Thursday, July 1, 2010

Steadfastness


 
lifewordslifewordslifewords 7.01.10
 

 
Greetings on this awesome Thursday.  I prayed for you this morning.  I pray you are encouraged in our Lord today, for He is faithful. You are His!
 

Would you like to join me in reading through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs  me for the next 40 days starting today  July 1 and going through August 10?  I  will list the chapters  here each day. Expect the Lord to speak to you through His living Word. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher so keep your journal or notebook on hand to record and review what He is teaching you. Before you begin reading, invite Him to open the eyes of your understanding and reveal truth to you.  Expect to be transformed by the Word of God (Romans 12:2) and expect your faith to soar, because "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."  (Rom. 10:17) Reading the Bible is like fellowshipping with the Lord in His Word.  Your most important task in life is to know and love and delight in His Word and be a doer of it. (Psalms 1:1-3) The 40 days starts today! Hope you'll join me.

40 days through the NT, Psalms and Proverbs 
 
Day One.  July 1.

Proverbs 1       Psalms 1, 2

Matthew 1-6

steadfast. fixed. immoveable. 

Doesn't it seem like the  pressures of life have multiplied,  trials abound on more than one front and every single day we have numerous opportunities to have to choose to walk by faith?  

Today I want to encourage you and to help fortify you in God's living Word. 

James said in James 1:2 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit

 that we are to  count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds.  
Wow!  Count it a joy about all the trials! Yay! Yippee!
 The more trials you are in right now, the more joyful you should look!
 The scripture continues like this:
"For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 
And let steadfastness have its full effect,  that you    
may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing ."
So we see that there is something so essential to the believer about steadfastness. 
First, steadfastness only comes through the testing of our faith. 
The testing of our faith only comes through resistance, trials, pressures and battles. Every trial you are in today, if you respond to it in faith and joy, will not be the thing that destroys you, but the very producer of steadfastness. 
An amazing inspired sentence follows. 
"And let steadfastness have its full effect,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing"! 
I never saw that about steadfastness.  That's why we are to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 
Perfect. Complete. Lacking nothing.
Our precious Savior was steadfast.
He set his face like flint, staying steadfast to the plan of the Father.

Oh Jesus, teach us steadfastness.  "A student is not above his teacher, but when he is fully trained he will be like his teacher. " We must learn the lesson of steadfastness. We can!  Just don't quit! Here is another verse about the trials.  Peter in  1 Peter 4:12 writes, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon  you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and   be glad when His glory is revealed."  

Something about trials are not only inherent to our lives as believers,
but essential to the glory of God being revealed in our lives.  
 For us, trials and pressures and resistance will continue.
But, if we will respond to trials correctly and learn to live and move and have our being in Him throughout every situation,
God's will shall prevail in our lives and influence the lives of others.  
Here's how to stay steadfast in the trial: Stay in His Word, Stay in prayer, keep worshipping,  keep your words lined up with His Word. 
Stay connected to the Master.
Deal with sin in your life and realize that apart from Him you can do nothing.  Humility is realizing that it's all about Him.
His grace flows to those who are humble.  Here is a great scripture in James 4:6-8: "But He gives more grace.  Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ' Submit yourselves therefore to God. 
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."
 Memorize this scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to obey it, and you will persevere through the trials with steadfastness

We must keep our eyes fixed on Him.  Be encouraged today, you are going forward, following Jesus! The Lord is with you!  

 Cast all your anxieties upon Him. 
Give Him your fears while you're at it. Close the door on doubts. 
Wave goodbye to feeling overwhelmed.   Fix your eyes on the Hope set before you.  Stay the course. Be immoveable. Rejoice today, steadfast one.
 
 
 
 

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