I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, it's the 15th of December, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We start in the First book of Timothy 6:12: 

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."  

We have got to fight the good fight. We have got to put on that armour of God every single morning because we are in the fight of our lives. I can hear somebody saying, "Oh, but the battle has been fought and the victory is ours when Jesus died and rose from the dead." Quite correct, absolutely correct, but still there is a fight and the fight is within us. Remember what they say? It's not the dog in the fight that wins, but the fight in the dog. Robert Schuller said, "Tough times do not last but tough people do." 

Rocky Marciano was the only heavyweight boxing champion of the world to have never lost a title fight - 49 fights, 49 wins. He only stood 5 foot 10" tall and weighed about 85 kilos, but what was the secret with Rocky Marciano? The secret was - he never gave up. He could take incredible pain. He was hugely disciplined. You know, I have two little Jack Russells. They think that they are Great Danes! They don't know how to go backwards. There is only one gear they have and that is forward.  

You and I need to fight the good fight of faith. We need to run this race to the finish line. We need to take hold of that eternal life that we were promised and called to. We have got to flee from sin, we have to vigorously pursue this fight with virtue, strong, healthy, full of energy. Oh my dear friend, I am talking to somebody who is down and out. I am talking to somebody who is giving up the race. You have run such a great race. Why are you stopping now? Get up, dust yourself off and get back in the fight.  

Now, Paul spoke about a fight, it's in the Bible, folks and I don't think there was a greater fighter than the Apostle Paul, who refused to give up and gave the devil the biggest hiding that he had had for a long time since Jesus walked on this earth. Today, let us confess, "Lord, we need You. Lord, we acknowledge that you are in our corner and Lord, we know we cannot lose this fight if you are with us." He has promised us in Hebrews 13:5:

"I will never leave you and I will never forsake you."

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,
Goodbye.