Bible League: Living His Word "You will save yourselves by continuing strong in your faith...."— Luke 21:19 ERV In the Armenian language, "to be patient" and "to endure" are synonyms, but they also have differences. Sometimes we can identify these two: to be patient and to endure, thinking that they are the same. In reality, they have significant differences and are quite important in our spiritual lives. Let's try to understand what the difference is between having patience and enduring. When we say to endure, sometimes we mean the negative aspect of the situation, and when we say patience, we emphasize the positive aspect. For example, if a person should endure, it means, to tolerate the negative emotions that come from negative phenomena&mdashpain, loss, various trials&mdashfrom which we are ready to get rid of at the first opportunity. There is no waiting, there is no love in endurance, but there is a desire to get rid the problem, or situation that is bothering us as soon as possible. Sometimes we endure because we are weak and do not want to fight or we are tired of fighting. After enduring, we do not receive any good, but only emptiness at best. And what about patience? As one of the church fathers said, "Patience is the root of all good things." Patience is a great teacher that teaches us to forgive and be generous. Contrary to endurance, there is a great expectation of good in patience. Patience is filled with love and prayer. When we live in patience, it means we are strong&mdashwe have great strength and great hope. This is the reason that a weak person cannot have patience; he or she can only endure. The Apostle James writes about patience in the Bible, "Blessed are those people, who have patience in test, for if they stand firm in the test, they will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12, from the Armenian version). There is an Armenian saying, which says, "Patience is a life." There is an interesting story that goes like this: some disciples once asked their master if he was ever disappointed when his efforts yielded less fruit than he expected. In response, the Master told them a story about a snail, which began to climb a cherry tree on a cold and windy day in early spring. The sparrows perched on a neighboring tree were laughing at the snail, watching how it was crawling slowly upwards. One of the sparrows could not wait and flew to the snail and said to it, "Hey, can't you see that there are no cherries on that tree? Why are you climbing up now?" Continuing up the tree trunk, the snail answered, "They will be on the tree, when I get there." So the same is in our lives, sometimes we need time to have patience and to continue our difficult walk on our own and then enjoy the fruits of our work. By Pastor Mamikon Abgaryan, Bible League International partner, Armenia Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 29, 30 Job 29 -- Job Bemoans His Former Prosperity NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 30 -- Job's Present State Is Humiliating NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 12 Acts 12 -- Peter Led from Prison by the Angel; Herod's Death NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Insight The Pharisees wrapped their sin in respectability. They made themselves appear good by publicly doing good deeds and pointing at the sins of others. Jesus chose to spend time not with these proud, self-righteous religious leaders, but with people who sensed their own sin and knew that they were not good enough for God. Challenge In order to come to God, we must repent; and in order to renounce our sin, we must recognize it for what it is. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.Outward practical holiness is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared that many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in such a way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive everlasting contempt at the last great day. If our hands are not clean, let us wash them in Jesus' precious blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God. But "clean hands" will not suffice, unless they are connected with "a pure heart." True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the platter as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves than our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and hence the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all others are but blind bats. The man who is born for heaven "hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity." All men have their joys, by which their souls are lifted up; the worldling lifts up his soul in carnal delights, which are mere empty vanities; but the saint loves more substantial things; like Jehoshaphat, he is lifted up in the ways of the Lord. He who is content with husks, will be reckoned with the swine. Does the world satisfy thee? Then thou hast thy reward and portion in this life; make much of it, for thou shalt know no other joy. "Nor sworn deceitfully." The saints are men of honor still. The Christian man's word is his only oath; but that is as good as twenty oaths of other men. False speaking will shut any man out of heaven, for a liar shall not enter into God's house, whatever may be his professions or doings. Reader, does the text before us condemn thee, or dost thou hope to ascend into the hill of the Lord? Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 John 2:1,2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; • and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.Exodus 25:20-22 "The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. • "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. • "There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel. Psalm 85:9,10 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land. • Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalm 130:3,4,7,8 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? • But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. • O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. • And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities. Romans 3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, • being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; • whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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