Category: Virtue Miscellaneous

Called To Persevere

On By BrianIn Virtue Miscellaneous

God calls us to persevere.  In Hebrews 12:1-3, he tells us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  Jesus “endured the cross” and “endured from sinners such hostility against himself” – and we too are to persevere in our trials.  And not for no reason.

Jesus endured for our good, to purchase our salvation.  And we are to endure that we might do what is good.  God tells us in Galatians 6:9-10, that we should “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Each day we have opportunities to do good, so we must persevere daily through the trials and struggles to do the good God gives us to do.

We are told not to give up, so we must persevere until the end.  We can retire from our jobs, but we cannot retire from doing good, serving Christ, seeking his kingdom.  We are to persevere until our final breath.

God wants us to persevere through our trials to daily do the good he gives us to do until the end. Are you persevering through your trials?  Are you doing the good God has given you to do?

May God help us to persevere in this way.  In the next post, we will look at how.

Beyond Grateful Hearts

On By BrianIn Holidays, Virtue Miscellaneous1 Comment

In Luke 17:11-19, ten lepers come to Jesus to be healed.  Jesus tells them to go and show themesleves to the priests.  As they go, all ten are healed.  One turned back and “fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.”

Were the other nine glad to be healed?  Undoubtedly they were!  Leprosy was a horrible disease, and made one an outcast of society.  Certainly they were happy to be healed.  You might say they were thankful, that they had grateful hearts.  But they never came back to give thanks.

Many in America this week, will celebrate Thanksgiving.  They will have grateful hearts as they think of the good things in their lives.  But they will never come to the Lord who gave them every good thing, and give thanks to him.

As Christians, we too can fail to give thanks.  God answers a prayer, and we are very happy about it.  But we forget to thank the Lord.

This week and every day, may God help us to not only have grateful hearts like the nine, but to return to the Lord and give thanks to him.

Without A Murmur

On By BrianIn Virtue Miscellaneous

J. C. Ryle writes regarding the cross:

Let us meditate frequently on these things: let us often read over the story of Christ’s cross and passion.  Let us remember, not least, that all these horrible sufferings were borne without a murmur; no word of impatience crossed our Lord’s lips.  In his death, no less than in his life, he was perfect.  To the very last, Satan had no hold on him…

These words challenge me.  As he stood in turn before the chief priests, Herod, and Pilate, he endured a mockery of justice without a murmur.  He endured the lashings without a murmur.  He endured the mockery with a murmur.  He endured the beatings without a murmur.  He endured the spitting without a murmur.  He endured the crown of thorns without a murmur.  He endured the nails piercing his body without a murmur.  He endured hanging on that cross without a murmur.  He endured the wrath of God for my sin without a murmur.  Without a murmur.

And yet these words also convict me.  They point to my own sinfulness.  He endured horrible suffering without a murmur, yet I can easily murmur at the smallest things.  A slow driver in front of me, an interruption while I’m trying to focus on a task, and many other small things in life can cause me to murmur.  In his perfect example I am confronted afresh with my own sin.  I simply don’t measure up.  And yet that is why he endured the suffering without a murmur.  So my sins could be laid on him.  So his perfection might be attributed to me.

As I ponder his sufferings for me, it moves me to change.  I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to face the trials of life without a murmur.  On my own, I simply can’t.  But with his help in the power of the Spirit, I can press forward, I can grow more like him, I can begin to face life without a murmur. 

Father, help me to face today’s trials without a murmur, as I remember Jesus who endured for me so much more – without a murmur.  Amen.

Rash Words

On By BrianIn Virtue Miscellaneous

In the book of Judges, Jephthah rashly vows to offer up whatever first comes out of the door of his house if God will give him victory over Israel’s enemies.  God gives the victory, and as Jephthah nears home, his daughter – his only child – comes out the door to greet him. Rash words.

My son has been using the word “never” a lot lately, like “I will never come to the table to eat again” – which of course isn’t true.  Rash words.

Our president compared his bowling to that of the Special Olympics.  Apparently the champion Special Olympics bowler has bowled 5 perfect games since 2005.  Rash words.

I say something unkind to my wife or in an unkind tone.  Rash words.

Bottom line: We can get on Jephthah’s case or the president’s case, but all of us are guilty at times of rash words.  Oh, how we need to guard our tongues if we are going to live with compassion for people!