Endurance Choice

Endurance Choice

Revelation 14: ⁹ A third angel followed the first two, saying in a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image and receive the mark on their forehead or on their hand ¹⁰ will themselves drink God's wine, the wine of his fury, which he has poured at full strength into the cup of his anger! All who do this will be tormented in fire and sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. ¹¹ The smoke of the fire that torments them goes up forever and ever. There is no relief day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, for anyone who has the mark of its name.”

¹² This calls for endurance on the part of God's people, those who obey God's commandments and are faithful to Jesus.

 

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Getting mad at the hypocrites in church, I decided to leave and do what “I” wanted to do. It was “fun” for a while, but soon I ran into problems that seemed overwhelming. I listened to advice from those who were struggling like me. After years, someone asked me if I believed in JESUS. I already had accepted HIM as my Savior, but my life did not remotely look like I believed.

 

• My choices in life were usually for my own pleasure.
• My choices in life were usually for my own protection.
• My choices in life were usually for “me” and not for GOD.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw the third angel and heard a loud warning. Some people had gotten so desperate about their health and comfort and pleasure that they chose to get the mark of the beast, stating that they no longer belonged to GOD but would rather follow a human. The warning to those who worshiped the beast was eternal pain.

 

My Observations:

• GOD, amazingly, gave us free will to choose HIM or not.
• Free will is the only scenario that love can exist.
• Choosing GOD over the fears the world places in front of me, keeps me focused on HIS endurance.

 

When I want fame, pleasure, comfort and “my” desires, I am quick to leave GOD. I mean, when things are going well, my prayers drop off and sin picks up. After a while, no one can even recognize that I belong to CHRIST because I look like the world HE is trying to save me from.

 

GOD wants me to choose HIM and sometimes that means being uncomfortable. I may stand before the world and say JESUS is my LORD and Savior, only to be met with laughter and sometimes disgust. But HE wants me to endure the ridicule and pressures for more of the world. I place my hope in CHRIST.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer mention endurance?
• Have you ever felt like giving up on GOD?
• Will you know that HE will never give up on you and wants an eternal relationship with you, but it is your choice today?