How to End Well - Dr Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 4:6-8 Many people think about the last years of life as an opportunity to just relax. But this does not  align with God's purpose for us; He wants us to serve Him all the days of our lives. Let's look at the apostle Paul's journey and explore what it means to finish well. He spent time  pouring into others until the very end of his life. Consider the letters he wrote to Timothy from a  prison cell prior to being executed. In every season of life, God calls us to serve others. And notice how, when writing about his life, the apostle chose words descriptive of a battle. He  understood the human struggle against sin as well as the challenges of pain and persecution in the  trials we all face--even in doing kingdom work like preaching Christ to a fiercely resistant society. This godly servant's life was also marked by surrender. His mindset is obvious in these words:  "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service  of worship" (Rom. 12:1). He was not afraid of Nero, nor was he struggling to stay alive. Paul trusted  God to determine everything about his life, including where he would go, what he would do, and  when he would die. Death did not scare him, because he knew he would dwell with Jesus forever. God doesn't require our lives to be perfect in order to finish strong. We can live life fully and be  ready to meet our Maker by surrendering, walking victoriously with Christ, and serving others. If  Jesus called you home today, would you--like Paul--be confident that you lived well until the end?  For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit  www.intouch.org. Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.