Daily Encouragement

Friday, June 30, 2023

Big Meadows n Rocky Mountain National Park

Big Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park

"The Call To Persevere"

Message summary: Whatever your circumstances, however serious your situation, regardless of how long you've waited; keep believing, obeying, and praying. We are on the winning side, that's the assurance we receive directly from Scripture for the long haul!

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"Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1). "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised" (Hebrews 10:36). "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

Today we want to share a perspective from Laifong, a longtime reader of these messages. In fact she and her husband Nigel are our longest term readers since they were the recipients of our very first daily encouragement message in October 1996!

Nigel is an electrical engineer and Laifong is a molecular biologist although she now serves with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They attended the church we served in New England right after they finished college and got married. Their friendship has been a blessing ever since.

Early on their reception to this ministry launched our desired international impact since Laifong is from Malaysia and Nigel is a Chinese American. All these years later we indeed have many readers from all over the world.

Laifong shared this interesting perspective with us on persevering based on a recent vacation experience:

Recently, my husband Nigel and I vacationed in Colorado, where we hiked/walked some trails in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Being inexperienced hikers, we were not equipped with detailed maps of the trails. On one trail, all we knew was that it was an 'easy' 1.8-mile hike leading to a “big meadow” where we may see some wildlife. It turned out that 1.8 miles uphill starting at an elevation of 8,000+ feet was not quite as easy. Without a map or a way to track how far we had walked, we began to wonder when we would reach the “big meadow” and how we would know it was the “big meadow.”

To our relief, we eventually met another couple coming from the other direction. We asked them what was ahead and they assured us that the “big meadow” was not far away. Encouraged, we continued walking. Sure enough, we soon came to a meadow. Nigel said, “this must be it,” and that we could turn back. I, on the other hand, felt disappointed that the “big meadow” was not as big and spectacular as I’d imagined. I wanted to continue moving forward because what if there were a bigger meadow ahead? Well, hallelujah, five minutes later, we came to this breathtaking open area of grass with mountains in the background. The big meadow, no doubt this time!

That hiking experience made me think of my experience with prayer and intercession. Like me, you probably have one thing (or more) that you have been praying about for a long time. We ask God to move in a situation, relationship, or a person’s heart, but the breakthrough has not happened. We get discouraged and are assaulted by Satan’s lies that our prayers are not making a difference. We are tempted to give up and stop praying. But, wouldn’t it be tragic if we give up when we are (unknowingly) one prayer away from the breakthrough? Like my hike to the “big meadow,” accepting the smaller meadow as the “big meadow” and turning around would mean never reaching the real big meadow and missing out on its beauty.

I recognize that when we engage in spiritual warfare, we usually do not know how many prayers are needed before a breakthrough. However, we do know that if we are asking in alignment with God’s heart, the “yes” answer is coming. May we persist and persevere, so we do not unknowingly stop one prayer short of the breakthrough! May we also have the courage and faith to “ask big” of God instead of settling for something smaller.

Laifong's experience can be applied to perseverance in prayer or to perseverance in general.

Perseverance is defined as "persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success". Synonyms include endurance, tenacity, resolve, hold on, stand firm.

The Greek word ὑπομονῆς (hupomone) means to "stay, remain, abide". The Precept Austin online commentary explains, "The root idea of hupomone is that of remaining under some discipline, subjecting one’s self to something which demands the acquiescence of the will to something against which one naturally would rebel. It portrays a picture of steadfastly and unflinchingly bearing up under a heavy load and describes that quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial. The picture is that of constancy and endurance with a forward look and the ability to focus on what is beyond the current pressures. The writer sets before us our perfect example of endurance, our Lord Jesus Christ".

Pastor David Guzik comments, "The toughest and most discouraging trials are when we are called to obey God’s will when the fulfillment of His promise seems so far away. This is why we need endurance. Faithfulness during the time when the promise seems unfulfilled is the measure of your obedience and spiritual maturity. This endurance is built through trials, the testing of our faith (James 1:2-4)".

Today we urge each reader to keep pressing on and persevering in regard to a particular prayer matter or that which pertains to the Christian life. It will be worth it all!

If you feel today that you can't make it
Keep holdin' on, cause you can take it
If you hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, it’s been said that “courage is fear that said its prayers”. You can change our hearts and improve our outlook even when the outward circumstances have not changed. But it requires our dependency on You through persevering in prayer which results in absolute trust. We can be assured of Your eternal encouragement and good hope as it encourages our hearts and strengthens us in every good deed and word. It is through Christ Jesus our Lord that we pray in faith believing that You turn tragedy into triumph, and defeat into victory as You work out all things together for our good in Your time and in Your way. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Hold On" Click to listen on YouTube Selah

"He Will Hold Me Fast" Click to listen on YouTube Selah

Note: These two songs present complimentary truths: We are called to persevere (hold on) which is our part but we can be assured He will hold us fast which is His part.

"When We See Christ - It Will Be Worth It All" Click to listen on YouTube The Browns

"You've Already Won" Click to listen on YouTube Shane and Shane

Wild mountain rhododendron blooms, beautiful whether up close or many clusters in a panoramic view! This is their blooming season here in Pennsylvania.

Brooksyne's note: The last few days a robin decided to build her nest on top of our deck porch light. Before I saw the nest I saw the mess. I had just planted some every-bearing strawberries in planters on our deck a couple days earlier and then covered the soil with straw. All I saw was a mess of straw at the base of the planters and I know I didn't make that big of a mess in the first place and what I did drop I had picked it up. So my eyes began to wander until I finally spotted the bigger mess. The bird not only took my straw but also all the "tumbleweed" strays from nearby trees and began building her house. Most had fallen all over the deck. I felt sorry for the poor bird since she was so persevering so I began to help her build her nest. She must have appreciated it since she took up residency. We'll see how she likes living next door to our sliding doors, our four dogs, our very curious cat and the three of us going outside to the table under our Gazebo to eat our meals just about every day!

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

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