THE
BIBLE PRAYER LINE – Bible Questions Answered
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Bible
Prayer Line Index
Bible Questions Answered:
“I've
been praying for a promotion for over a year now, and been passed by
twice...what else should I do...?
Darlene/
Jackson, Mississippi U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Persistence:
The act or fact of persisting.
Dictionary.Com
The
Word:
Genesis 31:38-42 NLT (Jacob speaks to
Laban)(Persistence pays)
38
“For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In
all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those
years I never used a single ram of yours for food.
39
If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you
the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I
took the loss myself! You made me pay for every stolen animal,
whether it was taken in broad daylight or in the dark of night.
40
“I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through
cold and sleepless nights.
41
Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen
years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your
flock. And you changed my wages ten times!
42
In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of
Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac—you would have sent me away
empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. That
is why He appeared to you last night and rebuked you!”
Exodus 32:1-14 NLT (The Gold Calf/ A Godly
persons persistence, can make a difference)
1
When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down
the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said,
“make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened
to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”
2
So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and
sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
3
All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them
to Aaron.
4
Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the
shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel,
these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
5
Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front
of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to The
Lord!”
6
The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings
and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and
drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.
7
The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom
you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
8
How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to
live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed
down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O
Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
9
Then The Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these
people are.
10
Now leave Me alone so My fierce anger can blaze against them, and I
will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”
11
But Moses tried to pacify The Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said.
“Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from
the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand?
12
Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil
intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from
the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change
your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against
your people!
13
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself
with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as
numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this
land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess
it forever.’”
14
So The Lord changed His mind about the terrible disaster He had
threatened to bring on His people.
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 NLT (Parable of the Farmer
Scattering Seed)
(There is no limit to what God can do in our life, if
His Word is growing in us!)
1
Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.
2
A large crowd soon gathered around Him, so He got into a boat. Then
He sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.
3
He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen!
A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
4
As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath,
and the birds came and ate them.
5
Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds
sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6
But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t
have deep roots, they died.
7
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender
plants.
8
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that
was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been
planted!
9
Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
18
“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer
planting seeds:
19
The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the
message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil
one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their
hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the
message and immediately receive it with joy.
21
But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They
fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for
believing God’s word. (Lacked Persistence)
22
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s
Word, but all too quickly The Message is crowded out by the worries
of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
23
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and
understand God’s Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or
even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Luke
11:5-10 KJV (Ask, Seek, Knock)
5
And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go
unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing
to set before him?
7
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is
now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give
thee.
8
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is
his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him
as many as he needeth.
9
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and
to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke
18:1-8 KJV (Persistence in
prayer)
1
And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always
to pray, and not to faint;
2
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man:
3
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying,
Avenge me of mine adversary.
4
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself,
Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her
continual coming she weary me.
6
And The Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7
And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto
Him, though He bear long with them?
8
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The
Son Of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?
I
Corinthians 9:24-27 KJV
(Persistence, never giving up)
24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth
the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible.
26
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air:
27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by
any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.
I
Corinthians 15:58 NLT
So,
my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work
enthusiastically for The Lord, for you know that nothing you do for
The Lord is ever useless.
Galatians
6:7-10 KJV
7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap.
8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to The Spirit shall of The Spirit reap life
everlasting.
9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not.
10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Philippians 3:12-14 KJV (Don't give up, keep
going on!)
12
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:
but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am
apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before,
14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus.
Colossians 4:2 NLT (An Encouragement for Prayer)
(I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV
Pray without ceasing.)
Devote
yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
II
Thessalonians 3:13 KJV
But
ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
Hebrews
11:6 KJV
But
without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.
James
1:12 KJV
God
blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward
they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those
who love Him.
Prayer:
Hebrews
12:1,2 NLT
12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses
to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us
down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run
with endurance the race God has set before us.
2
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, The Champion who initiates
and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured
the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of
honor beside God’s throne.
