Are we doing well?

1) Am I closer to God than half a year ago?

2) Have I allowed any weakness or sin to fester without dealing with it?

3) How have I stretched my faith this year?

4) How about my relationships with others?

Obstacles to finishing well:

• <Heb 12:1> “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

1) Sin.

• “Fruitfulness” ≠ Holiness
• Holiness > Outcomes
• Battle sin
• Don’t hide

2) “Everything that hinders”.

• May not be outright sin
• Complacency
• Indifference
• Laziness

How can we finish well then?

1) The grace of God above all else.

• <1 Co 15:10> But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

2) Daily “uncompromised” time with God.

• Usually fall not suddenly but bit by bit.
• Daily doses of God’s word and intimate prayers.

3) Offer ourselves as daily living sacrifices to God.

• The power to do so comes from remembering God’s mercy on us.

4) The support of the body of Christ. 

• <2 Ti 2:22> “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

5) Always carry an eternal perspective.

• Learn to number our days <Ps 90:12>, so that we can live wisely.

Two Sauls: 
King Saul- Started well, ended bad
Saul/Paul-Bad start, finished well

“It is more important to finish well than to start well.”

“No one finishes well by accident, it comes with prayerful, deliberate efforts.”