A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Eternal Endurance

God does not wear out. He is, He was, and He will be! His love for us is great and His faithfulness endures forever. What a powerful promise we find in His Word!

How is our endurance doing before Him? Do we set quiet time with Him on the back burner, promising to read the Bible later in the day and never getting around to it? Do we postpone prayer time with Him because we just seem so busy and don't make that special effort to set aside time to meet with Him? Do we get so busy that we realize we haven't thanked Him for a prayer He has answered?

The Hebrew word for endurance is `owlam. It means:

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
a) ancient time, long time (of past)
b) (of future)
1) for ever, always
2) continuous existence, perpetual
3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

The Lord has promised us that He will bring us home to Him when we die and we will spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." ~ John 3:16 (NIV)

The word for Greek word for eternal is aiōnios. It means:

1) without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be
2) without beginning
3) without end, never to cease, everlasting

What a comfort to know that He has promised us this wonderful gift!

Let's don't stop practicing coming before Him with love and faithfulness while we are here on earth. Let's stand the test of time and run the race of endurance to which He has called us, persevering in prayer, reading His Word, doing good to others, and serving Him faithfully with love.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." ~ Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Weariness can attack us if we aren't on guard. The Greek word for weary is ekkakeō. It means:

1) to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted

If anything is stealing your love and faithfulness before the Lord, give it up now. It may sound easier said than done, but re-prioritizing rather than losing our first love and faithfulness before Him is better in the long run. In the grand scheme of things, what do we really need to be working toward? The time-stealers here on earth or endurance in love and faithfulness with our Lord and Savior? He has not given up on us, so let's not give up on Him.

Just as our God is a God of endurance, let's be children of endurance as well, practicing for eternity!

E - Encourage yourself and others in the Lord. "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." ~ Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

N - Never put anything before God. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~ Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

D - Decide to serve God wholeheartedly. "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men," ~ Galatians 6:7 (NIV)

U - Undergird yourself with the armor of God. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." ~ Ephesians 6:13-18 (NIV)

R - Rest in God when needed. "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." ~ Psalm 62:5 (NIV)

A - Accept God's good plans for your life. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." ~ Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

N - Never forget to praise Him and thank Him. "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." ~ Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

C - Come before Him with love. "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." ~ Proverbs 3:3 (NIV)

E - Eagerly seek to spend time with God in prayer and in the Word. "My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek." ~ Psalm 27:8 (NIV)