[MUSIC] DR. CHARLES STANLEY: HOW DO YOU
RESPOND WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF DEALING WITH
SITUATIONS THAT ARE VERY PAINFUL? IN FACT, YOU GET REJECTED. SOMEBODY WALKS OUT ON YOU. YOU FEEL THEY WERE DISHONEST
WITH YOU. THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU THE TRUTH. YOU FEEL LONELY. YOU FEEL HURT. VERY DISCOURAGED. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE
THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE AND THE REACTIONS WE HAVE, HOW DO
YOU FEEL? DO YOU WANT TO SAY DO YOU KNOW
WHAT? I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS
ANYMORE. AND YOU JUST DECIDE I'M GOING
TO WALK AWAY. I QUIT.
I GIVE UP. I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. I DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE. HOW DO YOU REALLY
AND TRULY FEEL? BECAUSE YOU SEE, AS A FOLLOWER
OF JESUS CHRIST, GIVING UP IS NOT WHO WE ARE. SURRENDERING IS NOT WHO
WE ARE. THROWING IN THE TOWEL, WE SAY
THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. AS THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPECT THE BEST FROM HIM. HE HAS THE RIGHT TO EXPECT THE
BEST FROM US. WHEN I THINK ABOUT GIVING UP, IT
DOESN'T FIT WHO WE ARE. AND IF YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS
RIGHT NOW, GIVING UP ON YOUR MARRIAGE, GIVING UP ON YOUR JOB,
GIVING UP ON YOUR CHILDREN, GIVING UP ON YOUR FINANCIAL
SITUATION. WHATEVER THE SITUATION MAY BE,
BEFORE YOU GIVE UP, YOU STOP AND ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION, DOES
THIS FIT WHO I AM AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS? AND THIS MESSAGE IS ALL ABOUT,
LISTEN, IT'S ALL ABOUT KEEPING ON KEEPING ON. AND THAT IS TO HAVE THE COURAGE
TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON. IF YOU WILL LISTEN CAREFULLY AND
APPLY THESE POINTS I'LL LAYOUT BEFORE YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
GIVE UP AND QUIT. THERE IS AN ANSWER AND A
SOLUTION TO WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE AT THIS POINT NO
MATTER WHAT IT IS. SO I WANT YOU TO TURN, IF YOU
WILL, TO 2 TIMOTHY 4 AND PAUL IS WRITING TO THE YOUNG PASTOR
TIMOTHY AND GIVING HIM WONDERFUL ADVICE. HE'S COMING TO THE END OF HIS
LIFE NOW. IN FACT, PAUL DIES AROUND 67 A. D.. HE'S KILLED BY NERO THE EMPEROR. AND IT'S INTERESTING THE VERY
NEXT YEAR NERO COMMITTED SUICIDE. SO HE'S ENCOURAGING TIMOTHY AT
THIS POINT. BEGINNING AT CHAPTER FOUR VERSE
ONE. I SOLEMNLY CHARGE YOU IN THE
PRESENCE OF GOD AND CHRIST JESUS WHO IS TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD BY HIS APPEARING AND HIS KINGDOM, PREACH THE WORD. BE READY, LISTEN, BE READY IN
SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON. REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT
WITH GREAT PATIENCE AND INSTRUCTION FOR THE TIME WILL
COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE. BUT WANTING TO HAVE THEIR EARS
TICKLED, THEY'LL ACCUMULATE TEACHERS ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN
DESIRES AND TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH AND WILL TURN TO
MYTH. BUT YOU BE SOBER IN ALL THINGS,
ENDURE HARDSHIP. DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST. FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY. FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED
OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING. AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE
HAS COME. I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT. I'VE FINISHED THE COURSE. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. IN THE FUTURE THERE IS LAID UP
FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUS, WHICH THE LORD THE RIGHTEOUS
JUDGE WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY, NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT TO ALL
WHO LOVE HIS APPEARING. THIS IS HIS CHALLENGE TO YOUNG
TIMOTHY. HE'S A YOUNG PASTOR. NOW WE FIND HIM LISTENING TO THE
APOSTLE PAUL GIVE HIM A WARNING AND CHALLENGE AND A WORD OF
ENCOURAGEMENT NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH, YOU DON'T GIVE UP
AND YOU DON'T QUIT. I THINK ABOUT ALL THE CHARACTERS
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, NO ONE FITS THE
QUALIFICATION OF SOMEONE WHO NEVER QUITS LIKE THE APOSTLE
PAUL. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HIS LIFE
AND THINK ABOUT HOW HE LIVED IT OUT, HERE'S SOMEONE WHO STAYED
WITH THE CHALLENGE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED. AND YOU MAY BE ONE OF THOSE
PERSONS TODAY WHO WANTS TO QUIT. AND YOU THINK YOU HAVE A PRETTY
GOOD REASON TO QUIT. YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON TO WALK
OUT. YOU MAY LEGITIMATELY THINK I
DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. I DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE. I THINK MANY PASTORS I'VE TALKED
WITH OVER THE YEARS WHO SAID, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING NO ONE MY
CHURCH. I DECIDED I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP
WITH THIS. I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP DOING THIS. I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS. I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE MY FAMILY
TREATED THIS WAY. I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT. WHEN THEY ASK ME WHAT I THINK,
HERE'S WHAT I TELL THEM. YES, YOU DO. YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING
UNTIL GOD TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. AND PAUL IS ENCOURAGING TIMOTHY. HE SAID, LOOK, THERE'S GOING TO
COME A DAY THEY'LL NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THEY WANT SOMEONE TO TICKLE
THEIR EARS TO MAKE THEM FEEL GOOD. YOU STAY STEADY, STEADY, CALM IN
THE SITUATION. YOU KEEP DOING WHAT GOD'S CALLED
YOU TO DO. AND THEN HE TALKS ABOUT HIS OWN
LIFE. BECAUSE OF WHAT HE'S BEEN
THROUGH IN LIFE. NOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT
PAUL SUFFERED IN LIFE, YOU HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT
MOTIVATED HIM TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON WHEN EVERYTHING IN HIM WOULD
HAVE SAID QUIT. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT PAUL
KNEW, SOMETHING THAT HE DID THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US NEED TO
UNDERSTAND IN OUR LIFE, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE TESTED OR HAVE
BEEN TESTED ONCE OR MANY TIMES TO JUST SAY, I DON'T HAVE TO PUT
UP WITH THIS. I QUIT. I GIVE UP. I WALK AWAY. NOW THE TRAGEDY IS, MANY PEOPLE
USE THAT SAME PHRASE WHEN THEY WALK AWAY FROM THEIR MARRIAGE,
FROM THEIR CHILDREN. OR INTO THE COLLEGE EDUCATION
SAY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT? I QUIT. INTO SOME PARTICULAR JOB THEY
LIKE BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S A LITTLE TOO DIFFICULT OR DOESN'T
SUIT THEM. QUITTERS, THERE'S PLENTY OF
QUITTERS. YET QUITTERS DON'T GET ANYWHERE
IN LIFE. PEOPLE WHO GIVE UP DON'T GET
ANYWHERE IN LIFE. I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE
REASONS, THE MOTIVATIONS PAUL HAD TO KEEP GOING WHEN THE GOING
GOT VERY ROUGH. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THOSE ISSUES. SO THE FIRST ONE I WANT US TO
NOTICE HERE IS THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT PAUL
FROM GIVING UP AND KEPT HIM KEEPING ON KEEPING ON WAS THE
AWARENESS THAT GOD WAS WITH HIM. AND I THINK IN THE SECOND
CORINTHIAN LETTER AND 11TH CHAPTER, THIS IS A VERY
CHALLENGING CHAPTER TO ME WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT PAUL WENT
THROUGH, WHAT HE SUFFERED. AND YET HE NEVER GAVE UP NO
MATTER WHAT HE EXPERIENCED IN LIFE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE 11TH CHAPTER. THIS IS A FAMILIAR CHAPTER FOR
MANY CHRISTIANS BUT MANY PEOPLE IT WILL NOT BE. BUT PAUL SAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, HE
WAS ARGUING AND THEY WERE CRITICIZING HIM FOR WHO HE WAS. HE SAID IN VERSE 22, ARE THEY
HEBREWS? SO AM I. ARE THEY ISRAELITES? SO AM I. ARE THEY DE DESCENDANTS OF
ABRAHAM? SO AM I. I SPEAK AS IF INSANE.
I MORE. IN FAR MORE LABORERS, FAR
MORE IMPRISONMENTS. BEATEN TIMES, LISTEN,
WITHOUT NUMBER. OFTEN IN DANGER OF DEATH. FIVE TIMES I RECEIVED FROM
THE JEWS 39 LASHES. THREE TIMES I WAS BEATEN
WITH RODS. ONCE I WAS STONED. THREE TIMES I WAS SHIPWRECKED. A NIGHT AND DAY I HAVE SPENT
IN THE DEEP. I'VE BEEN ON FREQUENT JOURNEYS
DANGERS FROM RIVERS, DANGERS FROM ROBBERS, DANGERS FROM
COUNTRYMEN, DANGERS FROM THE GENTILES, DANGERS IN THE
WILDERNESS, DANGERS FROM THE SEA, DANGERS FROM
FALSE BRETHREN. I'VE BEEN IN LABOR AND HARDSHIP
MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHT AND HUNGER AND THIRST AND EXPOSURE. THERE IS THE DAILY PRESSURE
ON ME FOR CONCERN FOR ALL THE CHURCHES. IF YOU AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH
WHAT HE HAD BEEN THROUGH, I WONDER HOW MANY OF US WOULD
HAVE SURVIVED THAT. WHAT MADE HIM SURVIVE THAT? HE HAD A LOT OF REASONS TO GIVE
UP AND QUIT BUT DIDN'T, WHY? BECAUSE OF HIS AWARENESS
ALMIGHTY GOD WAS WITH HIM. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE THINGS,
SO MANY THINGS THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID ABOUT GOD'S PRESENCE WITH
HIM, HE SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ACTS 23, GOING THROUGH A
DIFFICULT TIME. HE SAID, THE LORD STOOD BY HIM. HE KNEW THE LORD WAS WITH HIM. THE LORD STOOD BY HIM. HE SAID TO HIM ON OTHER
OCCASIONS, DON'T BE AFRAID. I'M WITH YOU. AND SO, ALL THROUGH PAUL'S
EPISTLES WE ARE CONTINUALLY REMINDED THAT GOD'S WITH US. NOW IF I SHOULD ASK YOU IF YOU
BELIEVE GOD'S WITH YOU, YOU WOULD PROBABLY SAY YES. DO YOU CLAIM THAT WHEN TIMES ARE
TOUGH? DO YOU REMIND YOURSELF NO MATTER
WHAT IS GOING ON, WHO IS TREATING ME THIS WAY, ALMIGHTY
GOD IS WITH ME. HE SAID I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR
FORSAKE YOU. EITHER I HAVE TO BELIEVE GOD
WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO OR I DON'T. IF I BEGIN TO QUESTION HIM, I'LL
BEGIN TO CONSIDER GIVING UP IN SOME SITUATIONS. IF I BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS IS
TRUE AND HE'S TRUE TO HIS WORD, I'LL NOT GIVE UP NO MATTER
WHAT'S GOING ON. AND OFTENTIMES WE GIVE UP, WATCH
THIS. OFTENTIMES PEOPLE GIVE UP RIGHT
BEFORE VICTORY IS ABOUT TO BREAK LOOSE. RIGHT BEFORE OPPORTUNITY STARES
THEM IN THE FACE, THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP. PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP
RIGHT BEFORE THERE CAN BE RECONCILIATION. RIGHT BEFORE THINGS CAN CHANGE,
THEY WANT TO GIVE UP. THAT'S WHY IT'S DANGEROUS TO
EVER GIVE UP. WHEN WE GIVE UP IN A SITUATION
WE'RE GIVING UP ON GOD. HE SAID I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR
FORSAKE YOU. AS LONG AS YOU AND I ARE WALKING
IN HIS WILL AND HIS WAY IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW TOUGH IT
GETS, IF WE DON'T GIVE UP, WE'LL BE REWARDED. HE SAID SHIPWRECKED ALL THESE
TIMES, A DAY AND A NIGHT IN THE SEA AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER
AGAIN THE JEWS TRIED THEIR BE BEST TO KILL HIM. THEY TRIED TO TRAP HIM. THEY TRIED TO KILL HIM. THEY DID EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE
TO TRY TO GET RID OF HIM. YET YOU FIND HIM IN JAIL
REJOICING IN THE LORD, PRAISING GOD FOR WHAT HE'S DOING IN HIS
LIFE. DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE PAUL NEVER FELT, LISTEN,
HE NEVER FELT REJECTED BY JESUS. OR THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS ABSENT
IN ANY SITUATION HE WAS IN. THE AWARENESS OF HIS PRESENCE
WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THINGS NOTHING ELSE WILL. A SECOND THING IS THIS. THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S STRENGTH
WITHIN HIM. WHENEVER YOU FEEL WEAK. YOU SEE, WHEN WE FEEL WEAK AND
WORN AND THEN THESE THINGS HIT US WE'RE MORE PRONE TO GIVE INTO
THEM AND GIVE UP. HE TALKED ABOUT THE STRENGTH
THAT WAS IN HIM. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THESE
EXPERIENCES HE SURVIVED, HE HAD TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCE THE
STRENGTH OF ALMIGHTY GOD. THREE SHIP WRECKS. BEATEN ALL OF THESE MANY TIMES.
JAILED. IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS A
FREQUENT VISITOR TO THE JAIL. SO ALL THESE THINGS HE IS
EXPERIENCING. HOW DID HE EXPERIENCE IT?
HE HAD STRENGTH. HE WAS NOT NECESSARILY A STRONG
MAN PHYSICALLY, PROBABLY A SHORT FELLA AND THE EVIDENCE IS HIS
EYESIGHT WASN'T ALL THAT GOOD. BUT HE HAD STRENGTH.
WHAT WAS THE STRENGTH? THE SAME STRENGTH YOU AND I HAVE
TO GO THROUGH ANY SITUATION WE FACE IN LIFE. AND THAT IS THE STRENGTH OF
ALMIGHTY GOD. MOST OF US KNOW THE VERSE WHEN
PAUL SAID IN PHILIPPIANS, I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO
STRENGTHENS ME. LISTEN. HE WAS AWARE OF GOD'S PRESENCE
AND BEING AWARE OF GOD'S PRESENCE HE WAS AWARE OF THE
STRENGTH THAT GOD RELEASED IN HIM IN THAT AWARENESS OF HIS
PRESENCE. NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH, WHAT YOU'RE FACING, YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH OF GOD WITHIN
YOU. BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
LIVING INSIDE OF YOU. AND THAT'S WHAT JESUS PROMISED
HIS DISCIPLES. HE KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO BE
TEMPTED, HE KNEW THEY WOULD GO THROUGH TIMES THAT WOULD SEEM
IMPOSSIBLE. HE SAID THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE
IN YOU, WITH YOU, UPON YOU. AND HE'LL EMPOWER YOU,
STRENGTHEN YOU TO DO WHATEVER THE FATHER CALLED YOU TO DO. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS
WITHIN US ADEQUATE STRENGTH TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. YOU MAY SAY, I DON'T FEEL I DO. YOU MAY NOT FEEL LIKE IT. THE TRUTH IS, ARE YOU CLAIMING
IT? YOU CAN HAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS,
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AND IF YOU DON'T CLAIM THEM YOU DON'T
UNDERSTAND THEM AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM, YOU CAN'T
EXPERIENCE THEM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT THE
APOSTLE PAUL FROM GIVING UP, KEEP ON KEEPING ON, WAS HE
EXPERIENCED THE STRENGTH OF ALMIGHTY GOD IN HIS LIFE. WHEN HE STOOD IN COUNCILS AND
THEY CRITICIZED HIM AND WANTED TO CRUCIFY HIM, IF POSSIBLE,
EVERYTHING HE DID, HE NEVER GAVE UP. HE NEVER QUIT. DID THAT MEAN HE ALWAYS JUST
STOOD LIKE A MAN? I'M SURE THERE WERE TIMES WHEN
HE WAS FRIGHTENED FOR THE MOMENT. THIS IS WHY THE LORD WOULD SAY
TO HIM, HERE I AM BESIDE YOU. I'M GOING TO BE WITH YOU IN THIS
NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. AND SO, WHEN I THINK ABOUT HIS
PRAYER, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE EPHESIANS, HE WAS ENCOURAGING
THEM TO PRAY FOR THE STRENGTH THAT GOD, THIRD CHAPTER, THE
STRENGTH GOD WOULD GIVE THEM FOR WHAT HE CALLED THEM TO DO. THEN WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT PUTTING
ON THE SPIRITUAL ARMOR, HOW DOES HE START THAT IN THE SIXTH
CHAPTER OF EPHESIANS? BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE
POWER OF HIS MIGHT. THEN HE TELLS US EVEN BEFORE HE
GETS THE ARMOR, WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT THE HELMET OF SALVATION TO
PROTECT OUR MIND. BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO
PROTECT OUR EMOTIONS AND GIRDLE OF TRUTH TO ALWAYS STAND IN THE
TRUTH. HE TALKS ABOUT THE SANDALS OF
SALVATION, ALWAYS READY TO GO. HE TALKS ABOUT THE SWORD OF THE
SPIRIT, THE WORD OF GOD. ABOVE ALL ELSE, THE SHIELD OF
FAITH. HE STARTS OUT SAYING, BE STRONG
IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. THAT'S WHAT YOU AND I SHOULD
START EVERY DAY WITH. THE AWARENESS GOD IS WITH US
TODAY AND WE HAVE THE STRENGTH OF GOD TO FACE ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING AND ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY NO MATTER WHAT THE
SITUATION IS, BECAUSE, LISTEN, IT ISN'T OUR STRENGTH. IT'S HIS STRENGTH. TO GO ON YOUR STRENGTH OR MY
STRENGTH SOME DAYS WE WOULDN'T GET UP. BUT IT IS THE STRENGTH
OF THE LORD. WATCH THIS. IT IS THE DIVINE ENERGY OF GOD. IT'S THE POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD
WITHIN US. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T
HAVE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT HE'LL ENABLE
US TO LIVE THROUGH IT NO MATTER WHAT. AND SO WHAT KEPT HIM FROM GIVING
UP WHEN HE HAD SO MANY REASONS TO GIVE UP WAS HIS AWARENESS OF
GOD'S PRESENCE. YOU AND I NEED THE SAME. WHEN LIKEWISE, THE SAME THING
WITH HIM, AND THAT IS, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPERIENCE THE
STRENGTH OF GOD. YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING
WITHIN YOU. THAT IS YOU HAVE GOD LIVING
INSIDE. WATCH THIS. HE'S NOT GOING TO CALL YOU,
WATCH THIS CAREFULLY. HE'S NOT GOING TO CALL YOU TO DO
ANYTHING, FACE ANYTHING, EXPERIENCE ANYTHING WITHOUT HIM
GIVING YOU THE STRENGTH TO DO IT. HE SAYS, HE CAUSES ALL THINGS TO
WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE THAT LOVE HIM, THOSE CALLED
ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. SOMETIMES HE ALLOWS US TO GET IN
SITUATIONS WE THINK, O GOD, I DON'T KNOW I CAN HANDLE THIS. WHY DOES HE ALLOW SOME OF THOSE
THINGS? IT GIVES HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHOW US HOW REAL HE IS. HOW FAITHFUL HE IS. HOW POWERFUL HE IS. HOW ADEQUATE YOU AND I ARE WHEN
WE PUT OUR TRUST IN HIM. THAT'S WHAT PAUL IS SAYING HERE
IN THESE PASSAGES. THEN, OF COURSE, SOMEBODY SAYS,
WELL NOW, HOW AM I GOING HAVE THAT KIND OF COURAGE? WELL, TWO THINGS. I SAY IT EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY ON
PURPOSE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE COURAGE
IN YOUR LIFE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD'S WORKING
IN YOUR LIFE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN THE WORD. THIS IS THE MIND OF GOD. THIS IS HEART OF GOD. THIS IS SPIRIT OF GOD. HERE'S WHERE WE FIND ALL THE
GIFTS OF GOD. WHAT GOD IS UP TO IN THEIR LIFE. IF I NEGLECT THE WORD OF GOD AND
NEGLECT SPENDING TIME WITH HIM, I'M NOT GOING TO BE STRONG. IT'S THE WORD OF GOD. BECAUSE AS I READ WHAT HE SAYS,
WHEN I READ, LISTEN, GOING THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT TIME AND
THINKING, GOD, FORGET IT. I COME TO THIS VERSE, HE SAYS,
GOD CAUSES ALL THESE THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD BECAUSE
I'VE CALLED YOU, THEN I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP.
WHY? I KNOW THAT WHATEVER I'M FACING,
AS TOUGH AS IT IS. MY GOD BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS
TRUTHFUL WILL TURN IT FOR MY GOOD. THERE'S SOME THINGS I CAN'T
FIGURE OUT HOW GOD TURNS FOR GOOD BUT HE DOES. LISTEN. HE NEVER SAID, UNDERSTAND ME. HE SAID, TRUST ME. JUST TRUST ME. AND THAT IS THE KEY. AND THE APOSTLE PAUL CERTAINLY
KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING IN HIS RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. HE DIDN'T GIVE UP. HE DIDN'T QUIT. HE KEPT MOVING ALONG TRUSTING
HIM. THEN OF COURSE THE ASSURANCE OF
HIS WILL FOR US. THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S MORE
REASSURING KEEP US FROM GIVING UP THAN KNOWING WE'RE IN THE
WILL OF GOD. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO BE
PREACHING THE GOSPEL SOMEWHERE, WHATEVER GOD'S WILL IS AT THIS
POINT IN YOUR LIFE, YOU DON'T GIVE UP, YOU DON'T QUIT. FOR EXAMPLE, HE KNEW WHERE HE
WAS WHEN HE FACED ALL THESE SITUATIONS. HE SAID THE FATHER SENT ME TO
PREACH THE GOSPEL. NOT NECESSARILY TO BAPTIZE BUT
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. HE SAID IN THE 13TH CHAPTER OF
ACTS, IN THE 47TH VERSE, HE SAYS, ASSURING US THAT HE KNOWS
WHAT GOD HAS CALLED HIM TO DO. HE SAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT GOD
SAID TO HIM, I'VE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES THAT YOU
MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. PAUL KNEW EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS
IN LIFE ONCE HE WAS SAVED. HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT GOD WAS UP
TO. I'VE CALLED YOU TO PREACH THE
GOSPEL. I'VE MADE YOU A LIGHT TO THE
GENTILES. FIRST OF ALL, THE GOSPEL IS ONLY
BE PREACHED TO THE JEWS. BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY TREATED
HIM. BECAUSE THEY REJECTED HIM. HE JUST BRUSHED IT OFF OF HIS
CLOTHES AND SAID I'M GOING TO THE GENTILES BECAUSE THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT GOD INTENDED FOR HIM TO DO. SO THE ISSUE IS THIS. IF I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP
ON KEEPING ON, I'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT I'M DOING WHAT GOD SAYS DO,
HOW GOD SAYS DO IT. WHEN GOD SAYS DO IT. WHERE HE SAYS DO IT. I DON'T EVEN HAVE
TO UNDERSTAND WHY. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD
TO UNDERSTAND WHY. MOST OF THE TIME WE WILL. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE STRENGTH
THAT YOU DON'T GIVE UP AND YOU DON'T QUIT. AND REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, HOW
MANY TIMES PEOPLE GIVE UP AND QUIT RIGHT BEFORE THE BLESSING. RIGHT BEFORE GOD OPENS THE DOOR,
THEY WALK AWAY FROM THE OPPORTUNITY. RIGHT BEFORE GOD SETTLES AND
ISSUE IN A MARRIAGE OFTENTIMES SOMEBODY WALKS AWAY. SO THAT GIVES UP ALL POSSIBILITY
OF RENEWING THAT MARRIAGE. YOU JUST GO THROUGH ILLUSTRATION
AFTER ILLUSTRATION. YOU DON'T GIVE UP BECAUSE YOU
MAY GIVE UP AT THE VERY TIME WHEN THE BEST THAT YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR IS THERE WAITING FOR YOU. AND THE APOSTLE PAUL KNEW THAT. HE UNDERSTOOD, HE WAS IN THE
WILL OF THE FATHER. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEREVER HE WENT,
GOD WAS THERE GUIDING HIM AND LEADING HIM. HE WAS ON THE SECOND
MISSIONARY JOURNEY. HE WAS ABOUT TO GO EAST AND
PREACH THE GOSPEL AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD SAID NO, I WANT YOU
TO GO WEST. IF HE HAD GONE EAST YOU AND I
WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD
SPOKE TO HIM. AND THEN LIKEWISE, WHEN THE LORD
SPOKE TO HIM, MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHERE HE WAS, HE GAVE US
THE SAME PROMISES. LISTEN. PAUL DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE
PROMISE WE DON'T HAVE. REMEMBER THIS. PAUL DIDN'T HAVE THE NEW
TESTAMENT. HE HAD THE OLD TESTAMENT. AND THEN HE HAD THE SAYINGS OF
JESUS BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE IT DOWN LIKE YOU AND I HAVE IT ON THE
PRINTED PAGE. AND SO, WHEN I COME TO THIS
QUESTION OF WHAT IS GOD UP TO, HERE'S A VERSE I ALWAYS COME
BACK TO IN PSALM 32:8 I'LL TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO. I WILL GUIDE YOU WITH MY EYE
UPON YOU. HE DIDN'T SAY I'LL MAKE IT EASY. HE SAID I'LL TEACH YOU IN THE
WAY YOU SHOULD GO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO QUIT AND GIVE
UP. I'LL SHOW YOU THAT. PROVERBS 3:5 AND 6 TRUST IN THE
LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. LEAN NOT TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING. YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT. IN ALL YOUR WAYS
ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. I'LL DIRECT YOUR PATH. WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP AND
QUIT AND WONDER WHAT TO DO. GOD'S ALREADY ASSURED US OF HIS
GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. THEN THE OVERFLOWING JOY THAT
FILLS US, FOR EXAMPLE. AND THE APOSTLE PAUL IS SUCH A
BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THAT. BECAUSE THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS,
FOR EXAMPLE, IS ALL ABILITY JOY. AND HERE HE IS IN JAIL. DOESN'T HAVE VERY LONG TO LIVE. AND WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT? HE'S TALKING ABOUT JOY. HE STARTS OFF TALKING ABOUT
WHERE HE IS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN JAIL. AND HE SAYS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW
BRETHREN, MY CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE TURNED OUT FOR THE GREATER
PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL AND SOMEHOW THAT TRUE? BECAUSE ALL THE GUARDS THAT CAME
IN TO GUARD HIM, HE JUST SHARED THE GOSPEL WITH THEM. ONE AFTER THE OTHER. SO HE SAID BEFORE LONG, THE
WHOLE PRAETORIAN GUARD KNEW HE WAS THERE AND HEARD THE GOSPEL
OF JESUS CHRIST. AND YOU FIND, YOU FIND THIS
SENSE OF JOY THROUGHOUT PAUL'S WRITINGS. AND HE SAID, REJOICE AND AGAIN I
SAY REJOICE. HE COMES TO THE FOURTH CHAPTER
AND HE'S STILL REJOICING AND HE'S STILL IN PRISON. WHY? BECAUSE HE KNEW THE FATHER WAS
WITH HIM. HE KNEW HE WAS DOING THE
FATHER'S WILL. AND HE KNEW THAT HE WAS
FOLLOWING GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE. HAD IT BEEN TOUGH? BY THE TIME HE GOT TO THIS
PLACE, HE WOULD HAVE A THOUSANDS REASONS TO GIVE UP AND QUIT. WOULDN'T THINK OF QUITTING.
WHY? FOR THE SIMPLE REASON HE KNEW HE
WAS DOING WHAT THE FATHER CALLED HIM TO DO. SO I WOULD SIMPLY ASK YOU THIS. DO YOU, DO YOU REJOICE? YOU SAY WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I SAID DO YOU HAVE ANY HAPPY
MOMENTS WHEN THINGS ARE TOUGH? CAN YOU JUST SAY THANK YOU,
JESUS, PRAISE YOU, LORD, I JUST WANT TO BLESS YOUR HOLY NAME? CAN YOU REJOICE IN THE LORD WHEN
THINGS ARE TOUGH? OR DO YOU SAY, GOD, WHY DO
YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME? FATHER, WHY
DON'T YOU ANSWER MY PRAYER? IN OTHER WORDS,
YOU AND I CAN ARGUE WITH GOD. SOMEONE SAYS GOD MUST GET ANGRY. NO, HE DOESN'T. HE REALIZES WE'RE HUMAN
AND WE MAKE MISTAKES, AND HE REALIZES, THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. BUT I'M OVER HERE. AND I'M WONDERING WHY THINGS ARE
THE WAY THEY'RE OVER HERE. AND GOD'S OVER HERE.
LOOK. WHEN YOU GET OVER HERE YOU'LL BE
SO GLAD YOU DIDN'T JUMP OFF THE TABLE. HERE YOU ARE. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. BECAUSE I HAVE THE BEST FOR YOU. LISTEN TO THIS. GOD HAS THE BEST FOR
HIS CHILDREN. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT,
ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT IS NOT OF GOD. NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE
WON'T BE DIFFICULTY, HARDSHIP, TRIAL FOR US JUST LIKE THERE WAS
FOR THE APOSTLE PAUL. BUT HE'S GOING TO TURN IT FOR
OUR GOOD IF WE RESPOND IN THE PROPER FASHION. SO THIS IS WHY HE COULD REJOICE. EVEN IN JAIL, EVEN IN HIS
MESSAGE, EVEN WHEN HE'S CLOSE TO DEATH AND KNOWS HE IS AND HE'S
TALKING ABOUT REJOICING IN THE LORD. THEN, OF COURSE, THE
LIFE-CHANGING LESSONS GOD TEACHES US. YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TRUTH
YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW IF YOU JUST COME TO
CHURCH SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY AND YOU TAKE NOTES WEEK
AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK. AND THE FIRST SERVICE TWO PEOPLE
CAME DOWN THE AISLE AND ONE OF THEM SAID I'VE BEEN WATCHING "IN
TOUCH" FOR 24 YEARS ANOTHER SAID 27 YEARS AND TAKING NOTES. I THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TRUTH I
KNOW THEY'VE HEARD. IF THEY'VE LISTENED THEY'VE
HEARD TRUTH AFTER TRUTH AFTER TRUTH AFTER TRUTH AFTER TRUTH
AFTER TRUTH AFTER TRUTH AFTER TRUTH. THAT'S WHY I SAY TO YOU, WRITE
IT DOWN, WRITE IT DOWN, WRITE IT DOWN. BUT THE APOSTLE PAUL, HE WAS AN
AWESOME STUDENT OF THE WORD OF GOD. ON ONE OCCASION IT SAYS HE
HADN'T BEEN SAVED VERY LONG. INSTEAD OF GOING TO JERUSALEM
AND TALKING TO THE APOSTLES HE WENT TO ARABIA TO GET BY HIMSELF
SO GOD COULD TEACH HIM THE TRUTH. WHEN YOU THINK FOR A MOMENT IF
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE EPISTLES OF PAUL WHAT WOULD WE KNOW ABOUT
SANCTIFICATION, SALVATION, SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH OF JESUS,
THE ATONING DEATH OF JESUS, WHAT WOULD WE KNOW ABOUT DECLARED
RIGHTEOUS BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD? ALL THE DOCTRINAL THINGS WE
BELIEVE. WE WOULDN'T KNOW IT IF THE
APOSTLE PAUL HAD NOT LIVED IT, DID NOT GIVE UP. KEPT GOING AND KEPT LEARNING AND
LEARNING AND LEARNING AND TEACHING IN THOSE DAYS. AND SO MUCH OF WHAT HE'S WRITTEN
TO US, HE WROTE FROM A JAIL CELL. I MEAN, WHEN I THINK ABOUT
HAVING BEEN THROUGH ALL THAT, INSTEAD OF SITTING IN A JAIL
MOPING ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THINGS ARE, OF TIMES FOLLOWERS
SUPPOSEDLY HIS FOLLOWERS WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE JAIL CRITICIZING
HIM. WHEN HE'S IN THE JAIL DOING WHAT
THE WILL OF GOD WAS FOR HIS LIFE. AND SO, YOU CAN HAVE A MORBID
MOPING ATTITUDE. OR YOU CAN REJOICE IN THE LORD
ALWAYS NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. HAVE YOU BEEN IN TROUBLE AND GOD
SAID, DO IT YOURSELF? HAS HE EVER SAID, I'M LEAVING
YOU? I'LL LET YOU HANDLE IT. YOU TAKE CARE OF IT. I'M FINISHED WITH YOUR MOPING
AND GROPING AND GROANING AND WONDERING WHERE I AM. NO. HE JUST LET'S US MOPE AND GROAN
AND WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, WHEN WE'RE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO GET
RIGHT WITH HIM, WHAT DOES HE DO? HE ALWAYS COMES THROUGH. WE UNDERSTAND. THE OLD SONG SAYS, WE UNDERSTAND
IT BETTER BY AND BY. GOD LOVES YOU. HE WANTS THE BEST FOR YOU. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHY
PEOPLE GIVE UP, THEY GIVE UP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HIM. THEY GIVE UP BECAUSE THEY DON'T
BELIEVE HIM. THEY DON'T TRUST HIM. THEY FEEL HOPELESS INSTEAD OF
THINKING MY HOPE IS IN CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE. MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS
BUT JESUS CHRIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL
THINGS ARE JUST NOT GOING MY WAY, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION. IF THINGS AREN'T GOING YOUR WAY,
BEFORE YOU GIVE UP AND QUIT, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, I WONDER
IF THINGS ARE GOING GOD'S WAY AND I'M OUT OF HIS WILL, I DON'T
UNDERSTAND IT. HE'S UP TO SOMETHING I'M NOT
AWARE OF. IT JUST MAY BE WHAT YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH THAT'S DIFFICULT AND TOUGH AND YOU WANT TO QUIT AND
GIVE UP IS THE VERY THING GOD IS USING TO DRAW HIM TO YOURSELF,
CAUSE YOU TO CLING TO HIM, OPEN YOUR EYES, HELP YOU TO SEE WHO
HE IS AND WHAT HE'S UP TO IN YOUR LIFE AND TEACH YOU TO APPLY
THE TRUTH. ALL OF US KNOW MORE TRUTH THAN
WE PROBABLY APPLY. SO I WOULD ASK YOU THIS. WHEN YOU TAKE NOTES, FOR
EXAMPLE, ON SUNDAY MORNING AND YOU GO PUT THOSE NOTES
SOMEWHERE, I HOPE YOU PUT THEM ALL IN THE SAME PLACE, BUT DO
YOU EVER PULL THEM OUT DURING THE WEEK? DO YOU EVER HEAR ANYTHING, I
KNOW YOU DO, DO YOU EVER HEAR ANYTHING ON SUNDAY DURING THE
WEEK YOU THINK, O GOD, I NEEDED THAT? WHERE ARE YOUR NOTES? ARE YOU FUMBLING AROUND TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY ARE? THE APOSTLE PAUL, LISTEN, HE
LOVED WHAT GOD TAUGHT HIM. SO IN JAIL, INSTEAD OF MOPING
AROUND AND HAVING A PITY PARTY, WHAT IS HE DOING? HE'S THINKING ABOUT YOU AND ME. HE DOESN'T KNOW 2000 YEARS LATER
WE'LL SEE IT AND HEAR IT. WHAT IS GOD DOING? GOD IS LEADING HIM TO WRITE DOWN
WHAT GOD IS TEACHING HIM AND WHAT HE'S EXPERIENCING IN
A COLD ROMAN JAIL CELL. HE COULD JUST BE COMPLAINING.
LISTEN. HE DIDN'T GIVE UP. HE DIDN'T QUIT. HE DIDN'T HAVE WORDS TO SAY
ABOUT ALL THE REST OF THEM. LISTEN. HE APPLIED WHAT HE KNEW WHERE HE
WAS, WHAT HE HAD TO APPLY IN ORDER THAT THOSE WHO FOLLOWED
HIM WOULD KNOW THE TRUTH. I SEE ABOUT APOSTLE PAUL,
HALLELUJAH, PRAISE GOD. THAT HE DIDN'T GIVE UP AND QUIT. AND THAT HE WROTE IT DOWN SO YOU
AND I HAVE IT TO LIVE BY. THEN, OF COURSE, THE FRUIT HIS
TRUTH HAS PRODUCED THROUGH HIM. HE SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HIS
MISSIONARY JOURNEYS THE CHURCHES WERE GROWING, ONE THING, THE
CHURCHES WERE GROWING AND THEY WERE INCREASING IN MEMBERSHIP
ALL THE TIME. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, HE
WROTE THESE EPISTLES TO CHURCHES, TO CORINTH, TO
PHILIPPI, GALATIANS, TO THE ROMANS AND SO FORTH. AND IF YOU TURN TO THE BOOK OF
CORINTHIANS AND READ THAT BOOK, THAT WAS, NO PASTOR WOULD WANT
TO BE THE PASTOR OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CORINTH OR ANY
CORINTHIAN CHURCH. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE CROWD AND
THEY WERE GUILTY OF EVERYTHING YOU COULD THINK OF. READ CORINTHIANS AND IT WAS
ABOUT HIM CORRECTING THIS SIN AND THAT SIN AND THE OTHER. DID HE GIVE UP?
NO. THINK ABOUT THIS. WHEN HE WOULD ESTABLISH A CHURCH
AND LEAVE A FEW PEOPLE AND COME BACK THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEYS,
SOMETIMES WHEN HE CAME BACK, THEY WERE IN A MESS. THEY HAD LET FALSE TEACHERS COME
IN. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY
BELIEVED SOMETIMES. THEY FUSS AND FIGHT JUST LIKE
PEOPLE DO TODAY. A SOME POINT YOU WOULD THINK
PAUL WOULD SAY, ENOUGH OF THIS. THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS AND
YA'LL ARE STILL ACTING LIKE THIS. AND YET, THE GOSPEL SURVIVED. AND 2000 YEARS LATER, WE'RE
WORSHIP THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND SENDING MISSIONARIES
ALL OVER THE WORLD, PREACHING AND TEACHING THE
WORD OF GOD AND OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF
LIFE AND YOU AND I ARE ETERNALLY SECURE BECAUSE OF THE GOSPEL. SO WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY WHAT HE
WROTE AND WHAT HE SUFFERED. THEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REWARD
HE'S PROMISED US. ONE OF THE REASONS WE SHOULD
NEVER GIVE UP TO THINK WHAT ABOUT GOD'S PROVIDED FOR US. REMEMBER WHAT WE READ THIS IN
PASSAGE A FEW MOMENTS AGO IN TIMOTHY. HE SAID TO TIMOTHY, IN THE
FUTURE THERE'S LAID UP FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUS WHICH THE
LORD THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY. AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT TO ALL
WHO LOVE HIS APPEARING. PAUL KNEW HE HAD AN AWESOME
REWARD COMING. AND YOU SAY, I DON'T THINK I
HAVE ANY. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. YOU RAISE YOUR CHILDREN TO BE
GODLY? BIG REWARD. LOVE YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE? REWARD. YOU DO YOUR BEST? REWARD. DO YOUR BEST IN SCHOOL? REWARD. SHARE YOUR FAITH?
REWARD. STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH? REWARD. WE COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON. THERE'S A THOUSANDS WAYS GOD CAN
REWARD HIS CHILDREN. THERE'S NOT A SINGLE LEGITIMATE
REASON FOR A CHILD OF GOD TO GIVE UP AND QUIT AND
THROW IN THE TOWEL. LISTEN. YOU HAVE GOD ON YOUR SIDE. HE'S NOT ONLY ON YOUR SIDE. HE'S LIVING WITHIN YOU. HE PROMISED TO BE THERE. HE PROMISED TO BE WITH YOU
ALWAYS. HE PROMISED TO ENABLE YOU, HELP
YOU, STRENGTHEN YOU, ENCOURAGE YOU IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE IN
LIFE. SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU JUST UNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH. MAYBE I DO. MAYBE I DON'T. I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO DOES AND
THAT'S GOD. GOD UNDERSTOOD WHATEVER YOU'RE
GOING THROUGH BEFORE YOU EVER STARTED GOING THROUGH IT. AND LISTEN, HE'S READY AND
WILLING TO EQUIP YOU. SO THAT YOU WON'T GIVE UP RIGHT
BEFORE THE BEST HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE. AND THE REASON I REPEAT THAT IS
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT SO MANY TIMES AND SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND I'VE SEEN IT IN MY OWN LIFE. O GOD. RIGHT BEFORE I THINK GOD, I
CAN'T HANDLE ANYMORE OF THIS, THE LORD OPENS AN AWESOME DOOR
AND I THANK HIM AND THANK HIM AND THANK HIM THAT HE NEVER LET
ME GIVE UP AN QUIT. HE NEVER INTENDED FOR US TO DO
THAT. I'M SAYING TO YOU, GOD IS SAYING
TO YOU, WHATEVER YOU'RE FACING IN LIFE AT THIS MOMENT NO MATTER
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS, HOW TOUGH IT IS, HOW DISCOURAGING IT IS,
AND ALL THE REASONS AND THE EVIDENCE YOU HAVE FOR WALKING
AWAY AND ALL THE PROOF THAT YOU HAVE THAT THINGS ARE WRONG. REMEMBER THERE'S A GOD IN
HEAVEN. AND IF YOU'RE SAVED HE'S LIVING
WITHIN YOU. AND THAT GOD WILL TAKE YOU
THROUGH WHATEVER YOU'RE FACING IN LIFE NO MATTER WHAT. YOU DON'T, LISTEN, WATCH THIS. YOU SAY I'M GIVING UP. I'M GIVING UP ON MY JOB. I'M GIVING UP ON THIS.
NO. YOU'RE GIVING UP ON GOD. AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS WHEN YOU
GIVE UP, YOU'RE GIVING UP ON HIM. YOUR BOSS OR YOUR MARRIAGE,
SOMEBODY ELSE CAN'T DO FOR YOU. YOU'RE GIVING UP ON GOD. YOU DON'T GIVE UP ON THE
SUPREME, LISTEN, THE SUPREME POWER IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE YOU
DON'T GIVE UP ON. THE ONE WHO LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO
GIVE HIS SON TO DIE ON THE CROSS, YOU DON'T GIVE UP ON HIM. REMEMBER WHO YOU'RE GIVING UP
ON. WHEN YOU DO, YOU WON'T GIVE UP. WELL, I THINK ALSO, THE VISION
OF THE CROSS ALWAYS BEFORE US. THAT'S WHAT PAUL SAID. THE VISION OF THE CROSS ALWAYS
BEFORE HIM. HE MAKES AN AWESOME STATEMENT IN
THIS SIX CHAPTER OF GALATIANS. WHEN YOU LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS
HERE AND YOU LOOK AT THE LIFE HE LIVED, AND HERE'S WHAT HE SAYS. HE SAYS IN THE 14TH VERSE, MAY
IT NEVER BE THAT I WOULD BOAST EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE THING. HE SAYS, EXCEPT IN THE CROSS OF
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THROUGH WHICH THE WORLD HAS BEEN
CRUCIFIED TO ME AND I TO THE WORLD. HE SAID, THE CROSS HAS MADE IT
POSSIBLE FOR ME TO SURVIVE ANY AND EVERYTHING. BECAUSE IT'S AT THE CROSS, THE
ATONING DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST PURCHASED OUR SALVATION. AT THE CROSS THE ATONING DEATH
OF JESUS CHRIST PURCHASED EVERYTHING WE HAVE. IT'S THE ATONING DEATH OF JESUS
CHRIST THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD THAT MAKES OUR FORGIVENESS A
LIVING REALITY. JESUS DIDN'T GIVE UP. HE DIDN'T QUIT. THOUGH HE MUST HAVE IN THE FLESH
AT TIMES BEEN DISCOURAGED BUT NOT IN THE SPIRIT. DO YOU KNOW WHY? HE AND THE FATHER WERE
ABSOLUTELY ONE AND HE KNEW THAT NOTHING COULD CONQUER HIM. BECAUSE HE WAS GOD IN THE HUMAN
FLESH. YOU DON'T GIVE UP. YOU DON'T QUIT. AROUND US TODAY THERE'S LOTS OF
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GIVE UP. THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO QUIT. THEY CAN GIVE YOU SOME RATHER
SHALL WE SAY, GOOD REASONS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE WHY THEY
SHOULD WALK AWAY FROM A SITUATION OR WHY THEY SHOULD
QUIT. NOT IN GOD'S VIEWPOINT. HE HAS THE BEST FOR US. HE'S WILLING TO GIVE US THE
BEST. BUT HE DOESN'T BLESS QUITTERS,
IT WON'T HAPPEN. CHRIST SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR
OUR SALVATION. AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE
SCRIPTURES AND SEE WHAT JESUS DID, HE DIDN'T GIVE UP. I CAN'T GIVE UP. THE APOSTLE PAUL DIDN'T GIVE UP. WE CAN'T GIVE UP. AND HERE'S THE ISSUE. HE WILL REWARD US FOR NOT GIVING
UP. THE REWARD MAY NOT COME UNTIL
GLORY OR YOU MAY BE REWARDED TODAY OR TOMORROW OR NEXT WEEK
OR NEXT MONTH OR NEXT YEAR. HE DOESN'T OVERLOOK OUR
OBEDIENCE, OUR FAITHFULNESS, OUR LOYALTY, OUR DEVOTION AND TO OUR
KEEP ON KEEPING ON. THEN, OF COURSE, NATURALLY OUR
LOVE AND DEVOTION TO JESUS CHRIST. THAT SHOULD KEEP US KEEPING ON
NO MATTER WHAT. AND PAUL SAID IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY
IN PHILIPPIANS, FOR ME TO LIVE IS FOR CHRIST TO LIVE, FOR ME TO
DIE IS MY GAIN. THINK ABOUT THAT. ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU AND I WANT
FOR OUR LIFE? THAT WE WANT TO LIVE THE KIND OF
LIFE THAT WHEN PEOPLE MEET US, IT WON'T TAKE THEM LONG TO HEAR
JESUS IN OUR VOICE. IT WON'T TAKE THEM LONG TO SEE
CHRIST IN OUR ACTIONS. IT WON'T TAKE THEM LONG TO FEEL
THE LOVE YOU AND I FEEL FOR THEM. HE SAID, FOR TO ME TO LIVE
IS CHRIST. THAT WAS HIS WHOLE PERCEPTION. FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST. AND HE SAYS, NOW TO DIE,
I GAIN BY THAT. BUT FOR ME TO LIVE IS FOR
CHRIST TO LIVE. IF I ASK YOU, DO YOU LOVE GOD,
NATURALLY YOU WOULD SAY YOU DO. DO YOU LOVE HIM ENOUGH
TO SERVE HIM? OH, YES. DO YOU LOVE HIM ENOUGH
TO SUFFER FOR HIM? WELL IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THAT IS. NO. IF WE LOVE HIM,
WE WON'T GIVE UP. WE WON'T QUIT WHEN THE GOING
GETS ROUGH. WHEN THE SUFFERING GETS HARD AND
THE PAIN BECOMES INTENSE, WE DON'T GIVE UP. WE WON'T QUIT. WE KEEP GOING BECAUSE JESUS KEPT
GOING, THE APOSTLE PAUL KEPT GOING AND THE TEACHING OF
SCRIPTURE IS THAT YOU AND I KEEP GOING LIKEWISE. AND PAUL TALKS ABOUT, HE TALKS
ABOUT GOD BEING RICH IN MERCY AND GRACE AND LOVE TOWARDS US. AND HE IS. AND SO MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE
OFTENTIMES THEY WANT TO GIVE UP AND QUIT. I'M SAYING TO YOU, DON'T GIVE UP
AND QUIT. ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU WISDOM AND
GIVE YOU STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING. AND I CAN THINK OF SOME PEOPLE
IN MY OWN MIND AND HEART THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT TIMES AND I WONDERED HOW THEY MADE IT THROUGH. BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED GOD. BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE THINGS
WE TALK ABOUT HERE. MAYBE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THEM IN
THAT WAY. BUT IF YOU HAD ASKED THEM. DO YOU THINK GOD IS WITH YOU?
YES. DO YOU BELIEVE HE'S LISTENING
TO YOUR PRAYERS? YES. ARE YOU READING THE WORD OF GOD?
YES. YOU COULD GO RIGHT
DOWN THE LINE. AND ALL THE THINGS WE'VE SAID
THEY WOULD HAVE SAID YES TO AND YET NOBODY EVER LAID IT OUT
AS A PRINCIPLE. LAID IT OUT IN AN OUTLINE
FOR THEM. SO LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. TODAY, WHAT ARE YOU TEMPTED
TO GIVE UP ON? WHAT ARE YOU TEMPTED
TO WALK AWAY FROM? ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY TO HIM,
LORD, I'M HANGING IN HERE NO MATTER WHAT? I KNOW IF I'M IN HERE, YOU'RE IN
HERE WITH ME. BY MY SIDE. TO SEE ME THROUGH. ONCE IN A WHILE I'LL PUT
SOMETHING ON THE MEG SCREEN BECAUSE I WANT YOU THE SEE IT
WITH YOUR EYES. I COULD SAY IT, BUT LOOK AT THIS
FOR A MOMENT. HERE'S REASONS WHY PEOPLE GIVE
UP AND THE WAY THEY GIVE UP. LISTEN. BECAUSE WHEN THEY FACE
SITUATIONS, THEY FACE THEM FEARFULLY. AFRAID. HOPELESSLY, THEY DON'T SEE
THEIR WAY CLEAR. BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING
THROUGH THE EYES OF FEAR. REBELLIOUSLY,
THEY DON'T LIKE IT. THEY DON'T WANT IT THAT WAY. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS? FEARFULLY, HOPELESSLY,
REBELLIOUSLY, OR YOU CAN LOOK AT THE SITUATIONS COURAGEOUSLY. AND THE NEXT SIMPLE PHRASE I
HAVE UP THERE IS THIS. WE MAKE THE CHOICE. WE MAKE THE CHOICE OF HOW WE
LIVE THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIMES IN LIFE. AND IT'S MY PRAYER WHOEVER YOU
ARE, IF YOU'VE NEVER TRUSTED JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR, I
CAN TELL YOU, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. YOU MAY SAY, I HAVE SO MUCH
MONEY. YOU CAN LOSE IT. I HAVE GREAT HEALTH. YOU CAN LOSE THAT. I HAVE A GREAT FAMILY. YOU CAN LOSE THAT. YOU CAN LOSE ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING. LISTEN. BUT IF YOU'RE SAVED BY THE GRACE
OF GOD, YOU CAN'T LOSE THAT. YOU CAN'T LOSE YOUR SALVATION. YOU CAN'T LOSE YOUR RELATIONSHIP
TO ALMIGHTY GOD. AND GOD'S CALLED US TO TRUST HIM
AS OUR SAVIOR IN JESUS CHRIST. LAY OUR LIFE BEFORE HIM AND
ALLOW HIM TO LIVE HIS LIFE THROUGH US AND TO DEMONSTRATE TO
THE WORLD THAT JESUS CHRIST IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS. HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE'LL
DO. AND HE'S MORE THAN CAPABLE OF
FULFILLING THAT PROMISE. I WOULD PLEAD WITH YOU, DON'T
WALK AWAY. DON'T QUIT. DON'T GIVE UP. DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL AS
PEOPLE SAY. BUT JUST TELL THE LORD, LORD,
I'M GOING TO TRUST YOU TO SEE ME THROUGH THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW. BUT I'M GOING TO TRUST YOU,
BECAUSE YOU SAID, YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME. AND GOD, I BELIEVE YOU ALWAYS
TELL THE TRUTH. FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE THAT
YOU HAVE PLACED WITHIN US YOUR VERY SELF IN THE PERSON OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT. TO EQUIP US. TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
YOU WOULD HAVE US TO DO IN SUCH A WAY. WE DON'T HAVE TO QUIT AND GIVE
UP. WE WANT TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON
BECAUSE THAT IS THE IMAGE THAT JESUS LEAVES US. AND THE IMAGE OF THE APOSTLE
PAUL. AND MULTITUDES OF SAINTS WHO
HAVE GONE BEFORE US. SO I PRAY FOR ANY AND EVERY
PERSON HERE THIS MORNING WHO IS FEELING TEMPTED TO GIVE UP. WHO IS FEELING TEMPTED
TO QUIT. WHO IS FEELING TEMPTED
TO WALK OUT. TO WALK AWAY.
TO LAY IT DOWN. TO LAY IT ASIDE. TO TURN AROUND. THAT YOU WOULD REMIND THEM,
THERE IS MANY REASONS NOT TO. THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO STAY
STEADY AND CALM AS PAUL WOULD SAY TO TIMOTHY. AND TO KEEP MOVING ON AND
TRUSTING YOU MOMENT BY MOMENT. AND YOU SAID, YOU WILL CAUSE ALL
THE THINGS THAT MAY TEMPT US AND TRY TO US QUIT TO TURN OUT FOR
OUR GOOD IF WE'LL TRUST YOU. WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR THAT IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
