Staying Put

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations; knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint . . .  Romans 5:3-5  NASB

Perseverance – Is perseverance simply gritting your teeth and enduring the pain?  Does God expect you to white-knuckle your way through the trials of life?  Are you supposed to hold your breath until it’s over?  We might be inclined to answer “Yes” to these questions if we think of the English sense of perseverance.  But perhaps we need to look a little deeper.

The Greek word hypomonen comes from the root mone and the prefix hypo.  The literal combination is “to remain under,” that is, “to stay in place.”  We should think of this in military terms.  God puts you in position.  You might not have asked to be placed where He puts you (Adam didn’t ask to be put into the Garden), but it is His choice, not yours.  Wherever He puts you, you are simply asked to stand.  The Hebrew parallel to this Greek word is ‘amar (to stand, to remain, to endure) or kum (to stand up, to make a place).  The King sets His troops where they best serve His purposes.  Once you are put in place, you are instructed not to surrender the ground to the enemy.  That’s all.  You don’t have to advance the battlefront.  You don’t have to attack the next hill.  All you have to do is hold the ground God has given you.  To persevere is not to surrender an inch of territory to any kind of attack.  Perhaps Paul chose this word because he was aware that the Hebrew idea of salvation is equivalent to supplying reinforcements in the middle of a battle.  Salvation is not about escape.  So perseverance is not about hiding from trouble.  When the enemy brings the battle, we stand until God provides reinforcements.

Oh, and by the way, He promises that He will bring reinforcements.  That is part of the hope of His glory.  All the plans of the enemy are bound to fail (Psalm 32:11).  They will be broken by God Himself (Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 7:7).  His word abides no matter what (Isaiah 40:8).  His Kingdom will endure (Daniel 4:26).  His plans cannot be overturned (Romans 9:11).

This is the same root word that Yeshua uses in the passages about abiding in the vine (John 15).  When we are asked to stand, we are not left alone.  He abides with us.  He shares the struggle and the fight.  He does not abandon His post alongside us.  Neither must we.

Without afflictions there is no opportunity to stand.  Without tests there is no chance to succeed.  Without trial there is no victory.  The pathway that flees problems leads to Pablum.

Topical Index: hypomeno, stand, endure, ‘amar, kum, Romans 5:3

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Irlan

Mr. Moen, thanks for the great Word about perseverance.
But is that the topic about “abide in vine” is on John 15, not John 12?

Judi Baldwin

Pabulum: (bland, mushy, unappetizing & infantile)

Great choice of words Skip! I haven’t heard that one in a time. 🙂

Judi Baldwin

I meant “in a LONG time.”

Dorothy

The old vine is staked & rooted where the gardener determined it should be, & then tied to the stake. It is the new growth from the old roots that runs up the trellis & may hang clusters over the wall for passersby to freely take & eat.
Should the roots sigh or become weary at not seeing the world from the wall, & prys himslef from the earth, — then sadly never another tender leaf nor cluster sprouts for his years of faithfulness.
Stay, good boy, stay.

Gabe

I have read about slaves being forced to walk through long stretches of desert (e.g. “Skeletons on the Zahara”, by Dean King), and then there are people who voluntarily sign up for races like the Badwater Ultramarathon through Death Valley. Both situations would involve extreme physical discomfort – but the volunteers can actually rejoice in their experience of affliction.

Pam

Ex 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see (את־ישועת יהוה) the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see (את־ישועת יהוה) the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

את־ישועת יהוה

T&A

“”Oh, and by the way, He promises that He will bring reinforcements.
That is part of the hope of His glory.””

PtL! Thanks Skip for the reminder. Only YHVH/Yeshua, nooo other god exists or is able to do this! He stands with His people! How very comforting!

Robin Jeep

Skip, thank you for this word, you just gave me God’s answer on how to handle a current situation.

carl roberts

~ Therefore put on the full armor of G-d, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand ~ (Ephesians 6.13)

I love it when a plan comes together! (His plan!) ~ Thy will be done. On Earth as it is Heaven. (amen!)

~ And endure hardships as a good Soldier of Yeshua The Messiah ~ (2 Timothy 2.3) “Endure?” (or enjoy?)- Always (carl) Remember!- Your sympathetic Sovereign Savior does nothing “randomly!”

Our “job” as Skip has eloquently pointed out today, is to “abide in the Vine”. To Abide (remain) “in Christ..” Three words for me today and three words for all. – *Abide in Christ..* For He has said, (I nearly know., by now we all are paying attention to His words..)- “If you abide in Me and my words abide in you- you will ask what you will and it shall be done unto you..”- this, this- this! – is the key to answered prayer!- abiding in the Vine!- Why?
What is the “good pleasure” of our Father’s will? What does He want us to do today? What would please our Father? – for us to “stand/remain/abide” in the Vine. The fruit is according to the Root. -And if we are rooted and ground in Love- rooted and grounded in Him-(rightly-related!) the Vine will bear the fruit! He will “do it” as we abide in Him for He has also said: “without Me”- (outside of Me, outside of the Vine)- you (Carl..) can do nothing. (John 15.5) We (the branches) receive our life from the Vine!- ~ And whenever The Messiah, who is our Life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory ~ (Colossians 3.4)
Now, (soldier) there are three levels of living.. Duty. Drudgery. (or) Delight. May we each, today, say, in agreement with the Captain of our salvation: ~ I delight to do Your will (that which pleases our Father!) ADONAI ~ Amen!

MarkB

Skip, I don’t understand your usage of the word “Pabulum” here at the end. My findings of its meaning are generally “food, sustenance, nutrients or intellectual nourishment” – but it can’t mean that in your context here. What do you mean by it?
-MB

Michael

“Wherever He puts you, you are simply asked to stand.”

Hmmm

Makes me think of the song/movie “Stand by Me,” which was very much like my childhood

When my daughter saw the movie a few years ago, she said she wanted to have friends like that

I thought to myself that she was too much like me for her own good 🙂

Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX–7gFHkU0