Persistence

-This past Wednesday afternoon, while I was resting in
bed, I was idly wondering what I would write for my next blog. The word"persistence" dropped into my mind. Of course, I know what "persistence"
means. Still, I looked it up in the dictionary that I have in the Bible
program on my computer. It is an 1828 Webster's version. I like this old
dictionary because it uses a lot of scripture as examples of how various
words are used. Anyway, their definition for persistence is "the steady
pursuit of what is  undertaken". What I found interesting, though, is that
there is often an element of obstinacy to it. That could be applicable to
me as I  can be a tad obstinate at times.

Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time has had to show a
certain amount of persistence. As soon as a person repents and becomes a
Christian,any number of things will happen to try to make him /her give up on God
and persistence is needed so they won't cave in. No matter how long somebody
has been a Christian, it seems that persistence needs to be an integral part
of their life.

The Christians that I really admire are the ones who became Christians as a
child and have never turned their back on God. Can you imagine the
persistence they would have had to had to combat the peer pressure,
especially as teens, to turn their back on God and "do what everyone else is
doing"?

Receiving any of the promises of God usually requires persistence. Once in
awhile, God will perform a miracle right out of the blue but that is not how
it usually works. Once a person receives a promise from God, there usually
needs to be a time of persistence before that promise is fulfilled.

ALL Christians need to be persistent in reading the Bible. It is only by reading the Bible that we will know all the things that God has promised. Once we know that what we are seeking is a promise from God, we can read and meditate on scriptures that pertain to that promise. For example, I have been seeking healing for years so I have been reading and studying healing scriptures for years also. However, I know that it is important to read the rest of the Bible as well. You never know when you will need to know it. That is why I like to follow a Bible reading plan. It forces me to read parts of the Bible that, on my own, I would avoid.

ALL Christians need to be persistent in prayer. If you want something from God, then ask Him and keep asking until you receive it. Provided, of course, it is something that God has promised. That is why it is so important to know what the Bible says. That way, when you pray, you can remind God of what He said in the Bible. I know that I, in prayer, constantly remind Him of healing Bible verses.

For me, I believe that I need persistence in attending church. For this reason. I believe that God may give the pastor of my local church a revelation that I specifically need to hear. But He not likely to give it somebody on tv who doesn't even know me.