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DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017
I began to doubt my choice of an English instructor when I struggled to get a grade better than a C in his class. Then I got another C, but there was only one correction on my paper. He had deleted words I had inserted for dramatic effect. When I questioned the teacher about my grade, he told me that I could be artistic when I got paid for my writing, but not in his class. That near-miss grade helped me to persevere and to end the class with an A. We often see the rewards of perseverance through the stories in scripture, including the story of Bartimaeus. Jesus was walking toward Jerusalem when Bartimaeus, a man who was blind, called out to him. (See Mark 10:46-52.) As the crowd tried to quiet Bartimaeus, he could have given up; but he cried out all the louder, asking Jesus to heal him. Jesus did heal him, and Bartimaeus followed Jesus, glorifying God. Surely Bartimaeus was glad he hadn’t given up. When we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control and see no possibility of a good outcome, we may become discouraged. But even when we think nobody cares, we can persevere and continue doing right because God is faithful. At times our lives may seem dark, but God helps us to live in hope.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear God, encourage us, and help our hope to exceed what our eyes see. Amen.
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Hebrews 10:19 So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh. 21 We also have a great cohen over God’s household. 22 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.[Hebrews 10:22 Ezekiel 36:25] 23 Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.
And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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God gives me strength to persevere.
Teachers
The Upper Room®
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Header Photo Credit: "Harvested Land," Beth Shumate. August 15, 2014. (link)
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