First Good Samaritan Baptist Church
The Caring Church, Preparing the World by Sharing the WORD!

WEEKLY WORD

HOLD ON!

18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
1 TIMOTHY 1:18, 19 NIV

IT IS PAUL’S LETTER TO TIMOTHY, THAT HE ENCOURAGES HIM TO HOLD ON TO HIS FAITH. PAUL WANTS TIMOTHY TO KNOW THAT IN MINISTRY THERE WILL BE TIMES OF PAIN, SUFFERING, HARDSHIPS AND PROBLEMS THAT WILL CAUSE YOU TO SUFFER.

WHILE PAUL IS INSTRUCTING TIMOTHY, HE IS ALSO INFORMING US THAT MINISTRY WILL HAVE SOME MOMENTS OF MISERY. THERE ARE TIMES IN MINISTRY WHEN THE PEOPLE YOU PRAY FOR ARE THE VERY ONES WHO PREY UPON YOU. THERE ARE PEOPLE YOU SHOW LOVE TO…WHO WILL TURN AROUND AND LOATHE YOU FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT IS DURING THESE TIMES WHERE PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY AND INFORMS US TO HOLD ON TO YOUR FAITH!

THIS WEEKLY WORD IS TO ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY WHO FEELS LIKE LETTING GO. THIS WEEKLY WORD IS TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE WHO FEELS LIKE GIVING UP. MY WORD FOR YOU TODAY…IS TO HOLD ON!

I UNDERSTAND THAT…

EVERY NOW AND THEN, THERE ARE TIMES IN MINISTRY WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP.

SOMETIMES YOU ASK YOURSELF,

• “IS THIS ALL WORTH IT?”

• “WHY AM I GOING THROUGH WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH?”

IT IS PAUL THAT GIVES US THESE WORDS TO ENCOURAGE TIMOTHY AND THOSE OF US WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST IS PAUL THAT SAYS, HOLD TO YOUR FAITH AND KEEP A GOOD CONSCIENCE, IN VERSE 19.

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP…

• HOLD ON TO…LUKE 18:1 THAT SAYS, “MEN OUGHT TO ALWAYS PRAY AND FAINT NOT.”
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A BOTTOMLESS PIT OF DEPRESSION…

• HOLD ON TO…PSALM 40:1, 2 THAT SAYS, “I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD; AND HE INCLINED UNTO ME AND HEARD MY CRY. [VS 2] HE LIFTED ME OUT OF THE HORRIBLE PIT, OUT OF THE MUCK AND MIREY CLAY; AND HE SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK …”

WHEN YOU HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND…

• HOLD ON TO…..PHILIPPIANS 2:5 THAT SAYS, “LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU THAT IS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS…”

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T…

• HOLD ON TO…PHILIPPIANS 4:13 THAT SAYS, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST THAT STRENGTHENS ME…”

“THE RACE IS NOT GIVEN TO THE SWIFT NOR THE STRONG BUT TO THE ONE WHO ENDURETH UNTIL THE END. “

HOLD ON…HELP IS ON THE WAY!

BE ENCOURAGED!

Rev. Dr. James A. Simmons, Senior Pastor