Perseverance

I keep hearing a certain word: perseverance. It came up when I was writing a devotion on The Sower and the four kinds of soils (Luke 8:5-8, 11-15) for the website www.Digdeeperdevotions.com. I saw it again today in a devotion about a blind dog and the lessons to be learned concerning perseverance from another website: www.Christiandevotions.com.

As I write a book on aging, I find perseverance is a very important part of “maturing.” Persevering doesn't mean hanging in there, gritting your teeth and getting through whatever comes along. It means having a source of strength that doesn't depend on physical or mental strength (Philippians 4:13). Our source must be God who strengthens us, empowers us through the Holy Spirit no matter what's happening around us.

God can soften our hard hearts so we can hear Him, God can help us grow deep roots in Him that can't be uprooted, God can cause us to grow as we persevere through the thorny parts of life. God causes us to bear fruit as we persevere. Some translations use the word patience which brings to mind long-suffering—all related. Persevering may seem passive because God and the Holy Spirit play an important role, but we have to not give up.

One of the results of suffering just as others are suffering is that we become compassionate and merciful toward one another. “Oh you have that problem too; I thought it was just me.”

I'm reminded of another verse, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Run your spiritual race with perseverance. There's incredible joy to come!

Prophetic Fulfillment


For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8 ESV)


My husband and I once climbed to the top of a small mountain where we were able to see not just where we had come from, but down the other side as well. How different our mountaintop experience would have been if a helicopter had simply placed us there! We would have still seen the wonderful vista, but we would have missed something along the way. We remembered the twisty trail over rock and stream that we'd climbed up. And we saw what lay ahead for us where we would go down the other side.

I thought of this climb as I was attempting to read through the whole Bible in order and went from the end of the Old Testament to the beginning of the New. I felt like I was on top of a mountain with two views. Having recently read the prophets, I could imagine what Matthew must have felt as he wrote, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means, 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:22 quoting Isaiah 7:14

Hundreds of years after Isaiah died, his prophecy was fulfilled. Though the Hebrew word virgin could mean “a young girl,” it also meant “a girl who had never had sexual relations with a man.” Matthew told the story of how God fulfilled the prophecy given to Isaiah through Mary and Joseph, a young couple—they were engaged but did not have sexual relations until after she gave birth to a son conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew1:18-25).

Matthew is full of the fulfillment of prophecy. God gave over a hundred other prophecies recorded in the gospels foretelling the birth, ministry and death of Jesus. Why had God given these prophecies?

The prophets lived in troubled times: political upheaval, natural disasters, failed leaders—including religious leaders. The people rebelled and didn't want God telling them what to do. Their worship was hypocrisy. They said to God's prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 30:9-11 ESV).

But the prophets faithfully presented God's words. Those who listened and believed God were encouraged. They received hope that no matter how bad things were, God had a plan. In the prophecies, they saw God's sovereignty, His control over everything that happened, His faithfulness and loving-kindness toward His people. They saw God's promise that one day He would send a child, a son, a Mighty God, a Savior who would save His people from their sins.

As we read the Bible, we are on the mountaintop looking at both the past and the future of  God's people. Have you seen God's plan as it enfolded in the past and as it promises to enfold in the future?


Questions for Bible Study :


The people not only refused to hear God's prophets, they appointed false ones who would tell them what they wanted to hear. Read Amos 8:11-12. How did God respond? When did He break the silence?  See Luke 1:5-23, 57-79.

Read Luke 4:16-30. How did the people react when Jesus claimed He fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3?  (Note He purposely left out part of verse 2 “the day of Vengeance” which refers to His Second Coming.) What was He claiming? Why couldn't they believe Him?

Read Isaiah 1:1-20. As you compare the times of the prophets and our own times, what likenesses and differences do you see? What do you know of God's plan for the end of the age in which we live? Does His plan for Jesus to return as Conqueror and Judge frighten or reassure you?

Perfect Husband

Who can find the perfect husband?

A man of noble character—

His worth beyond measure?

A man who inspires our full confidence,

and brings us good, not harm, all our days?

There is One . . .

Though not handsome or wealthy

He is the answer to all our longings.

From early childhood He learned scriptures;

He taught with wisdom and authority.

From His earthly father He learned carpentry

He spoke with His heavenly Father intimately—

long talks, even in the middle of the night.

He gave up glory in heaven and came to earth

To prepare His Bride

for an eternal, glorious life together with Him.

Published in Power for Living July 15, 2013

I'm determined to start writing blogs on a weekly basis beginning NOW, probably on Sundays. I especially want to write up Bible Study notes. So come back in a week and see what I've written!

Preview of Bible Studies to come:

Major Themes in the Major Prophets

Major Themes in the Minor Prophets

The Man at the Well

My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jeremiah 2:13).

As she approached the well, she saw a stranger. She knew immediately that he was not a Samaritan. He was a Jew. As he spoke, she wondered about him. His words were odd. He said he could give her living water. But how? He had nothing with which to draw from the well (John 4:10-11).


When he revealed her past and present lifestyle, she saw that he was a prophet (16-19). He could not know these things otherwise. He pierced her heart; these were sore subjects. Why was love so elusive? Why was she so discontent? Why did she feel so rejected? Rejected by men, by God? Why had God withheld from her what so many other women found so easily?


Maybe this man could answer some of her questions (20). Let's go from heart to head. Safer.


“You worship what you do not know,” the Prophet told her (21-24). Worship is about your spirit relating to God's Spirit. It's about knowing God.


True worship is not about a place, but about a Person--the God who had revealed Himself to the people of Israel. Worship is spiritual. The Father is seeking those who will worship in spirit and truth. Like me?


She explained that she knew of a Messiah who was coming (25), and he shocked her by saying, "I who speak to you am He" (26).


Just then the man's companions joined them (27). They questioned why he was speaking with her—not out loud, but their thoughts were obvious to her.


She returned to town (28). Her excited account of the man she had met aroused them to come out to see if this was the Messiah (29-30). He had indeed given her living water. Her thirst was quenched. She would never be the same.


As I studied this passage, God poked at a sore spot in me. He showed me an area where I questioned God's love because He had withheld something from me that I had wanted very badly. He told me to stop believing the lie. His love never fails. That's the truth I can rely on. His purpose for my life fits in with His bigger plan. I can't always see how my life glorifies Him, especially the bad stuff, but He promised to work it all to good (Romans 8:28).

Has the Messiah ever said something to you that poked you in a sore spot? Have you questioned God's love because He withheld something from you? Stop believing the lie. His love never fails. But whatever on earth you think will satisfy you will fail you.

Only Jesus Christ can quench your thirst. He gives living water that springs up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).

Eternity in the Pages of a Book


Come, hear God speak the world into existence
Watch in wonder as He creates sun, moon and stars,
seas and dry land, fish, birds, and animals,
a man and a woman. 

Walk with Adam and Eve as they talk with God
in the garden in the cool of the day.
Sorrow as they leave Paradise because of their sin,
with promises that a Savior will come.

Suppress a laugh as Noah builds and fills an ark
with many pairs of creatures.
Feel the rain as God floods the corrupt earth,
 sparing all those in the ark.

Marvel with Abraham and Sarah at promises
of a son to be born in their old age—
descendants who will fill the earth,
One who will bless all the nations.

Put your foot on dry land as the Red Sea parts.
Crouch in fear as Moses climbs the trembling mountain.
Shout with Joshua as the walls of Jericho fall!
Journey with Naomi and meet your kinsman-redeemer.

Cheer little David as he slays the giant.
Sing praises to God with Psalms.
Learn of wisdom from Solomon.
Rebuild the broken-down walls with Ezra and Nehemiah.

Stand in the valley and see dry bones come to life.
Sleep in peace with Daniel in the lion’s den;
Feel the heat of the fiery furnace that doesn't hurt his three friends.
Believe the words of the prophets who describe the soon-coming One.

Walk with Jesus, the promised Messiah, as He teaches and heals.
Cry inconsolably as you watch him die,
But shout for joy when he triumphs over sin and death!
Stare as he ascends to the heavens, promising to return.

Receive the Spirit who comes with fire,
sending disciples forth with power.
Suffer with Paul through shipwreck, beatings and prison
as God reveals true grace and peace.

Shout with the saints as the kingdom of this world
Becomes the Kingdom of Our Lord and of his Christ
Gaze in excitement at new heavens, new earth,
and the New Jerusalem descending from above.

Glimpse eternity, in the pages of a book.

The Woman at the Well                   

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:13-14

Most of us know the story of Jesus’ encounter with a woman beside a well. Many assume that the woman went to the well at midday to avoid meeting other women to whom she was an outcast. The well closest to her home in Sychar was larger. But what if she chose the smaller well because she liked the idea that Jacob had dug it many years earlier? What if her water jar suddenly became empty at noon?

She was surprised when a stranger sitting by the well asked her for a drink. He obviously needed one, but he was a Jew, she a Samaritan, and a woman. Jewish men did not speak to Samaritan women.

He began to speak of living water. “Never thirst again . . . become a spring of water bubbling up” (John 4:13-14).

She saw immediately that he was different. “Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well?”

His next words stabbed her heart, “Go, call your husband.” He then told her about the five husbands she’d had and the man she was now living with. I doubt Jesus was trying to shame her; instead he was zeroing in on her wounded heart and offering her something that would quench her longings.

I don’t think she changed the subject because she was ashamed of her past. Burning questions surged within her that no one else would explain to her. Women in those days were not allowed to go to school because men did not think women needed to study religious matters. But she had always had questions.

And then the most amazing thing happened: he did not treat her rudely. In fact, he liked her questions. Not only did he answer them, but he also talked about true worship and said that he was the Messiah Israel was expecting!

Like this woman, we all have what has been described as “God-shaped holes” in our hearts. Human love will never satisfy our longings. Only God can fill that hole.