In This Issue:
They Kept On Despite Difficulties
In the Master’s Hand
Don’t Quit
Volume: 1004 May 5, 202
Theme: Don’t Quit
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They Kept On Despite Difficulties
Bill Brinkworth
Heroes of the faith have continued since biblical times. Here are just a few of the countless faithful ones:
- Hundreds of thousands of Christians lost their lives rather than deny that Jesus is the only way to Heaven or that the Bible is the preserved Word of God. The unwavering faithfulness of those heroes of the faith is why the truth from the Word of God is still preached in many churches, and we still have the preserved Word of God available to us. The testimonies of many of those heroes who died by the sword, fire, torture, and other hideous ways for their faith can be read in Foxes Book of Martyrs (1563).
- Fanny Crosby (Frances Jane van Alstne Crosby) March 23,1820 – Feb. 12, 1915. Although blinded shortly after her birth, Fanny did not let her handicap hinder her from being a Christian testimony and serving the Lord. Her over 8,000 hymns are still sung today, including: “Blessed Assurance” and “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour”. She also spent her life teaching and doing rescue mission work.
- Horatio Spafford. Horatio lost many of his properties to the devastation of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire and was ruined financially. He sent his family to Europe while he stayed behind and handled some business. On the trip over, four of his daughters died after their ship sank in the Atlantic. Only his wife survived. Traveling to join his wife, he penned one of the greatest hymns about having peace during a crisis. It is entitled “It Is Well with My Soul” and has encouraged many people going through life’s difficulties.
- John R. Rice, Billy Sunday…. These men, and many more, took a stand in the early to mid-twentieth century to stop the damage done by alcohol. Because of their strong stand against sin, many came to church, were saved, and allowed the Lord to change their lives. This angered many saloon owners to the point that the preachers’ lives were threatened. Still, the faithful men and women would not deviate from telling those involved in alcohol consumption the biblical truth. Many were saved and had their lives turned around by the strong stand of those faithful Christians.
- A wheelchair-bound Sunday school bus worker in the Chicago area. Many years ago, a disabled woman felt called to the ministry of busing in children so they could attend Sunday school. Every Saturday, despite how she felt or the weather, she had someone take her to the neighborhood where she wanted to invite children. Although it was the city, and she could not go up to most of the apartments because of the inaccessibility of her wheelchair, she either sent helpers to knock on doors or stood outside the apartment until she got someone’s attention. As a result of her determination, many, many Chicago children got to church and were saved!
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
Lord, I cannot imagine my life apart from your grace;
Gratitude flows from my heart as tears begin to stream down my face.
These trials and hardships you have allowed for a specific good reason;
Though I don’t understand, help me to endure these afflictions, if but for a season.
Let the pathway of my heart never forsake what Christ endured;
May my testimony of Christ within never tragically be obscured.
Let bitterness and anger not hinder my course lest I stray;
May the Holy Spirit flow freely through my life each and every day.
My perseverance, my strength, and my courage are inspired by you Lord.
Knowing you as Father and Saviour is my greatest reward.
You are my creator, deliverer, provider, and guide;
Through the most painful chapters of my life, there is comfort with you by my side.
Ingratitude and self-pity have dissipated as hope has dawned again;
Overshadowed by unhindered expressions of your love time and again.
I struggle at times with insignificance, powerlessness, and even purposelessness.
It is during those times you never cease to amaze and inspire me with glimpses of your goodness.
Lord I know you have so graciously preserved me;
It is my desire to embrace your truth for others to see.
Thank you Lord for your mercy, understanding, and patience.
Your Word is my foundation to provide for all of my substance.
Regardless of circumstances help me to continually abide in your Word;
Continually seeking you alone, as there is never a prayer that has returned unheard.
My gratitude and praises no price can it measure.
Heavenly Father, you are the most gifted treasure!
What blesses my heart most about this poem is that it was written by a person going through great trials and tribulations, but she still has great faith, hope, and strength. She writes: “My kidneys are back and forth between improving and failure. The report on my injuries from recent falls and diabetic complications has come to the forefront of serious concerns. My diabetes is brittle, and the shots caused elevated dangerous levels. I see the orthopedic doctor again next week and believe I will be sent to a team of surgeons. I am looking at multiple surgeries as the trauma from falls has caused considerable damage. Once I meet with the surgeons, I will just need to continue praying for wisdom to make difficult decisions. It will be rough as each surgery is very complicated. I am just praying for guidance and peace to know what to do. I am feeling so poorly and have too many diffuse pains competing with each other on top of the already existing neuropathy. I push through, but have no energy. The struggle, both physically and emotionally, seems overwhelming, I love the Lord so much, and He will get me through this!”
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Chorus:
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
From the Hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” by Horatio G. Spafford
Too many quit or want to stop when the going gets rough. In most cases, one never really quits the problem. One may move away from it, but it follows a person, often much of one’s life. The obstacle is still there.
Quitters are everywhere:
- Husbands feel they cannot handle the burden of being a husband and father and run away. Although he is distant from his family, he is still a father and husband. His running away has not changed that. The problems he ran away from usually get far bigger than they originally were.
- Wives run off leaving families and husbands; however, each is still a wife and mother.
- Children sometimes do not like their parent’s rules. They run away, but they still have the same parents. They just put space between themselves and the unsolved problem that will most likey haunt them for the rest of their lives unless they stay and work out the problem.
- Students quit school but usually have a future without training and education. The rest of their lives are often stalled because they never learned the necessary lessons to further their lives.
- Friends quit long-term friendships because of arguments.
- Employees quit when they do not like what is happening at the workplace.
It usually is easy to walk away from an uncomfortable situation. It does not take character, intelligence, or common sense to run away when the way gets tough. Rarely is anything solved by quitting. There will always be problems in life. Unsolved problems have a way of following us wherever we go.
Many take their quitting lifestyle and apply it to their spiritual lives. Here are several reasons why one cannot quit on God:
- You cannot quit being a Christian: Once a true Christian, always a Christian. You did not earn it. It was a free gift of salvation if you trusted Jesus’ finished work on the cross as payment for all your sins. However, too many quit being Christ-like.
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:28-29 - You cannot quit because the enemy has nothing to offer. There are only two sides – Satan’s and God’s. If one is truly saved by faith, he cannot get unsaved and be on the loser’s side.
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 - You should not quit because victory may be just around the corner. Troubles and tribulations are part of the school of life. You may be very close to passing the “test” and going on to life’s next lesson. Do not quit now.
“And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” II Timothy 4:18 - You cannot quit when you make a mistake. Just get back in the saddle and try again.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39 - You cannot quit now; you will miss the harvest. Maybe your problem will be over one day, and you will reap a blessing from the tribulation. Perhaps it will be tomorrow or the day after. Spiritual fruit does not always come the day it is planted.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58 Also: John 15:4.
Many times, life is very difficult. If you are a Christian, you are on the winning side. Do not quit now. Victory is possible; it is a blessing when achieved and may be just around the corner!
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37