If You Continue - No. 23

Acts 13:43,  “Continue in the grace of God.”

God has given us so many wonderful promises in the Word of God. However, most of them are prefixed or suffixed by a condition.  In this devotion we will look at the condition of ‘continuing on’!

IF YOU CONTINUE IN THE WORDS OF JESUS

Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

I have always loved quoting the familiar words; "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." However, one day I noticed the true context of these words. We will only know the truth if when we walk in obedience to God’s Word. If we don't continue in the Word, we can be led into deception.

“A little learning is a dangerous thing” is true. It’s not enough to half understand God’s principles. We must search after the whole truth. And it’s not enough to search after it; we must obey it and walk in it. James 1:25 says, “Whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” After realizing this, I wrote in my daily devotional book the following words…

Disobedience leads to deception!

Obedience leads to truth! 

IF YOU CONTINUE IN THE FAITH

In Colossians 1:22-23 God promises to present you “holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight: if you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” 

It’s not enough to receive Christ by faith into our hearts. We must continue in the faith. It’s not how we begin, but how we end that matters. Jesus said, “They that endure to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22)

Don’t let what people say turn you away from your faith in God. Because the majority of people are saying something different does not mean that it is the truth. I have always been challenged by the words of Romans 3:4, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” Would I still continue to follow God’s truth, even if everyone else was doing something different? Are you prepared to walk in God’s truth even if it may be a different step to everyone else? 

Don’t let disappointments and hardships move you away from you faith in God. Let’s face it. Life isn’t easy. Life isn’t perfect. Just because you believe in God doesn’t exempt you from difficulties. Paul encouraged the new believers “to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22) When writing to the Thessalonian believers, he exhorted them not to be moved or shaken by afflictions. (1 Thessalonians 3:3)

IF YOU CONTINUE IN FAITH, LOVE, HOLINESS AND SOBRIETY

1 Timothy 2:15 says that we will be “preserved in childbearing if we continue in faith and love and holiness and sobriety.”

This is a wonderful promise for mothers, isn’t it? The word ‘childbearing’ is ‘teknogonia’ and does not just mean birthing a child, but it embraces the whole aspect of mothering – nursing, rearing children, and mothering duties in the home.  We are promised that we will be preserved (physically, emotionally and spiritually) when we embrace this lifestyle. But mothering is not enough. We must also continue in faith, in love, in holiness and in sobriety.

What does this word ‘sobriety’ mean? The Greek word is ‘sophrosume’, derived from two words – sos which means ‘sound’ and phren, ‘the mind’. Thus it means to have sound judgment or a sound mind.  We as mothers should not be pulled this way or that way by the fashions and dictates of the world and society, but should understand and exercise sound judgment on all matters. The Revised Authorised Version translates sobriety as “self control” which lines up with another commentator who gives the understanding as ‘a well-balanced state of mind, resulting from continual self-restraint.’

These wonderful attributes of faith, love, holiness and self-control should be the testimony of a mother’s life.

You may not feel that this is your testimony at this present time. Perhaps you have felt the way is too hard and you’ve stopped along the way. You’ve given up on your vision. Dear mother, come now, get up again. Continue on. Your life must be a life of continuance. Don’t give up. Remain strong in the truth. Don’t be sidetracked. Continue on – little by little. Press through your problems, your heartaches, your fears, and your inadequacies.

Keep your eyes on the finishing line!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord, please give me grace to continue in the race. Please give me courage to keep on with the vision you have given to me, no matter what obstacles loom before me. Please help me to stand fast in the faith and not be moved. Increase my desire to abide in your Word, to obey your Word, and to continue in it. Thank you for your faithful promises to me as I continue in your ways. Amen.”

QUOTE: