Stay the Course, Part 2

The title for my message today is Stay the Course Part 2. You may be thinking, when was Part 1? You have to go back in your minds about a year and a half ago. Upon returning from Nigeria in January of 2014, I gave a message titled, Stay the Course. And in that message, I highlighted some of the examples of individuals who had continued to remain faithful, continued to stay the course despite some of the greatest obstacles and challenges in their life. And after I gave that message, Stay the Course Part 1, right after services, one of the ladies came up to me and said, oh, Stay the Course! That's a great topic. That's the topic of our Ladies Retreat this year of 2014. I had just been invited to be the guest speaker for the Ladies Retreat, and so suddenly I was faced with not re-giving that message, but coming up with another one. And what I decided to do was go ahead and just simply make it a continuation, Part 2 of that series, kind of take the topic off into a little bit of a different direction. And now a year later, as the ladies that would have heard it are gone to retreat this year, it seemed like a good time to bring to you Stay the Course Part 2. Since I first gave the first message, the topic of Stay the Course has actually come to my mind and my attention in various ways and through a number of circumstances. Brethren, you and I, at baptism, committed ourselves to a set of actions. We committed ourselves to a particular course that if we endure to the end, it will lead to eternal life in the kingdom of God. Having the determination and the ability with God's help and the desire to stay the course is actually a mentality that's essential to our calling. When we sit down with somebody at baptism counseling, we understand the fact that this isn't just a commitment for today or tomorrow, this is a commitment for the rest of your life. And so you enter into this commitment having counted the cost, having understood what it is that God is offering to you, and understanding that surely turning back is not an option. That when we enter into that covenant relationship with God, we must stay the course. The Bible actually describes this course in terms of a race. And it's a Christian race that we've all began at our baptism. And unlike a race you might see in downtown Spokane or other places, it's not a competitive race in that sense. It's not a race that we participate in to see who can gain a victory over another, but rather it's a race of endurance. It's a race that we run to see who will in fact finish until the end faithfully.

Hebrews chapter 12 is a passage that we've gone to frequently, but I would like to revisit it once again. Hebrews chapter 12. And in verse 1 again, and we see the analogy that comes forth related to the fact that we are running a race. Hebrews chapter 12 and beginning in verse 1, the author says, therefore, verse 11, he just walked through who we call heroes of faith, who remained faithful. And now he says, therefore, in light of those things, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run the race, run with endurance the race that is set before us.

The word endurance here is actually a synonym to the phrase, stay the course.

Endurance is the power to withstand hardship, the power to withstand stress, and to carry on, to keep going despite all the setbacks. And that is the attitude, brethren, that you and I must have as we've been called into this race that we run through this course of life that leads to the kingdom of God. We must have endurance. We must withstand hardships, withstand trials, and keep going despite whatever obstacles we may face. I'd like to share with you a short story right off the bat.

It's something that I found inspiring when I first read it, and it's a story I think that helps to illustrate what our attitude should be in the Christian race which we are running today.

I pulled this article from wikipedia.org, and so in that sense it's a free-use article, and it's a illustration of a life and the notability of John Stephen Aquari. He was a runner that represented Tanzania in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, and it says this about John Stephen Aquari. It says, quote, while competing in the marathon in Mexico City, Aquari cramped up due to the high altitude of the city. It says he had not trained at such an altitude back in his country, and at the 19 kilometer point during the 14 kilometer, I'm sorry, the 42 kilometer race, so he's not quite halfway through, he was jogging for a position between two runners, and he was hit.

Aquari fell badly, wounding his knee and dislocating that joint, plus his shoulder hit hard against a pavement. However, he kept running, finishing last among 57 competitors who had completed the race. The race had actually originally started with 75 competitors, and 57 completed, he came in last. Says the winner of the marathon, Mamu Woldi of Ethiopia finished in two hours, 20 minutes, 26 seconds.

Aquari finished in three hours, 25 minutes, and 27 seconds, an hour behind the leader, when there were only a few thousand people left in the stadium and the sun had set. Says a television crew was sent out from the medal ceremony when word was received that there was one more runner about to finish. As Aquari crossed the finish line, a cheer came from the small crowd. When interviewed later, he was asked why he continued running.

You know, he'd been in the pack in the mix, actually towards the lead of the pack. He was knocked over, he was injured, he was in the rear, struggling to even cross the line, and they said, why did you even keep running? 20 others had simply dropped out of the race, but he kept going. Aquari's response, he said, my country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race, they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race. I think that's an important perspective. He said, my country didn't send me 5,000 miles to start the race, they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race. Brother Nieuwe and I have been called to run the race of endurance that God has set before us, and in like manner, he has not called us to merely start the race.

You know, crossing the starting line is only the beginning. That's not all we've been called to do. God has called us ultimately to finish the race, despite the obstacles, despite the challenges we are, in fact, to endure to the end. Now, again, as we read in Hebrews, it says, we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.

Those witnesses are in part the heroes of faith, which are listed in Hebrews chapter 11, individuals who have completed the race successfully before us. In Hebrews 11, you can read about individuals such as Abel and Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, all who from their calling endured great struggles and challenges, and yet they kept going, they kept enduring, despite whatever obstacles were set before them.

And they are hailed as, as we call them, heroes of faith. They have set that example for us. You and I can probably think of individuals that we hold near and dear to us, people that we've known in our life, close friends, family members, individuals that have lived this life in a very steadfast and dedicated way, all the way till the end. They died having run with endurance the course that was set before them, and we even recognize and think of them as part of that cloud of witnesses, in that sense, cheering us on by their enduring example.

So, Breland, what does it take for us to be a hero of faith? What does it take to endure to the end and to keep going, in spite of all obstacles? What does it take to be among the great cloud of witnesses?

This afternoon, I'd like to examine four points that must be in place in our lives if we're going to stay the course unto the end. Four points that have to be in place if we're going to be heroes of faithfulness. Those that God will look down and say, yes, those were the righteous that endured unto the end. Four points. This isn't all-inclusive on the topic by any means, but I think it helps to give us a good starting point. Point number one, if we're going to stay the course, is we must maintain a clear vision of where we are going and what God has called us to be. Again, we must maintain a clear vision of where we are going and what God has called us to be.

One of my favorite quotes from Yogi Berra, not to be confused with Yogi Berra, but Yogi Berra was a baseball player and a manager from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. He was quite famous in that day and known for some of his witty comments. Yogi Berra said, quote, if you don't know where you're going, you'll probably wind up somewhere else. And there's some truth to that fact. If you don't know where you're going, you probably wind up somewhere else. And the point is, is that there needs to be a vision. There needs to be a purpose in our life that gives us direction and meaning. Otherwise, we'll simply wander aimlessly in life without a clear destination. And as he said, we'll probably wind up somewhere else. Proverbs 29 verse 18 says much the same thing, just a little differently. If you'll follow me, please. Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 18.

Again, having that vision burn brightly in our mind is essential. Proverbs 29 verse 18 says, where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.

The happiest he who keeps the law. The original King James version says that where there's no vision, the people perish. And so it's very much determined on what it is that we look to and hope for and set our sights on. That determines how we will live this life. There's no revelation, the people cast off restraint. The word revelation actually refers to a prophetic vision. And it's the ability to focus on something in the future and to have an understanding on what lies ahead. Surely through God's word, through the inspiration of his Spirit, he's given us a vision of what is in store, what lies ahead for each and every one of us. Without that prophetic vision or revelation from God, people simply cast off restraint. They do whatever they want to do. They live life according to a nameless vision or goal. Without a prophetic revelation from God, brethren, you and I would cast off restraint as well. In Hebrew, it simply means to loosen, to absolve, to set it not. The cast off restraint seems to refer back to a lack of self-discipline and self-control. The Jameson, Fossett, and Brown Bible Commentary says this about unrestrained. It says it shows a people who are deprived of moral restraints. And so basically the context of what we're looking at here is that a people who lack a prophetic vision, who lack this revelation from God, will put off and loosen self-discipline. They'll put off self-control. They'll set it not moral restraints. And they'll become unrestrained. And is that not the condition in the world around us? This world that is not looking to the vision of the kingdom of God and the destiny and the potential for which God has created them. Brethren, if you and I are going to stay the course on to the kingdom of God, we have to have the vision of that kingdom burning brightly in our minds. We have to remember that God has called us to be a part of His family. The purpose of our creation and our destiny is to be members of the family of God for all eternity. And so that has to be the goal that burns brightly in our mind. When there's no revelation, the people cast off restraint. Matthew 6, verse 33, very familiar passage, but I don't think we can get much clearer in what our vision and goal is. And then Jesus' words in Matthew 6, in verse 33. This is where our focus must be. Matthew 6, verse 33. In the verses leading up to this, Jesus Christ is saying, you know what? Don't worry about the physical flesh, what you'll eat, what you'll wear, those things that you need. He says, your father knows what you need. He provides you those things, but actually there's something else that has to have the highest priority in your life. Matthew 6, 33, Jesus says, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all those other things will be added to you. And so that's our revelation, brethren, that's our prophetic vision, the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And sometimes we say, seek first the kingdom of God and we leave off His righteousness part, but the two go hand in hand, because you see, unless we put on the righteous character of God, we will not be in the kingdom of God. Again, these two go together. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

This passage gives us our marching orders in terms of where we must be heading, what we must be doing in terms of the structure and the focus of our life.

Having a vision is important because it frames and it structures the framework of your life. Again, if you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. But if you have a clear and a fixed reference point that is your vision, you will build the structure and the framework of your life in support of that vision.

Where you'll go to school, okay, if you have a vision of a job, it's going to impact where you go to school, the education you get, the degree you follow. If our ultimate vision is being in the kingdom of God as part of the family of God, that's going to impact our life as well, how we're going to live, who we're going to marry. Even in fact, the career will pick and the various things that we do in this life. It all must be done in support of that goal and that vision.

But then you and I must never lose sight of where we're going. You must never lose sight of what God has called us to be because if we do that, we'll lose focus of the purpose of this life. We'll not stay the course until the end without that vision. There was a pamphlet that was on the back table for the Ladies Retreat last year. You may recognize it. The themes on the front, it's stay the course. And as you can see, it has a couple of sailing ships printed on the front cover of that for the Ladies Retreat.

These ships have somewhere that they're going. They've been built for a specific purpose. Maybe it's to haul cargo or to carry passengers to a certain destination. But those ships actually have a course and a purpose, and there's somewhere that they're going. There's a purpose that they've set sail. A ship doesn't leave a harbor without anywhere to go. If you were to go down to the dock and you untied the ropes that were keeping that boat moored to the docking and you just cut it loose and let it drift out into the sea, what would happen? Well, that ship would be blown about, to and fro, carried by the tide, redirected by every course of wind that came along, and eventually it would probably end up dashed on the rocks, broken to pieces, not having fulfilled the purpose for which it was constructed. If you and I are going to stay the course and fulfill the purpose for which we were created, again we must maintain that clear vision of where we're going and what God has called us to be. If we don't keep that vision, if we don't have that purpose, we'll be like a ship wandering aimlessly through life, and this world will give us a vision. This world will give us a purpose, and it will be apart from that which God has called us to fulfill. Back in Hebrews chapter 11, we're going to see that those who have run this race before us relied on the fact that they had a clear and enduring vision that was ever before them, and it was that vision that structured the framework of their life, directed the course in which they would follow. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 1, it says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good testimony. So I'll just touch on a few of these individuals who lived by faith. Jumping down to verse 8, it says, By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob. The heirs with him of the same promise. And it says, For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And so his life was restrained by the vision of the kingdom of God, that eternal city that he looked to. That was the focus that allowed him to come out of his country from which he was raised, out of his family, his inheritance. If you do some study of Abraham historically, it would appear that in his country of origin he was a very wealthy man in terms of lineage. He had a very wealthy family. Sarah was perhaps of royal lineage as well. And so they left all that behind and they came out to follow what God called them to be. Carrying on in verse 11, it says, By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed. And she bore a child when she was past the age because she judged him who had promised was faithful. Verse 12, Therefore, from one man and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars in the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Verse 13 says, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For surely those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland, and truly if they had called to mind the country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

And so by faith, those individuals had vision. They saw where it was that God was leading them. They saw what the purpose of their life ultimately was. Their vision became the kingdom of God and his righteousness. They were faithful unto the end. And with that vision, that directed the steps of their life. Verse 24 of chapter 11, once again, says, By faith, Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. It says, By faith, he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. And so Moses, too, had that vision burning brightly in his mind, that vision that directed the course of his life. If we were to read on, the passage describes others as well who were restrained by vision, those who endured unto the end, someone to life, and frankly, someone to death as well. They were heroes of faith, that cloud of witness who stayed the course. And it was that vision, brethren, that motivated them in their calling. The Apostle Paul saw the vision clearly in his mind as well. It affected how he, too, lived his life. Let's go to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 12.

Philippians 3 verse 12.

The Apostle Paul writing. And he says, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. He says, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. He says, I'm not there yet. I haven't obtained the kingdom of God yet. He was still physical in the flesh. He was guided by the Spirit, but he says, I haven't completely come to the fulfillment of my calling yet. I don't count myself to have apprehended. But he says, But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul says, I press towards the goal. It's an effort. You know, it takes effort to reach out towards that vision. It takes effort not to be distracted by what it is this world has to offer you, the competing value system, the competing treasures and wealth and the thing that you could have right now to satisfy the physical flesh. It takes effort not to become distracted or discouraged or blown off course. It takes effort to seek first the kingdom of God above all else. When effort, brethren, is put into pressing towards the goal and looking to the reward, then it is energy that's well spent. And God will help us and He'll guide and direct us in the cause.

So again, the first point was if we're going to stay the course, we must maintain a clear vision of where we're going and what God has called us to be.

Second point, if we're going to stay the course in our calling, we must have an absolute determination to continue forward despite all obstacles.

We must have an absolute determination to continue forward despite all obstacles. On the second page from last year's Ladies Retreat pamphlet, there's a picture of the bow of a ship. And it's sailing out into the open ocean. And there's some billowing clouds in the sky, some sun rays that are popping through. And again, that ship has somewhere that it's going. There's a destination on the other end of the horizon there. And yet, you know, when you sail out into the open sea, you never know what you'll encounter. Storms can blow up very quickly. The waves can come crashing over the bow, and it can threaten to push that ship off course, or even sink that ship, keep it from reaching its destination. Underneath the picture, there's a scripture quoted. It's 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13.

And the scripture says, Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, and be strong.

And those are essential qualities that we must have if we're going to stay the course despite all obstacles. Again, 1 Corinthians 16, 13. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

The sidebar to the picture has this written. It says, This enriching weekend will encourage us to remain steadfast in our lives and on our journey to the kingdom of God. Along the way, we may be tossed about by waves and storms or other trials that threaten to force us to veer off course. But we must remain committed and overcome the tendency or desire to abandon ship.

I would say, brethren, it's probably a pretty safe bet that there are those of us in the room right here that are going through some pretty severe trials. Some of us are probably going through some of the most difficult circumstances that we've ever faced in our life, and our ship is being battered. Perhaps you're being blown about by the storms of life, whatever that circumstance might be. You know, your trial might be health-related. It might be relationship-related, perhaps with your spouse or some issue there.

Our trial might be work-related. It could be a spiritual trial.

Whatever it is, it may be a circumstance, again, that is battering your ship and blowing you about in a storm of life. In our calling before God, we don't necessarily get to choose where the race will take us. We commit to it, but we might think that we're running around on a track, and there's not very many obstacles, and it's pretty simple. We'll just set our pace and run to the kingdom of God. But the fact is, it's more of a cross-country race, and you're going to hit a bog, you're going to hit a thicket, you're going to be going up and down a mountain trail across boulders, through gullies, and it will be a challenge. And it will be obstacles that face us that will, frankly, test our faith. At baptism, we said, yes, I've counted the cost. Yes, I've committed myself for the long haul, and to follow through no matter what it is that would come back, but it's not often until we get down the road away that we begin to experience those obstacles that we really weren't expecting to face. The question is, will we stay the course?

The danger for us is we can become distracted by those obstacles. We can become discouraged. They can threaten to take our focus off the goal, because whatever it is we're facing can seem so much bigger to us at the point of the immediate sense than what we're looking to down the road in terms of the kingdom of God. You know, what's happening to me right now is the biggest issue in my life, and that's what needs my attention, and it's so easy to become distracted by it to the point that we take our eyes off the vision. And the minute we do that, we can begin to veer off course, get blown about by that storm. In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul recognizes that there are trials that we will face, and it's a common part of our Christian journey. Acts 14, verse 21, let's see what he says.

Acts 14, verse 21, he says, and says, So the Apostle Paul acknowledged, and he warned the people that this journey will not be without its struggles, without its trials. He says, we must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God. But in spite of all that, he exhorts the brethren to continue in the faith to keep going, no matter what.

And it takes determination to do that. It takes having your mind set that you'll never reverse your course, that you'll never be distracted, that you'll always maintain. And if I can reach far back in the history of my mind, I'll say it takes true grit.

Probably somebody in this room has watched John Wayne, maybe a person or two, but it takes true grit to stay the course.

Over the years, as you know, I've participated in three challenger programs that the church has put on, two in the United States and one in Nigeria. And the point of the program is to take young adults in the church and to challenge them physically and spiritually with a degree of hardship. And so you take them out in the wilderness, you put a pack on their back, and you push them to their limit physically, but also through the Christian living classes and the various discussions that we have, you push them to the limit and you challenge them spiritually as well. The point is to develop Christian leadership skills. The point is to help them understand the need for endurance and to overcome hardship.

On some of those programs, we face physical difficulties and challenges that push me to the limit. And I'm generally in pretty good shape because of my daily job. But, you know, there were times where we were packing up a grade with a pack on our back, and, you know, pushing it to the point that my legs were burning, that I'm thinking, I can't take another step. You know, it almost seems overwhelming that you can't carry on. Or maybe I'm up on the rock face on the rock climbing program, you're hanging there with every muscle in your body quivering, and you're thinking you don't even have the strength to reach up, to grab the next hold and carry on. But you know what I learned?

Through that experience, I learned that if you simply determine to put one foot in front of the other, you can continue.

You have to have the goal of mind of where you're going, but also you just simply have to determine, I can take one more step. And then one more, and one more. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, eventually you push through that difficulty. Eventually you make it to the top of the grade. You make it to the point where you say, I have overcome that obstacle, and I can carry on.

That takes mental fortitude. That takes commitment of heart and spirit, and a willingness never to let go of the vision that we have set before us.

The same brethren is true spiritually. You commit to putting one foot in front of the other towards the goal of the kingdom of God. You can continue. With God's help, you can continue to endure more than you ever thought you could. And so when the trial seems like you can't conquer it, it seems like you can't get to the top of the hill, or whatever it is you're facing, simply determine that you'll put one foot in front of the other. One more time. One more time. When God's help, you will continue. If you remain faithful, you will endure to the end. Hebrews 10, verse 32.

Again, it takes determination going forward, understanding that turning back is never an option.

Hebrews 10, verse 32.

It says, But recall the former days in which you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings. You know, the writer is writing to the Hebrews who had accepted Jesus Christ, and they struggled with persecution from their own people.

He says, remember when you endured a great struggle and sufferings. And it wasn't just from their old people. It was from those on the outside as well, but their own who rejected Christ persecuted them as well. Verse 33 says, There are others as well who have gone this before you and alongside of you. Verse 34, Verse 35, You know, there were those who accepted trials, and it said, They rightfully accepted the trials because they knew God's reward was so much better than that which they were temporarily going through. Again, verse 35, Now, the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

God does not delight in those who start the race, but do not finish it. God does not take delight in those who do not see the course through until the end. Verse 39, it says, And so, brethren, that must be you and I. We must be the people who are committed to never drawing back, never giving up, never backing down in the face of an obstacle, but through faithful endurance, we must continue to stay the course until the end.

I'd like to share another story with you. I pulled this illustration from American history, and it's the story of a man who had a vision of what he wanted to accomplish in this physical life, but every time he put his foot out to carry on, he faced failure, he faced obstacles, he kept going despite those challenges until one day he was victorious. I'd like to share the story with you. This story is written by Anita Estes. It's from theexaminer.com, copyright 2012, clarity digital group, doing business as theexaminer.com, and I will give you the title at the conclusion of the story. I'll just read to you from part of it.

It says, quote on this individual, in 1831, his attempts at a business venture failed.

At 1832, he lost the election for state legislature.

In 1833, he had another business venture that had proved unsuccessful. In 1835, his future wife passed away, practically destroying him. In 1843, another attempt in politics proved unsuccessful, as his election for Congress was defeated. In 1848, he again failed to win a seat in the Congress.

In 1855, his attempt at politics had been defeated again, as he lost the U.S. Senate elections. In 1856, he attempted to run for vice president and once again was defeated.

Another attempt to run for the state Senate in 1859, once again, failed. You know, you think maybe this guy should have just given up and gone home. Don't you know when you're licked? It says, finally, after many attempts, Abraham Lincoln's perseverance paid off, and he became the 16th president of the United States in 1860, almost 30 years after his first business venture failed.

You know, just think what this country would have missed out on had Lincoln drawn back, had he refused to stay the course to the vision that he had set in his mind. I think it's an encouraging story for us. Again, the title now of that story is Abraham Lincoln's Recipe for Success, Perseverance. That's by, again, Anita Estes.

Brethren, God doesn't want us to fail. He doesn't want us to draw back to Veroff course. In 1 Corinthians 10, 13, Apostle Paul states that God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it.

That's 1 Corinthians 10, 13.

One of my favorite phrases over time, I've used it now and again, and it may seem simplistic, but that phrase is that God gives us what we need when we need it.

God gives us what we need when we need it. You know, He watches over us. He provides for us. He gives us the means to endure when we are in the face of a trial. You know, there's times when we don't think that we can do something, and yet when we reach that point, God gives us what we need to get through. And you look back and you say, you know what? I don't know how I did that. And the answer is, you didn't do that alone. You did it because God gave you what you needed when you needed it.

The next moment when you don't need it, you may not necessarily have it, but God gives us what we need when we need it. And I've come to depend on that absolutely.

I'd like to conclude this point with the example of Jesus Christ, because when He came to the earth, He had a vision, and He had a goal that He was seeking to accomplish. It was to redeem mankind from the penalty of sin, to restore them into a relationship with His Father.

Let's go once again to Hebrews, chapter 12, just a page over.

Beginning in verse 1, we'll overlap a little of what we read earlier. Hebrews 12, verse 1, because His vision, Jesus Christ's vision, structured His life to stay the course to the end as well. Hebrews 12, 1, says, Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us, let us run with endurance the race as set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You know, what was the joy that was set before Christ? Was it getting out of the physical flesh?

Was that joy just simply being done with this life and being back at the Father's side? No, not ultimately. Not completely. The joy that was set before Him was the restoration in relationship that could be brought about through His sacrifice. The joy that was set before Him was the fact that we can be, through His blood, brought back into a family relationship with His Father. And because that He endured, He died, and He was raised again. Carrying on in verse 3, it says, For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. And so when our trials start to get too heavy, when we start to become discouraged from what we're going through, the point is, look to Christ, think of what He went through on our behalf, understand that He has perfect understanding of what we're going through, and draw strength for yourself from that.

Jesus sold His disciples in John 1633. He said, In the world you will have tribulations, He said, but be a good cheer. I've overcome the world.

And so His struggles that He went through overcame the trials of life, and with His Spirit in us, we can be victorious as well. So point two is, keep an absolute determination to continue forward despite all obstacles.

It's an important element to stay in the Course.

Point three, if we're going to stay the Course until the end, is we must submit to God's lead in our life.

We must submit to God's lead in our life.

You know, the journey to the kingdom of God isn't something that we devised on our own. You know, it's not our vision. It's God's vision that He's given to us, and it's become our vision. But we didn't draw this plan up on our own. We didn't decide what our destiny would be. God has laid that out before us. And so only through submitting to God's lead in our life can we have the ability to stay the Course until the end.

The need to submit to God's lead is a lesson that's illustrated in His dealings with ancient Israel. It's a lesson that we learned during the days of Unleavened Bread. You recall, God brought Israel out of Egypt with a strong hand. He brought them out, brought them through the wilderness up to the brink of the Promised Land, and was willing to lead them in there if they had submitted to Him. You know, physically, Israel, on their own, was in over their heads. You know, if you took that ragtag group of slaves and you put them up against the fighting machine, the armies of Egypt, they were in over their head. If you brought them up to the Promised Land and took them in with the armies of the Promised Land and the walled cities and all the obstacles they would have faced there, do that on their own, they're in over their head.

Again, it was only by submitting to the will of God that they would accomplish what He brought them out to do.

Unfortunately, Israel couldn't see that. That generation that came back, they looked at the armies, they were fearful. They sent the scouts into the Promised Land. They saw the giants in the walled-up cities and they said, we can't do this, let's go back to Egypt. In their hearts, they turned back to Egypt. And that generation was not qualified then to enter into the land of promise.

You and I must not make the same mistake Israel did. We must recognize that reaching the Kingdom of God is not something that we have the power to do on our own.

Again, it's not our vision. It's not our plan that we structured. God structured it, but He's given that to us. But we can't obtain the Kingdom of God or His righteousness on our own because on our own, we're in over our head. It's only by God leading us and guiding us that He'll bring us into His Kingdom.

Philippians chapter 1, verse 6.

Philippians 1, verse 6. God does desire to see us through. He will bring us to the end if we submit to Him.

Philippians 1, 6. Paul writes, and he says, Being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

And so we can be confident, and we can be assured that God has not called us to failure. He's dedicated to completing the work that He started in each and every one of us, but we must submit to Him, allow Him to work in our life, and follow His lead unto the end.

Additionally, because God's promise He'll never lead us and forsake us, we will have the power to stay the course if we submit to Him. And we do so despite whatever the conditions on the ground may be.

You know, living in this world as a Christian is not easy, and it's going to become more and more difficult. The obstacles are ever before us, and they're increasing. And, brethren, frankly, the Church, I believe, is on the brink of facing an age of persecution, such like we've not seen since the modern age of the Church.

The winds of change are blowing in our society. It's a new sexual revolution, a new drug revolution.

The assault on family is epidemic, and there's choices and rulings that will be made as we walk down the line that, frankly, will impact not only this world around us, but what it is that we face as a Church of God when we stand up for the truth. You know, persecution on God's people isn't going to be coming because we're all in agreement with the world. It's going to come because we're not in agreement. And I think, as we've seen in various circumstances and in the news, those who stand up on moral standings and refuse to yield are starting to become increasingly targets for those who would like to call them out as an example of intolerance. So I would just say, brethren, we must be prepared.

We are living in Satan's world, and we cannot expect that God's way will just flow smoothly and be easily accepted in a world that's ruled by Satan the Devil. God's way works. This world does not work. We will be in opposition to one another as we go forward.

We must have absolute determination to carry on.

Psalms 37, again, looking at God's lead in our life, Psalm 37 and verse 3, you see that God does have power, and we can rely on it. Psalm 37, verse 3, says, Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His righteousness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

And so God will enable us to stay the course if we commit ourselves to Him.

1 Corinthians 15, verse 57, the word of the Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 15, 57, Paul says, But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, we will have the victory, but it doesn't come of our own. It comes by God through us. Therefore, he says, My beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. And so it's only by God's hand that we will gain victory in this race. It's only by yielding and submitting ourselves to Him that our labor will not be in vain.

Fourth and final point, if we're going to stay the course until the end, is we must trust that the result of the journey is well worth the effort.

If we're going to stay the course, we must trust that the result of the journey is well worth the effort. And this point goes to the motivation, the motivation of why it is that we're doing what we do. If we're going to stay the course, we have to trust that the effort is worth it. Otherwise, again, we're simply going to lose interest. We're going to become distracted. We're going to turn and go the other way. When we face opposition.

So the question is, is the course worth it?

Is the ultimate victory, is the vision, the destination worth the struggle we go through along the way? Well, I think we know the answer is yes, it's worth it. And it's worth it both in this life and in the age to come. First Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8 expresses that thought. 1 Timothy 4 verse 8.

It says, For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having a promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.

And so we understand that living God's way has definite benefits for the future. We can see clearly the benefit that is lined out for us if we endure to the end, but we can't forget that godliness also has blessings in our life today.

Godliness offers us blessings in our marriages. It offers blessings in our family, in our relationships that we have with one another. Living God's way offers blessings in our finances, in our health, in our Christian relationships among one another in the congregation. Staying the course has offered us blessings right here. You know, it's allowed you and I to gather together in this room on the Sabbath, enjoy one another's company, and to encourage each other, and to strengthen one another along this race.

There's many blessings that we realize in living this way of life. In John chapter 10 verse 10, Jesus said, I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. And that abundant life doesn't just apply to the future, but it applies to our day-to-day life as we run the course today.

In terms of the future, we do know that the reward of staying the course is eternal life, is members of the family of God and the kingdom of God. And that is a great reward. And I think we would all agree it is worth the effort.

I'll just quote it to you. Now let's turn there real quick. Romans chapter 8 verse 18.

Romans 8 verse 18.

Paul says, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. And so Paul's saying, basically, that compared to the future benefit, what we're walking through in terms of struggle and trials in this life right now is pretty small.

That doesn't mean, though, that our sufferings are small compared to the physical life that we're living. You know, if you're going through a severe health trial, that's a pretty big deal. That's pretty big and immediate right before your eyes in this term of this physical perspective. But you know Paul's saying those trials are small compared to the glory that will one day be revealed in us. When you compare what we go through now to the vision of what we shall be and what God has prepared, then we say, All right, this, by comparison, is a small thing. I can continue to put one foot in front of the other and stay the course into the end. John chapter, 1 John chapter 3 tells us that when God is revealed, we shall see Him as He is.

We'll see Him as He is because we will be as He is.

In the same form of the same spiritual likeness as God, members of the family God for eternity. And that's the incredible destiny that awaits us. That's the destiny that needs to be the motivation behind why we live this life today. Why we persevere. Why we stay the course.

In the last epistle, before his death, the apostle Paul's thoughts were on the reward that awaited him through Jesus Christ. And we read in his words that, you know what, he had no regret. He did struggle. We know that as we read through his passages of his life. He struggled. He endured many hardships. And yet in the end, there was no tone of regret. 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 5.

2 Timothy 4 verse 5. It's the last book that Paul wrote, actually, as he's waiting to be executed. As his life is about to come to an end. 2 Timothy 4 and verse 5. He's writing to Timothy, who would carry on after his death. He says, but you be mindful or watchful in all things. He says, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I'm already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. Paul says, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

And so Paul wholeheartedly believed that the goal was worth the effort, and he put his whole being into serving God. He threw his whole life into staying to course and fulfilling the calling which God had given to him. And brethren, you and I must as well.

God is faithful. He will see us through to the end. His promises are faithful and true as well.

God's called us to an incredible purpose, and he set the race before us so that we might show forth by our works, our dedication, our faithfulness, and our desire to receive the hope that he's promised us.

So, brethren, again today, if we're going to stay the course and to the end, we must, number one, maintain a clear vision of where we're going and what God has called us to be. Point number three, we must have an absolute determination to continue forward despite all obstacles.

Point number three, we must submit to God's lead in our life.

And finally, point four, we must trust that the result of the journey is well worth the effort.

You know, we look to the vision, the kingdom of God, as the goal, and yet what we're living right now is this course of life that takes us there.

So, God's called us to enjoy this life, to be fruitful and abundant and produced in this life today. I encourage you to use this time wisely. I encourage you to use the time that God's given us to study his word, to become knowledgeable in the truth of God. I encourage you to use it to build your relationships with one another so that you can encourage and strengthen one another towards the common goal that we've been all called to.

It's incredible destiny that God set before us, brethren, and there's no greater purpose that we can have in this life but to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, one foot in front of the other as we stay the course unto eternal life in the kingdom of God.