What Does Scripture Say?

I have started a new Bible reading "plan" which I have come to love. I was introduced to it by a friend on facebook. It is called Professor Horner's Reading System. You read 10 chapters a day and supposedly will never read the same 10 chapter grouping twice as you continue in this plan. I have been amazed at how much Scripture goes together! I know it in my head, but this reading plan shows it to me.

Anyway, since I am meditating on enduring in this Christian life, I am specifically looking for that through my Scripture reading. Here are a few things I have come across that I believe it takes to endure. (I will share more about what the authors in the book "Stand" say about enduring later).

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" They give Him the answers. We all know what the world says about Jesus. Depending on who you ask, you could get several different answers. But then Jesus asks them, "But who do you say that I am?"

I believe that we all have to come to a place where we ask ourselves that very question. "Who do I believe Jesus is?" Our thoughts on who Jesus is reveals much about our heart and our view of God which are both very important in the endurance race. TO ENDURE, WE MUST KNOW AND BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

Simon Peter answers "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Do you believe this? Has "the Father" revealed that to you?

Later in this same chapter Christ tells His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." TO ENDURE WE MUST DENY OURSELVES AND FOLLOW CHRIST. That is way easier said than done, isn't it? An older saint once said to me, "At the end of the day, ask yourself what you denied yourself that day." Her point was at the time that we don't deny ourselves much, but God calls us to deny ourselves, our very being, our whole self. We are so self-focused by nature. We filter everything by how it affects me. Yet God's way is the complete opposite. We must NOT think of ourselves, but first think of how I can glorify Him. I am challenging myself to find ways to deny myself in practice of this godly principle. That is one great benefit of fasting. It increases my ability to deny myself and look to Him in prayer.

In 2 Timothy, we learn more about what it takes to endure and stand firm. In verse 13, Paul writes "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." TO ENDURE WE MUST HOLD FAST TO THE WORD OF GOD. We must have faith to believe all that God's word is true and applicable to our daily lives and we must drink from it on a regular basis. Holding fast to it indicates something other than a complacent possession of it. If I hold fast to something, I am prizing it and protecting it. I am giving it value and importance in my life. Are I holding fast to the Word of God and the teaching of the Word of God from my pastors? Am I in the Word daily, not just reading, but drinking it in as if I would die if I didn't have it tomorrow?

Finally, for today, Psalm 17 gives me some ideas of how to persevere as well. The psalmist here cries out to the Lord. TO ENDURE I MUST BE IN PRAYER. I must find myself dependent on my Creator and Sustainer. In verse 1 he writes, "Here a just cause, O Lord, attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips." Again in verse 6, he writes, "I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; incline Your ear to me and hear my speech."

What is the psalmist praying about? Several things, but I want to point out one thing that he asks of God. In verse 5, he prays to the Lord and asks this, "Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip." TO ENDURE WE MUST ASK GOD TO KEEP US FROM FALLING. We must acknowledge that we all can fall away. We all are a breath away from falling away. We must depend on the power of our Redeemer to sustain us on a daily basis. We are fallible men, weak in human terms, but we serve a mighty and powerful Savior who desires us to stand firm. I must cry out to Him daily to sustain me in faithfulness and in my walk with Him. A friend said to me that her answer to the question in my previous post would be, "We have to beg Him" to help us endure. Yes, we display our dependence on Him and remember that we don't beg Him because He desires evil for us. We beg Him to remind ourselves just how desperately weak we are. He desires our good. He desires us to stand firm and endure. He desires us to cling to His strength in our weakness.

Father God, help me stand firm. Give me Your strength to endure today for Your honor and Your glory. Show me my weaknesses and strengthen me in Your school of testing. Grow my faith and my endurance. Keep me close to You, seeking You, taking in Your Word and teach me to deny myself. I beg You to keep me from falling into sin. Protect me from the evil one who would love to see me fall and taint Your name. When I do sin, convict me quickly of the sin so that I might keep short accounts with You and be brought back into fellowship with You. Thank You for Your great salvation. Thank You that You are faithful no matter what. I cling to You. Amen.