Most of us have issues we must endure. Perhaps it is poor health, rebellious children, an unfaithful spouse, or any number of things. But let's discuss issues that affect us in our Christianity, such as persecution and attacks from the evil one, satan. Actually, things like rebellious children or an unfaithful spouse can definitely be attacks from the devil who especially targets true believers with such trials.
Life can be hard. But faith and belief in Jesus as your Savior can give you strength to endure. Christians have a blessed hope of one day being in heaven with the good Lord. There we will have no more sorrow, or tribulations, or hardships to endure. No more hatred from the world because of our faith in Jesus. (Revelation 21:3-4).
"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved." - Jesus at Matthew 10:22
Such endurance and perseverance is a sure indication of true salvation. Only he who reaches the goal may be accounted a Christian. But how do we stand strong and be able to endure to the end?
Faith.
Prayer.
Much time in God's Holy Word.
During all of life's storms, keep your eyes on the prize : eternal life in heaven with the good Lord. If you are in prayer frequently and read the Bible everyday, you will have a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ. That will definitely enable you to endure whatever life throws your way.
"It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." - Psalm 18:32
The fact that we are living in the end times according to Bible prophecy, as world events testify to that fact because so many prophecies are on the verge of happening now as there is a convergence of signs of the end times as the Bible predicts; all that should make you realize that Jesus will return soon to Rapture true believers to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation will begin. Hurry Lord Jesus !!
Hang on a little longer ! Fill your mind and heart with spiritual things and keep your eyes on the things above (Colossians 3:1-2). "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:3-5, English Standard Version.
Job of ancient times endured much trial and sorrow and in the end the Lord blessed him mightily for his integrity. The apostle Paul also endured much for his faith and for his sharing of the Gospel. He was persecuted and often in prison, but his zeal never wavered where doing the Lord's work of preaching and setting up churches was concerned.
In Matthew 10:22, enduring to the end most certainly means until death or the Rapture, and not the end of the persecution. God never lets His people suffer beyond what they are able to endure. He is always there, guiding and directing us along life's paths. We are held securely in His loving hands.
In John 10:28, 29, Jesus tells us: (28) "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. (29) My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."
If you are a true believer and born again from above, you are secure in the Lord's love and you will never perish. How comforting is that ! True believers should be full of love and gratitude to the Lord for all He has done and will do. That should fill them with zeal to share the Gospel and to live a godly life. In other words, to obey the Lord. Put Him first in your life. Your close relationship with Him will enable you to endure all the storms of life, because of your love and faith in Him.
So those who endure to the end will be saved. That is, they will be presented holy, unblameable , and unreprovable before the Lord (Colossians 1:22).
"Perseverance and endurance to the end, however bitter, is the evidence of genuine faith."
"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory." - Various authors
"Endurance is a key indicator of spiritual fitness." - Alistair Begg
Following is a 56 minute audio video of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon about enduring to the end.
In this sermon, Spurgeon remarks that perseverance is the badge of true saints. It is a wonderful sermon and I hope you listen to all of it.
If you are not saved - not born again - then you do not have this blessed hope of being forever with Jesus in heaven. You are bound for the other alternative..... hell.
Eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place ! A long time to suffer unbearable torment.
To gain eternal life and to be with the Lord forever in heaven takes an act of faith. Faith and belief in Jesus as the Savior.....in Him being the only way to the Father and to realize that only faith in Christ can wash your sins away and make you a new person, a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Give up your life of sin ! Repent and turn to God in prayer and ask for His forgiveness. It is a matter of the heart and soul. You believe in Jesus with all of your heart, mind, and soul.
Jesus loves you and He is waiting with open arms to welcome you into the family of God.
He will embrace you with love and forgiveness.
With such a promise and a hope, how could you not come to the Lord in repentance and love and faith and gratitude !
Romans 10:9,10, 13 tells us: (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" - John 11:25, 26.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." - John 14:6
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend..... and life !
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