Don't Give Up Too Soon

The soft statistics of been floating around a look at some of them or heard of them about how many ministers quit the ministry and the percentage is so hot in proportion beyond anything that I thought and I realize it probably only in eternity will we understand and comprehend of how many people in the ministry who have quit too soon. Only in eternity will we understand and know how many Sunday school teachers who have quit too soon. Only then will understand how the parents of quit and give up on the children to soon. Only then do understand how many children have given up on their parents to soon.

Only then will understand how many relationships of them ended and brought to a whole to soon.

Only then will we know now that saying of course of the sometimes we are forced into situations where we have to move on. I'm not saying that I'm talking specifically about voluntarily about freely quitting. Whether it is out of discouragement or is out of not seeing visible results or its out of sheer boredom with the task that God has given you. Whatever the reason might be today, even among Christian that attitude in the spirit of stick to it.

To finance it has become rare. It has become extinct simply because our society on the world has given up on perseverance and therefore society instead of the other way around is impacting those who are in Jesus Christ and those who are fulfilling faith give up too soon quit too soon this past week I have read the story about an Army chaplain that was brought in at the request of a dying soldier who was severely and seriously wounded, and when the chaplain came the dying soldier said to him, he said please I want you to take this letter.

I wanted to send this letter to my former Sunday school teacher is her tell her that I have died, the Christian because of what she taught me in that class in the church.

The memory of her earnest plea. The warmth of her love for Jesus Christ stayed with me and stayed with me a piece rapport tell her that I'll meet her in heaven.

It wasn't many weeks after that. The boy died and then this chaplain received a reply back from the teacher.

The Sunday school teacher say just last month I have decided to give up teaching Sunday school because I could not see any use of continuing on in every area of life in every area of ministry. There are people who quit to soon and that is why I believe the Lord Jesus Christ. Once he left the crowd and began to meet with the disciples alone just his followers alone. He told them a parable and that parable of the mustard seed was designed to strengthen the faith. It is a parable that was designed to open their spiritual lives. It was designed for.

They could comprehend the nature of the kingdom of God. It was designed to help them understand the true Old Testament interpretation regarding his coming.

It was designed to help them see his Messiah ship as God sought not as some of the Jewish leaders have interpreted and I am absolutely certain as I read the pages of the gospel.

I am certain that there many a times that these disciples were were tempted to question Jesus as Messiah ship there were tempted to question their decision to follow him.

There were tempted to question the decision to sacrifice their professions to sacrifice their livelihood and to sacrifice the future and follow him unsure there were tempted at times to think that the lender of the world be such lacking in earthly power and prestige. In fact, I can tell you that the question the John the Baptist center ask of Jesus probably is a summary of all of them thought it was the question on everyone's mind is what he said.

He said are you the one or should we wait for another Jesus, send them back and is it going go John the Baptist was happening. Tell them what you're seeing taking place then probably at this time in Jesus is open ministers were asking the question.

Can someone from Nazareth realizing the popularity poll and really overturn the powder room. Is it really possible. Can someone who has no political savvy at all, be the Savior of the world goes someone who doesn't have any ecclesiastical clout with those bishops and those hierarchical structure in Jerusalem and you really pull it off any be the Messiah. And here is the one why do something right now what is he taking so long to bring about the fulfillment of the drink of all countless generations, why doesn't he take advantage of his popularity. Why doesn't he get a carload of the load or donkey load of people and go down to do Islamic takeover and he really pull it off. Always go you going to disappoint us is going to crash our dreams and is going to crush our hopes and then we going to be shattered when inpatients ferment, it produces discouragement and despondency. I learned discouragement and despondency become fully grown, it will produce quitting to sue soon and that is why Jesus took his disciples aside after he told the parable of the wheat and the weeds and then he took his disciples inside and he said now I got some things to tell you and you alone time with Mr. Matthew chapter 13 beginning of verse 31.

He presented another parable say the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and he sowed in his field. Mustard is a herb which back then of the time of Jesus his earthly ministry was widely used. It was used for food.

It was used for medicinal purposes and was used so often that there's seldom a home without mustard. And Jesus said a man planted a mustard seed now admit that planter before we met him in the last message he is the shore of the good wheat is the sour of the good seed.

He is the owner of the field. He is the one who presides over the harvest and the harvest day. He is the one. Even the Lord Jesus Christ himself as a sore and here he is the store of a timely mustard seed. Now of course the choice of the tree to represent the kingdom of heaven is not an accident. It was deliberate because the heroes of the Lord Jesus Christ at the time understood what he was talking about, for it was a tree in the garden of Eden then the fruit of the tree that caused Adam and Eve to fall and stumble. It was a tree that God said in the book of Ezekiel that is going to represent the kingdom of heaven. It was upon the trees of the Lord Jesus Christ hung in order to pay for your sins and the wages of my sins and yours and here it is a tree that grows from a timely mustard seed that the kingdom of God is like a generally speaking, mustard plant, it's a small plans is a small book. It is not a huge tree but there are some parts of ancient Palestine where the Buster tree could grow up to 12 or maybe even 15 feet high and when it is fully grown and becomes a haven for the birds. A small birds of the air to come into nest and take shelter in.

Now there are some good and godly people over hundred years ago. G. Campbell Morgan, for example, one of the finest Bible expositors interpret this parable differently from the way it really meant here. He said that Jesus basically looked down history and his so what's going to happen to his church and he saw that the church is going to become corrupt and no longer the pure holy, righteous body of Christ is going to grow in bureaucracy is going to be corrupt both politically and doctrinally, and therefore that mustard seed that moment does not grow to be a big treat is going to grow and be a big tree in all kinds of apostasy and false doctrines on an estimate cyclic sterling.

The parable on its head, but this is reading history into the parable is not understand the Scripture always find out what is Jesus saying to the immediate hearers. What is he saying to them now. Not here we are 2000 years we learn from it.

But always ask the question what was the writer saying the people of the day and what Jesus is saying in this parable. What Jesus is saying in this story to his disciples as this is emphasizing the point of the previous story that we saw in the last message the wheat and the read. He is attempting to tell them that God's kingdom is going to grow.

He is saying don't judge things by appearances. He is saying don't be mistaken by the size of the mustard seed is saying don't think that because I do not come with swords and with armies and with horses that I am powerless. Don't think that because I do not, and human power violence that I am not the Redeemer of all mankind. Don't fall in that temptation.

Don't despise the day of small things as the Scripture don't despise the day of small beginnings, don't be misled by the humble origin. Don't let the current opposition to me into my ministry and my Messiah ship, why do for the future blessings is going to come upon this world because of me at the point of the story – would Jesus say and he knew that his hearers. He knew that his disciples are understanding everything you say because as we have read from the book of Daniel, there is the image of the tree. The vision that Nebuchadnezzar have seen, but could never understand. And because of Daniel and his three friends and because of God's people who were living in Babylon at the time that God bless the Babylonian Empire. It was a pagan empire and had no godliness at all.

But God said he's gonna blessed it is going to be a huge tree that the whole known world at the time was blessed through the Babylonian empire through the tree simply because of God's people. That is the point of the story. The point of this parable is Jesus saying listen guys, don't be discouraged. My opponents may look to be triumphant now, but withhold judgment my enemies may seem to be gaining in power and popularity in the upper hand. Now, but you just would my opposition may be fierce now. Be patient my detractors might be growing in popularity, but you way way until I resurrected from the dead. Would Jesus say for when I am lifted up what I do, I draw all men to myself when I resurrected I will bless all of those who put their trust in me when I resurrected I will be the power of God for salvation. When I resurrected I will shelter all who will believe in me when I am risen from the grave. I will protect all of those who come under my shadow. All of those who occur among them a shade when I'm resurrected.

I'm going to heal and forgive.

And I am going to restore because I have the power of God as a point of the story Jesus is assuring them that there's more than meets the eye. This is a parable of encouragement. This is a parable of vision. This is a story in the point of it is very simply this, don't be discouraged of the size of my kingdom now don't be disheartened by those who mock me.

Now don't be disappointed by those who doubt me now but rather look forward. Look forward to the day when the mustard seed becomes a tree, but also point of the story the support of the parable in faithfulness to the Scripture. I explained to you want to share with you something now that is a principal, it is not the point of the parable is it intended by the Lord, but it is a principle that I believe it is biblical from cover to cover. When a person come in surrender and repent of their sins and be born of the spirit of God and be born again and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe the Lord of that point Lance mustard seed of faith in everyone of the hearts how well the seed is going to grow into a tree of faith depends upon obedience share obedience how well and how much of a blessing are you going to be to others and for others depends upon how willing you are to pay the price of surrender. I'm convinced that the Bible teaches from beginning to end that individual believers here and now that individual believers can be a source of blessing they can be a source of blessings in the family.

They can be a source of blessing in the community. They can be a source of blessings in the workplace. There can be a source of blessings, even donations. It was because of Abraham that God blessed left it was because of Jacob that God blessed labor it was because of David that God blessed Israel.

It was because of their yield of God blessed pagan Babylon and because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God has blessed the world and that is why the apostle Paul could confidently say that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified in the believing spouse, and that the unbelieving children are sanctified in the believing parent and whatever the gospel is preached, people oblast and others were from the very beginning when God called us to start this church in this place. He did not call us to be a church of navelgazing. Not call us to be a church and only think of what we need, what we can have what God called us to be a church is going to touch the world and that is why from this place, the voice of the gospel has gone throughout the world will buy Jesus in his power on the previous message we saw how the weed in the wheat growing together but you notice never once enough parable said that the weed is going to destroy the wheat never, never unclear how much evil he told was going to be in the world. I don't care how much wickedness in the world. I know that the God's faithful people will never be destroyed because we have Jesus's own words Dorothy said in the gates of hell shall not will not overcome it. Here I please. If you are bringing your hand and you have already packed up, pack your bags and fleeing and discouragement cannot tell you why it is because you lost your vision of God is a look around. I find that the Christians many times remind me of of the story of this woman who went to the opera house and there she lost a very valuable diamond brooch in the next day she called the manager that you sent to him. She said yesterday I was there and I lost this very valuable diamond brooch. He said please hold the line.

He called all his executors. He called the cleaners he called everybody that he can find enough morning and all went for a search throughout the building and the brooch was found. They came back, picked up the phone with excitement when hung up there waiting for her to call never called again.

They advertise in the papers I heard there's a civilian. How many Christians are living today. They come to the Lord. Is it all Lord blessed me oh Lord, give me your power, God, give me a leading God-given and then they could never hold the line long I forgot to come back again and when they receive just a little bit they hang up too soon to give up too soon. The judge by appearances. They live by site and the constantly get bogged down in human logic and human answers and get bogged down in an manipulation and orchestration himself and God's blessings. I believe with all my heart that God wants the world to see him and to see what he can do in the life of an obedient child.

I believe that with all my heart that God wants to demonstrate the spirit of power through his obedient children. Most people assume is a good little bit a little bit of the blessing they get a glimpse of God's power a glimpse of God's glory. Whether they do good enough. Thank you Lord.

This is it. I'll take it from here. Thank you. They get themselves back in the driver's seat. What happens does is okay. God really works this way when he said okay I can handle from here rodeos is by L4. I really believe it when you go nowhere in her you start living on the blessings of yesterday to see what tell you. God wants to bless you, wants to bless your family wants to bless your business. God is not prosperity theology.

I want to tell you this is what the word got sent from cover to cover. God wants to bless your ministry why because of your baby blues. I can tell you that Brownson market hits, but God wants to bless you.

He longs to bless you so that you may be a blessing to others.

God wants the blessings of his kingdom to flow through his children as obedient children. God wants to release his power through his obedient children, so that the world be blessed through him God wants to use us shelter.

Those who are lost and come to him. God wants to use us in order to show that there are others from the scorching heat of sin and guilt and misery. God wants to use us to bring the lost under his shadow God wants to use us to be instrument to save the lost.

God wants us to bring under his shadow but it might be spreading far and wide to bring as many to the kingdom as possible. God wants to make us a blessing you given up on your child or children you have given up too soon. If you given up on your parents.

You have given up too soon. Have you given up on someone for whom you have prayed for a long time and then you have given up. You have given up too soon.

If you given up on a ministry that God has given you, and you dump the move. Don you have given up too soon as you given up on an important relationship with God placed in your hand, you have given up too soon you given up on God. I meet people all the time, will tell you the giving up on going to tell you if you have given up on God. You have given up to 22 soon when you walk in obedience your mustard seed in the country have never seen a tree that has grown overnight of you. Yet in our fast food society, fast-moving society, we are always looking for a way to be blessed in a hurry and a way to be a blessing in a hurry.

Some of you have been in places where you have seen how the mustard seed in your life. Whatever area in your life has grown that you have watered that soil tears and God has honored your prayers and your hanging in there and you not giving often, it has grown and become a mustard seed is proving himself to you and now you may be going through the same thing again or a different stage of the Ferguson area in your life and all you could see his nearly invisible mustard seed God can give you free stay on the line don't hang don't hang on hang out down the line God is going to turn your mustard seed into a tree. I don't know what God has promised. I know it is from Smith. You know what is promised to what he promised me is different from what he promised you you you you in Alaska today as God promised her healing up as God promised the salvation of a member of your family. Don't give up as God promised you a restoration. Don't give up as God promised you success in business or in any area in your life. Don't give up as God promised you a parking don't give up whatever God has promised you. Don't give up because the mustard seed become a tree. I don't know who this message is to God speaking to you. You are the person for whom this word can and if you have been tempted to give up make that commitment.

Lord will not give the Lord will surrender that attitude right now and I'm gonna planted in the ground visually like a mustard seed in order that it will be a tree of blessing precious heavenly father, God bless you that the Lord Jesus said that a mustard seed when it is planted by you, it will produce a tree of blessing.

Father, I thank you that your promise is that you all of this will honor you father, and those who are ashamed of. You will be ashamed we will be ashamed of them in the last day and I thank you in the name of Jesus for everyone standing here. Father God, I pray of your power to be moving in the lives now is a plant those seeds in father we look by faith. The trees that will grow in due season and we thank you receive them by faith in Jesus name and thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael use Seth recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.org