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
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
VI. THERE IS A MAN PAUL WRITES ABOUT NAMED ARCHIPPUS...
A. Archippus means master of the horse.
B. Archippus was a member of Philemon's family.
C. He is believed to to be Philemon's son.
D. Archippus was a minister that worked along side of Paul.
Philemon 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in
thy house:
E. PAUL TAKES PEN IN HAND TO WRITE A SIDE BAR MESSAGE TO HIS DEAR FRIEND
ARCHIPPUS.
KJV
Col. 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,
that thou fulfil it.
NIV
Col. 4:17 Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
LIVING
Col. 4:17 And say to Archippus, "Be sure that you do all the Lord has told you to."
MESSAGE
Col. 4:17 And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, "Do your best in the job you received from the Master.
Do your very best."
F. PAUL EXHORTS AND WANTS TO REMIND ARCHIPPUS TO RENEW THE VIGOR OF THE WORK
AND ACTIVITIES THAT HE WAS CALLED TO DO...
G. WE DON'T KNOW WHO ARCHIPPUS WAS?
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ARCHIPPUS' WORK WAS?
H. THE LESSON IS THAT ARCHIPPUS MUST ARISE AND COMPLETE THE WORK BEFORE HIM...
VII. QUITING WILL BECOME A LAST DAY TRAIT... WE MUST BUCK THE TREND...
WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE... THEY WILL QUIT...
A. Timothy had followed the old man of God and learned much from Paul.
2 Tim. 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
[5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
B. Some people will love ignorance.
There is nothing wrong with ignorance... but there is with STAYING IGNORNANT!
2 Tim. 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
C. WATCH OUT FOR THE LAST DAYS
2 Tim. 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
[4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
[5] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry.
VIII. QUITTING IS AN EXTERNAL SIGN OF AN INTERNAL PROBLEM...
A. A COUGH CAN BE AN EXTERNAL SIGN OF AN INTERNAL PROBLEM...
B. THEY WERE NEVER WITH YOU TO START WITH...
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no
doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were
not all of us.
C. QUITTING TELLS A LOT ABOUT THE PERSON THAT QUITS...
Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
His servant, Wade martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
PASS IT ON?
