1. Continue in the Scriptures

First of all, we need to continue in the Scriptures. I want you to know how vitally important this command is which is found in II Timothy. When you continue in the Scriptures:

• You will KNOW the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. I John 4:1 and 6 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world…We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth us not. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

How do you test the spirit of error and truth? It is tested according to the WORD. You will never know it if you do not study it. The Bible expresses it this way: “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” The Bereans were said to be more noble than those in Thessalonica, why, because “in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

• You will SHOW whose disciples you are. Jesus told the disciples in John 8:31 – “If ye continue in MY word, then are ye MY disciples indeed.”  In Acts 4:13, Peter and John were standing before the Sanhedrin because of a mighty miracle that had been wrought in the name of Jesus. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” My friends, when you have been with Jesus it will show in your attitude, in your actions, and in your articulation (words).
• You will GROW into a perfect man. Verse 17 of our text gives us the results of a man whose spirit has been saturated by the word of God; “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” God’s word is the workshop of the Christian to make him or her what they ought to be.

We ought to continue in the Scriptures, but it will take work. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). If you are not willing to put in the work, then you cannot expect the results that you desire to tear down strongholds, to live above the world, to grow closer to the Lord.

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“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” ~ Gen. Robert E. Lee

2. Continue in the Faith

Not only are we to continue in the Scriptures, but also continue in the Faith. Do you know what faith is? Faith is living today in light of eternity.

Everyone needs encouragement to continue in the faith. The Apostle Paul encouraged young Timothy not only to flee youthful lusts, “but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (II Tim. 2:22). Paul told the Corinthian believers, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (I Cor. 16:13). You say, why? Because faith is always tested.

Do you remember learning how to ride a bike? Working your first job? Stepping out on your own into the real world for the first time and paying bills? I remember when I joined the VA Army National Guard in June 2000. It didn’t dawn on me about Basic Training and AIT at Fort Benning, GA. I didn’t even think about the fact that I had committed six years of my life to the Armed Forces. I did the 365-day delay entry program because I was still in High School at the time. I enjoyed being able to learn new skills and make something of myself, but the day came when I had to report to Fort Benning, GA to start my Basic Training. After the first week, I was beginning to have serious doubts whether I could do this or not. There were times where I wanted to quit. There were times when I thought to myself, this isn’t worth it. Despite how hard that it was at the first, as I grew as a soldier it became easier, and parts of it became more enjoyable though there was still testing along the way.

Our faith is like that: Peter says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” You will start coming to church on Sunday mornings in obedience to the Lord. At the first, it will be hard, and you will find excuses if you look for them to lay out of church. But, as you hear the word of God preached, and you apply it, then you will see how valuable that church is to the Christian life. Then you will start coming to Sunday school and Wednesday night services and fellowships when you see why Christ says, “not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together.” You will start tithing in obedience to the Lord, and it is going to hurt at first. The devil will raise doubts in your mind. But, as you continue in obedience, you will see the reward of it in the end. You will start a lot of things in obedience to the Lord, but the object is to continue. Job said in the midst of his trials – “But HE knoweth the way that I take: when HE hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Can you say that of yourself?

3. Continue in the Work

Continue in the Scriptures, Continue in the Faith, and Continue in the Work. Paul said, “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58). He was a man who practiced what he preached. At the end of II Timothy, Paul confesses, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love HIS appearing.”

Many have stopped doing those first works of soul-winning, studying, attending church, growing in grace, praying and so forth, when God says that we should be continuing. Work considers three things:

• It REVEALS the heart. I believe that you will work for the Lord in proportion to your love for the Lord. These days people work only because they are expecting something out of it, not because they love the person that they are working for. I remember being shocked as a young man who was still in Bible college, and wanted to do big things for the Lord. I was busy on many different fronts, but I came up with the idea that the church should minister to the senior saints by taking on some of the work that they would like done around their houses, but were not able to. I was told, good luck, you will have to find volunteers first, but do you know what I found? Everyone else was too busy. All that I asked for was just once a month. When you work for the Lord, you are working for people who often cannot pay you back. You do it because you love the Lord.
• It REGARDS the Lord. The Lord tells us what HE wants done and how to do it, but I find that sometimes when it comes to work people have selective hearing. They are counting on someone else doing the work.

I used to work construction up in Pennsylvania for some time. The boss would show us the job site and what had to be done. He would make sure that we had all the tools that we needed and so forth, and then many times he would leave because he was managing many different job sites all at once. Can you imagine what would happen if he told me to do something, and every time that he came to check on me the tools that he gave me were never used, the job was never started, and I seemed to always be on lunch break every time that he saw me? I would be fired immediately.

God has given us the tools; HE has given us the place; HE has given us a job; and do you know what HE finds most people doing? Doing what they want to do. HE is our Heavenly Father Who expects a job to be done, and HE is coming back, and will reward accordingly.

• It REWARDS accordingly. Some people will be rewarded with loss of reward and shame. Others will be rewarded for the work that was done for the Lord. Paul had a crown of righteousness that he was expecting.

I pray that we will continue in HIS work. Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.”

“From morning to night keep Jesus in thy heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing but to have all that is within thee changed into the spirit and temper of the holy Jesus.” ~ William Law

Finally, we need to continue in Fellowship.

4. Continue in the Fellowship

We need to continue in fellowship with the Savior and with HIS saints. We need HIM if we are to accomplish anything of any worth. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” We need the saints before we become dull or disillusioned. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Need we be reminded of the first century Christians who “continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers?” How they continued “daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people?”

There is nothing in the world like Christian fellowship. We need each other.

Remember these four things: Continue in the Scriptures, Continue in the Faith, Continue in the Work, and Continue in the Fellowship.

• God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!