Arizona republican., 1917-07-30
I HAVE FOUGHT GOOD FIGHT; HAVE KEPT
 FAITH SAID PAUL

The rain did not keep seventy five people from being present at Bible school of the First Christian church yesterday morning. Inasmuch as all teachers were not present, Rev. Bu- chanan took charge of the senior de- partment. Following Bible school, the communion was served. The Christian church neither invites nor debars peo- pie from this service, but, If a follower of Christ, he invites you to commune with Him at His table. Rev. Buchanan then talked upon Fighting for Christ" taking his text from the fourth cha apter of Second Timothy, the seventh verse: T have fought a good fight, have fin ished my course, I have kept the faith"
 These were the words of the Apostle Paul to the young minister Timothy The Apostle Paul felt that his days were numbered, and he turned to this young disciple of Jesus Christ and said, T have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. 1 have kept the faith. Now I want you to fight the same as I have"
 Paul was an old man when he ut tered these words; he was ready to abide in Christ; he was ready to walk outside of the city of Rome and permit them to sever his head from his body He felt that his usefulness was over, that he had run his course he had fought a good fight, and there was a crown laid up for him in Heaven. And so, friends, we have before us a man 1 that stood for the things that were | righteous.
 Paul started his life fighting. Some of us object to fighting and it is right | that we do-a certain kind of fighting h1tt Do Il inh boyhood until the close of his life Dur ing his schooldays, Paul probably took his part. do not mean to picture Paul with his fists open; but being such a worker and fighter in the last days of his life for Christ, he probably was a scrapper in his early days. We find l him in early life fighting against ! Christ. He believed it was right for | him to take his course and put down the followers of Christ in order that i they might not have power or repre- sentation on earth We find him first at the stoning of Stephen and after the death of Stephen, and after Paul had tried to bring the Christians under subiection, he learned that Christ was the Redeemer, and then he said Lord
 what will you have me to do. Then the | Lord sent him into the world to preach JeSuS- NOW 1dul QonS the aIHOT Ol Christ. He puts on the helmet of sal vation; he girds his loins with the
 truth of the Gospel; he puts into his left hand the shield of faith, and in his right hand the sword of the spirit not as a soldier of the Roman empire
 but as a soldier of Jesus Christ. He fights to save men that Christ might be the king.
 70, for more men that will don the armor of Christ Jesus, that vii go out | and fight with the Sword and the Spirit. After having fought fierce bat
 ties for Jesus Paul was ready to be offered up. Paul seemed to have one round of fighting. He wrote these
 words: I therefore so run, not as un- certainly; so fight I, not as one that
 beateth the air He fought as a fel-
 low man; he knew that men an6
 women outside of Jesus Christ are lost;
 he knew this world away from Jesus Christ is lost. He fought for right eousness and for the souls of men
 Therefore, said Paul, T am not beat
 ing the air You will find a great many people in the world today mak- ing fun of religion: but the Apostle
 Paul said, I know why am fighting
 During his lifetime Paul had no rest 1 WnateNeT. we nave no tune to Sll down and fold our hands in this wicked world-we should let the world know that it does mean something to be 2 Christian.
 Tt is not Gods will that this world should have peace through the sword and our brothers blood Gods will is that the world should be guided through the sword of peace, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you believe he is the divine Son of God? If you do not you have nothing to fight for-for we must believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God The req son so many are not willing to give their money to God, to surrender theil belongings to God, is because they dc not believe that Jesus Christ is able to take this world for righteousness