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 John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth.Sanctification begins in regeneration. The Spirit of God infuses into man that new living principle by which he becomes "a new creature" in Christ Jesus. This work, which begins in the new birth, is carried on in two ways--mortification, whereby the lusts of the flesh are subdued and kept under; and vivification, by which the life which God has put within us is made to be a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. This is carried on every day in what is called "perseverance," by which the Christian is preserved and continued in a gracious state, and is made to abound in good works unto the praise and glory of God; and it culminates or comes to perfection, in "glory," when the soul, being thoroughly purged, is caught up to dwell with holy beings at the right hand of the Majesty on high. But while the Spirit of God is thus the author of sanctification, yet there is a visible agency employed which must not be forgotten. "Sanctify them," said Jesus, "through thy truth: thy word is truth." The passages of Scripture which prove that the instrument of our sanctification is the Word of God are very many. The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of God's good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in sound understanding. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Do not say of any error, "It is a mere matter of opinion." No man indulges an error of judgment, without sooner or later tolerating an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by so holding the truth shall you be sanctified by the Spirit of God. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 13:23 There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.Isaiah 66:13 "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem." Mark 10:13,16 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. • And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. Matthew 15:32 And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." 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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