Endurance and Encouragement

​A runner sees endurance as vital to finishing a race; a parent sees endurance as the ability to shepherd a child to adulthood.  Endurance originates from the compound Greek word: hupo (under) + meno (to remain) to give us the concept continuing under pressure.[1] It is much more than a physical resolve, it is a mental resolve.  Without sufficient why, the what loses meaning and we are more prone to quit. 

​Meditation
Romans 15:4--For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (NIV)
 
God inspired men to write words teaching endurance and encouragement thousands of years before you existed to give you hope!  Wow—that thought should produce goose bumps. If you are pressed to make a key decision by picking up and studying the Bible, the Holy Spirit is able to directly speak to your situation with direction.  During a period of discouragement the Word of God is able to uplift you.  When you feel conflicted the Word brings peace.  When you feel confused, the Word brings clarity.  When you feel unstimulated the Word brings vision. When you are in sin, the Word rebukes. When you feel attacked the Word routs the enemy. This is exactly why I am so saddened that so many Christians disdain the habit of regularly reading their Bible.  

Paul taught in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable. . .”  That word profitable is directed to you and me. But without investment there can be no profit.  If God so carefully constructed a living document for our edification shouldn’t we see the wisdom and establish the habit to maintain divine appointments?  So I hear the objection, “Well sometimes I read the Word and it is boring?”  Really!  Do you always eat exciting food?  Consider that what is boring this morning, the Holy Spirit may bring to your mind at a later date to help you endure and give encouragement.  Another says, “I’m just too busy!”  Truly!  So you would rather maintain your frenetic chaos at the cost of reading the book that would amplify, rectify, codify, simplify, clarify, and purify your life for your betterment?  Still another says, “The language is archaic and I don’t understand it.” Ridiculous!  Get a modern translation.  Yet another says, “The Bible is controversial and not politically correct.”  Snobbish!  Are you impressed with the way the world operates and feeling encouraged?  Which ground would you rather build your house on, the ground of relativism or the ground of absolute?  Finally another says, “I’m not sure I can trust such an ancient document?”  Hmmm!  Not reading it makes that self-evident.  But if you cannot trust God’s Word, you cannot trust God.  Is that the path you truly want to take?

I live by God’s Word and I would gladly die for it to keep on living.  The world is full of hype God’s Word is full of hope. If I could persuade you today it would be with this thought, invest in Scripture.  Make it your passion and objective and with firm resolve dedicate time to the book your Father devoted to give you hope. 
 
Inspiration
The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.—A.W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God
 
©2013 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)


[1]http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-2-peter-1-6b.htm