Well, may God bless his word
to us and now help us as we just meditate a little on his word. And that which is on my spirit
really is just one word, and that's really continue, continue. The word of God in so many places
encourages the church of God, the people of God to continue. And it's not always easy. And
that's why the Lord gives us words of encouragement. We read that fourth chapter in
the Colossians because in the second verse it had this wonderful
statement, to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. We might think that's obvious,
but the reality is the devil hates us praying. He does all
he can to stop us praying. He does all he can to disturb
us when we're praying. And so how relevant such a statement
is like this to continue. Well, may God grant us each that
grace indeed to continue. It's a wonderful blessing and
a wonderful favour. and then also in the Colossians
the Apostle in the first chapter wrote and said and you that were
sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works
and if we analyze our hearts I'm sure we'll have to conclude
that includes us and yet he tells us yet now and that's a wonderful
blessing if that's so in our case yet now hath he reconciled
in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in his sight." Well, that's a
great desire. I believe and I hope we all have
that desire. And then he continues, having
made that statement, he then says, ye continue in the faith,
grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every
creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister. And so what a blessing if God
gives you and me that faith to continue in the faith, what a
blessing it is, and how important it is, and again, how easily
the devil will come and try and turn us away from the faith,
turn us to some other form of religion, and make out that that
which we believe and trust in is false and not true. And so
how we need God's grace to enable us to continue, to continue. Apostle when he wrote to Timothy,
he tells it tells that tells him very simply but continue
In the things which thou has learned and has been assured
of Knowing over whom thou has learned them. Well by the grace
of God what a blessing it is in our lives if God has given
those things, those spiritual blessings, which we have learned. Perhaps we didn't learn them
very ably and very quickly, but the Lord did teach us. We have
a gracious God who's very compassionate and long-suffering with us, and
deals with us in love to our soul. And how humbling it is
therefore to recognize that there are those things which we have
learned, and by his grace, been assured of. You know, when God
speaks to our hearts, to our souls, with that power from on
high, what does it bring with it? It brings with it a humble
assurance. We don't want to throw that away,
do we? It's God-given, and may we therefore
continue in it, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And then
perhaps we can remember the wonderful occasion in the Acts of the Apostles,
the second chapter, which we refer to as that Pentecostal
blessing, that Day of Pentecost, when there was that wonderful
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And there were those 3,000 men
who were baptized. And of course, there were many
women and children We can recognise the vast concourse there was. And the apostle then, when he
speaks, he says, and referring to them, and they continued. They continued. It wasn't a flash
in the pan. It wasn't something that just
occurred and then disappeared. And the real work of God's grace
doesn't disappear. And God gives us strength to
continue. Notwithstanding how many adversities
we find, and the devil's always trying to turn us away, and they
continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrines and fellowship,
and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. You see, they had
the Lord's Supper instituted by the Saviour, on that Passover
night in the upper room, and therefore they followed his gracious
example in this breaking of bread. They continued with it. They
didn't make a stand against it and think, well, we needn't really
keep it. No, they continued. knowing of
whom they had learned, and also in fellowship, and in doctrine,
and in prayers. Well, it's an encouragement to
us today. They continued, and may you and
I continue against all the opposition. And then perhaps, just finally,
two more points. First of all, in the Acts of
the Apostles, the Apostle Paul in his defence before King Agrippa,
and we only read it the other day, didn't we? And it's a wonderful
account. And he tells us in the 22nd verse
of the 26th chapter, having therefore obtained help of God. What a
blessing if you and I can say that. having therefore obtained
the help of God. He then goes on, I continue unto
this day. What a blessing that is, to continue
in that which God has shown to us. He showed it to those many
people on that day of Pentecost, and they continued, witnessing
both the small and great, saying none other things than those
which the prophets and Moses did say should come. The word of God is so gloriously
true and those things which are spoken of will come and therefore
may we continue in following the great and glorious word of
God and all that wonderful instruction and encouragement it contains. and be like the Apostle Paul
who was able to say, having therefore obtained help of God. What a
blessing, isn't it? When God helps us to continue. And then just one final comment,
and that's in the Psalms, in Psalm 36, and it speaks like
this. Oh, continue the desire of the
Psalmist to God, O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that
know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Well, may that truly be our prayer
as we see the encouragement that God gives us to continue, and
then may we come to God and plead with him that he will continue
His loving-kindness unto us. It speaks unto them that know
thee. Well, by God's grace, we do know
the Saviour and we can bless God for it and thank Him for
it. And thy righteousness to thee,
upright in heart. Well, it's quite a simple word,
isn't it? Continue. But what a blessing
if God gives you and me grace to continue in the truth, continue
in the right way, which will then, by God's grace, bring us
safely at last to glory. Well, may God bless these few
comments.