How The Story Ends (Ada Huntley)

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NKJV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Intro

Back in November, my youngest son came across a game on ESPN Classic. I told him the outcome as Alabama was tied with its in-state rival. with 32 seconds left on the clock I told him to watch this as Auburn wins. HE said daddy How do you know? Because I watched it live when you were a baby and I know how the story ends...

you remember how my school tried a 57 yard FG attempt which was double wide right and Chris Davis caught it and ran 100 yard to the other endzone...

In this thing called life, I’ve come to find out it not where you start, when you start, or how it starts that really matters. What matters the most is how you handle the hyphen. The time between the beginning and the end. The time between your Genesis and your revelation.

It matters how you live it? Because how you live it determines how the story ends.

We can summize for the holy word of God that questionable beginnings don’t determine your outcome...

We can look at Moses who was orphaned and became a drum major for his people to escape the bondage of Egypt’s hand of slavery.

We can even look at our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who started his life in a barn, using a pig troph for a bed.

Moses and Jesus simple teach us that undesirable circumstances and conditions should not dictate our course in life, but how you live it is what matters.

Rev. Lowery, I’ve even come to learn that it matters not where you live that determines the outcome...

David and his Solomon lived in mighty palaces, yet David was a man after God’s own heart, and Solomon was the wisest human to walk the earth.

Even Jesus, reminds us that he had no earthly home, (even the foxes have dens, and the birds of nest, but the Son of man has no where to lay his head).

And even his own disciple Nathaniel was even put off by where Jesus was from asking, Can anything good come from Nazaretth.

Once agian I suggest it doesn’t matter where you begin or where you come from, it’s all baout how you end.

In our text the apostle Paul is encouraging a young preacher timothy reminded him that he, Paul has fought a good fight and that he’s finished his course. There’s a crown of righteousness laid up for me...

Paul is simply saying, Here’s the end of the story… IT doesn’t matter where you come from, what you come from…

Paul reminds us it not about when or where you start as long as your start.

Paul reminds us that on this journey you going have to be like Ms. Sophia on the color purple as say “ALL MY LIFE I’ve HAD TO FIGHT.”

In life,

I’m not sure if you got the Snapchat, Tweet, the text, the email, or the memo… but here it is...

In this life you there will be obstacles on the journey. There will be bumps and bruises, heartache, trial, tribulations, and tempations...

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 NKJV

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

But for every burden there is a blessing...

Frankie Bevely & Maize put it like this...

Joy & Pain are like sunshine and rain

Over and over you can be sure there will be sorrow, but you will endure

Where there’s a flower, there’s sun and the rain...

For every fight remember that all things work together for the good, especially if you know how the story ends…(Car battery)

I beleive if Deaconess Huntley wanted to came back she would simply...

Life is about how you live for God, how treat others, and how you handle the Good time, the bad time and the in btewwen times..

I’m sue she would say I just simply learned to Bless the Lord at all times...

I’m sure she could quote langston Hughes and tell us that

life hasn’t been a crystal stair,

Its had tacks in it

and splinters,

and boards torn up

and places with no carpet o nthe floor bare

But all the time

I’se been a climbin on

and reachin’ landings

and turnin cornerz

and sometimes going in the dark

Where there aint been no light...

She’d tell us...

don’t turn you back o God

Don’t you set down on the steps

Cause you find its kinda of hard

Don’t you fall now

Ho

…Because I kept going to see what the end is going to be and it’s exactly what the Lord said it would be.

I thank God that saw the best in me

I thank God my children called me blessed, because they were a blessing to me

I thank God that when the Dr.s had no clue, I was in the best care of the master physician.

I thank God that when Willie didn’t know how to handle my case, you was the best Lawyer ever found

I remember the last sunday she was at church…and after service as we converesed she said thank you for the Hymn today… She reminded me that she maybe blind down here… but she still can’t waith to see him...

As I journey through the land, singing as I go, Pointing souls to Calvary—to the crimson flow, Many arrows pierce my soul from without, within; But my Lord leads me on, through Him I must win.Refrain: Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face, There to sing forever of His saving grace; On the streets of glory let me lift my voice, Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.When in service for my Lord dark may be the night, But I’ll cling more close to Him, He will give me light; Satan’s snares may vex my soul, turn my thoughts aside; But my Lord goes ahead, leads whate’er betide.When in valleys low I look toward the mountain height, And behold my Savior there, leading in the fight, With a tender hand outstretched toward the valley low, Guiding me, I can see, as I onward go.When before me billows rise from the mighty deep, Then my Lord directs my bark; He doth safely keep, And He leads me gently on through this world below; He’s a real Friend to me, oh, I love Him so.