Tag: endurance

How Are You Doing Today?

Text:

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV)

36  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Observation:

Are you tired of life in this world? I read this CS Lewis quote on Twitter yesterday, and I thought of it when pondering the question I just asked.

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is…we were made for another world.”

Our world is filled with trials and temptations; they are the common lot to all of humanity. Let’s look at some of them, and then look to a Word from the Lord that speaks to them.

  • pain
  • sickness
  • separation
  • cheating
  • lying
  • stealing
  • immorality
  • disease
  • divorce
  • emptiness
  • poverty
  • death

James 1:2-4 (ESV)

2  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

3  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

4  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

In the midst of our trials and temptations those who know the Lord, and have put their trust in Him have within them the power and patience to overcome the troubles we face living in the world.

James 1:12 (NLT)

12  God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Yesterday I attended a monthly meeting of senior adults at our church, and we had a time of testimony and prayer. Our leader started calling on different members asking them to sing a song. This morning I woke up with this song on my mind prompted by something I read recently.

The song said in part, “I believe I’ll run on, see what the end will be. At the end there is something waiting for me”. Then, it said, ” I will toil on, pray on, and sing on”. My, my how those old songs of the church feed your soul, and encourage you to endure.

Hallelujah! All my troubles will be over. My soul is singing, “Soon and very soon I’m going to see the King”.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)

12  Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I am so grateful that You are always near to Your people.

Father, I pray that we would learn to lean on the power of God that is alive within the hearts of all of Your dearly beloved children.

Father, I pray for transformation and renewal in the lives of Your people. Father, I pray for patience and endurance. I believe and declare that You are able to get us through all of the trials, temptations, and troubles we are facing living in the world. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Are You Running With Endurance?

Text:

Hebrews 12:1-3 (HCSB)

1  Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

2  keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

3  For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart.

Observation:

What are the obstacles that we have to overcome to run with endurance? I’m talking about running the race of life to win; to finish, and receive the crown.

This is a list, not exhaustive, that reminds us of some of the things that hinder the running to win in the race of life.

  • Discouragement
  • Disappointment
  • Distraction
  • Obstacles
  • Opposition
  • Oppression

We need to remember what Jesus said about living in the world.

John 16:33 (ESV)

33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What Jesus told His disciples is so important for Christ followers today. He said that He has overcome the world. He also said another word with a promise.

John 14:27 (ESV)

27  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

The peace and the power to run with endurance is in the person of our Christ; it is in Jesus. Does Christ live in you?

In conclusion, let us do what the writer of Hebrews admonishes the readers to do. Let us look to Jesus, and let us consider what He went through to finish His purpose for coming into the world.

My prayer is that each of you will be able to say what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (HCSB)

7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8  There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.

Prayer: 

Father, hallowed be your name. Father, I am so grateful for Your amazing love, the gift of faith that enable me to believe in Jesus, and the hope that I have to live in your presence forever.

Father, I am so grateful that I don’t have to wait until I get to heaven to live in your presence; I can do it today. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

How Do You Get Through Hard Times?

Text:

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (ESV)

8  For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

10  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Observation:

We should expect hard times.

John 16:33 (ESV)

33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We are never alone in hard times.

Isaiah 41:10 (HCSB)

10  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

There is a purpose in the hard times.

James 1:2-3 (HCSB)

2  Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,

3  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Stay close and connected to God.

Psalm 50:15 (HCSB)

15  Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Things to remember during hard times.

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

James 1:12 (ESV)

12  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Prayer: 

Father God, I am so thankful that you are the Sovereign God, and that the hard times your children face in this world are not a surprise to you.

Father, we thank you for your presence, power, peace, and provisions for your children in the good times, and in the hard times.

Father, in these difficult days, we pray that the testing of our faith will produce endurance, and joy in the Lord. We pray this prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Are You A Witness of What God Can Do?

Text:

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Observation:

There is such great value and benefit in hearing the testimonies from those who have found God to be a present help in their season of trouble. The writer of Hebrews points the readers in Hebrews chapter eleven to the heroes of faith.

The Apostle Paul reminds the believers in his letter to the church at Rome of the value of reading and learning from the saints of old.

Romans 15:4 (ESV)

4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

In times like these we could use a heavy dosage of endurance and encouragement.

Yesterday at our senior adult luncheon one of the testimonies given said this, “I did not receive any water in my home, but I could see it approaching in my neighborhood”. She said, “I just prayed Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. She was able to testify that God heard her prayer, and no water came into her home.

Others testified that they loss all that earthly possessions; home and automobiles. But, they gained something of far greater value. They experienced  the love of family; their relatives, friends, neighbors, their church family, and the Body of Christ from around the world. These witnesses were filled with hope for the future, and they had more faith in God than ever.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful to know that the God who created us has not left us alone in this world.

John 1:1 (ESV)

1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 (ESV)

14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Father, I delight to bear witness that Jesus is alive, and that He lives in me. He loves me with an everlasting love, and I believe His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me.

Father, thank You for the endurance and encouragement we receive when we fix our eyes upon Jesus. In His mighty name we pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Who Is Willing To Go The Distance?

 

Text:

Joshua 14:6-11 (HCSB)

6  The descendants of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD promised Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.

7  I was 40 years old when Moses the LORD’s servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land, and I brought back an honest report.

8  My brothers who went with me caused the people’s hearts to melt with fear, but I remained loyal to the LORD my God.

9  On that day Moses promised me: ‘The land where you have set foot will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have remained loyal to the LORD my God.’

10  “As you see, the LORD has kept me alive ?these? 45 years as He promised, since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, 85 years old.

11  I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then.

Observation:

Today I am focused on Caleb. What an inspiration, and an encouragement for all of God’s children of the blessing of being faithful to God in the hard times of our journey through this world.

There is a blessing for being faithful to God. For the unbelieving, there is no hope, and because of this, they died in the wilderness. However, for Caleb, he had faith, and he was faithful. He had a living hope, and he lived to enter the promised land.

Numbers 14:24 (HCSB)

24  But since My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me completely, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it.

Prayer:

Father, I extol You, and give praise, and thanksgiving to You for who You are, and for Your mighty works.

Father, I pray that You will find me to be a faithful servant, and that I will be faithful to the end.

Father, my heart’s desire is to be united with others who are willing to believe in You, and are willing to be faithful to the end; to go with me to the Promised Land. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Daily Bread

Title: Living in the Moment – – Keep Moving Forward

Text:

Philippians 3:12-14 (HCSB)
12 Not that I have already reached [the goal] or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Observation:

Last week we wrote about growth always resulting in change. Life is lived one day at a time, and we all have the same amount of time. We start each week with 168 hours. So, it is not a matter of the quantity of time we have, but how we use time.

We can’t manage time, but we can manage ourselves. It begins with knowing your purpose for being alive; knowing this will supply the passion to get it done. Talent and skills are important. However, they are not enough; you need to have endurance.

The race of life is not a sprint; rather, it is a marathon. To receive the prize, you must finish the race. Therefore, like the Apostle Paul, we should make it our goal to run to win.

The writer of Hebrews said this concerning running the race of life:

Hebrews 12:1-2 (HCSB)
1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

So, stay in the moment. Taking just one small step forward will move you toward accomplishing your purpose and goals in life. Make it your aim to run with purpose; to run with endurance, and to never give up. The process may be hard, but the prize is worth it; embrace and enjoy your life.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful that You give Your people the wisdom and the power to go, grow, and glow. Father, I am so thankful for the grace and strength that You provide to help us keep on keeping on. O, how I look forward to sitting at the feet of my Savior. I pray this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.