June 20, 2026
Saturday, June 20
For the past five weeks, we’ve been talking about endurance and steadfastness, what I’ve chosen to call “grit.” This world gives us so many reasons to quit doing what we should, to compromise morally. Sometimes it’s hard to stick with our local church. Other times, the world gets so dark, we wonder if God is still around. And through it all, we face the danger of soul-entropy, getting distracted with other things that crowd out our passion for Christ. Soon, our soul is like a broken-down, weed-strewn vineyard.
But it shouldn’t be that way. God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). That means that if just keep following, obeying…abiding, we will overcome. Yesterday, I shared one of my favorite analogies. Solomon shared the vineyard of the sluggard, but I offered you the Master Builder and the mansion He’s building in our lives. God gives us the fantastic privilege of working out every aspect of our wonderful salvation. But if we quit working alongside Him, that project stands frustratingly incomplete…like a sluggard’s vineyard.
Keep in mind: Jesus paid the ultimate price to give you this. He gave His life to set you free. So if you choose not to show up each day and work alongside Him on this massive redemption project, what a tragedy that is! But on the other hand, if you decide to do the work, what a miracle you can be! It won’t be easy. Real work never is. There will be discouragements. Many, many days, you won’t see any progress. Many, many days you’ll wake up and feel like skipping out. But it’s the days when you least feel like spending time with God that you make the most progress. It’s the days when you don’t seem to accomplish anything that God is doing some His best work in your life.
And one more thing: As long as you’re still breathing, there is still a chance to build. Maybe you’ve wasted many years living in your old shack, but you can make the most of the years you have left. So what do you say?
Here’s a new song to get you excited about all God has done…and plans to do: Where I’m Standing Now.
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
