Never Give Up!

"N" is for NEVER GIVE UP. In our text of Philippians 2:12-14, Paul tells the Christians at Philippi to live as shining stars "in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." He wasn’t saying this to boast about himself, but to give God the glory for letting him be an influence in the lives of these Christians.

As we hold up the word of life to those around us, some will listen and respond and some will not. We can not give up, even when it seems that everything is against us…that no one really cares.

When do you feel like giving up?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like, in some situations, that I am the only one that really cares about some certain thing….of course at this time I begin complaining and thinking selfishly and looking inward instead of looking outward and upward toward God. It is at these times we have to stick with the task God has given us and not give up. Other times we may feel like giving up is when we are tired and weary. At these times we should ask ourselves if we are too busy "doing" for Christ, but not taking the time to "be" with Him.

What should we do when we feel like giving up?
At times when you or I feel like quiting the race, we should become even more committed to God in prayer and study. It's easy at these rough times to begin to think selfishly about our wants and desires, when what we really need is to grow closer to God. And remember this verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

ILLUMINATE YOUR WORLD!

Today we are looking at the letter "I". Our goal in our Christian walk should be to illuminate the world with our light. Matthew 5:14-16 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 

As Christians, it isn't up to us whether to be a light or not - we are lights because we are Christians. However, it is up to us as to how bright or dim our light will be. Jesus wants our lights to be bright, giving light to everyone around us.

What should we do when our lights begin to dim? When our batteries seem to be getting weak? We can recharge our batteries to make our lights brighter and brighter, by constantly growing in God’s Word and letting His Word live through us. Our lights will become brighter when we plug ourselves in to the power source - GOD!

Have you ever noticed that the darker a room is the brighter a little light seems to be? It's the same with our light, it should shine brightly in the world. You may feel that your one little light can't make a difference, but it can! When people around you see your light shining brightly remember who you are shining for - Jesus! And as the verse above reminds, it is God our Father who will be praised because of your light.