Don't Quit

On Sunday morning, I preached a message entitle "Don't Quit" and it came from...

Hebrews 12: 1-2

2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The premises for the message was no matter what you face in life, if you determine to stay with God, you is discover that all things work together for your good. Not only that, I shared, the first option the enemy presents before you is the option to QUIT. As soon as things start going wrong in your life, or trials and tribulations rear their heads, the enemy is right there saying, "If you give up, walk out, leave, in other words meaning QUIT, you won't have to deal with this stuff.

So, if QUITTING is always his first solution and option, it let's me know that enduring will cause a blessing to fall upon me that the enemy is trying to block me from having. Have you ever been put in a position where QUITTING seemed like the best choice or the only choice? I'm here to encourage you by telling you ENDURING is an even better choice.

Take the alcoholic or the drug addict and even folks who divorce quick....all QUITTERS! You might have a million and one reasons for why you did it but at the end of the day, you simply QUIT. Even I have QUIT in my life plenty of times, but I've since discovered, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I'm more determined not to QUIT in my life now, than ever.

So I know you are wondering why I've attached a picture of my hubby Pastor Scroggins and my nephew Johntavious to this blog post....here's why....
First let me deal with Scroggins. He had a bad wreck December 5, 2012 and his chances to walk again were slim. The first time he stood up, he passed out. We came home and he said, "Baby stand me up again." I was so afraid that he would blank out on me, but he was determined in his mind saying, "I'm not going to pass out. I want to stand up." Now this was not just two months after the wreck but a whole ten almost eleven months after his wreck. He refused to QUIT! That day he stood for maybe two minutes, and the next day four minutes, and the next day back to two minutes, but as you see with each day...the option to QUIT soon faded, as a God's Word materialized within him and increased his faith. (Read more about Scroggins' journey in my upcoming release Processed For Purpose~ Coming Soon!)

Then there's Johntavious. The day before this child's high school graduation, the counselor calls him in her office with the news that he flunked freshman math and would not be able to graduate. Now as a senior, this child was coming home half days when he could have been at school taking this class over. No one will ever convince me that Caddo Parish Schools did not fail this child. Then my sister paid $350.00 to have him take a correspondence course in which he had to drop off the scores to the school (which was done) then, the counselor said, "I did not get two of them." We fought because they all were turned in. They call back saying they found one but not the other. Poor practices! Now on top of laziness & lying, they added junkiness, no organization, no concern, and a lack of compassion. And through all of this, you could see the hurt and pain in this child's eyes.

I could not go to my mother's house without Bocky (his nickname) asking me to help him get his diploma. You know for weeks, it seemed like the option to QUIT was embraced, but something clicked! Not only was he endowed with a newfound determination, God had instructed him to rely upon me to help. I did not know what to do or where to start. Of course I did what I know to do best, I prayed. About two days later, God told me to call back to the school that failed him. The new counselor (did you see what God did??), yes new counselor spoke with me and told me about a program called Pathways In Education, gave me their phone number, and everything I needed for him to enroll. I went to Pathways and found wonderful people who were willing to help! Well long story short, on last evening Johntavious graduated with his Louisiana High School Diploma from Pathways In Education and all because he refused to QUIT!

Hebrews tells us, to first look to the witnesses who have ENDURED before us...(now for you I've added Reynard & Johntavious), then it says to lay aside every weight and sin that besets us. See, people who QUIT often allow their problems to get the best of them, and those who practice sin have already QUIT! Sin weighs you down and it's impossible to run a race for God when you keep getting in the way. There is a particular race, which has been set before you and it's not all smooth asphalted track! Some of the race is filled with lumps, bumps, potholes, distractions, enemies, trees, tricks, and pits...but if you keep your eyes on JESUS, keep His example of ENDURANCE ever fresh on your mind and in your heart, don't allow the shame that you have experienced to tie you into QUITTING, don't take the enemies option to QUIT, and remember if God is for you, He's more than the world against you....you have no choice but to SUCCEED! QUITTERS never win, but those who ENDURE although they may not be first, still WIN.

Let's Pray:
Father I pray for the readers of this blog. Tear down, destroy, and pull down every option presented before them to QUIT. I pray that you give them tenacity, power, and strength from on high to endure. Holy Spirit give them spiritual determination to endure earthly situation, set back, trial, or tribulation. And Father help them as well as me to keep our eyes on YOU, in Jesus' name. Amen.


Special thanks to Pathways In Education!
And if you have or know a child who has dropped out (QUIT) of high school for whatever circumstance the enemy presented, help them find their way to this path...PATHWAYS!