DON’T GIVE UP

Don’t quit now, there is victory just around the corner.

2 Timothy 4:7-8, 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.

            It was a stormy night in Birmingham, England, and Hudson Taylor was to speak at a meeting at the Severn Street schoolroom. His hostess assured him that nobody would attend on such a stormy night, but Taylor insisted on going. "I must go even if there is no one but the doorkeeper." Less than a dozen people showed up, but the meeting was marked with unusual spiritual power. Half of those present either became missionaries or gave their children as missionaries; and the rest were faithful supporters of the China Inland Mission for years to come.- W. Wiersbe

            You want to see victory in your family; on your job; with your children? Friend, remain faithful! Don’t give up, give in, or quit! Look at what Paul was gaining even in his death; crowns to lay at Christ Jesus Feet! Victory is just around the corner; PRESS ON!

THANK THE LORD FOR FAITHFULNESS

           I cannot brag about my faithfulness to God because I let Him down every day. I can brag on my Saviour’s faithfulness to me!

Here are three ways we ought to be thankful for His faithfulness to us:

            1. Be thankful for His Word: Psalm 119:89-90, For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

                        The Word of God is settled and is a faithful source of strength!

            2. Be thankful for His Work: 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

            We can be thankful for God’s Work on the Cross. Without it, we could never be saved.

            3. Be thankful for His Way: 2 Timothy 2:13, If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

            We may not understand what God is doing sometimes but we can be thankful because He is faithful to His Way.     

            Whatever you are doing today, stop and be thankful for the Lord faithfulness to you today… hey better yet, be thankful everyday for it!

PRESS ON

The best way out of a difficulty is through it. –Anonymous

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3

            Have you ever been working on something and run into a problem? Maybe you didn’t calculate correctly on the cost. Maybe you didn’t plan for something and in the mist of the project it became a problem. Maybe you didn’t wire a thermostat the right way when you originally set it up and well it took you an hour to figure it out…yep been there done that!

            Well, if we quit in the middle of the project, who would finish it? Who would get the satisfaction of accomplishing the job, who will finish what you started, or in my case— who will rewire the stat? No-one! Sometimes God gives us a door of adversity to go through in order to learn some valuable lessons! Patience, craftsmanship, care, compassion, and so many more don’t come overnight, many times they are learned through adversity.

So, PRESS ON child of God knowing He will be with you all the way!

WHERE’S YOUR FAITH?

The Lord is looking for faithful servants; faithful to His Word, faithful to His Way, and faithful to His Work. But many are too busy with their own person, their own purpose, and their own production.—Jay O’Dell

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25

Compromise is on every hand. Folks are turning back to the slop of this world only to end up in an early grave. Where are the men of faith? Where are the women of faith? Where are those that truly mean it when they sing, “No turning back, no turning back”?

Child of God, remain faithful! Don’t give up, give in, or give out! It’s worth serving the Lord!

COMMITTED UNTO DEATH

Death to the Christian is the funeral of all his sorrows and evils, and the resurrection of all his joys. –Aughey

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8

How is your devotion to the Lord? If someone were to inspect your life after you died, would there be enough evidence left behind to convict you of being a Christian? Would someone say, this man or woman had been with Jesus?

I can think of many heroes of our faith that has left behind testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness in their life. David Livingston, Kenneth Cates, Mary Slessor, George Mueller, and Curtis Hudson are a few. Never heard of them? Grab a book or do a Google search for them. They are great reads of modern day Missionaries serving God by faith in miraculous ways! They were committed unto death. 

YOU HAVE GOD’S WORD ON IT

Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason, but taking God at his word. –Evans

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. Psalm 119:90

There was a time when a man’s word meant something. If he told you he would do something for you, he did it. If he shook your hand on it, it was a binding agreement. Today, when someone says they will do something you had better follow up with; what year, what day, and what time, can I expect you. If you don’t, you may be waiting a while.

I’m glad God isn’t that way. I’m glad when God inspired the writers of His Word to pen down a promise it was as good as done! What a promise! What a hope! What a joy it is to know God is true to His Word! Hey, you have His Word on it!

SOLD OUT OR CAVED IN?

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

Have you ever committed to do something and after you committed you was like, “What was I thinking?” I can vividly remember doing that a few times in my life. I remember telling a friend once I would help him take care of a huge issue in his life. When I got to the location to do what he had asked I was like “I’ve got to be crazy!” But you know what? We didn’t quit. We didn’t give up. We didn’t cave in! We were sold out to see the job completed!

Friend, Jesus never gave up on you so why are you giving up on Him? In your unfaithfulness…He remains faithful!! Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Hebrews 10:23