Endurance

Endurance

“But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Luke 22:28-30.

Jesus praises them because they endured with Him in His trials, promising them a glorious reward for their endurance.

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matt. 24:13. Our endurance has far-reaching consequences. We observe the foolish virgins who thought they had endured, but Jesus turned them away with these words: “I do not know you.” Matt. 25:12. Likewise those who are mentioned in Matthew 7:22-23, who thought they had evidence of their endurance in Him by speaking prophetically and driving out evil spirits and performing many powerful works in His name; they received the answer from Jesus that He never knew them because they practiced unrighteousness. The difficulty is always in practicing what is right, and we are to endure in practicing what is right! “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” V. 21. Within are those who say, “Lord, Lord!” and do what is right; outside are those who say, “Lord, Lord!” but practice unrighteousness.

We can also state it like this: Within are those who believe in Jesus, who love Him, and therefore keep His commandments; outside are those who believe (with a dead faith) but do not keep His word. John 14:23-24.

Man’s desire is to have something that can be seen, felt, and handled so he can believe. Therefore many among God’s people strive, not after a holy life and godliness, but for something external, something visible, something that is great in their eyes: large assemblies and famous preachers who produce impressive results.

However, we have to finish a race and walk on the way, step by step. The way is in Jesus’ steps: He who did not commit sin but did God’s will and received the commendation from the Father that He was pleased with Him. Whoever walks on this way is given the right to enter in, because they love Him and keep His commandments and rejoice in pleasing Him.

All exhortations, all ministries in the church, and all edification at gatherings come into their own, therefore it is vital not to grow weary but to endure in all kinds of trials and temptations, in good days and in bad days, in times of famine and in times of abundance, when the Lord seems to be near and when He seems to be far away, when He purifies and cleanses and seems to be troubling you. We must always do what we know to be God’s will, deny our own will, and be steadfast in our first, full assurance until the end. Heb. 3:14.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Jas. 1:12. Our entire life, which consists of various times of temptation, will then end with receiving the crown of life.

“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Heb. 6:15.

“By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” Heb. 11:27.

All God’s mighty men have become examples by enduring, and we ought to take it to heart that today there is no exception to that rule either. Rom. 2:7; 2 Thess. 1:4-5.

Giving up is pure madness. If you have ever made a big mistake or have fallen deep in sin, it is nevertheless possible to be washed clean again. If you cannot do it on your own there is help to be had for the cleansing. Everything is unspeakably much, much better than giving up.