No Exemption from Trouble
The Christian life will be filled with various difficulties which can be endured with great courage as we cling to God with an accurate understanding of who he is.
endurance
Grace, Patience & Persistence
We should give thanks for all of God’s kind provisions as we patiently and uncompromisingly stand up for Christ in our increasingly hostile culture.
The Kinds of Opposition to Expect
We can expect in our day all sorts of opposition for being faithful to Christ and biblical truth, but we must remember our calling and courageously endure whatever comes our way.
The Endurance of the Saints
God has planned and is always at work in and for his children to move them across the finish line of the Christian life and into the promised kingdom.
Facing God’s Plans with Courage
Being a Christian will require unique courage and boldness because of the unavoidable clash of our theology, values, and identity with so much of the rest of the world.
Desert Attitudes
When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, the destination was the promised land of Canaan – a land of abundance and rest. The route was through the desert – which by contrast was hot, difficult and filled with discomfort. As is so often the case, God’s good plans include a path through the desert. From the perspective of the New Testament
I’m for Christ
In his parable of differing “soils” Jesus specifies some of the reasons certain people initially embrace Christianity, often with a great deal of enthusiasm and fervor, but then after a while bail out never to establish a root system which bears genuine and lasting fruit. Those identified as the first to leave do so because of
Aiming for "Well Done"
Lifelong faithfulness and effectiveness as Christ’s ambassador is aided by both the unsettling thoughts of our coming evaluation as well as the joyful prospects of our eternal home.
Tenacious Endurance
A faithful and fruitful Christian life requires a tenacious endurance, which God supplies those who are resolute in trusting him and serving him.
Open Doors for the Word
We must see ourselves as Christ’s ambassadors always prepared and looking for opportunities to talk about God’s word and his plan of salvation.
Motivated by the Martyrs
No matter how much pressure and opposition we get from our culture to be quiet about our Christianity, we must resolve to continue telling the truth about Christ and his gospel.
And Our Suffering
Being faithful and obedient to Christ in a fallen culture will always come with painful consequences for which we should be prepared and be willing to gladly endure for Christ’s sake.
Wait Patiently
Sometimes the way we read the Bible becomes a disservice to our Christian life. When a tension is presented in the plot of a biblical narrative we naturally “can’t wait” to see how it will be resolved; so we rush on to see how God works it all out. And after we’ve become familiar
Confident in God's Justice
We ought patiently endure this present age with great faith, confidently working and praying for God’s will in everything, always looking with hope for the return of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom.
When to Stop Praying
We must remember that prayer is not an effort to overcome God’s unwillingness, but rather we pray persistently in faith to a good and generous God in hopes of advancing his good plans.
The Hard Work of Fruitful Hearing
The right and saving response to Christ is dependent on the transformative work of God in our hearts, and results in an enduring resolve for doctrinal and behavioral fidelity to the truth.
When Nothing Seems Fair
Though we experience a lot of painful inequities in this life we must replace frustration & complaining with a trust in God’s justice and a focus on his incomparable benefits.
When You Feel Like Slowing Down
God forbids his people to be lazy and lethargic, instead he commands and enables us to always serve the body of Christ with zeal, passion and perseverance.
Acquiring Strength & Stamina from an Omnipotent God
God will infuse his people with strength and stamina as we learn to adopt his perspective and confidently trust in God’s ability to work out his big plan for our lives.
Trusting God in a Stinky Field
Because of our relationship with God (and each other) we can wisely & productively navigate any difficult station in life.
Making Prayer Your Daily Habit
The privilege of having God’s attention when we pray ought to drive us to a deeper commitment of time and fidelity to prayer.
More Ministry Beyond Your Natural Abilities
God is so ready to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things when we’re ready to trust in him instead of ourselves.
Chronic Life Aches
God expects us to live joyful and godly lives no matter how difficult or how long the seasons of suffering last in our lives.
A Critical Reminder About Hupomene
Christians must diligently seek to add perseverance to their faith
