Don't Quit!
August 2012
"And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint!" Galatians 6:9
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord), knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or to no purpose). 1 Corinthians 15:58
Recently, I had a very discouraging moment and thought about giving up. My dad and mom immediately poured into my spirit and reminded me of not only what God promised them, but what God has promised me. When it was all said and done, my dad called me back and said....."Jacksons don't quit!" After talking with him I thought of all of the discouraging times in my life.....and there were many......that led me to consider quitting. But I would always hear the still small voice say "Daughter, keep going!", "Daughter, I won't let you down....I can not and will not fail YOU!", "Daughter.....trust me.....I've got a plan!" etc. Many of you just like me have at times felt like giving up....but Jesus....the greater Man on the inside of you kept saying.....DON'T QUIT! Today, I want to encourage you to not lose heart, don't grow weary......YOUR DUE TIME IS COMING! Your labor, your work, and your service to God is NOT IN VAIN and HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU! A story is told in 1 Samuel about a boy named David. God had instructed the prophet Samuel to go and anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel then went to the house of a man named Jesse and told him to bring out all of his sons to let him look at them because one of them would be the next king. So Jesse brought them out one by one. He chose all of the sons who he thought were "qualified" and "looked the part"....... except for the youngest son.....David. David....the "insignificant one", the "unqualified one",.....the "simple sheepherder." But God told Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance.....the Lord doesn't make decisions the way man does. People judge by the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's heart....the inner man" (1 Samuel 16:7, NLT). God looks at what's on the inside. Men look at the outward appearance. They'll tell you that you don't qualify, that you'll never make it, that nothing good could happen to you. But you can't go by what you see or how you feel. And you can't go by what others say. It's not others who are responsible for your calling. It's God. It's not others who determine whether you are anointed of God or not. It's God. It's not others who will make you successful. It's God! As Samuel looked at all of Jesse's "qualified" sons, he knew that not one of them were right for the job. He then asked Jesse if he had any more boys. Jesse responded, "Well, yes, there's the runt. But he's out tending the sheep" (1 Samuel 16:11, MSG). When Jesse bought David......the "unqualified one" in to see Samuel....David didn't "look the part".....he did not look like a future king.....afterall he was too busy tending the sheep."So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it on David's head. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him from that day on" (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT). Samuel didn't anoint David privately. He did it in front of all the others who qualified in the natural. He did it in front of all those who surely thought they would have been chosen. In the eyes of men, David was the least likely to be the next king; BUT NOT IN THE EYES OF GOD! I believe that David was called and anointed to do all of what he did before he was born. And just like David.....before you were formed in your mother's womb God anointed and appointed you for such a time as this! He called you to do something so extradordinary; something so special, that it will not only complete your life....but it will touch, inspire, and change the lives of many. But...to some....you may not look "the part" and may be overlooked. You may not be "qualified" or have the "right credentials." You may not have had the best "background" and others may not see it.......but so what if others can't see in you what God sees! So what if there has never been any indication or sign in your life that you are a potential king! So what if you have failed before.....if God says you are a king....you are a king. If God says you can do what He has called you to do....then you can do it! If God says you are....then you are! Now there is something about David's story that many of us can relate to. You see Samuel anointed David to be king when he was a young boy, but it didn't happen overnight. In fact, as soon as the ceremony was over, David went right back doing what he was doing before........herding sheep. Yes David's brothers probably mocked him saying, "So, you're the king, huh? What are you the king of? A bunch of sheep?" But if you read the rest of the story, the leader of Israel, King Saul, finally called for David's help and found him right where the prophet Samuel found him the first time, in the fields with the sheep.You see David never quit doing the first job that God had given him! I believe that by herding sheep all those years God was teaching David some things about himself and about being a leader. During David's sheep days God was pouring into David His life, His ability, His strength, and His identity so that at the right time......DAVID WOULD BE ABLE TO POUR INTO SOMEBODY ELSE! David never gave up because he did not become king overnight or when he expected to become king. He was not discouraged.....HE DID NOT QUIT. He stayed faithful to the calling of God on his life! And just like David.....in spite of what it looks looks like, in spite of what it feels like, and in spite of what it "seems to be" you must stay faithful to God and His Word and not allow circumstances, situations, or others to distract and discourage YOU! So today, DON'T give up! DON'T be discouraged. DON'T QUIT. YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER YET! God is still working in your life even though you may feel like nothing is coming to pass. God is preparing YOU! He's using this time to teach you, to equip and to prepare YOU..... listen, pay close attention to what He is saying to YOU.....HE'S POURING INTO YOU ALL THAT HE IS SO THAT in due time....in His ordained time......the calling that He has for your life will manifest. You may not be "qualified" or have the "right credentials" or "look the part".....according to the world's standards.......BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU!!! Know that most of the people in the Bible were not "qualified" when God called them! But God has shown that He can use what seems to be of little or no significance to others. God can take what the world overlooks, discards, and forgets and turn them into KINGS....JUST LIKE DAVID! God is going to USE YOU! He is the one who approves, accepts, and QUALIFIES YOU! If you know Him you have the "right crenditials" and if you are His child.....you definitely "look the part!" SO DON'T QUIT........YOUR TIME IS COMING! Be encouraged!
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord), knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or to no purpose). 1 Corinthians 15:58
Recently, I had a very discouraging moment and thought about giving up. My dad and mom immediately poured into my spirit and reminded me of not only what God promised them, but what God has promised me. When it was all said and done, my dad called me back and said....."Jacksons don't quit!" After talking with him I thought of all of the discouraging times in my life.....and there were many......that led me to consider quitting. But I would always hear the still small voice say "Daughter, keep going!", "Daughter, I won't let you down....I can not and will not fail YOU!", "Daughter.....trust me.....I've got a plan!" etc. Many of you just like me have at times felt like giving up....but Jesus....the greater Man on the inside of you kept saying.....DON'T QUIT! Today, I want to encourage you to not lose heart, don't grow weary......YOUR DUE TIME IS COMING! Your labor, your work, and your service to God is NOT IN VAIN and HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU! A story is told in 1 Samuel about a boy named David. God had instructed the prophet Samuel to go and anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel then went to the house of a man named Jesse and told him to bring out all of his sons to let him look at them because one of them would be the next king. So Jesse brought them out one by one. He chose all of the sons who he thought were "qualified" and "looked the part"....... except for the youngest son.....David. David....the "insignificant one", the "unqualified one",.....the "simple sheepherder." But God told Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance.....the Lord doesn't make decisions the way man does. People judge by the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's heart....the inner man" (1 Samuel 16:7, NLT). God looks at what's on the inside. Men look at the outward appearance. They'll tell you that you don't qualify, that you'll never make it, that nothing good could happen to you. But you can't go by what you see or how you feel. And you can't go by what others say. It's not others who are responsible for your calling. It's God. It's not others who determine whether you are anointed of God or not. It's God. It's not others who will make you successful. It's God! As Samuel looked at all of Jesse's "qualified" sons, he knew that not one of them were right for the job. He then asked Jesse if he had any more boys. Jesse responded, "Well, yes, there's the runt. But he's out tending the sheep" (1 Samuel 16:11, MSG). When Jesse bought David......the "unqualified one" in to see Samuel....David didn't "look the part".....he did not look like a future king.....afterall he was too busy tending the sheep."So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it on David's head. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him from that day on" (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT). Samuel didn't anoint David privately. He did it in front of all the others who qualified in the natural. He did it in front of all those who surely thought they would have been chosen. In the eyes of men, David was the least likely to be the next king; BUT NOT IN THE EYES OF GOD! I believe that David was called and anointed to do all of what he did before he was born. And just like David.....before you were formed in your mother's womb God anointed and appointed you for such a time as this! He called you to do something so extradordinary; something so special, that it will not only complete your life....but it will touch, inspire, and change the lives of many. But...to some....you may not look "the part" and may be overlooked. You may not be "qualified" or have the "right credentials." You may not have had the best "background" and others may not see it.......but so what if others can't see in you what God sees! So what if there has never been any indication or sign in your life that you are a potential king! So what if you have failed before.....if God says you are a king....you are a king. If God says you can do what He has called you to do....then you can do it! If God says you are....then you are! Now there is something about David's story that many of us can relate to. You see Samuel anointed David to be king when he was a young boy, but it didn't happen overnight. In fact, as soon as the ceremony was over, David went right back doing what he was doing before........herding sheep. Yes David's brothers probably mocked him saying, "So, you're the king, huh? What are you the king of? A bunch of sheep?" But if you read the rest of the story, the leader of Israel, King Saul, finally called for David's help and found him right where the prophet Samuel found him the first time, in the fields with the sheep.You see David never quit doing the first job that God had given him! I believe that by herding sheep all those years God was teaching David some things about himself and about being a leader. During David's sheep days God was pouring into David His life, His ability, His strength, and His identity so that at the right time......DAVID WOULD BE ABLE TO POUR INTO SOMEBODY ELSE! David never gave up because he did not become king overnight or when he expected to become king. He was not discouraged.....HE DID NOT QUIT. He stayed faithful to the calling of God on his life! And just like David.....in spite of what it looks looks like, in spite of what it feels like, and in spite of what it "seems to be" you must stay faithful to God and His Word and not allow circumstances, situations, or others to distract and discourage YOU! So today, DON'T give up! DON'T be discouraged. DON'T QUIT. YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER YET! God is still working in your life even though you may feel like nothing is coming to pass. God is preparing YOU! He's using this time to teach you, to equip and to prepare YOU..... listen, pay close attention to what He is saying to YOU.....HE'S POURING INTO YOU ALL THAT HE IS SO THAT in due time....in His ordained time......the calling that He has for your life will manifest. You may not be "qualified" or have the "right credentials" or "look the part".....according to the world's standards.......BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU!!! Know that most of the people in the Bible were not "qualified" when God called them! But God has shown that He can use what seems to be of little or no significance to others. God can take what the world overlooks, discards, and forgets and turn them into KINGS....JUST LIKE DAVID! God is going to USE YOU! He is the one who approves, accepts, and QUALIFIES YOU! If you know Him you have the "right crenditials" and if you are His child.....you definitely "look the part!" SO DON'T QUIT........YOUR TIME IS COMING! Be encouraged!
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