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There are many people in this world who feel like giving up because of the
trials and challenges in their path that seem too difficult to overcome.
They feel as if they have endured enough and they just can't take it
anymore. What they fail to realize is that with our own strength we can
accomplish nothing, but with God's strengthening nothing shall be
impossible to us. When we take our eyes off of our own ability and focus
more on God's ability, we will be encouraged to try again knowing that God
favors those who trust in Him and He will make victory their own. The key
however is within our hands; we must dig our heels in and refuse to give up
or give in no matter how discouraged we may feel and no matter how high the
mountain before us seems to be. (Isaiah 40:28-31) (Mark 10:27) (Luke 1:37)
The apostle Paul knows about weakness. He knows about enduring pain. At
one point he asked the Lord three different times to take a thorn from his
flesh and God answered Paul and said “My grace is sufficient for thee: for
My strength is made perfect in weakness.” At God's response, Paul rejoiced
and said “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that
the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses
for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” God's answer of
grace and strength meant more to Paul than his own healing. We should take
comfort in knowing that God will be just as faithful to us in our
tribulations. And that is why we must never give up. We must continue on
in faith knowing that our victory surely lays ahead.
(2 Corinthians 12:8-11) (2 Corinthians 11:22-33)
When Paul came to the end of his life he said in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Paul didn't say I quit the race or I got tired and will continue the race
another time. He said I finished the race. He stayed faithful despite the
beatings he took, the ridicule he endured and the suffering that he went
through to preach Christ. He stayed faithful despite all the
discouragements and because he did, we now call him a giant in the faith.
We learn from his writings that take up half of the New Testament. We are
encouraged and inspired by the testimony that he has left us and I pray
that we learn to be as faithful to the Lord even in the midst of our raging
storms just as the apostle Paul was. (Job 13:15)
No matter what we may go through, we can stand up again, we can try again,
we can continue on no matter how bleak the situation may seem. Giving up
should never be a part of our mentality or our vocabulary. We who have
entrusted our life to the Lord know that a new beginning is possible with
Him and God will be faithful to strengthen us, to encourage us and to equip
us with all that we need to finish the race just like Paul did. No matter
how hard the storms are raging, matter how tough the battle may seem, be
encouraged to continue on and fight the good fight of faith. The Lord who
hasn't left you in times past won't leave you now. Stay faithful to Him
and know that God will never leave you nor forsake you.
(Mark 13:13) (Philippians 2:13-16)
I hope this message encourages and challenges your heart to never give up,
to always try again and know that a new beginning is always possible.
THROWN FROM THE BULL
Speaker Andy Sherman tells about learning to ride bulls in the rodeo. At
eighteen, he told his father he wanted to be a professional bull rider.
His father said, “You want to do what? Why would you want to do that?”
Andy said jokingly, “I don't know - I guess I like the hours. You just work
eight seconds at a time. That appeals to me.”
His father, concerned about the inherent danger, responded, “I absolutely
forbid you to do that!” And, at that moment, young Andy instantly knew his
life's calling!
The only problem was - he couldn't ride. Always 7 1/2 seconds away from
making the eight-second buzzer, he decided to enter “Rodeo School.”
The first day of school he was told to get on a bull. He got on and was
immediately thrown off. The instructor said, “Get on another one.” He was
thrown from a second bull. Then a third. And a fourth. He finally asked
the instructor, “Are you going to show me how to ride these things?”
“That's how you ride them,” came the reply. “Just get on one and ride.”
By the week's end, Andy had climbed on, and been thrown off, about eighty
bulls. But he learned how to ride.
Experience can be a great teacher. Unfortunately, there is only one way to
get it, and that is to fall a few times until you learn. Like the employer
who told her new employee, “I hired you to make right decisions.”
“And how do I do that?” he asked.
“Experience!” she answered.
“How do I get experience?” he asked.
“Wrong decisions.”
But experience will never come if we are afraid to try. And fail. And try
again. And maybe fail again. We may have to “get thrown from a lot of
bulls” if we are ever going to learn to ride. But that is part of living a
full and happy life!
By Steve Goodier
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
2 Timothy 4:6-8 “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.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will
I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within
you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments,
and do them.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for
in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Psalm 8:3-6 “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon
and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful
of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him
a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and
honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou
hast put all things under his feet.”
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and
though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the
waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the
swelling thereof. Selah.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: WHAT IS FAITH?
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem118.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: WHAT A MIRACLE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony54.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
