind. Almighty God was thinking about you and me before the foundations of the world. Paul wrote, “He [God] chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:4-6). Again, all one can be is left in utter amazement! Knowing this should bring a deeper awe, deeper love, and deeper wonder to worship our LORD God. There is no God like Jehovah! But God did not stop showing His love there, He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Jesus gave us an example of how to live and taught us how to walk with Him through the Gospels. God demonstrated His love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Jesus cried out from the cross for us, saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). No greater love than this, than lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13; 3:16-17). So again, I ask, “How often do you think about our Great and Awesome God?”

            Lastly, “How much private, intimate time do we spend with Jesus?” What is going to matter and be effective is what is seen and done in private. The Greatest Preacher in the greatest sermon ever said, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:6). The rewards He speaks about are found in Psalm 91. When Jesus chose the twelve disciples, the first thing mentioned is “that they might be with Him” (Mark 3:14). May the Lord consume our hearts and our minds so that we will be like Mary, choosing the best thing, sitting at Jesus feet, listening to His words in a Martha world (Luke 10:38-42). Whoever or whatever is important to us is what we will make time for! Where is Jesus at on our priority list?

May we be found in Christ,

Heath Benfield

(February 8, 2026)

“I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” (Acts 24:16)

            Here are a couple of questions that have come to my mind this past week: “What is a God-Conscience?” And “How can I attain it?” I believe these are great questions and are worth meditating on. As I prayed and meditated on these questions, this is what came to mind.

            First, having a God-consciousness is having our affections, desires, and minds set on the Lord. One must seek out what God loves and hates (Eph. 5:10). As Isaiah was praising the Lord he wrote, inspired by the Spirit of God, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:3-4). When our minds wander to places, they shouldn’t go, we must reel them back in by “casting down arguments and every high thing [imagination] that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

            We will only have a God-conscience if we are truly in love with Him. Jesus said, “love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength” (Matt. 22:36-38). Whatever or whoever is important to us will sit on the throne of our hearts, driving our thought life. Here are a few examples, but not limited to, if one loves sports, cars, hunting, fishing, etc. These things are what that person will talk about the most because that is what is on his heart. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). I am not saying these things are bad, but I am saying if these things are above our Lord Jesus, then they are idols, and we must repent and give them their proper place. Jesus demands to be on the throne of our hearts (Luke 9:23-27; Luke 14:26-27).

            Secondly, Paul tells us how we are to attain a God-consciousness. He writes, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). First, to be spiritually minded is to be born again (Rom. 8:7-11). You cannot have a God conscience if you have not been born again because “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Second, to be spiritually minded is to be Scripturally minded! To set our minds on the Spirit is to set our minds on God’s word, because, as Augustine of Hippo said, “Where Scripture speaks, God speaks.” Paul told young Timothy to stick to the “Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise” (2 Tim. 3:15). He goes on to say, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). All Scripture is inspired by the Spirit of God, therefore, we must let the word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16) because Scripture is the mind of Christ written by the Spirit of God.

            If we are going to be Scripturally minded, we are going to need to start by praying for it (1 John 5:14-15). Next, we will need to prepare our hearts (Ezra 7:10). We will need to get rid of sin in our lives (1 Peter 2:1). D. L. Moody said, “Sin will keep us from our Bibles, or our Bibles will keep us from sin.” Lastly, we will need an appetite and desire for it (Matt. 4:4; 1 Peter 2:2).

            After Moses died and the gospel torch was passed on to Joshua, God commissioned Joshua, “To not let the Book of the Law depart from his mouth but [to constantly be in it] to meditate in it day and night, that you may [obey] observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and have good success” (Joshua 1:8). This is still relevant for today! If we are to be successful and prosperous in everyday life, relationships, and ministry (Psalm 1), we are going to have to live, obey, and share God’s word with others. Charles Swindoll was asked by students, while he was president of Dallas Theological Seminary, “Why do you always carry your Bible?” His response was golden. He stated, “Because I have nothing good to say. People don’t need to hear what I have to say but rather what God has to say.” We must tell people what God is saying from His word, and not give our opinions.

            Clearly, we have discovered that if someone is to have a God-consciousness, we must truly be in love with the Lord Jesus and His word. Both King Jesus and His word are alive (Luke 24:5-7; Heb. 4:12). How one can say “I love Jesus” and not be in His word is a great mystery to me! Jesus is the Word, and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1-3; Rev. 19:13).

            Finally, our culture is in great need of biblical thinking. John MacArthur stated, “The Bible leaves no doubt that people’s lives are the products of their thoughts.” Solomon wrote, “So a man thinks, so is he” (Pro. 23:7). Paul says, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8). May the Lord increase our love for Him and His word that we would have a more sensitive consciousness towards God.

May we be found in Christ,

Heath Benfield