Week 1 - Don't Give Up

Excuses. We all have them, we all make them and we all use them.

Sometimes they are given in defense of our actions. Other times, excuses are used as a reason for quitting or giving up or not doing something we should.

“You can’t expect me to read my Bible every day.”

“I just can’t be nice to that person. They are rude, insensitive, they’ve gossiped about me and they say they’re a Christian.”

“It’s somebody else’s turn to clean-up after church today.”

“I prayed twice this morning, I’m tired, I’m just going to sleep. God will understand.”

Jesus never promised that it would be easy to follow Him.

But then, it wasn’t easy being Him either. He could have quit. He could have called 10,000 angels to rescue him. He could have refused to go to the cross. Rather than love them, He could have decided to hate those who despised him. But He didn’t. He completed the job.

Sometimes we feel like giving up. We read the Bible and it just doesn’t make sense. We pray and God doesn’t seem to answer. We share the gospel with others and they don’t care. God calls us to serve and we can’t see the purpose or the blessing. It all seems useless.

That’s when we simply need to remind ourselves that we can’t give up. Why? Because He hasn’t given up on us. It’s that simple.

He has called us to be faithful. No matter what. No excuses.

This week, pray…

1. That the pressures and demands of this world will not be an excuse.
2. Thank God for sending His son to the cross and that Jesus didn’t “give up.”
3. For the discipline to fight the good fight, to finish the race.
4. That you will see God’s plan for your life and that you will accept it.
5. For someone you don’t like very much.

This week, read…

1. John 19
2. Revelation 3:10-11
3. Matthew 25:23
4. Hebrews 12:1-2
5. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

This week, listen too…

1. Hold On by Selah
2. God Will Make a Way by Don Moen
3. Hold On by The Jonas Brothers

This week’s quote…

“It’s hard to beat somebody when they won’t give up!” – Babe Ruth