FORTITUDE

FORTITUDE

   Matthew chapter 24

   Hebrews [GW] chapter 3 … As the Holy Spirit says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be stubborn. … So I [God] angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest." Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you ever develop a wicked, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. … Who did God swear would never enter his place of rest? He was talking about those who didn't obey him. {Please read in complete context. Also note Ps.95:7-11]

   Hebrews 4:9-11 Therefore, a time of rest and worship exists for God's people. Those who entered his place of rest also rested from their work as God did from his. So we must make every effort to enter that place of rest. Then no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey.

  Luke 21:19 tells us as followers of Christ that in our trusting patience we can possess our souls. I’m unable to completely understand or fully explain this, but it is obvious to me in the context of all Scripture that Christ’ work is complete salvation-wise whereas mine is an ongoing work that involves personal responsibility with fortitude to the very end of my life or the Matthew 24 Tribulation; this fortitude is something I cannot gain or maintain without being in His rest as result of obeying God’s precepts spelled out in His Word, the Bible. (Ps.119; “rest” in the book of Hebrews) Fortitude now and until our end very much involves the current practice of our humbly off-loading our anxieties on Him. If we don’t presently practice God’s gracious provision stated in 1Peter 5:7 how can we possibly expect to have fortitude during our end. Stated another way: If we are crushed and discombobulated by our present “light afflictions” how will we handle large future challenges?

  Please be reminded that “Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine. We don't look for things that can be seen but for things that can't be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can't be seen last forever.” (GW 2Cor.4:17-18)

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