ONE OF THE QUALITIES I love about myself is my refusal to give up when I know what I’m supposed to do!

The Bible denotes perseverance as constancy, endurance, a patient enduring. It is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved. He has deliberate purpose and loyalty to his faith. There is piety even regarding his greatest of trials, his sufferings.

This is cute: I even had difficulty spelling and writing p-e-r-s-e-v-e-r-a-n-c-e! Some words you type are much harder than others. Maybe God has a message in the difficulty of spelling and typing that word! God does have a sense of humor!

So many things in my life have taken longer than I wanted them to! Big deal! After all those years of being wicked, that is pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked (this means I was a sinner folks!) I now have – thanks be to God! – many great attributes! Perseverance is one of them! I now am a new creation. I am beautiful and pure in God’s eyes and He gives me everything I need for life and godliness.

YES: I have waited much longer for many things that I initially wanted to. Here’s a short list:

• a husband
• a house
• a car
• children
• my first book to be published

That is really just a few, but highly important, things I’ve waited longer for than I wanted. But God is good all the time!

Now, as I wait for my next book to be published, I reflect on my first and my books to come (there will be many if Jesus tarries.) My first book, “JOY STORIES VOLUME ONE” is a great joy to me. God has used me to reach some who seem to have none. I will continue to believe God’s Word is true and there is no such thing as hopelessness for God does not want any to perish. They only do as they choose to be as I was:  wicked, that is pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked (a sinner folks!)

I remember, Beloved, God had waited for me personally many years.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

I finally got serious with Him when I was twenty-nine. I had been born again several years before. I frequently tell people: “I’m so glad I didn’t die in my twenties’. I would have gone straight to Hell!” Now I say: “Devil! Be damned! You will!”

The LORD God Almighty has work for all of us to do. I occupy!

 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Revelation 22:12-21

SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS “JOY STORY:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
2 Peter 1:1-4

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6

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