October 12, 2003pm    Carry On   I Kings 8:22-26

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

How should we carry on in the Lord’s work? 

Remember who the Lord is. 

 

Scripture Text:  1Kin 8:22  Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven  23 and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below--you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it--as it is today. 25 "Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, `You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me as you have done.' 26 And now, O God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.

 

Continue to Center Christ:  

Recognize Jesus as the center of your life, family, business/job, and your church. Our business is people and our reason is Jesus Christ.

Eph. 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];

 

Continue to Believe:

Be grounded and settled in your faith.  Don’t be moved about by the wind but be stead fast in your life of faith in the Lord.

Col. 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

 

Continue to Pray:             

Give thanks to God and in prayer continue to recognize him in all of your ways.  Nothing will be done through your life, church, and Pastor without prayer. 

1The 5:16  Rejoice evermore.  17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

Continue to Grow.  Grow to meet the Challenges of the future

Eph. 4:14  That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:

 

Continue to Support and follow the leading of the Lord in your midst… Don’t be distracted by those who want to hinder the work.  This is your decision to go with the Lord and experience His presence and power in your life. 

1Kin 8:22  Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven  23 and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below--you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.

 

Continue to Give your time, talent, and treasures  for the Lord’s Work…

Neh. 4:6  So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

 

Continue to Love. Mat. 22:37   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  38 This is the first and great commandment.

 

Continue to Forgive. Col. 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

 

Continue to Forget. Phil. 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Continue to Go. Mat. 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Continue to Visit. James 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

 

Keep on keeping on with the Lord.