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Perserverance: Key To Your Destiny
2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 'Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.' (NIV)
 There are times in our lives, particularly near the start and end of each year, when we look back over the span of our days and ask the big question: 'How far have I progressed on the journey God that wants me to take with my life?' Inevitably, we will find that there are unfinished projects and unrealized dreams in our lives. That's when we need an attitude of perserverance. Vision without strategy is only wishful thinking; but strategies without perseverance are just good intentions. In dictionaries, perseverance is defined as: 'doggedness, persistence, tenacity.' Sometimes, only one thing stands between us and our true destiny in God. It's not a lack of gifts, or a shortage of opportunities. It's just a lack of perseverance; we're just not persistent or tenacious enough. Sometimes, we think that a lack of immediate results means that God isn't working with us. If our primary goal is to make God's name great, we will know that the process is just as important as the end result. Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonika that their perserverence is something he boasts about. It shows, he says, how right God was to call them in the first place – because they obviously have what it takes to make it for him! So, whatever season you're in right now, even if you're slogging through the heavy mud of a spiritual winter, don't give up on God's assignment. If the wind is against you, get your head down and keep walking full steam ahead. Refuse to give up!
Prayer: 'Father, I want to honour you with my perserverance. I don't want to get tired and give up or run out of wind just before the finish line. Help me to have real grit in my soul, so that no matter how hard the wind blows, I just get my head down and get on with the job!'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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Thank you for your ministry. It encourages me to be bold, thoughtful and courageous about my faith.
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As a pastor, I’m borrowing a lot in my preaching from Masterclass 2005 and from the book 'The Future Is X'.
Rod, Australia
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