Endure till the end.

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:16-22

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:12-14

Do you have the endurance to last to the ‘end’? Can you push through all the current discomfort, pain, heartaches, and blatant malicious attacks …and keep moving forward? Do you have such a connection with the Holy Spirit that His voice alone … is all you need? Like the saying “You never really know God is all you need, UNTIL He is all you’ve got.” Have the non-stop tests and attacks on your body and soul made you weary? Who do you seek when you need to be ‘recharged’ by God? Do you have fellow trench warriors? Do you know whose prayers are powerful? Have you made strong spiritual relationships with others beyond the religious institution’s Sunday morning entertainment performance hour? Have you had long deep spiritual discussions with others over the things that your soul actually struggles with? Do you have those trusted, faithful, ‘secret keeper’ friends … that actually love you like Jesus?

When we face soul crushing challenges … how will we make it through? If the mature and closely personal relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit hasn’t been developed in you … then you are in GREAT DANGER! And just sitting in a 4-walled building that is labeled a “Church’ on Sunday mornings is all you have … then you are in GREAT DANGER! Please I beg you …develop mature close spiritual friendships and relationships outside of the religious institutional places! Learn to pray with one another … in REAL raw heart-felt honesty … before God. Learn how to distinguish the Voice of the Lord in your head! YES! He speaks to your mind! Do you know how to recognize His Voice within you? Do you hear His words when you are to speak when standing before the earthly authorities? Do you hear His encouragement to you when you are facing that trial that is seemingly getting the upper hand in your life? Like in the hymn of old “In the Garden” in the chorus “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.” One of the reasons I love the old hymns is the blatantly obvious relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit is sung about again and again. Does He walk and talk with you? Do you walk and talk with Him? When is the last time you purposely went out on a walk to talk to Him? I think the best discipleship times are when you are literally working or walking together.

Have you learned how to endure? Do you have others you have went through life crushing events together? That’s where the trueness of the relationship is revealed.

Is Jesus REALLY your best friend?

Father – we commit it ALL to YOU! Everyone and everything – all to YOU. You ARE what I need! Jesus thank you for talking to me. Holy Spirit thank you for YOUR love. Lord Jesus …I just want to be where YOU are!