BACKGROUND:
This is one of the strongest statements on brotherly love in the New Testament, for it virtually makes brotherly love the goal of our conversion. Peter expected that growth in purity and holiness would result in deeper love among Christians—not merely outward appearance or profession, but sincere love for Christian brothers and sisters. Despite our differences and disagreements, we can have sincere love for one another, and as we grow in holiness, we can learn to love each other intensely because of the Holy Spirit within us.
Such love is not possible in the world at large, for it doesn’t understand the love that results when people are cleansed from their sins and have accepted the truth of the Good News. This experience brings together even very different believers on the common ground of forgiveness in Christ and requires them to love one another as Christ loved them (John 13:34-35).
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
What kind of person is God looking for?
#5. GOD IS LOOKING FOR PERSISTENT PEOPLE
People that He can use in a tremendous way that never give up. They don’t get discouraged. They’re diligent, persistent, determined. They hang on. Paul says, I press on. I don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 says “And let us not get tired of doing what is right for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.”
The Bible’s got a lot of examples of guys who had tremendous promise but copped out. Paul talks about Demus in 2 Timothy. He said “He has forsaken me having loved the world.” He started off right but he flamed out. John Mark started out right. He was going with Paul and Barnabus but he copped out. Later he got back on the right road. God uses people who don’t give up and who are persistent.
D. L. Moody said, “I’ve never known God to use a discouraged person.” When you’re being discouraged it’s because you’re choosing to be discouraged. You’re looking at the problem, rather than looking at the Lord. You’ve heard me say before, you don’t determine a person’s greatness by his talent or wealth but what it takes to discourage him. God will never put more on you than He puts in you to bear it up. So you trust Him. Sometimes you can put more on yourself.
Paul’s secret of usefulness was that nothing could discourage him. God uses people who are persistent. “We are pressed on every side by troubles but are not crushed or broken. We’re perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down but God never abandons us. We are knocked down but we get up again and keep going.” That’s why Paul was a great person. He just kept on keeping on.
What does it take to discourage you? One little word of criticism and you’re ready to give up? I read a study that said the average pastor leaves the church because of five people. If I left every time I got criticized…... I'd have run out of churches to pastor. You have to say, “Lord, give me a tough skin and a tender heart” It’s important to have both. If you’re going to be a leader, if you’re going to be a minister, if you’re going to serve Jesus Christ, if you're going to be a person that God uses - you need a tough skin and a tender heart. It’s hard to keep that balance, but you need them both. You cannot live your life for the approval of other people.
God says, I’m looking for persistent people. Christians should never let troubles get them down except down on their knees. A great person is just an ordinary person who has an extraordinary amount of determination. Thomas Edison once said, “Genius is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.”
I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.
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