They called it the “Miracle Mile,” and for good reason. Unbeknownst to the 35,000 spectators at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium on August 7, 1954, they were about to witness a race that would go down in history. During the British Empire and Commonwealth Games held that year, fans stood to their feet as Roger Bannister of England and John Landy of Australia competed head-to-head in a nail-biting one-mile run. Both finished in under four minutes, but only one took home the gold: Roger Bannister, who actually lagged behind for the majority of the race. However, during the final 90-yard stretch, Bannister closed the gap when John Landy committed the race-ending error of glancing over his shoulder to see where his opponent was. Because of Landy’s momentary lapse of concentration, Bannister left him in the dust and won the race.
When running a race, you cannot afford to look back, around, or down—you may lose momentum and the race altogether. To win the race, you must concentrate on the finish line and keep pressing on. And the same is true for the believer’s race of endurance toward the finish line of glory. Looking back on previous failures, looking down in discouragement, and looking around at what the world is doing will substantially impede any Christian running on the narrow road. That is why Paul the apostle said, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13b-14).
As believers, we must not look back with regret at the once-loved sins we have abandoned, like Lot’s wife, who longed to return to sinful Sodom and godless Gomorrah (Gen. 19:26; Luke 17:32; cf. Num. 11:5-6; Gal. 4:9). We must also resist looking down in dismay because of past sins, which may have caused us to fall behind in our race. While we must never forget who we were apart from Christ (Eph. 2:11-13), we must not dwell on already-forgiven sins to the point where we think about them more than God does (Heb. 10:17). Furthermore, we cannot afford to look around, enticed by the evils of those who aren’t even in the race. The world may roar from the stands, tempting us to take part in the works of darkness, but we must not become sidetracked (Prov. 1:10-19; 24:1).
Instead, we must look forward to the finish line and Jesus, who awaits us with a crown of victory (2 Tim. 4:7-8; cf. Heb. 12:1-2). We must press on toward glory with every grace-empowered spiritual muscle, whilst singing the words of We Shall Run and Not Be Weary, written by Barney Elliott Warren (1867-1951), which says, “I now am running in the Christian race, to gain the promised prize; through Jesus’ matchless, saving, keeping grace, we’ll crown Him in the skies.”
Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeomannewspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today,a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.
Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:
Numbness arrested my legs. Every step was an agonizing jolt, making it impossible to ignore the excruciating pain. Sweat trickled down my face and tears nearly did, too. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to throw in the towel. All of this agony stemmed from the 375-foot ascent to Eagle Point Buttress in the Red River Gorge of eastern Kentucky.
But once I got to the peak, the sights made the struggle worthwhile. The breathtaking panoramic views stretched as far as the eye could see, as lush pine valleys and rolling hills came together to paint an unforgettable landscape. The beautiful blue sky was like an ocean floating in the heavens. The sun cast a golden glow upon every rock, tree, and stream in the wilderness, illuminating the scene with warmth. And as I took in the incredible scenery, every ounce of my pain melted away.
And the Bible says the same thing about the believer’s earthly sufferings. The uphill climb of life’s trials can make you feel like giving up. There will be times when you feel like you can’t take another step on the tribulation-laden road to everlasting life. But the sight of Jesus Christ in glory will make all of your sufferings worthwhile. That is why Peter said, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).
Being with Jesus in heaven will far surpass the pain of your earthly hardships. As a matter of fact, the magnitude of your heavenly reward far outweighs the gravity of your tribulations on earth—so much so that a comparison between them is impossible! As Paul aptly said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). The troubles of this life are temporary and they weigh nothing compared to the weight of heaven: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). What is one drop of sorrow compared to an overflowing cup of joy in eternity? What are a thousand dark days compared to being forever in the light of God’s glorious presence?
I also snapped many photographs of the awe-inspiring peak to help me remember why the climb was well worth it. And believers likewise have a picture of heaven to encourage them that the excruciating climb of life will be worth it in the end: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4).
Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.
Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).
For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:
Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English shepherd), and Dot (beagle).
A special designation is assigned by God to all who refuse to succumb to the evil influences in the world and triumphantly conquer its temptations: conqueror. Jesus, the ultimate Conqueror, will grace you with heavenly rewards if you stand your ground victoriously against the flesh, the devil, and the world system. In fact, seven distinct rewards are promised, “to the one who conquers,” at the end of the letters to the churches of Asia Minor in Revelation 2-3. For believers who trample the world underfoot and win the war against the influence of the world, the enticement of the devil, and the lusts of the flesh, these seven rewards are promised:
(1)Access to the Tree of Life (Rev. 2:7b). “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” The tree of life was in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9), but Adam and Eve were restricted from it by cherubim with flaming swords because they had sinned against God (Gen. 3:24). The tree of life will be waiting in the new heavens and new earth to be enjoyed by all who overcame the world by the power of the Second Adam. Permission to the tree of life was denied in Eden because Adam and Eve listened to and obeyed the devil. Permission to the tree of life is granted in glory to those who listen to and obey God.
(2) Eternal Life (Rev. 2:10b-11). “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life . . . The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” The crown of life represents participation in Christ’s heavenly and victorious rule. Right now, you reign with Christ on earth in a spiritual and unseen kingdom. When all is said and done, you will reign with Christ on earth in a literal kingdom—in the new heavens and new earth. He will crown you with life if you are victorious over the world. He will also prevent you from being touched by the second death. The second death is, of course, the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14; 21:8). If you believe in Christ and overcome the world, you only die once. If you reject Christ and serve the world, you die twice. As someone once said, “Born once, die twice; born twice, die once.” The second death is of no concern to the overcomer.
(3) Feasting with Jesus (Rev. 2:17). “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Jesus promises that overcomers will feast with Him in eternity. The hidden manna is the heavenly food you will consume at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). You’ll share a feast with the True Bread from heaven Himself (John 6:32-33). The white stone is your admission token. It is the invitation pass to partake in Jesus’ supper. That it is white symbolizes righteousness, meaning those who receive it are only those made righteous by the atonement of Christ. And finally, the new name simply means you will have a new status in heaven. God’s name will be upon you (Rev. 22:3-4). Feasting with Christ—what a reward! To feast with Him, you must resist feasting at the table of the world, as God enables you by His grace. The conqueror is rewarded after a bloody fight with the world by eternal fellowship and feasting with the King of kings.
(4) Ruling and Reigning with Christ (Rev. 2:26-28). “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.” Jesus guarantees that if you triumph over the world you shall rule and reign with Him. Psalm 2 explained that the Messiah would build an invincible kingdom and you are part of it right now. You rule and reign with Christ in this life, for He has made you a kingdom (Rev. 1:6). Moreover, you do not need to worry about prestige and approval in this life, because in the next life you will rule with the Lord Jesus Christ.
(5) Your Name Will Remain in the Book of Life (Rev. 3:5). “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” Jesus promises that your name will never be removed from the book of life. In addition to the white robe of righteousness, which will be your heavenly attire, Christ assures that your name will never be taken out of His book. This book is, of course, the “registry” of the names of all believers. Christ also promises that He will confess your name before the Father and the angels in heaven. The assurance Christ gives here, that your name is permanently written in the book of life, is another way of describing the doctrine of the security of the believer’s salvation. All true believers will endure to the end, and part of that endurance is overcoming the world.
(6) Eternal Belonging to God (Rev. 3:12). “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” Christ says you’ll be a pillar in heaven, meaning, like a pillar, you will not be moved—your heavenly residence will be permanent. It’s not like a hotel where you check in at 3 and check out at 11 the next morning—once you check in to heaven, you can’t check out. Also, many names will be “written” on you, indicating complete irrevocable belonging to God. You name what is yours; you are God’s.
(7) Sharing in Jesus’ Victory (Rev. 3:21). “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” The overcomer will sit on the throne with Jesus Christ. Christ said something like this to His disciples in Matthew 19:28, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” In Revelation, that promise is expanded—the overcomer will sit on the throne with Jesus Christ. As Paul said, “If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12). Don’t you want to be there with Him? Don’t you want to be by His side throughout all eternity? What a wonderful promise to encourage us to persevere!
Will you wield your Sword, clothe yourself in armor, and brace yourself for a bloody fight (Eph. 6:10-20)? Will you persevere and stand your ground till the end? Will you be a conqueror?
Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.
Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).
Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).
Resources from the Ministry of Pastor Brandon G. Bramlett
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