Will You Finish Well?

Will You Finish Well?

Deacon Hui Zhen - 16 April 2015

Apart From God, We Have No Good Thing

All English Service

It’s plain truth that everyone has needs or desire. While we don’t find ourselves lacking of money to buy the bare necessities, lacking of place to sleep, or lacking of clothes to wear; sometimes we do feel the need to have something else: - we desire to be happy in life, in our work, in our family and among our friends. Sometimes it just doesn't come to us, and we’re troubled by them instead - we want to be freed of troubles and challenges, because they cause us a lot of inconveniences, making us having to do something outside of our comfort zone, or potentially shortchange us. Sometimes we wish certain things never happen, so that we can go ahead with our planned schedules, but it just aren’t like this in real life - and it is also true that we desire to love and be loved by people — but sometimes, when facing this real issue of the heart affair, we do not know if we should heed it, or reject it. we sense that we need it, but we do not know if it is correct to need it - sometimes, we desire to be understood by others - especially our family, our good friends and our co-workers, especially when we do or haven't done certain things - some people, and i believe a lot of people who are serving God, desire to serve God and bear fruits of their serving, so that they can be encouraged to go on. - we need to quit doing certain bad habits - it could be smoking, it could be drinking, gaming, or some sorts of bad habits, but sometimes knowing this need is good, we still can’t bring ourselves into doing it. Sometimes, having certain desires met, for eg, you’ve gotten the recognition.. you thought you need it, but while you’re happy for a shortwhile, very quickly, you realise that you are trapped in another cycle of struggling to keep up with that need… and eventually, finding ourselves losing all our joy and in a discontented state. And have you ever asked yourself, your heartfelt need today (whether is the desire to be recognised by your bosses & colleagues, the desire to have a spouse, the list goes on…) is it truly what you need today?

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Are we doing well?

1) Am I closer to God than half a year ago?

2) Have I allowed any weakness or sin to fester without dealing with it?

3) How have I stretched my faith this year?

4) How about my relationships with others?

 

Obstacles to finishing well:

  • <Heb 12:1> “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

1) Sin.

  • “Fruitfulness” ≠ Holiness
  • Holiness > Outcomes
  • Battle sin
  • Don’t hide

2) “Everything that hinders”.

  • May not be outright sin
  • Complacency
  • Indifference
  • Laziness

 

How can we finish well then?

1) The grace of God above all else.

  • <1 Co 15:10> But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

2) Daily “uncompromised” time with God.

  • Usually fall not suddenly but bit by bit.
  • Daily doses of God’s word and intimate prayers.

3) Offer ourselves as daily living sacrifices to God.

  • The power to do so comes from remembering God’s mercy on us.

4) The support of the body of Christ. 

  • <2 Ti 2:22> “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

5) Always carry an eternal perspective.

  • Learn to number our days <Ps 90:12>, so that we can live wisely.

Two Sauls: 
King Saul- Started well, ended bad
Saul/Paul-Bad start, finished well

“It is more important to finish well than to start well.”

“No one finishes well by accident, it comes with prayerful, deliberate efforts.”

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Preacher Hui Jun
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Huijun serves as Secretary of The Blessed RUN Ministries. She is also the Preacher at The Life Church and Missions (Singapore). She graduated from Singapore Bible College and currently lives in Singapore with her husband, Chengji.

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