Category: Persistence - Jethro TOOLS

Faith and Our Walk

6/1/2025

Hebrews 11:5-6
5:30am arrives once every single day. Like clockwork, I am awakened to the jingle of a dog collar and the click clack of dog toe nails on the hard floor. This is the morning routine of my old dog who wants to go outside for her morning walk. The consistent daily walks have gradually strengthened my dog and helped maintain her health. Old dogs need walks to maintain their health. The same is true for the believer in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that, “we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).” Like an old dog the walk of faith is essential for the believer in Jesus Christ. It is a daily action that proves spiritual life and health is based on the foundation of faith in Christ alone. This was true of Enoch in Hebrews 11. Enoch consistently lived for God (5) in contrast to his father Cain (Genesis 4:17). You see Cain had murdered his own brother (Genesis 4:8), who was Enoch’s uncle. Think about the family dynamics. The actions of Cain would have been known and perhaps retold. Out of this Enoch chose to live a different life, a life of faith, in contrast to his father. God rewarded Enoch and his faith by taking him from this life so he did not experience death. The continual persistence to live a life of faith was rewarded by eternal life with God. Enoch is listed is Hebrews 11 as an example of faith because he walked with God. He is also an example of what God can do in redeeming a life from the practice of sin. When we walk with God we consistently seek His presence and direction and faithfully allow Him to lead us away from sin and closer to Him, just like my old dog.

For More See HEBREWS

What is Prayer?

2/4/2024

Luke 11:1-13
When we think of prayer I believe that we often have three basic responses. First is the emergency prayer. This is treating God like the emergency room in a hospital or calling 911. We only pray in an emergency and about emergencies in our life. The second type of prayer is the memorized prayer. This is the bed time prayer that we might have been taught that is said every night or a repetition of the Lord’s prayer. This is simply a memorized prayer just moves through the words that are always said without seeking a real connection with God. This leads us to the third type of prayer and that is the relational prayer. This type of prayer is where the communication is open, honest and thoughtful. This is what Jesus wanted to teach His disciples about prayer. As we look at what is known as the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11 notice that the disciples asked to be taught how to pray (1). That opening statement is important because what follows is clearly an example of how to pray not what to pray, as in just repeating the words. In teaching the disciples how to pray Jesus noted that prayer is relational (1-2) and practices dependence (3-4), persistence (5-8), confidence (9-10) and faith (11-13). So, let us pray using what Jesus taught… Father, we come today declaring our relationship with you as the one who rules our life. We depend on you for all things because we believe that you are reliable. Help us to persist in prayer because we know that you care. Strengthen our faith to declare in confidence that you are in control even when we may not see what you are doing. Thank you, for displaying to us your consistent goodness. Thank you for guiding us by your Spirit in all things because you desire a continual relationship with us. We have all that we need in you because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us, amen.

For more see LUKE or QUESTIONS & ANSWERS or PRAYER

God's Sovereign Persistence

5/21/2023

Job 2:1-6
What do you do when you need fresh produce for a meal at home? Well, the answer is one of two things. The first option is that you may start a garden or plant some fruit trees. However, the results are not instantaneous. The second option is to go to the local grocery store. Upon entering the store you walk to the fresh produce case and examine the fruit and vegetables. You will look for bruises, bad spots, and unappealing bumps. Fruit that is shipped to our local grocery store will often arrive bruised from harvest and transportation. However, regardless of the lumps, bumps, and bruises a banana is still a banana. God made our fruits and vegetables to be consistent on the outside with what is on the inside. If you cut an apple open you do not expect to find a peach. The same consistency is true in the life of Job. As we move into chapter two we again see God’s rule over Satan (1-2). He is the defeated foe as God rules in the life of Job, His servant (3). However, Satan is not done, because he desires another chance to destroy Job (4-5). Yet, God in His sovereignty, allows Satan another chance to turn Job against Him (6). The sovereign persistence of God controlled Satan and kept Job. God, in His sovereignty, acts to preserve His servant. God is persistent in bringing about His plan in Job’s life and ours. We need to trust that only God can save us. Our effort to save ourselves is futile. Our enemy, Satan, is determined. However, God is all powerful, displaying His sovereign persistence. He knows the past, present, and future. His desire is that we submit to His rule and purpose in order to display His honor and glory through us. Like fruit that is squeezed and bruised, the servant of God under pressure displays God’s greatness to sustain and preserve.

For more see JOB

Why Pray?

1/29/2023

Luke 18:1-8
You hear the screaming child before you see them. You know, the one in the store in the next isle over that throws a temper tantrum because a wise parent just told them, “No.” There was the certain type of food or specific treat that was just refused and the result is a vocal show complete with flailing arms. The child has gone completely out of control screaming for what they desperately think they need. We groan when we see that play out, but do we not do the same thing with God at times? We think we know what is best and exactly what we need, so we proceed to tell God what He must do for us. Our request turns to a loud demand and then to a scream and God refuses to answer. James 4:3 states that we do not receive from God because we ask with wrong motives. Instead, our prayer should be like the woman in Luke 18:1-8 who persistently asked the judge to do what is right. Her persistence is faith in action. But, what keeps us from prayer and seeking God’s righteousness in our life and our world? The main issue is a lack of faith that displays itself through our response to pain, problems, and pride. When we are in pain we incorrectly think that God is distant and does not hear. When we face problems we attempt our solutions rather than His, because in pride we say that we do not need God. At times we simply do not pray because we do not believe that God hears or is powerful enough to work. Prayer is our communication of faith to our loving heavenly Father who is able to work. God sees, knows, has the solution, and is able to work. Will we let Him? Will we pray?

For more see LUKE or DISCIPLESHIP

Be Faithful

2/27/2022

Revelation 2:8-11
I had noticed the small but also big footprints that are distinct of a rabbit in the snow around my house. I was not surprised knowing that we have a family of rabbits that have made our garden their home. However, I was surprised to see a rabbit come racing out from under the steps as I was cleaning up the most recent snowfall. With typical wide eyed fear the little guy stopped for just a moment to see if I was a friend, foe, or just the obnoxious landlord. Having determined I was the latter he raced off without giving me a second glance. A rabbit naturally wants to stay out of sight or run away from what sees them. The pressure of survival easily raises their fears and places them in a state of stress. Funny; are we not like rabbits in many ways? In Revelation 2 we see John record the words of Jesus to the second church, the church of Smyrna. Jesus knew they had already suffered much which led to their poverty (9), and that their suffering was going to increase (10). For the church in Smyrna there is not much hope. However, Jesus tells them not to be afraid and to be faithful (10). Why? He does not criticize or correct Smyrna, instead Jesus reminds this persecuted and fearful church that He is sovereign and has overcome death (9). Like the church in Smyrna it is easy for us to be so preoccupied with survival that we neglect seeing Jesus as the one who has the solution even if we do die. Our tendency is to be like the rabbit and run to survive on our own. We are reminded not to be afraid, even of death. Jesus offers life to those that remain faithful even to the point of death. That is hope for those in distress.

For more see REVELATION

Simeon & Anna: Praise for God's Grace

12/19/2021

Luke 2:21-38
Waiting is not an easy thing to do. Lately I have been irritated with other drivers. For example, at a traffic light that just turned green, someone three cars back starts honking their horn because everyone else is not moving fast enough to suit them. Perhaps you have experienced what I am talking about. We do not like to wait in line in traffic, or really anytime at all. We are in an instant society that relies on high speed internet, fast cell phones, microwaves and drive through coffee shops. We don’t like to wait. Very simply, we do not live patiently while waiting. In Luke 2:21-38 we see that Simeon lived a righteous life while he waited to see the Savior as God had promised him. He faithfully followed God’s direction by going to the temple where he saw Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. He then spoke with perception and wisdom about this baby as the Savior for all people. As if on cue, Anna steps in and begins to praise God for the redeemer that God has sent. Both of these people were elderly and had spent many years waiting for this moment. God worked through the patient devotion of Simeon and Anna to spread and affirm His message of the Savior. God’s desire is to develop our devoted faith in Him and our persistent and consistent practice of righteousness. This kind of righteousness is not instant or intermittent devotion that lacks the refinement of persistent faith in God. Simeon and Anna were known as righteous people who lived by faith while they patiently waited for the Savior to arrive. God desires that we persistently follow Him in faith, patiently wait for His return and tell others of our Savior. That is what Simeon and Anna did.

For more see CHRISTMAS

What is Prayer?

7/18/2021

Luke 11:1-13
It was moving day and I remember praying. I simply asked God to hold off the rain. I was concerned about carrying wet items into the house, but more concerned about safety and slipping on the angled unloading ramp. I prayed and God answered. Then there was the time when Dad died and I drove through the night asking God, “Why?” God did answer but only partially. Finally, there are the lists of requests that I have made and God has seemingly answered, “No.” I think that often our prayer life is tied to answers that we get. When God answers then we keep praying, but when God does not answer… well the prayers get shorter or nonexistent. In Luke 11:1-13 we see Jesus give instructions on how to pray. When we pray we declare that we depend on God for all things because we firmly believe that He alone is reliable. We come requesting God to provide our daily needs, forgive our sin and keep us from sin (3-4). At times we don’t persist in prayer because we face challenges in life and question if God cares. As Jesus illustrates in verse 5-8, persistence in prayer believes that only God can provide what is needed because He cares. Prayer strengthens our faith in God as we confidently ask His direction, seek His answers and knock on the doors that only He will open (9-10). When we pray asking, seeking and knocking we communicate our belief that God is in control of all things, even when we may not see it. Because God is in control we call on Him in prayer. Finally, in verses 11-13 we can thank God for displaying His goodness by giving us His Spirit to guide us in all things. God desires a continual relationship with us through our prayer with Him.

For more see QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

A Life of Faith is More Than a Game

9/6/2020

Hebrews 11
Games of trust are always a good learning activity for a team. They are also a good activity for social observation. I recall one such trust game where a board is placed between two chairs and a blindfolded participant is helped to step up on the elevated board. The participant and the board are then lifted off the chairs. Without letting the blindfolded participant know, the board is then lowered almost to the floor where they are told to jump off. The blindfolded person always expresses fear of the height and not being able to see even though they are being reassured that they will be fine. In many ways, that is often the response that we have to God. We can’t see what the future holds and it is all too easy to stay put rather than take the step of faith and follow God’s calling. In Hebrews 11:22 we see that Joseph was commended for his faith. His life was filled with plenty of times when he could have chosen not to follow God, yet he saw that God took what was meant as evil and turned it to good to accomplish His purpose (Genesis 50:20). I would challenge you to take an inventory of your life. Could God be calling you to follow Him in faith, so He can use your situation for His purposes?

For more see HEBREWS

Persistence in Wisdom

5/1/2020

Proverbs 4:20-27
There they sat, three enormous stones that weighed more than I did and they needed to be moved. The problem was that they were so big that I could not move them by my self. After much pondering and the use of levers and poles I was able to move them by myself almost as easily as a shopping kart in a parking lot. Persistence is often a quality that we value. Yet persistence for a long time in the wrong direction will always lead to the wrong location. In Proverbs 4 we see the father, Solomon, exhorting his son to persist in being wise. The father as the passionate teacher, challenges his son to listen to his words and discern God’s values for life. However, he moves beyond the mind and the intellect in the hope that the son will be diligent, implementing Godly practices that will impact his life. The wise teacher realizes that he can’t correct and guide every aspect of his son’s life so he closes the chapter by advising his son to seek God’s direction for all of life and evaluate his life by God’s standard. Like the son, we need to persist in listening to God, continually live for God and make sure we line up with God. Accepting and following God’s wisdom is not only valuable it is essential because life for all eternity depends on it. Accepting and following God's direction in life takes faith. Persistence in God's direction is the life of the truly wise.