Persedangvere

If you attended the Beth Moore Esther study last fall you may have learned a new word:
Persedangvere which sounds so Texan I wonder if my British relatives will recognize the root word – persevere. The most common definitions of persevere are:

Steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose; steadfastness.
Diligent, Hard Work, Insistent

The Bible has much to say about perseverance, here are just a few verses:

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

So while we are actively waiting on the Lord, we must persevere as we run the race on earth. Athletes train, they don’t just jump up one day run a 100 yard dash. They train, they condition their bodies. Ballet dancers train for years, they do not suddenly put on a pair of pointe shoes and decide to dance Odile/Odette in Swan Lake. Christians should do the same thing; we train by staying connected to God in prayer and through His word. There is no prayer too small or too large for the Lord. You can dare to believe because He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Read the Bible, see what He has done for His people, He’ll do it today for you and me. Persevere – Be Diligent, Stay on Course, Hang on Tight like a bull rider hanging on to his bull rope – Per – se- dang-vere. (By the way, Spell Check had no suggestions to correct Persedangvere.)