Last Words - almost Part 12

Last words – almost Part 12

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.   (2Pe 1:5-7)  ESV

ὑπομονή, hupomonē  Thayer Definition:

1) steadfastness, constancy, endurance

1a) in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings

1b) patiently, and steadfastly

2) a patient, steadfast waiting for

3) a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance

That quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.  Zodhiates

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

(2Th 3:5) ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 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. (Jas 1:2-4)  ESV

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,  (Heb 12:1)  ESV

Again – this is never autonomous!  Ever!!!!! 

This is not a “stiff upper lip,” or a “hang in there baby.”  This is a despondence upon and trust in Him!  I can’t, He can, together we will!  Tattoo that on your eye lids!

My favorite reminder of this is Job.

Though he slay me, I will hope in him;

yet I will argue my ways to his face. (Job 13:15) ESV

Paul got it too:

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Rom 8:25) ESV

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. (Gal 5:5)  ESV

What do we know so far?

1.    We ARE redeemed.

2.    We are called to be redeemed and “do” redeemed and grow in it.

3.    We are called to grow in our knowledge.

4.    We are called to submit to His discipline.

5.    We are called to trust in His faithfulness.

6.    And ALL of this is done UN-autonomously or even ANTI-autonomously. We have  - well what have we read already???

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2Pe 1:3-4)  ESV

Oh------yeah!

Again – this is not a test!  This is not our proving to God or anyone else that we are redeemed.  This is accepting, humbly and in submission, the grace of God and the “graces” of and in that calling.  Assurance – confidence is like a muscle – use it or lose it. 

Certainly we trust God and grow in assurance in the rocky places – but it is sooooo much more joyous to grow in the smooth places.  Somebody needs to write a thing about, Trusting God When Everything Seems AOK.  The rocky spots are beneficial because they keep us from getting complacent and flabby – but why do we get complacent and flabby – Uhhhhhhh.

We tend to think of perseverance as something that we need when we’re under pressure – but that’s not right.  We need to persevere when we’re bored out of our skulls as well.

I work with a lot of folks who take medication for neurochemical deficiencies (I R 1 2).  They take the medication and the feel – well – normal.  So they quit taking the medication and spiral down.  Uhhhhh – get it?  There is a good analogy here.  OK – some weak believers have strange views of “psychiatric” stuff so let me put it this way.  Should an insulin dependent diabetic person just take their insulin when they’re feeling rocky?  Should someone with hypertension only take their meds when they are about to explode?  I don’t think so.

Well folks – isn’t that the way we tend to treat our relationship with God.  We holler when we need Him – thinking there are times when we don’t.  Have you ever sung, I Need Thee Every Hour? 

Think this through –

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.   (Pro 30:7-9)  ESV

There’s some subtle power in that prayer – think about it – really strain those little grey cells some.  This is NOT just about stuff or food or things.  This is about ALL the needs we have – good times and bad.

God is not the designated hitter or runner – He is everything and all we need every nano-second.  Right?  Persevere in all times – persevere in glorifying Him by living out His Lordship – our utter dependence upon Him.