But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.–2 Timothy 3:14

“Continue”–that is the command, but it is so hard! Many have stopped, turned around, gone back, and given up. Hopefully you won’t do the same. But don’t assume that it couldn’t happen to you. You are not infallible. The old song says,”Prone to wander”, and that can be said of all.

“Continue”–so simple, yet so very serious! It is simple but not easy. In fact there are times when it seems impossible. Faced with difficult duties, troublesome trials, enormous enemies, and physical pain, it seems more than we can do. But we are not relieved of our responsibility. We are to “continue” although we don’t feel like it, although others don’t, although it seems in vain. We are to remain steadfast and unmovable regardless of the conditions, circumstances, cost, or consequences.

“Continue” that is the counsel for those who have “learned” the truth. Have you? Are you acquainted with God’s ways? Are you familiar with God’s Word? Do you know right from wrong? Then “continue” on! keep going regardless of obstacles, others, or opposition. When difficulties come, doubts arise, and dread fills your heart, stick with what you know. Go back to the Bible and be reminded of what God said. Consult God’s Word and believe what you read. You will never be misled when you are led by the Word of God.

“Continue”–that is the challenge facing every child of God. Contrary to the way you feel, this is possible– because it is required. If we do what we should and what we can, God will do what we can’t.Follow God’s prescribed plan. Feed your soul with God’s perfect precepts. Fill your mind with His precious promises. Fight temptation with the Spirit’s sword. Remember, God’s Word doesn’t just put you on the right path, it empowers you to do His will.

Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived. And sometimes you have to back off and just simply see the hidden hand of God.

Have you ever watched an artist paint? He mixes this color and that color as he splashes colors on a canvas. And right before your eyes, you see beauty emerge.

Then the artist reaches in for another color and makes a large sweep across what you thought was a perfect painting. And you exclaim, “You ruined it! You really messed up. Let’s see how you are going to get out of this.” But if you wait until the artist is finished, you will see the painting become a masterpiece.

Sometimes we look at what God is doing say, “Lord, You are really doing well.” Then all the sudden God throws something onto the canvas of our lives and we say, “Lord, You have messed things up. How did You let this happen?”

We must remember that just because we can’t see God working doesn’t mean that God is not working. And just because His handiwork doesn’t make sense to us, doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense.–Adrian Rogers

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

“A wise man will hear.” (Prov. 1:5)

The essential difference between the wise man and the fool in the book of Proverbs is that the wise man will hear and the fool won’t.

It isn’t a question of the fool’s mental capacity. Actually he may have unusual intellectual ability. But he just cannot be told anything. He labors under the fatal delusion that his knowledge is infinite and his judgments are infallible. If his friends try to counsel him, they receive scorn for their efforts. They watch him trying to escape the inevitable results of sinful and stupid actions, but they are helpless to avert the crash. And so he goes on from one crisis to another. Now his finances are a disaster. Now his personal life is in shambles. Now his business totters on the edge of chaos. But he rationalizes that life is giving him a bad deal. It never occurs to him that he is his own worst enemy. He is generous in dispensing advice to others, oblivious of his inability to run his own life. A compulsive talker, he holds forth with the aplomb of an oracle.

The wise man is made of better stuff. He realizes that everyone’s mental wires have been somewhat crossed by the Fall. He knows that others can sometimes see aspects of a problem that he has overlooked. He is willing to acknowledge that his memory may be faulty at times. He is teachable, welcoming any input that will help him make the right decisions. Actually he solicits the advice of others because he knows that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14). Like everyone else, he sometimes makes mistakes. But he has this saving virtue that he learns from his mistakes and makes every failure a springboard to success. He is grateful for a deserved rebuke and is willing to say, “I was wrong. I am sorry.” Wise children submit to parental discipline; fools rebel. Wise young people obey the scriptural precepts concerning moral purity; fools do their own thing. Wise adults judge everything by whether it is well-pleasing to the Lord; fools act according to what pleases themselves.

And so it is that the wise grow wiser, and the fools are stuck fast in the rut of their own folly. (William MacDonald)

“Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25)

When there are mysteries in life too deep for us to fathom, we can relax in the confidence that the Judge of all the earth is the God of absolute and infinite righteousness.

There is the question of the status of children who die before reaching the age of accountability. For many of us, it is enough to know that “of such is the kingdom of God.” We believe that they are safe through the blood of Jesus. But for others who are still not satisfied, the words of our verse should be sufficient. God can be counted on to do what is right.—

Again there is the seeming injustice that the wicked often prosper while the righteous are passing through deep tribulation. There is the recurring question as to the fate of the heathen who have never heard the Gospel. Men puzzle over why God ever allowed sin to enter. We often stand dumb in the face of tragedies, of poverty and hunger, of horrible physical and mental impairments. Doubt continually murmurs, “If God is in control, why does He permit it all?”

Faith replies, “Wait till the last chapter is written. God hasn’t made His first mistake. When we are able to see things from a clearer perspective, we will realize that the Judge of all the earth has done right.”( William MacDonald)

God writes in characters too grand
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all the mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife,—
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this—His way was right.–(John Oxenham)

The following was written by a widow of the 9-11 Islamic sneak attack on the US, I thought this fitting to share today.9-11 will never just be “another” September day.

IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time that I’d see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I’d hear your voice lift up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after
day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute to stop
and say “I love you,”
Instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day,
When I was sure you’d have so many, I wouldn’t have just let this one slip
away.

Dear friends we can’t see into the future, we can’t know what will happen within the next few minutes, nor before the sun sets. Let us live each day as though it might be our last. It might be. Tell someone you  love them–they need to hear it and you might need the practice.