Sunday Mornings The Secrets to your Success #3 March 7, 2010
The Key’s to your Abundance (Perseverance)
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven
Over the last few weeks we looked at 2 of the four keys to unlocking the Abundance that God wants to give us. The first key Priorities emphasized the importance of discovering and doing what was most important in our lives while the second key Persistence declared that our initial action must be repeated.
Today I want to share the third key it is the key of Perseverance.
Perseverance while similar to Persistence continues our initial repeated action over an extended amount of time.
The formula for success is;
Right Decisions, Made Repeatedly,
Over Time, = Success
Right Decisions (Priorities)
Made Repeatedly (Persistence)
Over Time = (Perseverance)
Key verses:
Priorities = Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Persistence = Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
Perseverance = Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Keep on Keeping on!
The Bibles poster child for Perseverance was Joseph.
Joseph’s story begins in chapter 37 and concludes in the last chapter 50 of Genesis the first book of the Bible.
He was one of 12 sons’ of Jacob and his life’s journey took him from tending his father’s sheep to being the personal assistant to Pharaoh. He made it because he had stick-toit-iveness. How you spell that is up to you. He hung on, he kept at it, he didn’t give up, he didn’t quit. You get the idea.
1. He persevered against a troubled background Genesis 37:8
Genesis 37:8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
2. He persevered against the temptation of moral impurity Genesis 39:6-20
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
8But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
3. He persevered against temporary setbacks
His father’s favorite/ sold into slavery by his brothers.
Top man in Potiphars house/ falsely accused
Interprets the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer/ forgotten
4. He persevered against the temptation of success Genesis 50:18
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
How does Perseverance affect the 5 important steps to seeking God’s Kingdom?
1. Church Attendance Perseverance Builds us and the Church.
I am trying my best needs improvement
2. Bible Study Perseverance increases our level of understanding and our ability to stay the course and help others.
I am trying my best needs improvement
3. Prayer Perseverance helps us to pray through on the difficult matters of life and it empowers us and our level of trust.
I am doing my best needs improvement
4. Tithes and Offerings Perseverance develops our level of trust, determines our return, and helps fulfill God’s mission to the world.
I am trying my best needs improvement
5 Christian Conduct Perseverance helps develop good character and is a positive witness to the people around us.
I am trying my best needs improvement
1. What We Do.
2. Blessing Ground.
3. God’s Supernatural Intervention.
