GEORGE MUELLER, the great Victorian Christian and social reformer, tells a story of persistent prayer in his diary: In November 1844, I began to pray for the conversion of five individuals. I prayed every day without a single intermission, whether sick or in health, on the land, on the sea, and whatever…

Happiness In Matthew 5, Jesus begins a sentence with the same words, “Blessed are...” eight different times. What does it mean to be blessed? It is a religious sounding word, isn’t it? It is pregnant with virtue–a stained glass sort of a word. The truth is, the Greek word simply means happy. In English,…

Make it Happen "Above anything else, I hate to lose." (Jackie Robinson) On April 15, 1947, Robinson made it to the "show." He became the first black man to wear a Major League uniform, destroying the color barrier in professional sports. In his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he hit .297, sent…

John Newton CHOICE EXCERPTS I am not what I once was! In his old age, when he could no longer see to read, John Newton heard someone recite this text, "By the grace of God—I am what I am." He remained silent a short time and then, as if speaking to himself, he said: "I am not what I ought to be—ah, how…

The hammer said, “I will break the anvil.” The anvil did not answer, but abode in its place, while the hammer smote it day after day. Month after month, year after year, the anvil patiently received the blows, but after a while the hammer broke. And though it did not say so, for it was too quiet to speak,…

Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia said, “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream.…

Christopher Columbus faced incredible difficulties while sailing west in search of a passage to Asia. He and his crews encountered storms, experienced hunger and deprivation, and dealt with extreme discouragement. The crews of the three ships were near mutiny. But Columbus persevered. The account of…

We are sometimes apt to think that a charge that is unfounded is very cruel to us. I have heard people say sometimes, and I have laughed when I have heard them say it, “Mr. So-and-so has charged me with such-and-such a thing, but I am quite innocent. I should not have minded if I had been guilty.” I…

In A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson says, “Perseverance is not the result of our determination; it is the result of God’s faithfulness.” So when we are tempted to compromise our faith, or when we think we have no strength left to endure—we should remember God’s faithfulness. ––Jim…

\\ 2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9* As a father, I've always considered the most important lesson to teach my children is the principle of perseverance -- staying in the battle as long as it takes to win, getting back up after you get knocked down, trying as many times as necessary. There's a scene in the movie…

Many Christians resemble the nautilus, which in fine smooth weather swims on the surface of the sea in a splendid little squadron, like the mighty ships. But the moment the first breath of wind ruffles the waves, they take in their sails and sink into the depths. Many Christians are the same. In good…

There was a crest and motto that some of the old Reformers used to use, and that I commend to any of you who are under trial. It was an anvil with a number of hammers, all broken, lying around; and this was the motto when translated, “The anvil breaks many hammers.” And how does it do this? Not by striking:…

In 2013, Michael Jordan celebrated his 50th birthday! Most people wouldn't believe that a man often praised as being the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Fortunately, Jordan was able to overcome that discouraging setback! He refused to let it stop…

Just Keep on Pedaling At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping a record of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the President. I knew he was out there, but I didn’t really know him. But later, when I recognized God,…

I am sure you have heard “the rest of the story,” and “news and comments.” Paul Harvey Began his career in 1933 His “news and comments” is the largest one man network in the world. Someone once asked Paul Harvey, the journalist and radio commentator, to reveal the secret of his success. “I get up when…

ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE plants in nature is the Ibervillea sonorae. It can exist for seemingly indefinite periods without soil or even water. As Annie Dillard tells the story, one was kept in a display case at the New York Botanical Garden for seven years without soil or water. For seven springs it…

PERSISTENCE/PAIN On August 19, 2003, 15-game-winner, Mark Mulder left the mound against The Boston Red Sox with a stress fracture in his hip. And when he did, the hopes of a 4th straight playoff bid for the Oakland Athletics left with him—or so the pundits said. Even with their usual push toward the…

In their fascinating book, Freakonomics, economists Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner point out that one of the first acts of parental power comes in the naming of a child. Many believe the name carries great significance. The case of the Lane brothers may argue differently Back in 1958, a baby boy was…

Remember John Bunyan when he refused to give up preaching. They put him in prison and said to him, “Mr. Bunyan, you can come out of prison whenever you will promise to cease preaching the gospel.” He said, “If you let me out of prison today, I will preach again tomorrow, by the grace of God.” “Well,”…

Hiroo Onoda died in January 2014. Onoda was a lieutenant in the Japanese army stationed on the Philippine island of Lubang during World War II. When his commander left the island he ordered Onoda to stay and fight. He carried out those orders faithfully for the next 29 years. The Japanese government…

It is like John Bunyan’s parable of Passion and Patience in Pilgrim’s Progress. Passion would have his best things first; Patience would have his best things last. Passion had all his best things, and laughed at Patience as Patience sat there. But after a while, Passion had used up all his best things…

The Word of God: *Ravi Zacharias tells the amazing story of a young Christian in Vietnam. He writes, ‘I was ministering in Vietnam in 1971, and one of my interpreters was Hien Pham, an energetic young Christian. He had worked as a translator with the American forces, and was of immense help both to them…

A good old minister was once asked whether he believed in the final perseverance of the saints. “Well,” said he, “I do not know much about that matter, but I firmly believe in the final perseverance of God, that where He has begun a good work He will carry it on until it is complete.” To my mind, that…

Buster Douglass competed with Mike Tyson, AKA “Iron Mike” the heavy weight champion of the world for the title. The champ not only defeated those put in from of him but annihilated them. As the time came for Douglass to enter the ring, the experts did not give him a chance. In the eighth round, Mike…

Derek Redmond was prepared for the 400m semifinal race at the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992. He felt he was in the best shape of his life. Despite eight operations on his Achilles tendons over the past 4 years, he felt very confident. His father Jim, sitting in the stands, also had high hopes. Jim and…