“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13-14
Having met John Bisagno and even fished with him after he retired, I took great interest in this story told by Frank Cox. “Upon his retirement John Bisagno, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Houston, Texas preached a dynamic sermon. During his sermon he shared a burden about people who start well, but who do not finish well. When Bisagno finished his college days, he and all the young men who were graduating and entering the ministry decided they were going to pray for one another throughout their ministry. Each passed around their Bibles and every man wrote his name and created a prayer list. Bisagno said over the years he would hear of one of his friends who had dropped out of the ministry for various reasons. He would take his Bible, open to the front flap where their names were written, and with a pen he would scratch through the name. When he retired from active pastorate of First Baptist Houston, of the original 24 names there were only two names beside Bisagno’s left in the ministry.”
What a sad story! It is heart -breaking to see so many fail to finish the work God has called them to do. And, after more than half a century in the ministry I’ve seen it happen over and over. I’m not just talking about preachers. God has a plan for each of us and He expects us to fulfill it. To do so we must press on regardless of the cost, circumstances, or consequences. It is that important! To do so we must ever keep looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12:2-3).
Perhaps you are discouraged and tempted to quit or perhaps your pace has slackened to a crawl, or perhaps you have already fallen and it looks like it’s over, or maybe you’ve already wasted precious years. Regardless of where you are in life it is not too late to finish well. The same God who called you will help you. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13). I pray that you, and we all, will come to the end of our journey being able to say as Paul did in 2 Tim. 4:6-7 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” It might be too late to do what you could have done, but it isn’t too late to do what you should. With God’s help you can rise out of the ashes of failure and live a fruitful life doing something of eternal value. God is able! Are you willing? – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
