This I know

The other day I had a conversation with a priest. He made this comment to me, "You really love Jesus don't you?" Of course I said yes.
I do, but sadly, some times I don't act like it and sometimes I don't feel like it.

But this I know!
Jesus loves me.

I have this little theme in life and its called perseverance. It's very biblically based. I actually started writing a book about perseverance a few years ago. I had started from the beginning of the New Testament and was looking for every instance of perseverance. I made a few comments on each passage. I managed to get through Matthew and Mark and was into Luke. Maybe some day I'll begin to persevere on writing my book again. Do you think you'd read it? Here are some of the passages I found:

My first passage was Matthew 4:1-2: "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwords He was hungry." Wow, Jesus really persevered in his fast!

I found this one: Matthew 8:21-22 "Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy seven times." Wow, you really gotta persevere in forgiving...... A LOT. That's love!

Oh and in Mark 15:3-4 there's this one, "The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilot questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer that Pilot was amazed."
Jesus sure persevered in silence, maybe I could learn something from that. Maybe I could actually amaze somebody by being quiet some day. It's a thought.

And then in Luke 8:43-44 and 48: "And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, who had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and was unable to be cured by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you, go in peace." Ah....her long suffering was not in vain....her perseverance had meaning. Notice it didn't say she was healed, which indeed the implication is she was, but it said she was saved.

If our long sufferings aren't healed certainly our long faithfulness will save us. Stay faithful and you will be saved.


Persevere in Faith....Because This I Know.....Jesus Loves You Too!!