Endurance

Read Luke 21:5-36.

By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19

In this passage Jesus is talking to His disciples about the end times. Who of us doesn't want to know about the future--our end times.  The characteristic we're focusing on for the next few days is "endurance". Jesus wanted His disciples and us to rely on Him--on the Holy Spirit--for the words to say in our defense when we are persecuted. Did you see that in verse 14--don't prepare beforehand--He will give us the words to say. He goes on to tell us to ENDURE (v19) to gain our lives. Don't give up or give in--stand firm in your faith. Know what you believe and in whom you have faith--God and God alone. You don't want to loose your faith--your life by being weak and wishy-washy about what you believe. Remember what Jesus told John to write in Revelation to the church at Laodicea--because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out....Revelation 3:16. Get yourself fired up about Jesus and endure the trials and tribulations that may come your way because you love Him. Jesus endured a lot for you. Can you endure a little for Him?

Training Tip - Do your children know what "endurance" means? You can talk about enduring something--but they really need to experience it for themselves. When I was a kid we had to weed the bean fields on the family farm. The rows were long and it was hot! Mom would be out there with us kids working along side us reminding us that there was fresh cold water at the head of the row--just a short time weeding down our row and back up and we could have a drink of water. That taught us to ENDURE. What can you do to create a situation like that? We don't have the bean fields anymore--but test their endurance.

Lord God, we want to be able to endure as You expect us to. Give us wisdom and strength to endure for Your name sake. 

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.