To Endure!

[Catsmeow]

1 John 1:8-108 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Just say, "Abba, I love you. Daddy, I have done (fill in the blank) and I am so deeply sorry I have done wrong. Please forgive me. Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to forgive my sin. Please help me not to sin again."

BOTTOM LINE: Just be open, honest and transparent with your Heavenly Father. He loves you and is always willing to forgive you and help you. Humble yourself as a little child.

[tsth]

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[other one]

Ive tried and tried and I have grown tired. I have never been able to endure. If you are having success with endurance I would like to hear your story. I probably won't go to heaven if your right about the endurance thing and I'm not sure if I know many who will. Its very hard to go to heaven and only a few really endure up to God's standard. Narrow is the way! It takes super will power. Some will say" oh no! you get special power if you pray for it." I have many times in tears. In the end its just good old fashion will power that will enable you to endure enough to be saved by grace. It really takes alot of work to become unlost. Especially when you have been raised to be lost. Only a few will make it I'm afraid. Very very few. I still sin all the time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rev 7:9-10

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,

NASB

Rev 7:14-15

"These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

NASB

Not too small a number here in the end times......

[Guest riverleigh]

I am new here. Hello to all my brothers and sisters in the Lord. To the sister who feels she won't make it to heaven because she has an "endurance" problem. Here are a few thoughts I would like to share with you from my own "endurance" questions. First, nowhere in the Scripture is the word try as in "I keep trying" used. We can try the spirits. We can have our faith tried...but our effort is not in the self. We can try until we are worn out and dead and all of our self effort will fail-especially in our effort to live and endure the christian life. No one perhaps has tried harder than I have to live the life God has given to me. But try as I may-when trials come when life's billows roll over me...my endurance, my self effort to stay the course and to finish through thick and thin falls very short-in fact it collapses around me like a house of cards. I do not believe that God intends for us to try to endure to the end. Like fulfilling I Corinthians 13, like producing the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galations, like loving our enemies, all of these examples including enduring to the end are only possible when we rest fully in Jesus. He has done all for us. He has provided all we need to live this life. The problem is not in our endurance but in our apprehension of this one fact: It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. The challenge to us is to Rest in Him. That doesn't mean sit on our duffs and do nothing. It means to end the self effort that ends in failure and allow His Spirit to work out His will and way in our life. We as christians always want to "work it all out" for God. We want to show Him that we love Him so we make all these efforts to "prove it"-including our effort to endure what life throws out at us. Some of us are able through self effort to endure those things. Others are not. But all of us should stop the self effort and allow God to minister in us and through us in all of life. It is Jesus working on the inside that makes us endure to the end. It is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord.

Living in Jesus Christ is a process of growth. We are birthed in and by the Spirit. We are fed milk and then meat as we move from babe to child to mature man or woman in God. Whatever is added to our spirit as we grow comes from Him and only from Him, through the lessons of life. The fact is we are all enduring this life-we are all enduring to the end as we walk in Him-because He causes us to triumph, to finish the race, to enter in. But it is His effort in us and not our effort in Him that causes us to be triumphant and to finish the race and eventually to enter in and hear "well done, thou good and faithful servant.

I despaired of ever being a "good" christian. I could see that other men and women of God were always "better" in something-always more able to overcome and do where I usually failed with flying colors. When I stopped comparing myself to them and when I realized that my efforts to "live the life" were always doomed to failure and when I finally surrendered my self effort for the effectual working of the Spirit in my life-my walk with God changed dramatically. I had hope and joy in my life. My first love for Him returned. Living for Him no longer seemed a challenge and a hard way to live. Every day though I have tell my hard headed self that it is not my effort that brings about spiritual growth and the kind of maturity that would cause me to win the race. It is His effort in me. His and His alone.

I know this was long. I know others will not see this "endurance problem" as I do. But I wanted to share my point of view as perhaps another alternative to those who keep trying and failing and who fear they will not endure to the end. Perhaps it will encourage some of you to allow our Savior control in your life. I don't know. But thanks for listening. In Him. Riverleigh

[tsth]

Dear Riverleigh,

Welcome to WorthyBoards.

You are absolutely right. It is about taking hold of the Power of Jesus Christ. It is about believing, TRULY BELIEVING, what you have heard of The Word! It is truly about being born again!

1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

We must take hold of what we hear! We must take hold of HIM/HIS WORD. Feed yourself of the Word, to live! It is the Bread of Life, and then believe!!!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[sachi]

The challenge to us is to Rest in Him.

That doesn't mean sit on our duffs and do nothing. It means to end the self effort . . . We as christians always want to "work it all out" for God.  .....

But all of us should stop the self effort and allow God to minister in us and through us in all of life. It is Jesus working on the inside that makes us endure to the end.  It is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Powerfully and beautifully stated, Riverleigh.

RESTING IN HIM is not passive - it involves an active and total abandoning of self to Him.

That is the only way we do endure.

Thank you for the great study once again TSTH (Suzanne)

[tsth]

Thanks sachi,

Great to see you again. I've missed ya!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Trinity]

The challenge to us is to Rest in Him.

That doesn't mean sit on our duffs and do nothing. It means to end the self effort . . . We as christians always want to "work it all out" for God.

[Anne]

Dear Dgolvach

I've been running the same questions through in my mind, how can i endure? What could God possibly want of me? I can't take a step without thinking something i shouldn't. Now i'm not a Christian.....yet....but i know God's Holy Spirit is working in me, but for years now, continual doubts have been running through in my mind. Am i good enough? I usually come to the conclusion no, when i considered everything i've done in my life. Then I think last year was the worst ever, having lost 6 close friends and 2 family members in one year! I became exasperated.

You know Suzanne's right about keeping an eye out for an opening we leave for the devil to come in to our lives,.....i found myself praying at work today, asking God to just make it all go away, why was it hurting so much, why is it all just so darn difficult? I didn't hear any voices or anything, but the idea came to me to come home and remove certain literature that i have, some serious some down to the not so serious stuff. I was astounded when i came in here tonight and saw Suzannes last message, maybe God was reaffirming what he was trying to tell me this morning? Who knows?

My point is, i don't think i'm worthy, but God's trying to give me a chance. Not everyday is going to be filled with smiles and laughter but i'm going to keep on trying, do my best and if i get kicked down, i'm going to get up and keep fighting. I think the trick is to keep trying, do your very best and let God do the rest, he's stronger than you or i.

Love Anne

[tsth]

Dear Anne and Dgolvach,

You don't know how encouraging your replies are!!! It's been SOOO LONG, since I have seen/heard anyone considering the cost of following Christ. I am so edified by your honest examinations of yourselves. You are asked to come to Christ with humility and contrition, and there is seemingly so little of that anymore. May God bless you both for your honesty. Now, if you don't mind, I really felt led to address some of the specifics of your post below. If I may?

Dear Dgolvach

I've been running the same questions through in my mind, how can i endure?  What could God possibly want of me?

He wants your life.  That is what He wants of you.  Afterall, He created you, so now what do you do with that?  You glorify Him, you ask for a relationship with Him, through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you be willing to let Him be the Lord and Authority of your life.  The investment on your life, is unmatchable.  You cannot believe the returns in following the Lord Jesus, and allowing Him to mold you into a vessel for His Purposes.  To use to glorify God the Father!  It does not come without personal investments though.  You really have to believe, and be willing to go in contrast to what the world has taught you. And in order to do that, you must begin to understand just Who God Is!  To do that you need to partake of His Word.  That is the starting place.  We must partake of His Word, it is able to save us, if we believe in Him/Jesus Christ, whose Name Is "The Word"!

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

  I can't take a step without thinking something i shouldn't.  Now i'm not a Christian.....yet....but i know God's Holy Spirit is working in me, but for years now, continual doubts have been running through in my mind.  Am i good enough?  I usually come to the conclusion no, when i considered everything i've done in my life.

You are absolutely right Anne, you are not good enough.  None of us are.  That is where Jesus Christ comes in.  He paid the price, it was of death you know.  Because He loves us so much!  I again say, I am very impressed that you are willing to consider the cost of following Christ.  Many today, do not.  We are deserving of death, yet Christ willingly died for us, so that we might have the same outcome.........eternal life with Him.  But, we also must believe what we hear, and we cannot believe if we do not hear/read His Word.  You cannot know Him, if you do not spend time with Him.  How can you marry someone, if you've never spent anytime getting to know them?  How can you say "I do" if you really "don't"?

Then I think last year was the worst ever, having lost 6 close friends and 2 family members in one year!  I became exasperated. 

I am terribly sorry Anne but I know it took major afflictions and trials in my life to get me to wake up to the fact that I needed someone BIGGER than myself to handle it all, and to handle it correctly, in a right manner.  Those hardships were the turning point for me to come to the realization that Who else is better equipped to handle my life, than the One Who made me in the first place, the One who knows everything and created "life" itself!!!  I finally came to a point of understanding that I can't get it right, no matter how hard I try in my own efforts, they're just not sufficient.  Only He Is!  I FINALLY GOT IT!

I am sorry for your trials Anne, but I also know from personal experience, that I rejoice in that period in my life, I now count it as treasure, because those trials are what led me to Jesus Christ through His Word.  It was the point of broken fetters for me.  He freed me!

You know Suzanne's right about keeping an eye out for an opening we leave for the devil to come in to our lives,.....i found myself praying at work today, asking God to just make it all go away, why was it hurting so much, why is it all just so darn difficult?  I didn't hear any voices or anything, but the idea came to me to come home and remove certain literature that i have, some serious some down to the not so serious stuff.  I was astounded when i came in here tonight and saw Suzannes last message, maybe God was reaffirming what he was trying to tell me this morning?  Who knows?

I know!  Yes, Anne that's exactly how God works.  He does compel you step by step, to consider what He asks. That IS the way He reveals Himself and His desires.  I do hope you'll listen, you won't regret anything you do in obedience to God, for I can testify that had I known what a life in Christ would be like, I would have come to Him SO MUCH SOONER!!!  It truly is an exciting adventure, journey and blessing!

My point is, i don't think i'm worthy, but God's trying to give me a chance.  Not everyday is going to be filled with smiles and laughter but i'm going to keep on trying, do my best and if i get kicked down, i'm going to get up and keep fighting.  I think the trick is to keep trying, do your very best and let God do the rest, he's stronger than you or i.

God IS giving you a chance, just as He will for everyone that He created.  He loves us/His Creation, and wants us to come to Him for Trust.  I have proved Him over and over, and He is Faithful and Just.  He loves us and wants the very best for us.  We do keep fighting, but not of our own selves, but by partaking of His Word.  His Word will equip you with EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO OVERCOME.  We do not have to die, we can have everlasting life..........in Christ.  We take hold of Him/His Word/His Power/His Grace/His Truth...and on, and on, and on.

Ezekiel 18:30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord God. "Therefore turn and live!

Take a look at John 3!  It is awesome.

Here's a powerful portion:

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

I do hope you will continue to consider the cost, take hold of Christ and die to yourself.  I hope you will desire to get to know Him better by reading some of these passages in the Word.  (Matthew 13:44-46, Luke 6:47-49, Luke 14:25-35)

Love Anne

In His Love,

Suzanne  (p.s. - please feel free to pm me anytime. )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>