Beloved, it might be interesting to you to stop working and toiling long enough to just look over your estate and see what you have and what you are later on to come into possession of. First, in Jas. 1st chapter 12th verse James says "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him."
Here we see that the crown of life is won by enduring temptation. There is nothing so hard to endure as temptation, and yet nothing pays as large dividends on the investment that we make.
But we notice again in the second place that in II Tim. 4th chapter 6th, 7th, and 8th verses, that we are to receive another crown. Here are the words of the apostle: "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 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing." Now here we see that the crown of righteousness is won by keeping the faith.
Third, we notice in 1st Thes. 2d chapter 19th verse that we are to receive another crown, and this is the "crown of rejoicing," which is the soul-winner's crown. For the apostle says, "For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" Now the soul-winner's crown is won by winning souls, and everybody can take part in soul-winning, and all hands should have this crown. But the average church member imagines that he is not to win souls but that the pastor is, but the reader will remember that God describes the pastor as the shepherd of the sheep, He describes the church members as the flock of sheep. We must not forget that the sheep is to produce both the lambs and the wool, and the business of the shepherd is to keep the sheep well fed and to beat back the wolves and mountain lions.
Fourth, we notice that we are to receive another crown. In 1st Peter 5th chapter 4th verse, he says, "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." This crown St. Peter says is won by feeding the flock of God. Now many thought that nobody could receive this crown but the pastor, but that is another mistake, for let it be remembered that it will be impossible for the pastor to feed the flock as it should be fed, unless the flock in return feeds the pastor. A pastor that is well fed will make a good feeder, and if the church starves out its pastor until he has to sell goods, or plead law, or practice medicine, or run a farm to earn bread it will be impossible for him to feed them as they should be fed; therefore, both the shepherd and the flock have a chance to win a crown of glory.
Fifth, we are to receive another crown. In 1st Cor. the 9th chapter, from the 24th to 27th verse, we read these remarkable words as they fell from the lips of the great apostle, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain and every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore, so run not as uncertainly, so fight I not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway." The reader will notice that the incorruptible crown is won by running this race in faith and keeping our bodies under and bringing them into subjection.
Just a word of explanation: Here is the way we receive these five crowns. The crown of life is won by enduring temptation, the crown of righteousness is won by keeping the faith; the crown of rejoicing is won by winning souls; the crown of glory is won by feeding the flock of God; and the incorruptible crown is won by keeping our bodies under and bringing them into subjection.
Bless God, I am after all five of these crowns. Beloved, I want every one of them, and I ought to have them, and it is none of the Devil's business. Amen!
Robinson, Reuben A. (Bud). The Collected Works of 'Uncle Bud' Robinson (Kindle Locations 3834-3864). Jawbone Digital. Kindle Edition.
Here we see that the crown of life is won by enduring temptation. There is nothing so hard to endure as temptation, and yet nothing pays as large dividends on the investment that we make.
But we notice again in the second place that in II Tim. 4th chapter 6th, 7th, and 8th verses, that we are to receive another crown. Here are the words of the apostle: "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 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing." Now here we see that the crown of righteousness is won by keeping the faith.
Third, we notice in 1st Thes. 2d chapter 19th verse that we are to receive another crown, and this is the "crown of rejoicing," which is the soul-winner's crown. For the apostle says, "For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" Now the soul-winner's crown is won by winning souls, and everybody can take part in soul-winning, and all hands should have this crown. But the average church member imagines that he is not to win souls but that the pastor is, but the reader will remember that God describes the pastor as the shepherd of the sheep, He describes the church members as the flock of sheep. We must not forget that the sheep is to produce both the lambs and the wool, and the business of the shepherd is to keep the sheep well fed and to beat back the wolves and mountain lions.
Fourth, we notice that we are to receive another crown. In 1st Peter 5th chapter 4th verse, he says, "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." This crown St. Peter says is won by feeding the flock of God. Now many thought that nobody could receive this crown but the pastor, but that is another mistake, for let it be remembered that it will be impossible for the pastor to feed the flock as it should be fed, unless the flock in return feeds the pastor. A pastor that is well fed will make a good feeder, and if the church starves out its pastor until he has to sell goods, or plead law, or practice medicine, or run a farm to earn bread it will be impossible for him to feed them as they should be fed; therefore, both the shepherd and the flock have a chance to win a crown of glory.
Fifth, we are to receive another crown. In 1st Cor. the 9th chapter, from the 24th to 27th verse, we read these remarkable words as they fell from the lips of the great apostle, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain and every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore, so run not as uncertainly, so fight I not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway." The reader will notice that the incorruptible crown is won by running this race in faith and keeping our bodies under and bringing them into subjection.
Just a word of explanation: Here is the way we receive these five crowns. The crown of life is won by enduring temptation, the crown of righteousness is won by keeping the faith; the crown of rejoicing is won by winning souls; the crown of glory is won by feeding the flock of God; and the incorruptible crown is won by keeping our bodies under and bringing them into subjection.
Bless God, I am after all five of these crowns. Beloved, I want every one of them, and I ought to have them, and it is none of the Devil's business. Amen!
Robinson, Reuben A. (Bud). The Collected Works of 'Uncle Bud' Robinson (Kindle Locations 3834-3864). Jawbone Digital. Kindle Edition.
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