“To him who overcomes I will give permission to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
— Revelation 2:7

Jerry Falwell once said, having worked with Christians in the political arena for some 15 years, that he had learned something. He had learned that when Christians lose, they quit, and when they win, they quit. All politics aside, we need to learn to develop greater perseverance in our service to the Lord.

We live in a world where many people are quite unstable, and they are tossed to and fro with the waves, as James talks about those who are tossed with waves of doctrine. Today, we have a crisis of character, a crisis of integrity. We need men and women who have perseverance or stick-to-it-iveness.

Now a lot of people start off a lot of things well. Even Pliable was able to do that. He started off with Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress on the way to the Celestial City, and he got just as far as the Slough of Despond. Having fallen in the slough and finding himself up to his neck in mud, he, with great exertion, turned around and crawled back out the side from which he had come and made his way back to the City of Destruction.

Many people start well, but soon they are seen no more. But true grit means that you keep on keeping on. It has much less to do with the size of your muscles or the measurement of your chest, but rather it is a mental or a spiritual attitude. May God give us the grace to be overcomers through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Immortal God, we are so mortal, so weak, and so quick to give up. Thank You that You never give up on us. It is You who keeps us and preserves us so that we may eat of the Tree of Life in Your kingdom…

IN GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
OVERCOME AND FINISH WELL.