" VENTURE TO PERSEVERE "

Good Morning To You,

It's my hope and desire that you are well on this day that the Lord Jesus Christ has made. I understand that many are faced with sickness, heart-ache and much suffering, so it is my prayer that the Will of God, his " Perfect Will " be done in your life. This week we are discussing Persevering through anything that may come our way.

Once I set my mind on something it's firmly fixed, in spite of any difficulties. To believe in Jesus and endure to the end will take perseverance because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials may sift true Christians from fair-weather believers into robust. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for us, but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us going through the times of persecution.

If God has called you to any chore, determine in your mind that you are going to complete it, even if you face opposition and or discouragement. In these times uncomfortable situations may seem to be the norm. The rewards of work well done are sincerely worth the effort. Some of us forget or we just put out of our minds that every day all over this world Christians suffer for Christ. Now, if you're up on your Bible you know that Jesus predicted that His followers, those of us who know Him as our personal Savior could be severely persecuted by those who hate what He stands for. In the midst of terrible persecution, please know that you are never alone. This translates into you knowing that Salvation is yours, remembering that He's promised never to leave us nor to forsake us.

Listen, perseverance, persistence, then the prize! When we became Christians we were never told that this life would be perfect in all ways. We must have a purpose and a plan because times will be difficult and Satan will attack. But we never persevere without the promise of a prize - a promise God will keep. I'm convinced that all true believers persevere, though they may have lap es of faith, tantamount with steadfastness and endurance. Those who patiently and persistently do God's will, find eternal life. He is contradicting his previous statement that salvation comes by faith alone. We are not saved by good deeds, but when we commit our lives fully to God, we want to please him and do his will. As such, our good deeds are a grateful response to what God has done, not a prerequisite to earning His grace.

Last Point: Because Christ lives in us as believers, we can remain confident and likewise hopeful to the end. I say again we are not saved by being steadfast and firm in our faith, but our courage and hope do reveal that our faith is real. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by temptation, false teaching, or persecution. Remember the benefits of standing firm, allows our faith to grow in Christ. To persevere is totally trusting God in any situation, no matter how things presently appear.

Until Next Time...
Jim