Today’s Scripture ReadingToday’s Scripture Reading

James 1:12James 1:12

Real Christians Are Real Christians Are PerseveringPersevering

James 1:12James 1:12

Now That’s A Brand!Now That’s A Brand!•Did you hear about Did you hear about the two Texas the two Texas cowboys bragging cowboys bragging about the names of about the names of their ranches?their ranches?

•It can be a It can be a challenge to remain challenge to remain faithful to Christ faithful to Christ during all the ups during all the ups and downs of this and downs of this life.life.

Galatians 6:17Galatians 6:17

From now on let no one cause trouble for me, From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.Jesus. (NAS)

• Are we strong enough to survive the branding we will receive if we are truly faithful in this world?

• Real Christians are PERSEVERING.• How is the Lord preparing us to stand strong

for the faith we profess?

ABIDINGABIDING

What does God really want from me?What does God really want from me?

Jeremiah 32:40Jeremiah 32:40 -- -- I will make an I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. turn away from me.

What Are We Charged To DO?What Are We Charged To DO?

To the Jews who To the Jews who had believed had believed him, Jesus said, him, Jesus said, "If you hold to "If you hold to my teaching, my teaching, you are really you are really my disciples.my disciples.

John 8:31John 8:31

Where Do We Really Live?Where Do We Really Live?

John 15:1-8John 15:1-8

• We must remain (abide) We must remain (abide) in Jesusin Jesus

• We must bear fruit in We must bear fruit in keeping with keeping with righteousnessrighteousness

• We must obey Jesus We must obey Jesus and keep His and keep His commandmentscommandments

• Failure to do so results Failure to do so results in being cut offin being cut off

How Should We Be Growing?How Should We Be Growing?

• Faith• Goodness• Knowledge• Self-control• Perseverance• Godliness• Brotherly Kindness • Love

These qualities increasing! 2 Peter 1:5-8

Luke 14:25-33Luke 14:25-33

•Have we properly Have we properly counted the cost?counted the cost?•Do we have what Do we have what it takes to follow it takes to follow Jesus for the rest of Jesus for the rest of our lives?our lives?•Are we willing to Are we willing to give all that we give all that we have to abide in have to abide in Jesus?Jesus?

PERSEVERINGPERSEVERING

•I must persevere when faced with I must persevere when faced with temptation for evil:temptation for evil:

““Because of the increase of Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”end will be saved.”

Matthew 24:12-13Matthew 24:12-13

I must persevere in remaining free I must persevere in remaining free from legalismfrom legalism

Galatians 5:1 -- Galatians 5:1 -- It is for freedom that It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. a yoke of slavery.

•We must beware of binding ourselves We must beware of binding ourselves where Christ would set us free.where Christ would set us free.

I must persevere during the Lord’s discipline

Hebrews 12:1ffHebrews 12:1ff

•Run the race with Run the race with perseveranceperseverance•Set your eyes on Set your eyes on JesusJesus•Expect discipline Expect discipline from the Lord and from the Lord and learn from it.learn from it.•Harvest peace and Harvest peace and righteousness as a righteousness as a resultresult

I must persevere through hardship and persecution

Matthew 10:22

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

OVERCOMING!

Don’t tucker out:

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Don’t faint before the harvest:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Don’t Get Wishy-washy

•Ephesians 4:14 -- Then we will no longer Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. scheming.

Don’t Find Yourself Outside The Gate

• Revelation 21:6-8

• He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

God has provided us everything we need to God has provided us everything we need to persevere in the faith:persevere in the faith:

Ephesians 6:11-18Ephesians 6:11-18

He has equipped us with the proper armor He has equipped us with the proper armor for the fight.for the fight.

Are we ready to be branded for Jesus?Are we ready to be branded for Jesus?

Are we strong enough to survive the fight?Are we strong enough to survive the fight?