Scripture Reading Proverbs 24:16 For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 

Do you ever feel weary as Christians?  We are told to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.  To endure hardness is one thing that very few people can do.

Don’t give up.  Those words in themselves are a sermon. Christians too often give up.  The very home that I grew up in was an Adventist home.  Our library was full of the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy.  Worship time was maintained strictly.  We had a vegetarian diet was maintained strictly.  We were to watch our language.  We were taught to be polite.  We were taught to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  There was no bouncing of the trampoline on Sabbath, no kicking of the football but listening and reading the word of God.  Even the music I grew up with was simple and heavenly. 

Will my Christian walk be a phase, when things get too hard, will we give up? 

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? 

 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him, 

I will not be made a laughing stock.  You know the further we come, the more they’ll laugh.  We have gone too far to go back, don’t give up.  I will not suffer myself to be mocked for giving up.  I will not permit a reproach to be made on the name of my dear saviour Jesus.  I will not permit my Christian experience to be a phase.  Curse the day our experience be just a phase.  I can say I will not give up and I have said it many times but I have to confess where I have muttered, I give up.

   It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened as we give them utterance.  {MH 251.4}

If you love God then speak it. 

While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words. If we would give more expression to our faith, rejoice more in the blessings that we know we have,--the great mercy and love of God,--we should have more faith and greater joy. {MH 251.4}

In the last sermon I gave it was about reaping that which we sow and how that which goes out returns upon us.

Those who talk faith and cultivate faith will have faith, but those who cherish and express doubts will have doubts.  {5T 302.1}

One of the things I’ve found it hard to say in my walk is that I am a child of God.  For me personally is very hard to say these words because as soon as I say them, a little voice says to me, no you’re not.  I’m not going to argue with Satan but I am a child of God.  Yes it can sound like a presumptuous thing to say.  Who is a child of God?  I hope in this study we can find the answer to this question.  A child of God is someone who will not give up.

In my early days, when I first took up the cross and walked with it, things got very hard.  I love the hymn, thou art very weary, I am weary too.  I was very weary and I felt like giving up.  It’s too hard.  Then the Lord directed me.  If you want to be shaken out of a lethargic condition listen;

Satan took advantage of the covetous, selfish disposition of Judas and led him to murmur when Mary poured the costly ointment upon Jesus. Judas looked upon this as a great waste, and declared that the ointment might have been sold and given to the poor. He cared not for the poor, but considered the liberal offering to Jesus extravagant.  {EW 268.1} 

Do you consider it extravagant to give up your own will and ways for God?

Judas prized his Lord just enough to sell Him for a few pieces of silver. And I saw that there were some like Judas among those who profess to be waiting for their Lord. Satan controls them, but they know it not. God cannot approve of the least degree of covetousness or selfishness, and He abhors the prayers and exhortations of those who indulge these evil traits.  {EW 268.1} 

Isn’t this heavy?  If you are selfish and covetousness then God abhors your prayers.

As Satan sees that his time is short, he leads men on to be more and more selfish and covetous, and then exults as he sees them wrapped up in themselves, close, penurious, and selfish. If the eyes of such could be opened, they would see Satan in hellish triumph, exulting over them and laughing at the folly of those who accept his suggestions and enter his snares.  {EW 268.1} 

What an enemy we have. 

Satan and his angels mark all the mean and covetous acts of these persons and present them to Jesus and His holy angels, saying reproachfully, "These are Christ's followers! They are preparing to be translated!" Satan compares their course with passages of Scripture in which it is plainly rebuked and then taunts the heavenly angels, saying, "These are following Christ and His Word! These are the fruit of Christ's sacrifice and redemption!" Angels turn in disgust from the scene. God requires a constant doing on the part of His people; and when they become weary of well-doing, He becomes weary of them. I saw that He is greatly displeased with the least manifestation of selfishness on the part of His professed people, for whom Jesus spared not His own precious life. Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth's gain. All such will be sifted out from God's people. {EW 268.2}

When we become weary of well doing God becomes weary of me.  What does God do when he becomes weary?  He spew’s you out of his mouth, like the church of Laodecia.  I always found it hard to speak and give a testimony because I knew what the consequences would be and the self condemnation that would come upon me.  I remember the early days of first coming to the prayer meeting, all of a sudden a dark shadow would press over me and I would get a great cloud of depression.  If we don’t want to give up, we need to be at the meetings, at every gathering.  In these dark trying times this statement helps me to discern the workings of the devil;

Like a skillful general he lays his plans beforehand. As he sees the messenger of God searching the Scriptures, he takes note of the subject to be presented to the people. Then he employs all his cunning and shrewdness so to control circumstances that the message may not reach those whom he is deceiving on that very point. The one who most needs the warning will be urged into some business transaction which requires his presence, or will by some other means be prevented from hearing the words that might prove to him a savor of life unto life.  {GC 518.3} 

Satan kicks us when we are down.  If you don’t feel like being at a meeting, that is the meeting you need to be at.  As a Christian we have made a commitment.  We have made the same promise as the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai.

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 

 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 

 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine: 

 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 

 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 

 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 

God came there.  He laid before them his requirements.  They said yes, we will do it.  Then they built a golden calf, they failed.  But then, yes, we do want to do what the Lord wants us to do, so they tried again and they failed.  Then they tried again and they failed again.  Then they gave up and they died in the wilderness.  They were so zealous for God, so determined to do that which was right but for them it was just a phase.  Is your Christian walk, will it be, just a phase?  Will you be like my parents, like many other Adventist families who walk in the light, it is just a phase?  My parents tried, they really tried.  They tried so hard yet they couldn’t do it so they gave up.

There are ten thousand sluggish tears and sighs toward heaven that will never win one smile of approval from Jesus. Do not think that a Christian experience will come to you of itself. When you make up your mind to do something on which your heart is set, you do not give up for difficulties, but try again and again.  {SD 322.3} 

Are you trying?  Have you failed?  Then try again and again and again. 

Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

Whose sins did Christ die for here?  Those who broke the old covenant.  This first testament is particularly that which the Israelites made at the base of Mount Sinai.  It is the same testament that we make when we enter the Christian walk.  Jesus died for the redemption of sins that were under the first testament.  The first testament is where we say all that the Lord has said we will do.  Have we done it?  No we haven’t, we fail.  Then there is redemption for sins.  If we stop saying yes I’m going to do it and give up trying, then is there redemption for sins when I fail?  If Jesus died for the sins of those who had said yes I will and then failed, if I stop saying yes I will, then is there redemption for my sins?  There is not.  Jesus died for those who say I will but then they fail.  If you stop saying I will, then when you don’t do it, there is no redemption for those sins because you have not determined to do it.  I pray that the Holy Spirit will convey to you the simplicity of this appreciation.  If you give up, there is no redemption for your sins because Jesus only died for those who persevere and who say I will and then they fail but they get back up again and they fail.  That first testament must always be in place so that the redemption of their sins might be in place.  The world says the old covenant is done away with.  No. If you do away with the old covenant, you do away with the redemption for sins.  If you give up you cannot be a child of God, you cannot be saved.

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

The law brings us to Christ.  Without the law, we cannot come to Christ.  That is simple reading. What is the function of the law?

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. 

How can you have redemption of sin if there is no law by which the knowledge of sin is attained?  The law gives us a knowledge of sin.  We must behold that law to know that we are sinners.  To know that when we fail, I have sinned and therefore I need redemption for those sins.  If we cease to look at that law and confess yes it is just and holy and good as Paul does in Romans 7, then to us it is not sin and we will have no sense of need of redemption.  But this law only shows us up.  We can’t keep it in our own strength and that is why people give up.  They try to keep the law.  They try and they try and they can’t and they can’t so instead of ceasing to do it in their own strength and do away with self, they do away with the law instead.  Oh that was just a phase but by the law is the knowledge of sin, and by the law is the knowledge of need.  If you give up and stop trying, then you will never have a sense of need.  Who was it that Jesus came to save?  What did he say?  They that are whole don’t need a physician but they that are sick.

Mark  2:17 When Jesus heard [it], he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If you think you are whole then you don’t need a doctor, if you do away with the law then you have no sin and you are righteous and then Jesus means nothing to you.  If you try to keep the law and find you can’t and that you are sinner then it is you that Jesus is calling.  What did he say?  The call of Jesus to sinners, to those who can feel their need. 

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

 11:30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light. 

How can you appreciate such an invitation unless you are burdened and weary?  It is of no value to you, you need to keep trying and trying.  Yes, you will fail as part of that covenant.  If that first covenant was perfect then Jesus wouldn’t have had to die because you would have said yes I will and there would have been no need of redemption but Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.

When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came into the world to save sinners. {DA 317.1} 

When Satan tells you that you are lost, answer, Yes, but Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. The greater my sin, the greater my need of a Saviour.--Lt 98b, 1896.  {1MCP 33.1} 

Isn’t Gods word just so simple and beautiful?  Yes you are lost but Christ came to seek and save the lost.  Why can’t people receive the word of God as a little child?  Why do we have to have these great theological institutions?  Because they tried and gave up and are trying to work their way around them.  We have made a vow, we have made a commitment.  Keep trying, don’t give up. 

Proverbs 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] frowardness. 

What do they speak? 

Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 

 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

Whose sins does the blood of Jesus cover?  Those who know their sinfulness.  Those who have made that commitment and keep failing and discovering more and more their unworthiness, their need of mercy.  The blood of Jesus justifies them and declares them to be righteous.  God be merciful to me a sinner.  This is what is acceptable to God. 

Proverbs 24:16 For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 

Jesus died for those who keep trying, who keep making an old covenant commitment.  I will keep doing what God has said. But if we give up and become weary, then God will become weary of me.

When we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we shall have no relish for sin; for Christ will be working with us. We may make mistakes, but we will hate the sin that caused the suffering of the Son of God.  {FLB 118.2} 

  If one who daily communes with God errs from the path, if he turns a moment from looking steadfastly unto Jesus, it is not because he sins wilfully; for when he sees his mistake, he turns again, and fastens his eyes upon Jesus, and the fact that he has erred does not make him less dear to the heart of God..  {FLB 118.3} 

If he sin's unwilfully, as soon as he sees his mistake, he turns from it and he falls but stands back up again.  Even though he failed, he is no less dear to God than he was before.

He knows that he has communion with the Saviour; and when reproved for his mistake in some matter of judgment, he does not walk sullenly, and complain of God, but turns the mistake into a victory.  {FLB 118.3} 

Watch and pray. 

We are to grow daily in spiritual loveliness. We shall fail often in our efforts to copy the divine pattern. We shall often have to bow down to weep at the feet of Jesus, because of our shortcomings and mistakes; but we are not to be discouraged; we are to pray more fervently, believe more fully, and try again with more steadfastness to grow into the likeness of our Lord. As we distrust our own power, we shall trust the power of our Redeemer, and render praise to God, who is the health of our countenance, and our God. . . .  {AG 302.4} 

As we try and we fail, we try and we fail, we are not to become discouraged, but to come to a greater realisation and honesty with ourselves that I can’t.  We can never know that unless we try.  If we don’t try, we’ll never know we can’t.  As human beings, we lean on the arm of flesh, especially our own but we need to learn that I cannot be trusted.  We can only learn as it caves in under us.  We will keep failing.  We will try again and again until we hit the bottom of the pit and there before us is our utter depravity and desperate need.  We will learn I cannot in my own strength, I cannot be trusted, I’m useless but the scriptures say there is none righteous, they are good for nothing.  On our own we are good for nothing.  We can’t do anything good.  Nothing good can we do.  You can’t but you won’t believe me unless you try.  You won’t believe God unless you try.  Don’t give up.  Don’t become discouraged.  A discouraged man is good for nothing. 

Give up to God and there when you hit that experience in every facet of your life, you will be found acceptable to God. At the bottom of the pit is the acceptable time.  Christ’s invitation was come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, learn of me.

Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

Enduring the hardness, weariness, toil, consider him so we do not faint.  We have meditated upon this before yet how imperative it is that we again look;

Psalms 69:1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto [my] soul. 

69:2 I sink in deep mire, where [there is] no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

 69:14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 

 69:15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 

Do we remember our study on the judgements of God?  Here is Jesus, passing through the judgements of God.  Our consequences, our failings, where we have said we will when we didn’t, here he is.  Save me, I can’t. 

Psalms 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. 

One who needs a new covenant has a sense of a need for that new covenant.

Psalms 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness [is] good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 

What is mercy?  Something that is given someone that is regarded as so undeserving.  Here is Jesus crying out my sins are not hid.  I need mercy, be merciful to me a sinner.  Did he sin?  No.  But how were sins laid upon him?  He felt that he had sin and that every sin that we have ever committed that he had committed.

Psalms 69:29 But I [am] poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. 

We know that the scriptures say that the Lord’s hand is not shortened and cannot save.

Psalms My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring? 

Psalms 22:6 But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

Here is Jesus feeling that same way. 

Psalms 40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. 

40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. 

My sins are more than the hairs of my head.

Psalms 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. 

Psalms 22:6 But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer [is] unto thee, O LORD, [in] an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 

What is the acceptable time?  What words do the lips of the righteous pronounce?  God be merciful to me a sinner.  This is the acceptable time.  When you reach this experience, don’t give up, God will accept you.  Here is Christ saying help me, deliver me and here is the fathers answer;

Isaiah 49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. 

 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 

 49:9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that [are] in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures [shall be] in all high places. 

 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. 

In the day of salvation I have heard thee.  They may say to the prisoners, go forth, seek to become discouraged, go forth.  Make your experience with Jesus Christ.

Isn’t that what we want to do?  Then why should we give up?  We will only give up if it’s not what we really want.  If it’s what we really want, then we will put everything in it.  We have a tower to build.  Let not people mock us. 

Amen.