Perseverance is a High Calling Page 88

Perseverance is a high calling for all of us!  Why do I know this?  Well, as a typical human it seems to be a fundamental need in my daily life-so that is one way!  As a Christian I know that it is taught about in several places in the Bible-that is another. However, this morning I came across a scripture that I had not noticed before.  In Revelations, no less!  It says:

“Because you have kept the word of My endurance 
(My command to persevere),

I will keep you (safe)

from the hour of trial, 

that hour which is about to come on the whole (inhabited) world,

to test those who live on the earth.”

Revelations 3:10 AMP

Per this prophetic scripture, perseverance is a command that actually plays a pivotal role in what happens to us in our hour of trial.  And here I was thinking that it was just something I had to do to put up with the aggravations in my life - or was just some form of personal mental power I had to call upon to deal with difficult people or circumstances!  Seems that I’ve approached the act of perseverance without the reverence it deserves.    

God repeatedly places topics in my life to get my attention and to teach me something.  So, it’s not ironic that my preacher recently taught on perseverance.  He shared some in-depth notes regarding what perseverance actually is:  

Perseverance is:

• ·     Spiritual staying power that will die before giving in.  It is a virtue that endures with a vibrant hope.
• ·     An unflinching bearing up that does not allow for surrendering in circumstances.
•       The ability to rise up, conquer and win; An attitude of a soldier in the heat of battle that  fights on stoutly.
• ·      An active motion that always has a forward look to it. 
•       Derived from the Greek word Hupomone- meaning to be under and stay under.  In Scripture it speaks of a believer who remains under the difficult circumstances or trials of life in a God-honoring way. 
•       The ability to faithfully deal triumphantly with anything that life throws at you.

This virtuous calling bravely asks that we deal triumphantly with the challenges in our lives that demand perseverance!  I was repeatedly and begrudgingly using this tool as a last resort; frustrated that I kept needing to power through my circumstances; wishing that life would ease up! But, with these definitions I’ve been set free!  It’s as if I am no longer a cursed Prisoner-of-War but a Mighty Warrior called to rise up on The Battlefield of Life! 

Perseverance is not a long-suffering death sentence but a character-defining act of God!  Perseverance is a crucial weapon of a warrior; a required mental power that brings about victory; an enduring, unflinching inner power that comes from something beyond normal human courage; for truly it is a God-thing; a high calling that brings honor to the very one who gave us the command to persevere! 

“…. we know that suffering produces perseverance;

Perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope does not disappoint us 

because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts

 through the Holy Spirit.” 

Romans 5: 3-6

Please note all the definitive words that follow the word perseverance!

Perseverance must finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:4

Please note that perseverance yields complete maturity! 

Perseverance is more than a High calling- it is the refining work of the Lord!

Song Recommendation:

Deliverance

BY:  Gateway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwH3fA3D690

God Always Shows Up-Even in Drudgery PAGE 87

Yesterday I woke up feeling blah! It’s typical of me this time of year.  I’ve been seeking a new career and have hit a wall; feel off my game. I usually have a plan for the day and for my life.  My usual motto is “seize the day”  but-with my age and at this time of year I feel off-center, unmotivated…just blah! Also, my family-life is changing!  My children are growing up, my daily life has slowed down and so has my motivation to function at a high level of productivity.  The last thing I would ever wish for is this perplexing feeling of “not being needed by my little ones” who are now 20, 19, and 16.  Again, I’m over-taken by that deflated feeling of “blah.” 

So-yesterday- before I got up I prayed: 

“Lord, I know you are near even when I don’t feel it.

You’ve said you know the plans for me

and I know you answer my prayers.

Please show up and let me know you are near and here for me.”

With coffee, my husband and I sat to do our daily Bible Study out of the amazing devotional My Utmost For His Highest.  The pages are dated and Feb 19^th is entitled, drum-roll please:

 Taking the Initiative Against Drudgery. 

 WOW!! God still surprises me when He chooses to be SO direct and to the point. Immediately, I received God’s presence-it was there in black and white. I knew He was near and I was about to receive some clarification and direction; I was being nurtured and God-taught. The straight-forward message from that devotional can be quickly summarized by the scripture that accompanied the title:  

“Arise, shine…”

Isaiah 60:1

Here is the first paragraph from that page:

“When it comes to taking the initiative against drudgery, we have to take the first step as though there were no God.  There is no point in waiting for God to help us—he will not.  But once we arise, immediately we find He is there.  Whenever God gives us His inspiration, suddenly taking the initiative becomes a moral issue—a matter of obedience.  Then, we must act to be obedient and not continue to lie down doing nothing.  If we will arise and shine, drudgery will be divinely transformed.” 1 (Bold emphasis mine)

I hope that you can see that that is exactly what happened: Yesterday, I prayed-looking for some inspiration for the drudgery I felt. I arose and the Lord showed up in the basic activity of my day, spoke to my specific needs and gave me direction. Obedience is the next step.  This written blog page IS my step of obedience. Because of my personal experience I can surely say God will do the same for you.  

"You will seek me and find me

When you seek me with all your heart." 

Jeremiah 29:13

SONG RECOMMENDATIONS: 

Deliverance

BY:  Gateway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwH3fA3D690

Greater Than

By:  Gateway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnZkYupqFNo

1-My Utmost For His Highest; Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd (Updated Edition)

A God-Confidence Page 86

“Have A God-confidence!” 

This is a bold statement from a Bible study I attended this week. Wow!  What would my life be like if I, indeed, had A God-Confidence? 

I am very familiar with self-confidence; it is one personality trait I’ve always battled.  I repeatedly have to work at maintaining a relationship with Confidence.  She just doesn’t like to hang out with me for too long!  So, I try; I strive to get by- and I get in my head, as they say, and squirm around -searching for that one specific thing, but I frequently feel as if I bump into a counterfeit!

 In typical human fashion, and in contrast to this God-Confidence, I've always striven to have a “Rebecca confidence.”  Taking it back to college and before, I put lots of swagger into having a “Becky confidence”; hence, I earned the nickname Hollywood!   With all this will-power churning to maintain some semblance of confidence there has always been this shadow-of-doubt that lurked in my life…. And I’ll be honest and say, as I grimace in frustration, “That irks me”.

We’re all created differently and I enjoy being a God-given Go-getter.  I can move & groove, multi-task with what I deem as perfection, and juggle it all- till bed time.  But, true confidence alludes me.  I lay down at times feeling as if something’s askew! It’s like a persistent mystery, that plagues!  The night always haunts those of us who have this shadowy friend named Doubt.  

However- this week, for the first time ever, I heard the statement “Have a God confidence”! Spiritually that seems to say "God's got this!" I want to jump for joy at the mental & spiritual door this has opened. Preparing in advance, God had already begun clearing space in my mind for the comprehension of this knowledge, and I’m so grateful.  Spiritually, I’d seen God’s light sneaking through the cracked door- as it slowly started to open and this one statement seems to be force that welcomed in a new understanding- bringing with it a gracious revelation from God, Himself!

As an example of how the Lord has been working in advance to prepare my heart, in December I was moved to write a Prayer I entitled A Prayer of Re-focus.   It says:

“Lord, you are MY God. You know me and hang out with me!

 I am not trapped- for you are my guardian and guide…

and you are an expert on the way that I am traveling.  

I am not afraid because you are with me.  

My enemies have seen you at work and fear you….

and side-step me. Yes and Amen!

I am waiting!”

That’s a girl looking for some confidence!  Dare I say, I was praying for A God Confidence! 

In typical fashion, I’ve spent the better part of my life working, within my own mental power, to attain something that must come from God's power (at work within me).  I am SO ready to see what having A God-Confidence looks and feels like…and what it produces in my life.  The Lord has a plan for each of us and with A God-confidence-I can only dare to imagine what my future will be.  Yippeeee! 

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably

More than all we ask or imagine, 

According to his power that is at work within us,

to him be glory in the church and in 

Christ Jesus throughout all generations,

for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:21

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

Plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

“Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterwards you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
My flesh and my heart may. fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever."
Psalm 73:23-26

Song Recommendation:

Greater Than

By: Gateway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnZkYupqFNo&start_radio=1&list=RDYnZkYupqFNo

I See You in All things Page 85

“The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear him,

and he reveals his covenant to them.”

Psalm 25:14

Lord-I am in awe of your ancient prophesy...
and what it reveals about humanity.
I am in complete awe of your majesty.

Lord, I’m in awe of your holiness.

I am in total awe of your tutorial process-

Of how you have led me into your secret counsel and showed me your righteousness!

I am in awe of your consistency-

And in awe of how your promises seem a mystery

Yet you open the doors that once requested privacy

And reveal with persistency

The power and glory of your Hierarchy

Lord, you are revelatory

You stand present in my Life’s story

You do this to reveal your Glory

And it’s nothing but mind-bending reverence for your mercy

Which you’ve shown me as I searched out and found victory…

From within the wisdom that flows freely from your mercy seat

where you look down upon humanity

And with all the stars in the sky… simply chose to see me-

your beloved child, living in all this misery!

I also have the honor within earth’s vivid scenes

To seek and find YOU, my Lord and KING OF ALL KINGS!

With Godly fear I see YOUR presence manifest in ALL things!

To Christ be the glory!

RvH

Song Recommendation:

Everything

By:  Toby Mac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RIp_t3gKZw

But Go....and Tell Peter Page 84

As the preacher Steven Furtick preaches, in the video link below, “Failure is not the end….it is the hinge that the door swings on to open wide to the grace of God.  Let’s see this type of grace in full swing using the scripture below!

The Angel of the lord said:

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter,

‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.

There you will see him, just as he told you.’ “

Mark 16:7

An Angel from the spiritual realm revealed that Jesus Christ had risen.  That message alone was astounding but why did the Angel choose to specifically call out Peter? I'll go ahead and point out that it was out of sheer grace that Peter was specifically mentioned!  Peter is being shown historic compassion and forgiveness; Peter was being shown undeserved mercy- delivered by an Angel, no less!  Here is the passage:  

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise,

 they (the ladies) were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other,

 “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone,

which was very large, had been rolled away. 

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe

 sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

  Don’t be alarmed, “ he said.

 “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. 

He has risen! He is not here. 

See the place where they laid him.

 But go, tell his disciples and Peter,

‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.

 There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

Mark 16: 2-7

The directive from the Angel was “But go, tell his disciples and Peter…”  To recognize the importance of this amazing statement…let’s exchange Peter’s name for our own:

“But go, tell all believers…. and Rebecca!”

Something supernatural and timeless happened and within the hierarchy of God's plan Peter was mentioned by name!  Peter had publicly denied he ever knew Jesus!  At times, just like Peter, I’ve acted as if I don’t know Him either.  But with this same historic grace, my heavenly Father will reach out to me, with angelic words, and draw me back to his friendship and familial fellowship (just like He did with Peter)! 

His compassion for me isn’t documented on ancient scrolls, but it’s documented in my daily life- in my heart-of-hearts and in my eternal soul; that very soul that needs compassion during my times of historic failure!!!  It’s documented here in on this page-for all to see. 

God will do the very same for you!  He will send you a message from messenger!  I am that very messenger!  The Lord wants me to tell you of his loving forgiveness.  He forgives our sins and forgives... and forgives... till that forgiveness is comprehended as LOVE.  He loves us with a love that surpasses understanding.  Neither you nor I can ever earn His love for it is always freely given….especially in our brokenness and loss, in our devastation and pain…and in our flat-out failures!  No matter what circumstances you find yourself....the door of God's grace and mercy is opened wide....just walk on in!!!

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:18-19

Song Recommendation:

How Great Thou Art

BY: Carrie Underwood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2T1csHUgF4

Video Message In link below

 By: Steven Furtick

Your Failure Isn’t Final!
 (5 minutes-& worth every minute)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBFwJ8wu4YM

An Ancient War Cry Page 83

Timeline:  Approximately 1407 BC

We’ve pushed way beyond the year 1407 BC.  But let’s reflect back to that time.  Moses was called by God to lead the people of Israel out of Slavery!  Out of slavery.  That’s something we don’t fully understand and in our culture but we know wars have been fought over it, including one right here in our own country. 

Can you just imagine living, day-in day-out as a slave and then being freed from your enemy only to regret the day you left the “comfortable” confounds of bondage?  Seems so contradictory…. but interestingly, that was the plight of the Israelites. Comfort breed’s security and regrets breed blame!  And whom did they blame?  God, the one who freed them!  And Moses; their freedom-fighter. 

You can begin in Numbers Chapter One to study about this epic story in which the Israelites neither trusted the God that freed them nor the man who stood firm and accomplished the task.  There are incredible events that lined up and that took place to make their freedom possible but even after all of that the people turned their back on God and his power and knelt to worship an idol made by human hands and actually wished that they had died in bondage in Egypt (See Numbers 14:2).  Seems so pathetic really!  Returning to our life and time; Do we fall prey to this as well???  How many things do we put before the Lord, God? Work? Time constraints? Any-and-all obligations? Fears? Sorrows? Or even the pleasure of recreation?

The Israelites were promised a great land.  It should have taken them 7 days to journey there….but it took 40 years?  Why?  Disobedience, obstinacy, grumbling, complaining, lack of faith, lack of trust…. just lack. Reflecting again on our life and time…. Do we lose years and years of our life because we lack faith and/or tenacity? Do we find that we are living in mediocrity, dwelling in the unpleasant company of Lack!!

Here is where I get pulled into the story with great interest:  Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. This blows me away!  After all that time, all that effort, all that leadership for the people, and the negotiating with God FOR the people…he was not allowed to go in!  Why???  Was it disobedience, obstinacy, grumbling, complaining, lack of faith, lack of trust…just lack!  Actually, the first word in that sentence is the reason; disobedience. Scaling back to our life and time; does this give us pause?  40 years of working in the field, or should I say ‘in the desert’, doing what God asked and the reward of entering the Promised Land was withheld from Moses! (See Numbers 14:22-23 and 20:7-12) I’m speechless-- but God was not: 

What I really want to share with you is the speech Moses gave to Joshua-in front of all of Israel:

 “Then Moses summoned Joshua

and said to him in the presence of all Israel,

“Be strong and courageous,

for you must go with this people

into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them,

and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.

The Lord himself goes before you

and will be with you;

he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:7-8

Now after reading that amazing scripture from the mouth of Moses your spiritual studies will not be complete until you watch the video link below.  There are many things that we American Christians don’t understand about the power of the Living God!  We simply can’t comprehend it here in 2018…. BUT WE SHOULD... for within the confounds of our minds we find the mighty power of God! 

Video:  Mighty Men Arise

BY:  Tribulation USA.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXpbuFI0DM

Rak Chazak my friend!!!

RvH