Looking%20Above

1
Looking Above

• Hebrews 121-2  Therefore, since we are
  surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
  us also lay aside every weight, and sin which
  clings so closely, and let us run with endurance
  the race that is set before us, 2 looking to
  Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
  who for the joy that was set before him endured
  the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at
  the right hand of the throne of God.

2
Looking Above To Jesus

• Looking Above Fear
• Looking Above Adversity
• Looking Above Procrastination
• Looking Above Indecision
• Looking Above Standing Alone
• Looking Above Self
• Looking Above Anxiety
• Looking Above Through Perseverance

3
Looking Above Through Perseverance

• II Timothy 48  Henceforth there is laid up for
  me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
  the righteous judge, will award to me on that
  Day, and not only to me but also to all who have
  loved his appearing.

4
Perseverance in Purity

• Philippians 127  Only let your manner of life
  be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that
  whether I come and see you or am absent, I may
  hear of you that you are standing firm in one
  spirit, with one mind striving side by side for
  the faith of the gospel,

5
Perseverance in Purity

• Colossians 35,12  5 Put to death therefore what
  is earthly in you sexual immorality, impurity,
  passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is
  idolatry. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones,
  holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility,
  meekness, and patience,

6
Looking to Jesus

• Hebrews 415  For we do not have a high priest
  who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
  but one who in every respect has been tempted as
  we are, yet without sin.

7
Perseverance in Marriage

• I Corinthians 710-11 10 To the married I give
  this charge (not I, but the Lord) the wife
  should not separate from her husband 11 (but if
  she does, she should remain unmarried or else be
  reconciled to her husband), and the husband
  should not divorce his wife.

8
Looking to Jesus

• Matthew 193-9 3 And Pharisees came up to him
  and tested him by asking, Is it lawful to
  divorce one's wife for any cause? 4 He answered,
  Have you not read that he who created them from
  the beginning made them male and female, 5 and
  said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and
  his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they
  shall become one flesh? 6 So they are no longer
  two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined
  together, let not man separate. 7 They said to
  him, Why then did Moses command one to give a
  certificate of divorce and to send her away?
  8 He said to them, Because of your hardness of
  heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
  but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say
  to you whoever divorces his wife, except for
  sexual immorality, and marries another, commits
  adultery. 

9
Perseverance in Trouble

• Acts 1422  strengthening the souls of the
  disciples, encouraging them to continue in the
  faith, and saying that through many tribulations
  we must enter the kingdom of God.
• II Timothy 23  Share in suffering as a good
  soldier of Christ Jesus.

10
Perseverance in Trouble

• Hebrews 127  It is for discipline that you have
  to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what
  son is there whom his father does not discipline?
• James 112  Blessed is the man who remains
  steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the
  test he will receive the crown of life, which God
  has promised to those who love him.

11
Perseverance in Trouble

• James 510-11 10 As an example of suffering and
  patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke
  in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider
  those blessed who remained steadfast. You have
  heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have
  seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is
  compassionate and merciful.

12
Looking to Jesus

• Hebrews 122-4  2 looking to Jesus, the founder
  and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that
  was set before him endured the cross, despising
  the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the
  throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from
  sinners such hostility against himself, so that
  you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your
  struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to
  the point of shedding your blood.

13
Perseverance in Prayer

• Ephesians 618-20 18 praying at all times in
  the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To
  that end keep alert with all perseverance, making
  supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for
  me, that words may be given to me in opening my
  mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the
  gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in
  chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought
  to speak.

14
Looking to Jesus

• Luke 612 In these days he went out to the
  mountain to pray, and all night he continued in
  prayer to God.
• Luke 18 1 And he told them a parable to the
  effect that they ought always to pray and not
  lose heart.

15
Perseverance in Good Works

• Romans 26-7 6 He will render to each one
  according to his works 7 to those who by
  patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor
  and immortality, he will give eternal life
• I Corinthians 1558  Therefore, my beloved
  brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always
  abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
  in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

16
Perseverance in Good Works

• Galatians 69-10 9 And let us not grow weary of
  doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we
  do not give up. 10 So then, as we have
  opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and
  especially to those who are of the household of
  faith.

17
Perseverance in Good Works

• II Thessalonians 313  As for you, brothers, do
  not grow weary in doing good.
• Titus 314 And let our people learn to devote
  themselves to good works, so as to help cases of
  urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

18
Looking to Jesus

• Acts 1038  You know how God anointed Jesus of
  Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He
  went about doing good and healing all who were
  oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

19
Perseverance in Faith

• I Corinthians 151-2  1 Now I would remind you,
  brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which
  you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which
  you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word
  I preached to youunless you believed in vain.

20
Perseverance in Faith

• II Thessalonians 215  So then, brothers, stand
  firm and hold to the traditions that you were
  taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our
  letter.
• Revelation 1412  Here is a call for the
  endurance of the saints, those who keep the
  commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

21
Looking to Jesus

• John 831-32 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who
  had believed in him, If you abide in my word,
  you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know
  the truth, and the truth will set you free.

22
Perseverance in Hope

• Hebrews 1023  Let us hold fast the confession
  of our hope without wavering, for he who promised
  is faithful.
• James 57-8 7 Be patient, therefore,
  brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how
  the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the
  earth, being patient about it, until it receives
  the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be
  patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of
  the Lord is at hand.

23
Perseverance in Hope

• II Peter 33-6 3 knowing this first of all,
  that scoffers will come in the last days with
  scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
  4 They will say, Where is the promise of his
  coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep,
  all things are continuing as they were from the
  beginning of creation. 5 For they deliberately
  overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long
  ago, and the earth was formed out of water and
  through water by the word of God, 6 and that by
  means of these the world that then existed was
  deluged with water and perished.

24
Looking to Jesus

• Matthew 2430-31, 42  30 Then will appear in
  heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all
  the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will
  see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven
  with power and great glory. 31 And he will send
  out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they
  will gather his elect from the four winds, from
  one end of heaven to the other. 42 Therefore,
  stay awake, for you do not know on what day your
  Lord is coming.

25
Looking to Jesus For

• Perseverance in Purity
• Perseverance in Marriage
• Perseverance in Trouble
• Perseverance in Prayer
• Perseverance in Good Works
• Perseverance in Faith
• Perseverance in Hope

26
Jesus Said

• But the one who endures to the end will be
  saved (Matthew 2413).