Faiths Endurance

Hope you everybody is well this morning. To continue some of my thoughts on Faith I would like to introduce the aspect of endurance. Faith can be described as enduring. Mt 24:13 - He that endures to the end will be saved. This statement is mentioned throughout the New Testament. Endure - to remain under. To persevere, sustain, bear up under, suffer. It refers to ones response toward circumstances, denoting perseverance in the face of difficulties. As Christians we will face circumstances that are very difficult to bear. In my study of this word I found that endurance was mentioned mostly in the context of suffering or hardships. Mt 24 speaks of some very difficult times that will come upon the earth and for the people of God. Jesus disciples wanted to know when the end would come and Jesus begins to explain what would happen before the end would come. Nations would rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Famines, earthquakes and pestilences would come. They will deliver you up to tribulation, and kill you, you will be hated by all nations for My names sake. Many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold. I will not bring in all the scriptures on enduring and hardship because as I was typing these verse the Holy Spirit spoke to me about the last few verses. Many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. And in verse 12 because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold. He who endures to the end will be saved. Enduring through what? Offenses, betrayal, and hatred. Another place in scripture mentions brother delivering over brother to death and a father his child (Mt 10:21). Wow its one thing when the world betrays or offends you but it's entirely another thing when those who are the closest to you do it. Husbands betraying wives and vise versa. How many have quit the faith because of adultery, molestation, physical abuse, etc. Maybe someone you gave an opportunity too or poured your life into has betrayed you. Just thinking of the mess our world is in and you wonder how the end must be near. This is the lawlessness that is abounding. So many who have found themselves betrayed and offended have ran to the nearest church building to find answers and remedies for their problem and wind up more betrayed and offended than when they came in. What a mess!!! Hw who endures to the end shall be saved. Wow are you enduring today. Is your faith growing or have you lost it. Has your love grown cold. Maybe you are on the verge of loosing your faith today. Jesus is calling you to Him. Endurance means to remain under and some of us have gone under. Where are we to remain or stay during these hard circumstances in life. Where are we to look to get back the faith that we have lost because of betrayal and offense. Jesus is our answer. Remain in Jesus. Jesus is the shelter from from the storm. He came to heal the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives. So many are captive or prisoners to their betrayal and offense. He came to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Four your faith to endure and to not quit it has to be pointed to or focused on Jesus. Jesus is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother. He said He would never leave your or forsake you. His seed will endure. (Ps 89:29,36) Being found in Christ will cause us to keep going, to keep living and to keep loving. Heb 12:1-2 Therefore we also since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Look to Jesus for your endurance. Our race is not a 40 yard dash it's a marathon. We need endurance that we can only get from Jesus. He endured the cross and the shame that came with it. Some many have let the shame of whats has happened to them cause their eyes to get of of Jesus. Get your eyes off the cause of the shame and get them onto Jesus. He will restore you and give you the stamina to go through and finish the race. May we today be found in Christ to get the endurance we need to finish this race.