A CALL TO PERSEVERE

So why are we in "The Desert"?

 1. To be tested.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." =)
(James 1:2-4)

The test: When everything goes wrong who will you ran to? What will you cling to? Where will you go for comfort? Who/what will you turn to for relief? When everyone you put your trust in rejects you and gives up on you what will you do? Who you gonna call? The answer we give to all those questions will reveal where our faith/trust truly lies.

The goal: "To be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The goal is for us to say "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1) and "...I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” (Psalm 16:2) That's the truth right there. EVERYONE can and will disappoint you. But there is one who will NEVER give up on you. One who will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. One who will NEVER stop loving you no matter what you do. And He is The LORD =)The realization of that Truth (God is all we need) is what will change our breakdown into a breakthrough. It's time to know this God. This Jesus. Who He really is. It's time to know Him as our refuge, shield and defense. The one who protects and fights for His people. "Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." (Psalm 24:8)

Also there's an urgency to the kind of testing we are now facing. I was led to sing this song in the Fall. It's in Swahili but I've translated it. "These are the last days and those who have faith have been set apart for the testing of their faith." God wants to refine us because Jesus is coming back soon! And He is coming for a pure bride so don't try to avoid the refiner's fire. It's for our own good. Let everything that is not of Him burn away. Anything we put our trust in, anything that we go to find refuge that is not Jesus is an idol and the fire shall reveal it. Let's cast all our idols into the fire and cling to Him alone.

HOLD ON! Don't give up. Let perseverance finish it's work. Breakthrough is coming so let's wait upon the Lord. Let's stand on His Word and all His promises. So let's be in His Word and let's seek Him with all our hearts. He is with us :-)

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved." (Hebrews 10: 35-39)

Related Post: Pruning.
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HOLD ON! STAND STRONG! THIS BATTLE WILL BE WON! =)

I'M FEELING LIKE A BREAKTHROUGH!!! I'M LONG OVERDUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!