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Thank you for coming out today.

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Thank you again for coming out today. I'd like to start with something funny. This was sent to me from an attorney.

I heard about these two men, the Pope and a lawyer. They died on the same day. St. Peter met him at the pearly gates.

He said, follow me, men. I'll take you to your homes. Peter first dropped the Pope off at this small wood frame house, just one bed and one desk.

He then took the lawyer to this magnificent house. It was huge. Had a big swimming pool, a beautiful view out back.

The lawyer was overwhelmed. He said, St. Peter, what did I do to manage to get this magnificent place when the Pope only got that small place?

Peter said, we have dozens of popes. You're the first lawyer.

Hold up your Bible. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do.

Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus' name. God bless you.

I want to talk to you today about finishing grace. It doesn't take a lot of effort to start things. Start a diet, start school, start a family.

Starting is easy. Finishing is what can be difficult. Any young lady can have a baby, but it takes a mother to really raise that child.

Any two people can get married, but it takes commitment to stick with it for the long haul. Anyone can have a dream, but it takes determination, perseverance, a made up mind to see it come to pass.

The question is not will you start, but will you finish? Will you finish the diet? Will you finish school? Will you finish raising your children?

Too many people start off good. They have big dreams. They are excited about their future. But along the way they have some setbacks. It's taken longer than they thought. Somebody didn't do what they said.

Over time they get discouraged. Think, well, what's the use? It's never going to work out. But God is called the author and the finisher of our faith.

He's not only giving you the grace to start, he's giving you the grace to finish. When you're tempted to get discouraged, give up on a dream, give up on a relationship, give up on a project, you have to remind yourself, I was not created to give up.

I was not created to quit. I was created to finish. You got to shake off the discouragement, shake off the self-pity, shake off what somebody said.

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