continue

Last night in our evening worship (which we held outside, it was such a lovely night), we took a look at the exhortation to "continue in what you have learned and become convinced of."

Its a powerful little passage (2 Tim.3.10-17) in which Paul is on about the Bible. He gives some pretty good reasons for sticking with it and persisting in grounding our lives in the teaching the Scriptures afford.

Why? Three good reasons. The Scriptures make you strong for struggles, wise for salvation, and fit for service.

We need that strength from the Lord which enables us to endure the struggles which come our way, in the confidence that he will indeed rescue us from (or at least through) them all.

Because there will be struggles of one sort or another. Trials and troubles which will sometimes seem quite huge and overwhelming.

I've been aware of that today in the folk I've been with. There are troubles I'm having to handle and cope with myself. Troubles which often have me crying out -Roll on heaven! Troubles for which I don't have ready answers.

And there are all sorts of troubles that people I'm seeing are facing.

I'm a pastor. And people encountering troubles are what most of my life is about.

Troubles will come. We have that on good authority. No less than Jesus himself.

You don't get an exemption certificate following him. Troubles will come and it's going to be hard and at times you'll wonder if really you're going to survive.

Sometimes it seems a whole load easier simply to give up on the Lord.

Today's been a day for which yesterday's word was quite timely. Continue. Stick in there.

One situation after another, where at times it seems the whole thing is a nightmare and all hell has been let loose.

And maybe that's not all that far from being in fact the truth.

"Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."

Persecuted. Hounded. By hell. The very kitchen sink of hell itself being flung at us.

You want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus? You've got to expect this, then.

And you've got to learn to 'continue'. To stick in there in the face of the storm that rages.

And you'll need to fall back on the Scriptures. Because they point you back to the Lord. And the Lord is strong and loving. And rescues us. Every time.

Fall back on the Scriptures and all that they teach you of God.

His strength. His love. His commitment. His care. His mercy. His grace.

His death. His resurrection. His salvation.

Jesus saves. Always.