EXPLORING GOD’S WORD 69 CONTINUED

TOPIC: Steadfastness

Lesson three : Steadfastness is a character of the Saints.    Job 17:⁹ The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.  John 8:³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

STEADFASTNESS SHOULD BE MANIFESTED:

a/ IN CLEAVING TO GOD   —- Deut.10:²⁰ Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.  Acts 11:²³ Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

b/ IN THE WORK OF THE LORD —- 1 Cor. 15:⁵⁸ 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.

c/ IN CONTINUING IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE —- Acts 2:⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

d/ IN HOLDING FAST OUR PROFESSION —- Hebrews 4:¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  10:²³ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

[ to be continued ]

CLOUDS

THE CLOUDS
Our lives are like the clouds,
little vapors in the sky,
we hang around awhile,
then we say goodbye.
Our lives are like the clouds,
sometimes all fluffy and white,
some times we have our trials,
like the black clouds at night.
Our lives are like the clouds,
being driven by the wind,
sometimes we are tossed to and fro,
as we fall into sin.
Our lives are like the clouds,
that are controlled by God’s hand,
when we put our trust in Him,
He will guide us across this land.
Our lives are like the clouds,
all beautiful and bright,
floating around the sun,
as it sets at night.
Our lives are like the clouds,
little vapors in the sky,
we hang around awhile,
then we say goodbye.

~ Winston Staples

[ I love this poem it was written from a hospital bed one stormy sunday after it started to clear off .]

EXPLORING GOD’S WORD 69 [cont’d]

LESSON 2: STEADFASTNESS IS SECURED BY:

a/ Psalms 55:22 —-²² Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.  Psalms 62:2 —-² He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.  1 Peter 1:5—- ⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.                 Jude 1:24  —-²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,     Steadfastness is by the Power of God!

b/ Steadfastness is by the Presence of God—- Psalms 16: ⁸ I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

c/ Steadfastness is by trust in God—- Psalms 26:Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.

d/ Steadfastness is by the intercession of CHRIST—- Luke 22:³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

[ to be cont’d ]

 

EXPLORING GOD’S WORD 69!

Preparation: Read 2 Thess.2 

Lesson 1. As believers [ sinners saved by God’s grace ] we are to stand firm by the renewing of our minds by God’s word. In the next few weeks we are going to look at some Bible verses on this subject. I trust you will be blessed and encouraged.

a/ We see this in God’s purposes and and ways.  The Bible states this in the following verses.  Numbers 23:¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?  Daniel 6:²⁶ I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.  James 1:¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

b/ We are commanded to be steadfast.  The Bible states this in the following verses. Philippians 4:Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.² I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 2 Thess. 2:¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. James 1:⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

c/ Godliness is needed to be steadfast.  We read this in Job 11:¹³ If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;¹⁴ If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.¹⁵ For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear:

[ to be continued ]