Finish What You Start, Never Quit

FINISH WHAT YOU START: DON'T QUIT

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

FINISH:

To succeed in doing.

Bring to an end, COMPLETE, To over come completely.

Accomplish, achieve, carry out,

COMPLETE:

To make whole, entire,

PERSIST:

To continue firmly or obstinately, steadfast,

DON'T QUIT...

I. LIFE CAN BECOME DIFFICULT... I HEAR SOME TALK LIKE BEING A CHRISTIAN

IS HARD... BUT NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE OR WHAT YOU DO LIFE IS

DIFFICULT AT BEST...

A. LET US UNDERSTAND SOMETHING FROM THE START...

BEING A CHRISTIAN IS THE BEST LIFE STYLE YOU COULD EVER FIND...

Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

B. At best we will know tears, heart ache, and heavy burdens...

BUT WE CAN NOT QUIT.

Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

II. LIFE HAS BEEN COMPARED TO MAY THINGS...

ONE GOOD COMPARISON IS LIKE A SOLDIER...

A. I ENTERTAIN A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE POINTS HOW BEING A CHRISTIAN

IS LIKE UNTO THE SOLDIER IN AN ARMY...

2 Tim. 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

B. WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT IN THE MIDST OF STORMS, TRIALS, SUFFERINGS,

THERE COMES A PLACE THHAT ENDURANCE IS REQUIRED...

Ephes. 6:13 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.

C. ENDURING BECOMES PART OF OUR PROCESS...

1 Cor. 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

D. FEW ACCEPT THERE IS AN END AHEAD...

THERE IS AN END AND WE MUST PRESS ON TO THE END...

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end

shall be saved.

E. THE WRITTER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT KNOW THERE IS POWER IN REPETITION...

SO MATTHEW REPEATS THE LESSON...

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

III. THE DOVE CAN FIND NO REST OUT OF THE ARK...

WE HAVE ANOTHER DAY OF GRACE AND MERCY...

BUT WE CAN GROW SO TIRED AND WEARY WITH OUR HEAVY BURDENS...

A. THERE IS A HIDDEN LESSON... IN THE STORY OF NOAH AND THE DOVE...

Genesis 8:8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of

the ground;

[9] But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the

waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her

in unto him into the ark.

[10] And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

B. THE DOVE FLIES AND FLIES, AROUND AND AROUND...

C. THE DOVE IS LOOKING FOR A PLACE, AN ANSWER?

D. AT THE END OF THE DAY...

AFTER A DAY OF EMPTY FLIGHT, THE DOVE KNOWS WHAT TO DO...

RETURN TO THE ARK...

E. THE DOVE DID NOT LAND ON THE OUTSIDE, IT RETURNED TO THE HAND OF NOAH...

THE MASTER IS WAITING TO HOLD YOU, FEED YOU AND GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED...

F. THE DOVE COMES HOME WITH HOPE...

THE STORM AND FLOOD ARE PASSED...

Genesis 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf

pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

G. COME INTO THE ARK THOSE THAT ARE WEARY AND BURDENED...

IV. LORD TEACH US TO NUMMBER OUR DAYS AND COUNT THE COST...

COUNTING THE COST LOOKS DEEP...

A. NOT ONLY DO WE COUNT THE COST TO BUILD...

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost,

whether he have sufficient to finish it?

[29] Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin

to mock him,

[30] Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

B. WE COUNT THE COST OF IDLENESS ...

C. WE COUNT THE COST IF WE DON'T...

D. A QUART OF OIL NOW? OR A BLOWN MOTOR LATER...

V. HAPPY IF WE WILL ENDURE AND NOT QUIT...

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and

have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

A. IT IS ALWAYS TOO SOON TO QUIT

B. TRIUMPH IS A LITTLE TRY WITH AN UMPH BEHIND IT...

C. QUITTERS NEVER WIN, WINNERS NEVER QUIT.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the