I COR. 9:24
ISAIAH 40:28-31
THE MESSAGE FOR THIS WEEK IS ONE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. YOU MIGHT ALSO SAY IT IS ONE OF HOPE. THE BIBLE TELL US THAT THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT, NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG, NEITHER YET BREAD TO THE WISE, NOR YET RICHES TO MEN OF UNDERSTANDING, NOR YET FAVOR TO MEN OF SKILL; BUT TIME AND CHANCE HAPPENETH TO THEM ALL. JUST ENDURE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ENDURE? PEOPLE WOULD TELL COUPLES TO HANG IN THERE OR ENDURE YOUR MARRIAGE, A CHANGE WILL COME. WE ARE TOLD THE SAME THING ABOUT OUR JOBS. JUST ENDURE, THINGS WILL CHANGE. WEBSTER TELL US THAT TO ENDURE IS: TO TOLERATE, TO SUFFER, AND TO SURVIVE.
IN ST. MATTHEW, JESUS WAS TALKING TO HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE END TIMES: KINGDOMS AGAINST KINDGOMS, PESTILENCE AND EARTHQUAKES, PEOPLE OFFENDING AND BETRAYING ONE ANOTHER. FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY, BUT JESUS SAID, “BUT HE THAT ENDURETH UNTO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED.” IF WE JUST HOLD OUT, KEEP RUNNING AND DON’T GROW WEARY, JESUS WILL SEE US THROUGH.
YOUR SERVANT IN CHRIST,
PASTOR KENNETH CROSKEY
