To Endure!

[Sion]

Dear Sion,

That's really beautiful. Did you write it?

Thanks for sharing it!

In His Love,

Suzanne

Dear Suzanne

You are welcome. I Praise Our Lord for His gifts. I Praise His Holy Name for His Love that is More Beautiful than words can express.

[jackie d]

Suzanne,

I agree with you. Ive seen what you suggest work for some. I believe I followed the same instructions but it for some reason really didn't work. I'm not some dark deprived figure. I don't steal, cheat on my wife or do crime. I just know my thought life and it is awful as it has been my whole 42 years. See, I don't even lie that much! I have a dark side. I don't act on it but its there and I think about it. Jesus said your guilty even if you think about it. If prayed and read scriptures over and over but I tell you, It just dosen't stop my mind. Its like my mind is different from my soul if that makes any sence. I would never actually do what my mind fantacises about and I can say that truthfully but its still there which makes me one evil sinner. It scares me. I think Pink Floyd wrote songs about people like me. I do think about Jesus all of the time. I wish that all of the bad stuff in me could be washed away at the cross but as you say, "Endure". I have failed miserably. I have a very serious condition health wise so maybe God will still have grace for me. You really have to fight hard and be in top shape to gain the free gift of salvation as the scriptures were layed out on this post. I do believe the Bible it true. All of it!

God Bless

Dan

Like Paul, I believe that every person has a thorn in the flesh...you are not alone in what you have said, though I don't know what your dark thoughts and fantasies are about, I can tell you that every word you said speaks to me loud and clear as I go through times that are very dark and frightening. The one thing that is important for me to do when these things happen and I am so weak and weary from the fight is to remember what God told Paul, my grace is sufficient...and another good thing for me to do also during those times is to go back and look into the doctrine of salvation. Not only is salvation something that has happened for me, there is also a process of salvation that continues up to the time of our death. For me to remember that it is Christ who saved me and not by my own might that I am saved, helps me to cling to the hope and grace of His infinite forgiveness.

Suzanne, thank you for your words of encouragement and reminders of endurance.

[tsth]

Dear jackie,

You are welcome! And I DO hope Dan will reply on this!

FYI (note the date of his quote)

In His Love,

Suzanne

[jackie d]

Dear jackie,

You are welcome! And I DO hope Dan will reply on this!

FYI (note the date of his quote)

In His Love,

Suzanne

wow! I didn't even see that...LOL!!

[tsth]

Yes, but there's more to his story!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[jackie d]

Yes, but there's more to his story!

In His Love,

Suzanne

having read more, I really think the true question is what do we think endurance is? Isn't endurance running the race no matter how tired or winded we become? Not taking our eyes off of Jesus regardless of the circumstance? Even when we have sinned? Or strayed from home for a time? Though Peter denied Jesus 3 times, he still got to run the race and endured to the end those things that were put before him.....

am I missing the mark here Suzanne?

[tsth]

I would look at the comments of Paul. Seems like his teachings were always about enduring, persevering, run the race, etc.

Here's just a few places within the Bible:

2Ti 2:3 -

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2Ti 2:10 -

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

2Ti 2:12 -

if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;

2Ti 4:5 -

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Heb 12:7 -

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

1Pe 2:20 -

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

Re 3:10 -

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

And:

Galatians 5:7

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

2Ti 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Heb 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[jackie d]

Even when we have sinned? Or strayed from home for a time?

not in dispute of the verses you posted at all....but what about these two questions? Not that I want to sin, but it happens and I am someone who can easily condemn myself and continue to beat myself for the wrongs I've done. When I am doing this I am not enduring but taking the forgiveness that Christ says is freely mine and holding onto my wrongs as weapons against myself.

So I have to ask, isn't part of endurance to go to Christ with our sins, laying them at His feet, accepting His forgiveness and not allowing the enemy (myself or satan) to take this from me or continue to use against me? Isn't part of enduring to stand firm in the faith of believing that Christ has forgiven me and moving forward in spite of what I have been or done?

[tsth]

Even when we have sinned? Or strayed from home for a time?

not in dispute of the verses you posted at all....but what about these two questions? Not that I want to sin, but it happens and I am someone who can easily condemn myself and continue to beat myself for the wrongs I've done. When I am doing this I am not enduring but taking the forgiveness that Christ says is freely mine and holding onto my wrongs as weapons against myself.

So I have to ask, isn't part of endurance to go to Christ with our sins, laying them at His feet, accepting His forgiveness and not allowing the enemy (myself or satan) to take this from me. Isn't part of enduring to stand firm in the faith of believing that Christ has forgiven me and moving forward in spite of what I have been or done?

Yes, but the enemy can also kid you into thinking that is acceptable to keep doing the same sin over and over again, without regard to what God's Word says. Who are you going to believe with regard to your sin? The subtle temptation to believe it's ok, and you'll be forgiven, even when you continue in willful sin activities, OR to believe God's Word with regard to whatever it is you are practicing? At some point, you've got to decide WHO you're going to believe, and then "endure" in what you know to be Truth.

In His Love,

Suzanne