Carol Swenson
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ENDURANCE (Consistency, Patience, Strength)
Why is endurance an important spiritual quality?
BIBLE READING: Matthew 10:16-42
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Everyone shall hate you because you belong to me. But all of you who endure to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22, TLB)
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.
BIBLE READING: Hebrews 3:1-6
KEY BIBLE VERSE: But Christ, God’s faithful Son, is in complete charge of God’s house. And we Christians are God’s house—he lives in us!—if we keep up our courage firm to the end, and our joy and our trust in the Lord. (Hebrews 3:6, TLB)
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.)
BIBLE READING: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Stand steady, and don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Bring others to Christ. Leave nothing undone that you ought to do. (2 Timothy 4:5, TLB)
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.
BIBLE READING: Revelation 14:1-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Let this encourage God’s people to endure patiently every trial and persecution, for they are his saints who remain firm to the end in obedience to his commands and trust in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12, TLB)
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.
(The Handbook of Bible Application)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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