Keep On - Keeping On.

Sometimes we all want to just give up. We want to throw in the towel, turn and go back to bed. Our get up and go has got up and left. We have that feeling like there is just no reason to keep on going, no reason to keep trying.

Like the man who saw a beautiful woman and he walks up to her and say “you are very beautiful, and I would like your phone number” she replies with “are you working?” and he says “no” but she give him the number anyway.

After trying to call her for several days, he sees her in the market and goes to her and says “this number you gave me is not working” she smiled and said - “Neither are you”

I bet you He felt like giving up.

In this room today are many people that have been through disasters, challenges, and often felt defeated. I want to spend todays time in the word encouraging all of us - that we CAN “KEEP ON KEEPING ON!”

Hebrews 12:1–3 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.

Stay Dedicated to God.

Romans 14:8 CSB

8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

A. Many fail to completely surrender to God’s will - they chase after wordly things, temporary fixes that take their eyes off of God and Holy things. Causing them to withdraw their surrender to God.

B. God must have first place in our lives. We must surrender to His will, and as we do, we will be strengthened and enabled to KEEP ON GOING.

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

We must as a people after God’s heart - learn to become completely dedicated to God. Keeping Him first in our lives.

Stay Dependent on God.

Proverbs 3:6 CSB

6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

BREAKDOWN:

All Your Ways - Not some.

Word “Ways” points us to Ps. 1:1

Psalm 1:1 CSB

1 How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!

Know God - Seek His Wisdom.

Psalm 1:2 CSB

2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.

He Makes the Way - Not You. (Directs your path) Puts you in the right place in HIS time. Ps 1:3

Psalm 1:3 CSB

3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

There is a clear picture of 2 ways in Psalms 1 - a life dependent on God and one dependent on Self.

Psalm 1:4–5 CSB

4 The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

1 way is dependent on God for direction

1 way is self seeking, not seeking God’s wisdom.

You are in one of these two places today. the final exhortation of Psalms 1 is in verse 6.

Psalm 1:6 CSB

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

In water-safety courses a cardinal rule is never to swim out to a drowning man and try to help him as long as he is thrashing about. To do so is to commit suicide. As long as a drowning man thinks he can help himself, he is dangerous to anyone who tries to help him. His tendency is to grab the one trying to aid him and take them both down in the process. The correct procedure is to stay just far enough away so that he can’t grab you. Then you wait. And when he finally gives up, you make your move. At that point the one drowning is pliable. He won’t work against you. He will let you help.

The same principle holds true in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Until we give up, we aren’t really in a position to be helped. We will work against him rather than with him.

We must learn to fully depend on God and stop trying to figure it all out on our own. He is much more than capable.

Rejoice in God.

Philippians 4:4 CSB

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

A. Some fail to rejoice in the Lord. They are NEGATIVE (example of negative thinking) “stinkin’ thinkin’” - This type of attitude leads to giving up, and lot of discouragement.

B. We must REJOICE IN THE LORD AT ALL TIMES - HIS PRAISE WILL EVER BE ON MY LIPS - I WILL PRAISE THE LORD AT ALL TIMES, I W IL BLESS THE LORD WITH ALL OF MY LIFE. FOR HE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS.

as we count our blessings and see the good in others we are able to KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

Hurricane IAN caused a lot of stress and worry and many are still dealing with the loss of things, and the major flooding that has taken place. Responders are still working to insure safety to our communities and we need to pray for them and each other. But even in this we can rejoice - we can know that God has a perfect plan, He is working things out in His way. He has never once ask us for suggestions. (too many want to serve God but only in an advisory capacity) We can rejoice because it could’ve been worse, we could’ve lost more, BUT THANK GOD - if you are breathing, we can praise the Lord. We can rejoice in the blessings God has given us - at all times. Even when we are hurting and discouraged we can count on each other as we live out God’s word in Romans 12:15

Romans 12:15 CSB

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

Let’s sing a verse of that song - I know it’s old and not trendy - but that’s okay. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. (try it as a round)

Be Diligent for God.

2 Corinthians 5:14 (CSB)

14 For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died.

Christ’s death is our death, so His resurrection is our resurrection; Greek, “Who for them died and rose again.”

A. Be diligent (stay after) the things of God. Worry about pleasing yourself less and do not be lazy about spiritual pursuits. (worship together, prayer, bible reading, growing in faith)

B. We must be busy - DILIGENT - about God’s work : Sharing the gospel, attending worship services, making spiritual pursuits the highest priority in your life.

The fields are ready - the workers are few. The people are ready to hear - who will tell them?

When we serve and surrender our lives to God completely - God empowers us through the Holy Spirit to KEEP ON KEEPING ON. (Acts 1:8)

(FIRST STEPS)

Salvation (my verses)

Baptism Romans 6:4

Romans 6:4 CSB

4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Join FBCP (class next sunday @ 5)

Get into a small group on Sunday afternoons.

In closing listen to this closely:

IF YOU’VE ever watched the high jumpers in the Olympics, you will realize that there are two kinds. The regular high jumpers jump about seven feet. They run and throw their backs over the bar. But there is another kind of high jumper.

They are called pole-vaulters. They jump about eighteen feet. They back up.

They look down the runway. But they have that pole in their hand. They start running down the track, stick the pole in a hole in the ground, put all of their weight on that pole, and use the pole to lift them to a level that they could not lift themselves on their own.

Some of us have mountains. There is a crossbar and we have tried to high jump it in the flesh. We have seen that mountain and we have backed up. We have said, “Mountain, you are not going to keep me down any longer.” We grit our teeth with the power of positive thinking, New Year’s resolutions, and resolves not to repeat our mistakes. We take off and we jump two feet when there is an eighteen-foot bar.

Some of us have been jumping that same two feet for fifty years and the bar is

still up there. In fact, it keeps going higher every year. Maybe what you need is a pole vault. You need something that you can lean on when you get to your problem so that you can go higher than you could ever lift yourself. Maybe you need a pole that will help you jump over the mountain. The pole vault for the bars in your life are

Being Dedicated to God.

Being Dependent on God.

Rejoicing in God

Staying Diligent for God (kingdom)

Remember these and you will find the power to KEEP ON KEEPING ON