Hold Firm To The End

March 9, 2021

For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

~Hebrews 3:14~

When we first come to believe in Jesus it is a fresh new love. We get fired up in the spirit, we talk about Him all the time, we think about Him, we strive to be like Him and we yearn to show others who He is. As time goes on and we hit road blocks in our walk that the devil has strategically placed, we begin to slip away from that fire that was powerfully within us from our rebirth. If we miss one single day of prayer or reading the word. If we lack in obedience because we just "feel like doing this one thing we truely want to do." If we begin to search for people's approval rather then just focusing on God's approval alone. The time may come when we end up like the wandering Israelites if we do not die to ourself each day. "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily."

(I Corinthians 15:31)

Jesus gave us new life through Him, it is no longer us who lives but Him who lives in us. Paul understood the importance of enduring to the very end. To not seek to please men but seek to remain holy for the Lord. There may be times when the Holy Spirit will convict us to rid something in our life, to stop watching things, listening to things or speaking things that are offensive to Him. We must listen. "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." (Titus 2:12)

Notice the wording "live soberly" in this verse. We know that any type of drunkeness will cause us to slip and fall, I know this first hand from my past. Apart from that type of drunkeness, when we give into the things of this world we will become drunk off our own desires and we will begin to forget what we made an oath to do from the beginning. We were so confident from the start but are we going to remain confident in Jesus till the very end of our life or of this world if we are alive to bear witness of this? Are we able to succumb to verbal abuse for the Lord Jesus, to become mocked, to be hated, to be tested and possibly put to death for the faith that is within us? Can we take a moment and ask ourselves this now; would I die for Christ? My personal immediate answer I can tell you is strong yes. I do not fear death for I know as I follow the will the Lord has for me each day without wavering i shall look forward to my time the Lord takes me Home. My family, including my seven year old is heavily prepared for such a thing, we need to be honest about the entire gospel, especially to our children. There may come a day when we would need to choose and we need to be willing to always choose Jesus to the very end. The faith that is in us should outweigh anything else in front of us. There is no fear in love. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (I John 4:18)

Jesus tells us to stand strong all the way to our end, no matter what that may be. Preparation in the Lord is important my friends. We must search ourselves and consider who our true first love is. It needs to be Him. Above all, even our own children. God gave us life and we give it right back to Him. Notice the word says that we become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence to the end. It does not say "no matter what we choose to hold to the end." We must stand firm and not waver. The wandering israelites lost their promise of rest in Him since they decided to harden their hearts and disobey; "Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

(Hebrews 3:10‭-‬11)

We too, have the ability to follow in the same destructive path as they did, we are no different. Our pride likes to make us think we are. We too have the ability to break the Lord's covenant and go about our ways we were in before. We must not get too comfortable in the world as a christian, rather become pilgrims to this world as christians. We cannot dip our feet in both sides. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

When we choose Christ, we must live for Christ steadfast to the end. It may be uneasy at times, we may face situations where our faith is tested or we may even be attacked for this faith. The Lord Jesus held Himself faithful to His calling, now let us take on His image. "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man." (I Corinthians 15:49)

We wrestle daily with the flesh we live within, yet Christ gives us strength as we draw closer to Him to endure and to walk in spirit and truth. We must not compromise in any area of our walk. "Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters." (Proverbs 25:13)

Let us be consistant in pleasing our Lord and standing fast for what He put to death to give us. Let us not lose out on our rest in Him as we face any situation the devil throws at us to try and make us turn to him with the things of this world. "Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth." (Revelation 2:16)

Let us speak truth to these when they arise, and pierce the lies of the enemy and hold on to our hope that was so freely given to us at the cross. Let us take up our crosses and show our children to as well as we follow Jesus, to the very end, no matter what that may look like. He is with us as we do.

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank you for the strength of Christ that dwells within me. I pray to never waver from my faith and to stand firm to the very end. Lord I praise You for Your steadfast faith as You bore my sins and put to death the power of darkness on that cross. Show me how to stand firm and not let the pride of life cause me to become too comfortable in my christianity. I strive to follow You to the end and become a partaker in Your divine rest. Show me how I can be a blessing today to those around me and shine the light of Jesus to the world in a time where many may turn their backs on You. I love You with every depth of my being. I am at Your feet day in and day out. Keep me strong. Glory be to God the Father who keeps watch over me. In the Name of Your Son, my Redeemer and King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Amen.