Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Perseverance”
Our Bible verse for today: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Don’t give-up!”
The great British preacher C.H. Spurgeon once wrote, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” That’s funny but true. It’s only by perseverance that a snail gets anywhere, ever. And yet, snails do get places. Somehow, someway, eventually, they do get there and it happens because they don’t give-up.
Giving up is a primary reason that so many people end up living lives that are much less than what they could otherwise have been. On day one of a college student’s freshman year, acquiring that Bachelor’s degree seems like an impossible dream. But if that student will focus on completing one class at a time, and then the next one, and then the next one, slowly but surely they will complete them all and one day they will find themselves on a stage wearing a cap and gown and being handed their degree. “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”
Persevering is the key to succeeding. It means that we push through obstacles and hardships and we just keep moving forward. That’s what Paul was writing about in Philippians 3:14. Nothing was ever easy for Paul. He faced obstacle and hardship after obstacle and hardship, but he never gave-up. He just kept going. He had a worthy goal that was worth the effort and so he never stopped trying, he never stopped moving forward.
Paul’s life was a success largely because he never gave-up, and the same will be true for you. Your issues and challenges will be different from Paul’s, but if you will just lean into it and keep moving forward, the Holy Spirit will guide, empower, and protect you just like He did with Paul.
Whatever difficult situation you are dealing with today, I encourage you to stick with it. Persevere. Push through it. At the moment it may seem insurmountable but that is seldom the case. With time and tenacity and lots of prayer, most things can be handled.
I once read a statement made by a man who had been held captive by terrorists for an extended period of time. Despite his long and frightening ordeal he never lost hope and he never gave-in to despair. After he was rescued he was asked by a reporter how he kept his spirits up through all of that. His response is a great lesson in how to stay focused and hopeful in difficult circumstances. He said, “Nothing is over until you give-up!” And I believe that to be true. As long as you continue to try, there is still hope. It’s not over until you quit trying.
So, don’t give-up!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 