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     <h3 class="panel-title">[[File:Page.png]] '''January's''' featured article</h3>
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===='''Faith'''====
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====Don't Give Up On God====
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
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&quot;Now  the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no  pleasure in him&quot;<br>
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(Hebrews  10:38).<br>
 +
<br>
 +
by Tom Stewart<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<strong>Preface</strong><br>
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<br>
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In truth,  only two kinds of people inhabit this planet-- those who are&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;Christ and  those who are&nbsp;<em>against</em>&nbsp;Christ. Jesus said,&nbsp;&quot;He that is not  against us is on our part&quot;&nbsp;(Mark 9:40). The Apostle Peter wisely  observed,&nbsp;&quot;Of a truth I  perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with Him&quot;&nbsp;(Acts 10:34, 35). On one hand, Christ's  adversaries are commanded,&nbsp;&quot;Repent ye, and  believe the Gospel&quot;&nbsp;(Mark 1:15); but, on the  other, to the Saints, who may be presently undergoing difficult times and  circumstances, the Apostle Paul  said,&nbsp;&quot;Stand fast in the  faith, quit you like men, be strong&quot;&nbsp;(1Corinthians 16:13). Strength comes in the believing of  those words from God.&nbsp;&quot;In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth  rise up and walk&quot;&nbsp;(Acts 3:6). The Epistle  of James promised,&nbsp;&quot;Draw nigh to God,  and He will draw nigh to you&quot;&nbsp;(James  4:8). And, to that testimony, the Apostle Paul added,&nbsp;&quot;If God be for us, who can be against  us?&quot;&nbsp;(Romans 8:31).&nbsp;<em>If  we are doing right, then we should never quit.</em>&quot;Now the just  shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure  in him&quot;&nbsp;(Hebrews 10:38).<br>
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<br>
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<strong>Right Doing is Righteousness</strong><br>
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<br>
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Right action  flows from right willing or the willingness to do right. That is Righteousness.&nbsp;&quot;Little children, let no man deceive you:  he that doeth Righteousness is righteous, even as He is Righteous&quot;&nbsp;(1John 3:7). When we are actively trusting&nbsp;&quot;Jesus Christ  the Righteous&quot;&nbsp;(2:1), then we are&nbsp;&quot;clothed with Righteousness&quot;&nbsp;(Psalm 132:9), and we may rely that His promised Spirit is working in us&nbsp;&quot;to will and to do  of His good pleasure&quot;&nbsp;(Philippians 2:13). In  fact, we may fortify ourselves that so long as we still have the slightest  willingness to do right, the Almighty will breathe strength into us by His  Spirit.&nbsp;&quot;And I will put My  Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My  Judgments, and do them&quot;&nbsp;(Ezekiel 36:27). What an  amazing amalgamation of the Sovereignty of God with the Free Will of man!&nbsp;&quot;My Father worketh hitherto, and I  work&quot;&nbsp;(John  5:17)! When you feel yourself ready to give up, pray for the mercy of God--&nbsp;&quot;uphold me with Thy Free Spirit&quot;&nbsp;(Psalm 51:12). Since God&nbsp;&quot;cannot deny Himself&quot;&nbsp;(2Timothy 2:13), in that He faithfully chooses the right, He  will always choose those who choose the right, as well, i.e.,&nbsp;&quot;Blessed are they that keep judgment, and  he that doeth Righteousness at all times&quot;(Psalm 106:3). Even when He will soon  judge the Earth, He chooses the right in that He seeks His own highest good and  the highest good of His moral creatures.&nbsp;&quot;Thus will I magnify  Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations,  and they shall know that I am the LORD&quot;&nbsp;(Ezekiel 38:23).&nbsp;&quot;The LORD is known  by the Judgment which He executeth&quot;&nbsp;(Psalm 9:16).&nbsp;&quot;When Thy  Judgments are in the Earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn  Righteousness&quot;&nbsp;(Isaiah 26:9).<br>
  
Faith is to be in the Lord, not in spiritual principles. We are to call upon the Lord. The Scriptures do not counsel us to attempt to learn how to manipulate the spiritual realm. The Scriptures direct us to put our faith in the Lord and to wait upon Him. This is a different approach than learning how to work miracles by understanding how the spiritual realm operates.
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<strong>Giving Up on God is Not Our Right</strong><br>
  
Faith in the Lord brings glory to the Lord Jesus. The working of spiritual principles exalts the adamic man and leaves him in the bondage of sin and self-will.
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When we are  tempted to cease from doing right, we are tempted to give up on God, e.g.,&nbsp;&quot;he that believeth not God hath made Him a  liar&quot;&nbsp;(1John 5:10). We have no more right to give up on  God than an employee has to disobey a lawful order from his employer.&nbsp;&quot;Servants, obey in all things your masters  according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness  of heart, fearing God&quot;&nbsp;(Colossians 3:22).  Neither should we feel that children obeying their parents is anything but what  is expected by God and ourselves.&nbsp;&quot;Children, obey  your parents in the LORD: for this is right&quot;&nbsp;(Ephesians 6:1). In fact, we have no right to feel that we  have done anything but our duty, when we did not give up on God.&nbsp;&quot;So likewise ye, when ye shall have done  all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we  have done that which was our duty to do&quot;&nbsp;(Luke 17:10). That  God is pleased with our faith and right doing is evident by His Word, i.e.,&nbsp;&quot;without faith it is impossible to please  Him&quot;&nbsp;(Hebrews 11:6), and by His rewards, e.g.,&nbsp;&quot;Blessed is the man that endureth  temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the  LORD hath promised to them that love Him&quot;&nbsp;(James 1:12).<strong>But</strong>, His punishment for unbelief,  disobedience, and wickedness demonstrates His displeasure for our not doing or  ceasing to do what we know is right, i.e.,&nbsp;&quot;Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin&quot;&nbsp;(James 4:17).&nbsp;&quot;8&nbsp;But unto them that are contentious, and do not  obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,&nbsp;9&nbsp;tribulation and  anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of  the Gentile&quot;&nbsp;(Romans 2:8-9).<br>
  
Have you ever defined faith as a sort of magic that you can work once you know the tricks? If you have you probably have given up in despair, being somewhat condemned that you "do not have enough faith" to get your answer. Faith is not magic or a metaphysical principle, it is our grasp on God's Character and the faithfulness of His promises.
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<strong>God's Spirit and Promises Keep Us From Giving Up on Him</strong><br>
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<br>
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Has the dinner bell rung yet? Is it time to  quit? Has God officially authorized us to stop doing our duty? Was it not our  understanding to keep our&nbsp;&quot;hand to the plough&quot;&nbsp;(Luke 9:62)&nbsp;until the LORD takes us Home, as He  did Enoch?&nbsp;&quot;And Enoch walked  with God: and he was not; for God took him&quot;&nbsp;(Genesis 5:24). When we are tempted to give up on God, then  we need to immediately avail ourselves of the Exceeding Great and Precious  Promises of God, that have been specifically designed for just such  temptations.&nbsp;&quot;Whereby are given unto us Exceeding Great and Precious Promises: that by these ye might be  partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the  world through lust&quot;(2Peter 1:4).&nbsp;, to see how God has  magnificently designed His Promises to fit our every conceivable circumstance  and thereby sanctify and further prepare us for our future Heavenly vocations.]<br>
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Spiritual first aid begins by pouring in as many Promises of the Word of God as  we can reasonably find.&nbsp;&quot;As thy days, so  shall thy strength be&quot;&nbsp;(Deuteronomy 33:25).&nbsp;&nbsp;of our website would be a good place to start. Couple a good  Promise with a computerized cross reference search, such as the Treasury of  Scripture Knowledge used by the Online Bible &nbsp;and&nbsp;, and you will be able  to find even more Promises.]&nbsp;Especially  find one Promise that the Holy Spirit can recall to your mind. For example, the  need for the&nbsp;&quot;meekness and gentleness  of Christ&quot;&nbsp;(2Corinthians 10:1), especially when you are provoked by  those that despise your testimony, may call forth the Promise that preeminence  with God goes to those who primarily defend Him and not self:&nbsp;&quot;the last shall be first, and the first last&quot;&nbsp;(Matthew 20:16). The&nbsp;&quot;meek and lowly in heart&quot;&nbsp;Christ&nbsp;(Matthew 11:29)&nbsp;is<em>always</em>&nbsp;the Promise, the Pattern. and the Example that&nbsp;&quot;ye should follow  His steps&quot;&nbsp;(1Peter 2:21).&nbsp;&quot;He was oppressed, and He was afflicted,  yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a  sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth&quot;&nbsp;(Isaiah 53:7).&nbsp;[More  about meekness may be found in the&nbsp;<br>
  
The Scriptures promise great joy to the believer. One of our favorite passages is as follows:
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Again, you may not think of your bouts with impatience, haughtiness,  fearfulness, etc. as anything more than something that you have under control;  but, why do you keep repeating the same pattern of failure?&nbsp;&quot;Are ye so foolish? having begun in the  Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?&quot;&nbsp;(Galatians 3:3). Isn't that the same as giving up on God by  fits and starts?&nbsp;&quot;He that trusteth  in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be  delivered&quot;&nbsp;(Proverbs 28:26). It is  not enough to know that you should not do something&nbsp;<em>or</em>&nbsp;that you should do something,&nbsp;<em>but</em>&nbsp;you need the assistance of the Holy  Spirit to help you do what God says you are able to do but won't succeed in  doing until He intervenes.&nbsp;&quot;And I will put My  Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My  Judgments, and do them&quot;&nbsp;(Ezekiel 36:27).&nbsp;[See our editorial, &quot;, to see how Divine  Sovereignty providentially needs not overpower our Free Will to insure our  obedience.]<br>
  
Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalms 37:4)
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<strong>Conclusion</strong><br>
 
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<br>
Another is:
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Though giving up on God is an option, why  entertain it?&nbsp;&quot;He which hath  begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus  Christ&quot;&nbsp;(Philippians 1:6). What  is the value of a Promise for your perseverance, unless you believe it?&nbsp;&quot;6&nbsp;But Christ as a Son  over His Own House; whose House are we,&nbsp;<strong>if</strong>&nbsp;we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end...&nbsp;14&nbsp;For we are made partakers of Christ,&nbsp;<strong>if</strong>&nbsp;we hold the beginning of our  confidence stedfast unto the end&quot;&nbsp;(Hebrews 3:6, 14). May  the God&quot;Who  worketh all things after the Counsel of His Own Will&quot;&nbsp;(Ephesians 1:11)&nbsp;magnify  Himself in keeping us from giving up on Him, in that&nbsp;&quot;He is able even to subdue all things unto  Himself&quot;&nbsp;(Philippians 3:21).<br>
 
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<br>
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Psalms 84:11)
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Maranatha!<br>
 
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<br>
God will withhold no good thing from the individual who walks uprightly.
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He.Will.Subdue.Our.Iniquit.html">He Will Subdue Our Iniquities, for encouragement for  the fulfillment of this Promise from Micah 7:19.]
 
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We know that God answers prayer. Though it may take a long period of time we are to wait for the answer. In God's Presence there is fullness of joy. He eventually heals all our diseases and fills our mouth with good things. The Lord delivers us from all our afflictions.
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Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalms 103:3)
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The key to fullness of joy, to the rewards we hope for and pray for, is faith. Perhaps you have had your hopes deferred and your heart is sick. You may have had to labor in a hated situation for many years. You have trusted that you would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. That expectation has kept you from fainting. But time goes on and on and there is no answer.
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How are we proceed? Is it possible we have not known how to press forward in faith? Let us look at some of the comments made in the Book of Hebrews to see how faith in God truly operates.
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Confidence
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Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. (Hebrews 10:35)
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The Word of God makes many outstanding promises to the believer.
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And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)
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And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13,14)
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Perhaps a Christian told us the above verse is a "blank check." "Just fill in the amount." We did, and nothing happened.
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Why did nothing take place? Is the Word of God not true? Don't we have enough "faith"?
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The Word of God is always true. Heaven and earth shall pass away but the Word of the Lord Jesus never shall pass away.
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What, then, is the solution?
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The solution is we are not to cast away our confidence for it shall be richly rewarded.
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[[Faith 2|Next Page]]
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Copyright © 1997-2007 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Revision as of 23:26, 2 July 2021

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Page.png July's featured article


Don't Give Up On God

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him"
(Hebrews 10:38).

by Tom Stewart

Preface

In truth, only two kinds of people inhabit this planet-- those who are for Christ and those who are against Christ. Jesus said, "He that is not against us is on our part" (Mark 9:40). The Apostle Peter wisely observed, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with Him" (Acts 10:34, 35). On one hand, Christ's adversaries are commanded, "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15); but, on the other, to the Saints, who may be presently undergoing difficult times and circumstances, the Apostle Paul said, "Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1Corinthians 16:13). Strength comes in the believing of those words from God. "In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). The Epistle of James promised, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8). And, to that testimony, the Apostle Paul added, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). If we are doing right, then we should never quit."Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him" (Hebrews 10:38).

Right Doing is Righteousness

Right action flows from right willing or the willingness to do right. That is Righteousness. "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth Righteousness is righteous, even as He is Righteous" (1John 3:7). When we are actively trusting "Jesus Christ the Righteous" (2:1), then we are "clothed with Righteousness" (Psalm 132:9), and we may rely that His promised Spirit is working in us "to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). In fact, we may fortify ourselves that so long as we still have the slightest willingness to do right, the Almighty will breathe strength into us by His Spirit. "And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My Judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 36:27). What an amazing amalgamation of the Sovereignty of God with the Free Will of man! "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17)! When you feel yourself ready to give up, pray for the mercy of God-- "uphold me with Thy Free Spirit" (Psalm 51:12). Since God "cannot deny Himself" (2Timothy 2:13), in that He faithfully chooses the right, He will always choose those who choose the right, as well, i.e., "Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth Righteousness at all times"(Psalm 106:3). Even when He will soon judge the Earth, He chooses the right in that He seeks His own highest good and the highest good of His moral creatures. "Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD" (Ezekiel 38:23). "The LORD is known by the Judgment which He executeth" (Psalm 9:16). "When Thy Judgments are in the Earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn Righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9).

Giving Up on God is Not Our Right

When we are tempted to cease from doing right, we are tempted to give up on God, e.g., "he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar" (1John 5:10). We have no more right to give up on God than an employee has to disobey a lawful order from his employer. "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God" (Colossians 3:22). Neither should we feel that children obeying their parents is anything but what is expected by God and ourselves. "Children, obey your parents in the LORD: for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1). In fact, we have no right to feel that we have done anything but our duty, when we did not give up on God. "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do" (Luke 17:10). That God is pleased with our faith and right doing is evident by His Word, i.e., "without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6), and by His rewards, e.g., "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love Him" (James 1:12).But, His punishment for unbelief, disobedience, and wickedness demonstrates His displeasure for our not doing or ceasing to do what we know is right, i.e., "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). "8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile" (Romans 2:8-9).

God's Spirit and Promises Keep Us From Giving Up on Him

Has the dinner bell rung yet? Is it time to quit? Has God officially authorized us to stop doing our duty? Was it not our understanding to keep our "hand to the plough" (Luke 9:62) until the LORD takes us Home, as He did Enoch? "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). When we are tempted to give up on God, then we need to immediately avail ourselves of the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises of God, that have been specifically designed for just such temptations. "Whereby are given unto us Exceeding Great and Precious Promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust"(2Peter 1:4). , to see how God has magnificently designed His Promises to fit our every conceivable circumstance and thereby sanctify and further prepare us for our future Heavenly vocations.]
Spiritual first aid begins by pouring in as many Promises of the Word of God as we can reasonably find. "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deuteronomy 33:25).  of our website would be a good place to start. Couple a good Promise with a computerized cross reference search, such as the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge used by the Online Bible  and , and you will be able to find even more Promises.] Especially find one Promise that the Holy Spirit can recall to your mind. For example, the need for the "meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2Corinthians 10:1), especially when you are provoked by those that despise your testimony, may call forth the Promise that preeminence with God goes to those who primarily defend Him and not self: "the last shall be first, and the first last" (Matthew 20:16). The "meek and lowly in heart" Christ (Matthew 11:29) isalways the Promise, the Pattern. and the Example that "ye should follow His steps" (1Peter 2:21). "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). [More about meekness may be found in the 

Again, you may not think of your bouts with impatience, haughtiness, fearfulness, etc. as anything more than something that you have under control; but, why do you keep repeating the same pattern of failure? "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). Isn't that the same as giving up on God by fits and starts? "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26). It is not enough to know that you should not do something or that you should do something, but you need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to help you do what God says you are able to do but won't succeed in doing until He intervenes. "And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My Judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 36:27). [See our editorial, ", to see how Divine Sovereignty providentially needs not overpower our Free Will to insure our obedience.]

Conclusion

Though giving up on God is an option, why entertain it? "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). What is the value of a Promise for your perseverance, unless you believe it? "6 But Christ as a Son over His Own House; whose House are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end... 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:6, 14). May the God"Who worketh all things after the Counsel of His Own Will" (Ephesians 1:11) magnify Himself in keeping us from giving up on Him, in that "He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Philippians 3:21).

Maranatha!

He.Will.Subdue.Our.Iniquit.html">He Will Subdue Our Iniquities, for encouragement for the fulfillment of this Promise from Micah 7:19.]