Persevere Like Jeremiah

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Let's go, boys.

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Welcome to Renewed Mindsets, the podcast dedicated to helping you break free from the patterns of this world and transform your mind to align with the mind of God.

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I'm Rick.

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Join me on this transformative journey.

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Let's seek to embrace a mindset that's shaped by divine wisdom and truth.

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Let's renew our mindsets together.

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I'm so glad you're here.

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Y'all know who Walter Payton is, don't you?

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Football player.

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He played 13 years as a running back for the Chicago Bears.

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Now, during his career, he rushed for 16,000 yards.

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During his career, he rushed for 16,000 yards, 16,726 to be exact.

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Now, that's more than nine miles.

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Now.

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What makes that figure even more spectacular is that he achieved it with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards.

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Now the prophet Jeremiah.

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He kept getting knocked down too.

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Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed God's message of coming destruction to Judah.

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For like 40 years Now, all of his warnings and predictions were coming true.

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Babylon had laid siege to Jerusalem.

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The fall of the city was imminent.

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You would think that, after proclaiming a message that was being fulfilled before their very eyes, that the people would start to believe Jeremiah.

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But Jeremiah's message only hardened their hearts.

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They kept taking shots at him, knocking him down, beating him, leaving him for dead.

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But Jeremiah kept getting back up and he prevailed, despite suffering, to be faithful to God's orders.

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Jeremiah persevered in obedience.

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Now he was arrested for deserting to the enemy.

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First we find Jeremiah leaving Jerusalem during the withdrawal of Babylonian forces.

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Now he was going to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people.

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That's from Jeremiah 37, 12.

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The meaning of that statement is uncertain, though.

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Now it might relate to the field that he purchased in chapter 32, verses 1 through 15.

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But either way, in chapter 32, verses 1 through 15.

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But either way, a guard saw him leaving and arrested him and charged him as a traitor defecting to the enemy.

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Now that accusation, well, it ticked him off.

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Jeremiah was mad.

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He'd been so loyal to his country.

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He stood strong and he voiced truth.

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He longed for his countrymen to turn to God, and they refused.

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They preferred the darkness to light.

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They brought him to the city officials where they beat him and imprisoned him, and he stayed there for several days and King Zedekiah sent for him to see if God had a word for Israel.

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Now the emaciated servant of God confronted the weak, worthless king.

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There is, he said you'll be handed over to the king of Babylon.

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That's from Jeremiah 37, 17.

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Now, considering his circumstances, it would have been easy for Jeremiah to give in and give up and just stay down.

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But Jeremiah would not.

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He got back up boldly proclaiming the truth.

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Now, next, poor old Jeremiah.

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Next we find Jeremiah accused of demoralizing the army.

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I mean, after all, he proclaimed defeat, destruction and devastation.

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Not really the words of a pep talk before the big game.

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His words discouraged the soldiers who were left to defend the city.

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Now the city officials wanted the king to kill Jeremiah.

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The king, who was weak and cowardly, refused to do anything to Jeremiah or the officials making the charge.

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So the officials just took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malachi.

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There was no water in the cistern, there was only mud.

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Jeremiah sank in the mud.

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Jeremiah 38.6.

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His message was not popular.

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Jeremiah was not a popular man.

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The people wanted a sermon of mercy, not of justice.

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They wanted a preacher that tickled their ears, not tell them the truth.

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Does that sound familiar?

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They wanted a God who would wink at their sin, not a God who would punish their sin.

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Does that sound familiar?

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Jeremiah spoke the truth.

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People that shouldn't sound familiar, because very few are hearing the truth these days.

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The truth is painful to deliver and it's painful to receive.

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It causes people to want to pounce on the truth-bearer.

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Still, even today, it does.

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It angered the officials so that they wanted Jeremiah put to death.

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The king refused to kill Jeremiah, so the officials did the next best thing they lowered Jeremiah into an empty cistern.

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Another imprisonment, another knockdown.

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Cisterns were dug out of rock and had a small opening and spread out at the bottom like a pear a little pear shape.

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Now they were used to collect water during the rainy season so that they could use it during the dry season.

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Escape from a cistern was virtually impossible.

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Now here was jeremiah sinking in the mud, a slow, filthy, to die, especially for someone who'd been faithful and obedient in proclaiming the truth.

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Now, after Jeremiah's rescue from the cistern, the king sent for him.

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The king wanted to hear from the prophet again.

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He asked Jeremiah to be honest, don't hold anything back.

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He was hoping, against hope, that Jeremiah's prophecy would be more favorable, that Jerusalem would be spared.

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But Jeremiah replied if I tell you, you're going to kill me, aren't you?

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Besides, if I give you advice, you won't listen to me anyway.

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That's Jeremiah 38,.

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Besides, if I give you advice, you won't listen to me anyway, that's Jeremiah 38, 15.

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The king promised his protection and Jeremiah told the king that if he surrendered to the Babylonian king, that he, the city and his family would be spared, but if he didn't surrender, the city would be burned down and everybody would die.

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Jeremiah hid nothing from the king.

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He ran his race with integrity.

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He carried the ball without fumbling and look what he got in return Beatings, imprisonment, a nasty, polluted, cistern death threats.

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He got knocked down again and again.

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The truth costs.

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It hurts.

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Jeremiah's story should remind us of Jesus' story because he, just like Jeremiah, was a prophet.

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He once said I assure you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown, luke 4.24.

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Now he was popular at first, but he saw the tide of public opinion turn against him.

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He proclaimed a message of grace and justice and he was not accepted by everybody.

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He encountered death threats.

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He was misunderstood.

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He was called names.

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He was misunderstood.

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He was called names.

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He was knocked down again and again.

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He walked the way of the cross, but he didn't desire the horrors that are associated with it.

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Obedience drove him to be the subject of the will of the Father to bear the truth.

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His obedience was put to the ultimate test and he perfectly met it, because he, too, ran for glory and he won.

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Wisdom for the day, because a little wisdom goes a long way.

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We need to persevere People.

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We need to persevere.

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What does that mean?

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To persevere in obedience?

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It means to stand by your convictions.

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Throughout Jeremiah's trials, through his whole you could read the whole chapter, the whole book he stood by his convictions.

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He spoke the truth of God's will.

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He was what they call an iron pillar and bronze walls, jeremiah 118.

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He was a man of unfaltering conviction.

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Jesus, just like that, would not be distracted from his mission to seek and to save the lost Luke 19.

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10.

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A person with convictions knows what he believes, where he's going and why.

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Convictions are not forced on an individual.

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They're beliefs and actions of choice.

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They're the truth, the mission, the calling given by God that's not altered by time.

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Convictions are the main springs of action, the driving powers of life.

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What a man lives are his convictions.

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Martin Luther King told his children if a man has nothing that's worth dying for, he's not fit to live.

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Do you remember the movie Chariots of Fire?

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It's a story of Eric Liddell from the 1924 Olympics, where he was supposed to compete and his event was scheduled on a Sunday, which violated his conviction.

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Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, exodus 28.

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He trained for this event his whole life, but he couldn't do it.

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His whole life but he couldn't do it.

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His Olympic hopes crumbled because he held on to his conviction and he didn't compete in that race.

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But he entered another event and he hadn't prepared for that, but he was allowed to run it.

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Victory looked impossible.

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Then, just before the race, one of his opponents put a note in Eric's hand.

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He who honors me, I will honor Eric ran in faith.

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His convictions were unbroken.

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He honored God and God blessed him.

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Eric Liddell won the gold medal.

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Yeah, each day will challenge our convictions.

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Yeah, each day will challenge our convictions.

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The person who perseveres in obedience lives by those convictions every single day.

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You also have to make the right choices.

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People who persevere choose not to stay down.

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They get up.

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The choices that we make yesterday affect our today.

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The decisions we make today will determine our tomorrow.

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We are our choices.

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Obedience is always a choice.

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No one forces you to obey God.

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No one forces you to obey his word or his will.

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It boils down to a choice that we make every single day, a choice to be faithful or not, to be loving or not, to be available or not, to be willing or not.

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The choices that determine our obedience are the ones regarding honesty, integrity, sincerity.

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Obedience are the ones regarding honesty, integrity, sincerity.

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The husband who remains faithful and loyal to his wife.

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The athlete who refuses to take stimulants or drugs to improve their performance.

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The student who cracks open their books rather than opting for the easy road road of cheat sheets, paying someone to write a term paper, the salesman who doesn't pad his expense account to defray an unexpected cost.

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There is a book called how to Succeed when it Really Counts.

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It tells about two friends who owned a very profitable business and they put it up for sale and they gave their word that, pending a few details, they would sell to a particular buyer.

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They made their decision on a Friday, but over the weekend they received another offer that would have netted them about double in profit.

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Now, unsure of what they should do, they spent the rest of the weekend praying with their wives.

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By Sunday night they all agreed that their word must be their bond, and on Monday morning they called the second buyer and turned down his better offer.

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They made their decision not based on dollars, but based on obedience to living right.

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You also need to maintain your personal character.

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Jeremiah maintained his character, standing on the truth of God's word In the middle of people preaching a different message.

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His character remained intact.

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You know, the most pressing need in our world today is Christ-like character.

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Now, unfortunately, this trait is in short supply and it's diminishing every day.

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Now I've got another book here.

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It's called Character America's Search for Leadership, and in that book it says the root of the word.

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Character is the Greek word for engraving.

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As applied to human beings, it refers to the enduring marks left by a life that set one apart as an individual.

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In other words, character is that ingredient in life that makes us different.

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Yeah, and finally, we need to refuse to compromise.

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Now there are circumstances that call for compromise to maintain peace and harmony, but we shouldn't compromise the truth.

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Jeremiah didn't compromise with the sentry who arrested him and charging him with desertion.

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They didn't compromise with the officials who wanted him to soften his message to one of peace and prosperity.

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He didn't compromise with King Zedekiah, who longed for Jeremiah to agree with his hired prophets who said that Judah would prevail.

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Christian history is filled with inspiring stories featuring people of principle, those who are immortalized for refusing to compromise their beliefs.

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In 1660, england's experiment as a republic came to an end with the return to monarchist rule under Charles II.

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With this change, religious freedom also ended.

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With this change, religious freedom also ended and Anglicanism, which was once again designated as the official state religion.

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It became illegal to conduct church services outside of the Church of England.

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Unlicensed individuals were forbidden from addressing a religious gathering.

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Under these new laws, john Bunyan was arrested for preaching without a license.

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Now he was popular and that prompted the judge to seek some sort of compromise, promising Bunyan immediate release if he only promised not to preach again.

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Now the judge's leniency was met with the reply if you release me today, I'm going to preach tomorrow.

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Three times in his life, bunyan was arrested, convicted and jailed for preaching the gospel without a license.

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In the end, he spent over 12 years in prison and at any time during those years he could have secured his freedom by simply promising not to preach.

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But Bunyan knew God's calling on his life and he adamantly refused to compromise his convictions.

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Now, those prison years were not wasted.

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It was during those prison years that Bunyan wrote the book of Pilgrim's Progress.

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Now.

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Its immediate success and ongoing popularity made it a Christian classic.

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It's the second most read book in English, next to the Bible.

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Now today, christians around the world still suffer in prison because they won't compromise their faith and give into government suggestions for release.

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Christians in Laos are accused of following an American religion and would be released from prison and left in peace if they sign a document recanting their commitment to Christ.

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The most refuse.

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Christians in shipping container prisons would be released if they signed a document just like that.

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But they prefer to suffer indefinitely for the cause of Christ than to deny him.

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Compromise is not always bad, but when it comes to issues of faith, we're expected to stand for Christ and His kingdom principles.

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So, in the end, after you've been knocked down repeatedly, over and over and over, what are you going to do After you've run your race?

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What will be your legacy?

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What will it say on your tombstone?

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Today I talked to you about a crucial aspect to our faith journey Christian perseverance.

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Perseverance is more than just a trait.

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It's a cornerstone of our spiritual life.

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The Bible repeatedly calls us to endure, to stand firm, to keep the faith regardless of the trials we face.

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But why is perseverance so essential for us as Christians?

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Well, first, it's a testament to our faith in God's promises.

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In James 1, verse 12, it says blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life, the life that the Lord has promised to him, to those who love him.

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Now this verse reminds us that our endurance is not in vain.

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God has promised us eternal life, a reward that far outweighs any temporary suffering that we're going to encounter.

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Secondly, perseverance shapes our character.

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Romans, chapter 5, verses 3 and 4, says not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character and character hope.

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Our trials are not random or meaningless.

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They're opportunities for growth, they refine our character and they build hope that's rooted in the reliability of God's word.

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Our perseverance serves as a powerful witness to other people In a world and face it, people.

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This world seeks instant gratification and it gives up at the first sign of difficulty.

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Steadfast faith stands out.

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When we endure hardship with grace and unwavering trust in God, we show people the strength and resilience that comes from a life that's anchored in Christ.

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Our perseverance can inspire other people to seek that same steadfastness in their own lives.

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Perseverance also keeps us connected to our ultimate source of strength.

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Hebrews 12, 1 and 2 says let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

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You know, by keeping our focus on Jesus, we're reminded that we're not alone in our struggle.

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Jesus himself endured the cross, scorning its shame, and now he sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

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His example and presence give us the courage to continue, no matter how tough the journey becomes.

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And finally, perseverance is essential because it aligns us with God's purpose.

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God is at work in us and it shapes us to become just like Christ.

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Philippians 1.6 assures us that, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, our perseverance reflects our trust in God's ongoing work in our lives and we're confident that he's going to bring it to completion.

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We must persevere because it's a testament to our faith, a tool for character development, a witness to other people, a way to stay connected to Jesus, a way to align ourselves with God's purpose.

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Let's embrace perseverance, knowing that through it we grow closer to God and reflect His glory more brightly in this world.

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Remember, our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that's going to be revealed in us.

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Romans 8.18.

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Keep the faith, people, stay the course and let God's strength carry you through.

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Well, that's all for this week's show.

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You know, the name of this show speaks my hope for you.

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It's taken from the words of Romans 12, verse 2.

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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If you enjoyed what you heard, do me a favor, please, and tell someone you know about it.

00:24:02.382 --> 00:24:07.457
Send them a link in a text, please, and tell someone you know about it.

00:24:07.457 --> 00:24:08.378
Send them a link in a text you know.

00:24:08.378 --> 00:24:10.825
You may even need to download it to their phone and show them what a podcast is.

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If it was valuable to you, it will be to them.

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Visit renewedmindsetscom to hear past episodes, read the blog and check out the new merch.

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And, as always, while you're there, send me a voicemail by clicking the button at the bottom right corner of the main page.

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Tell me what you think about this show.

00:24:32.782 --> 00:24:36.059
I just might play it on a future episode.

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Until next week.

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I'm Rick.

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I love you, see ya.

00:24:55.790 --> 00:25:01.365
The intro and outro music for the Renewed Mindsets podcast is Are you Ready?

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By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready?

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By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready?

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Copyright 2002, offbeat Ministries Incorporated.

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Floodgate can be found on Apple Music and iTunes Music used with permission.

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Oh my gosh.