Tag: Joshua 1

persevering

“…But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by PERSEVERING produce a crop.” – Luke 8:15, emphasis added

Did you notice the key: “by PERSEVERING produce a crop”?

Let’s take a look Webster’s definition of the root word ‘persevere’:
1. to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult
2. to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement

If we look at the Greek root from the Strong’s reference, the word for perseverance is “hupomone” (pronounced hoop-om-an-ay). Hupomone can be broken into 2 parts: Hypo=under and Meno=remain, endure. The full definition is “endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to “remain (endure) under” the challenges He allots in life.”

As Christians, we have a responsibility to not just hear the Word of God casually and go about our business, but to RETAIN the Word and live out the teachings of the Word, regardless of our circumstances; to persevere in the difficult times when we feel discouraged, disliked, maligned in some way, frustrated, faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, etc.

God did not promise us our journey would be easy. Instead, He said “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

[Hebrews 13:5 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ]

[Joshua 1:5 “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”]