Saturday, July 2, 2011

ENDURANCE

WHY IS ENDURANCE AN IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL QUALITY? Matthew 10:16-42 And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But those who endure to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22) ENDURANCE REQUIRES PREPARATION. Jesus told the disciples that when arrested for preaching the gospel, they should not worry about what to say in their defense-God’s Spirit would speak through them. This promise was fulfilled in Acts 4:8-14 and elsewhere. Some mistakenly think this means we don’t have to prepare to present the gospel because God will take care of everything. Scripture teaches, however, that we are to make carefully prepared, thoughtful statements (Colossians 4:6). Jesus is not telling us to stop preparing, but to stop worrying. ENDURANCE GROWS OUT OF COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST. Jesus predicted that his followers would be severely persecuted by those who hated what he stood for. In the midst of terrible persecutions, however, they could have hope, knowing that salvation was theirs. Times of trial serve to sift true Christians from false or fair-weather Christians. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don’t do it. Remember the benefits of standing firm, and continue to live for Christ. Standing firm to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Persistence is not a means to earn salvation; it is the by-product of a truly devoted life. Hebrews 3:1-6 But Christ, the faithful Son, was in charge of the entire household. And we are God’s household, if we keep up our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. (Hebrews 3:6) ENDURANCE IS THE MEANS TO JOY IN CHRIST. Because Christ lives in us as believers, we can remain courageous and hopeful to the end. We are not saved by being steadfast and firm in our faith, but our courage and hope reveal that our faith is real. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by the winds of temptation, false teaching, or persecution. (See also 3:14.) 2 Timothy 4:1-8 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you. (2 Timothy 4:5) GOD WILL MAKE OUR ENDURANCE WORTHWHILE. To keep cool when you are jarred and jolted by people or circumstances, don’t react quickly. In any work of ministry that you undertake, keeping your head makes you morally alert to temptation, resistant to pressure, and vigilant when facing heavy responsibility. As he neared the end of his life, Paul could confidently say he had been faithful to his call. Thus he faced death calmly, knowing that he would be rewarded by Christ. Is your life preparing you for death? Do you share Paul’s confident expectation of meeting Christ? The Good News is that the heavenly reward is not just for giants of the faith, like Paul, but for all who are eagerly looking forward to Jesus’ second coming. Paul gave these words to encourage Timothy, and us, to keep fighting-no matter how difficult the fight seems. When we are with Jesus Christ, we will discover that it was all worth it. Revelation 14:1-20 Let this encourage God’s holy people to endure persecution patiently and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12) OUR ENDURANCE IS RELATED TO THE QUALITY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. This news about God’s ultimate triumph should encourage God’s people to remain firm through every trial and persecution. They can do this, God promises, by trusting in Jesus and obeying the commands in his Word. The secret to enduring, therefore, is trust and obedience. Trust God to give you patience to endure even the small trials you face daily; obey him, even when obedience is unattractive or dangerous.

For Prayer and Counseling Contact:
Pastor J. O. Afolayan
C. A. C. Divine Reward
God’s Glory Special District
Tel: 08034945702, 08026161601
Email: jafolayan4christ@gmail.com

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