Finish Well
April 25, 2022
00:01:00
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Have you ever seen one of those track and field events where the runner starts out in blazing fashion, leading the pack for majority of the race, only to stumble just before reaching the finish line?
Starting the race well and running well are vitally important, but if we don’t finish the race well, all else can be overthrown.
The Apostle Paul penned those words, having fought the good fight, right on to the end as he faced imminent execution under Nero’s sword.
Let us all brothers and sisters set our courses to finish well.
The borrower is slave to the lender.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Prior to the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, over 80% of American families were debt free.
Today, over 80% of the American people are saddled with debt.
I was asked recently asked what advice I could offer in the midst of the national tension we currently face. One of the things I said in response was to work toward getting completely out of debt.
So much fruitfulness and faithfulness to God has been robbed from us due to the impact of crushing debt.
One of the best things you can do for your family right now is to become debt-free.
"Faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Karl Marx, an emissary of evil, and Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” were evangelists of diametrically opposed messages, yet they both lived in London and the same time.
In fact, when asked the name of the person he most detested, Friedrich Engels, Marx’s cohort in chaos, responded unequivocally: “Spurgeon.”
A generation later George Bernard Shaw, a hardcore communist, seethed in hatred for William Booth and his Salvation Army of volunteers.
Time and again, robust Christian witness has been the inoculate against the proliferation of Marxist poison in society.
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.” 2 Timothy 3:10 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Apostle Paul penned his second epistle to Timothy, now an Elder in the Church at Ephesus, about 64-65 A.D. while imprisoned in Rome awaiting his imminent execution under Nero.
In warning Timothy about the coming perilous times, marked by the increased anti-Christian persecution in the Roman empire in 64 A.D., Paul directed Timothy to his speech and his feet.
In speech, Paul gave Timothy priceless Biblical instruction. In feet, Paul left Timothy a legacy of lifestyle.
Christ-following demands consistency between speech and feet.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
In his October 11, 1798 address to the Massachusetts Militia, John Adams, 2nd President of the United States and founding father said,
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
He understood that in order for the American Constitutional Republic to survive long term the church in America must make disciples of its populace.
An immoral people will always destroy themselves through lawlessness. To think otherwise, is to suffer under a grand delusion.
And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
My Name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
When Queries by the pharisees concerning the greatest commandment, Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
He then said the second greatest commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
He didn't simply say love your neighbor. He said Christ followers must love our neighbors as ourselves.
Christian duty requires us to employ discernment and active empathy. We worship our Lord when we put ourselves in one another's shoes as we do live together and resolve misunderstandings.
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When my wife and I first started having children we discouraged our family members from speaking to them in baby talk… you know the gaga-googoo stuff.
The reason was simple. We wanted our children to speak English well. Baby talk would hinder that development.
The same principle applies to spiritual development.
If we want our children to be wise disciples of our LORD we should ask ourselves how much of their time is spent investing in spiritual maturity.
Protracted time in the company of spiritual baby-talkers will inevitably cause harm.
“The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.” Proverbs 15:31 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The book of Proverbs is one that flows with abundant insight for wisdom. It shows that one of the most prominent qualities of wise people is that they welcome and even celebrate life-giving correction.
In today’s world, overrun by cultural Marxism, there is much discussion as to what segments of our society hate themselves.
Well, Proverbs gives the answer. He who rejects life-giving correction despises himself.
The truest demonstration of self-hatred is revealed by knuckleheads who refuse to humble themselves and
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Psalm 46 is a popular Psalm as it includes the text, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This was the conclusion to a Psalm that previously observed,
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
This described what looked like the end of the world. Nevertheless, the Psalmist remained unshaken. He refused to allow present difficulty to cause him to forget God’s past faithfulness.
Virus or no virus, God is our refuge and strength.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Matthew 19:5 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
With this statement Jesus affirmed what He’d already said in Genesis 1 and 2 and defined marriage for all time. Contrary to the protestations of the nouveau critical theorists, the nuclear family consisting of a married father and mother is not a western sociological prescription or construct.
Marriage did not originate in the west. It’s origin isn’t suburban America.
It started in Genesis, in the Garden of Eden. Marriage is God’s idea. Therefore, He alone defines it. If you don’t like it, your problem is with God… not me.
“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
I'm Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Acts 17:26 conveys to us the reality that we were born and placed in the 21st century by God’s specific design. He determined before time where we would live and when we would live there.
If you’re in Minnesota, Mississippi, or Maine, God put you there on purpose.
He’s not surprised by the darkness we see around us, nor is He caught off guard by it. In fact, He specifically prepared for it by making sure you’re alive right now. God can do whatever He wants, but He’s chosen to use you and me as ambassadors of His kingdom.
We are His torches to light up the darkness.
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The verses from Colossians I just quoted are immediately followed by:
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
The delusion and deception of humanistic philosophy require its prey to become bitter, entitled, and unthankful.
To remain impervious to deception, we must abound in thanksgiving to God.
Thanksgiving empowers us to reject the captivity of today’s grievance culture.
"So the chief Priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well."
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
After Jesus resurrected Lazarus his and Lazarus’ fame spread. They already planned to kill Jesus. But now, because Lazarus was tangible evidence of Jesus’ resurrection power, the chief priests and Pharisees plotted to kill Lazarus too.
They never worried about Lazarus before. But now, because he is a walking billboard of Christ’s power, they want him dead too.
This, brothers and sisters, is why many come against you. It isn’t personal, but Satanic forces can’t stand your representation of God’s power to transform lives.
That’s why we rejoice when we’re slandered for His namesake. Christ’s power is on display.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice.” Romans 12:15(a).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Michael, a five-year-old boy, showed up at the courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for an adoption hearing with his foster parents, and he had a crowd of unusual supporters.
Michael's entire kindergarten class sat in the audience behind him waving big red hearts mounted on wooden sticks to show their support.
The kindergartners offered the most touching answers, standing up and telling the court, "I love Michael" or "Michael's my best friend.”
Michael's new father and mother have been married for nearly 10 years, and he'd been living with them as a foster child for more than year.
Adoption truly is at the heart of the Gospel.
"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” Proverbs 16:6 (KJV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
We live in a day when churches are filled with people ready to hear and receive God’s mercy. Unfortunately, however, it is often accompanied by a de-emphasis or concealment of the truth of God’s Word.
Paul, the salvation-by-grace-through-faith Apostle, was asked if salvation is solely a product of grace what benefit then does the law provide. Paul responded, “Without the law, I wouldn’t have known God’s righteous standard and how far away from it I was.”
Any presentation of God’s mercy absent of God’s truth is no Gospel at all.
Iniquity is purged by mercy and truth.
“Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:15 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
A friend of mine who pastors in Nigeria once said to me “ya know, America has sent more missionaries into the world than any other nation before it. But the nation that once sent missionaries has now become the mission field.”
As you consider the calling God has for you, I just want to remind you that just as other nations need missionaries we need missionaries in America too.
There are a lot of neighborhoods right here in our country that desperately need evangelism and discipleship. Let’s not forget them.
"Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Today some professing Christians assert that Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Intersectionality are helpful tools for the Church. These people have an appearance of godliness, but their assertions deny the sufficiency of God’s Word to guide the Church in living out the reconciliation Jesus secured for us on the cross.
Make no mistake, as Paul told Timothy, the God-breathed Scripture is sufficient for teaching, for correction, for training in righteousness.
Those who have an appearance of godliness, but deny the power of God’s Word for doctrine and practice must be identified and avoided.
“She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6(b) (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Genesis 3 records for us the cataclysmic rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. The entire episode, Eve’s entertainment of the sensual lies of the talking snake, the deceptive twisting of God’s word, all of it transpired with Adam standing right there.
Adam was the one to whom God entrusted his word to originally, Adam was the one God charged with cultivating and protecting the garden and his wife.
Yet he stood there silent.
Men, let us not repeat Adam’s sin of present absence.
Stand on God’s word and defend your gardens!
"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
A generation has been taught they descend from animals, that there is no God.
They’ve been taught they are nothing more than a cosmic accident, they have no purpose and life has no meaning.
Life’s meaninglessness has been punctuated for them by the 60 million children who’ve been slaughtered in the womb… and counting.
But society is shocked when they act out exactly as they’ve been taught… like animals with no conscience.
Respect for human life begins with respect for the Life-Giver.
America needs repentance!
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Buzz Aldrin is the famed astronaut who planted the American flag on the moon and explored it for some 21 hours.
What many don’t know, however, is what Mr. Aldrin did to commemorate the moon landing.
Aldrin, a committed Christian and Elder in his local church, marked the incredible occasion by celebrating Holy Communion. This first meal ever eaten on the moon was a celebration of the LORD’s table, a lunar declaration that Jesus Christ is our LORD, Savior, and soon coming King.
