******************************************************************************
Vision: We embrace
Christ’s kingdom – His
presence and fullness – here at Christ Center!
Today: Jesus
prophesied that true kingdom saints will endure “to the end.” Matthew 24:6-14.
6
"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not
frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in
various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8
But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9
Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be
hated by all nations because of My name.
10
At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and
hate one another. 11
Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12
Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 13
But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Review: Luke 18:1, 8b.
1 Now He was
telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to
lose heart, . . . [Parable
of the persistent widow and the stubborn judge] . . . 8b However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith
on the earth?" [NOTE: Faith is evidenced in
persevering prayer.]
1. Satan’s Strategy:
Wear down the saints in order
to establish his kingdom of darkness. Dan. 7:23-27.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,
and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25
He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the
saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations
in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time. 26
But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated
and destroyed forever. 27
Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under
the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His
kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and
obey Him.
|
Four Elements of Faith-Fatigue: What Anti-Christ
will do is what Satan is doing to saints now. 1. Character
Attack: He marginalizes the glory of God in
society. Spiritual climate change. 2. Time
Attack: Delay! He interferes with the plan of God
(e.g., “alterations in times”). 3. Truth
Attack: Dumb-Down! He undermines the Word of God
(e.g., “change laws”). 4. Liberty
Attack: Bondage! He wants to dominate the people of
God (“given into his hand”). |
2. Saints’ Steadfastness:
Here is Biblical insight faith that perseveres.
& Revelation 6:9-11. NOTE: “How long, O Lord!” occurs
58 times in the Bible.9 When the
Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who
had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which
they had maintained; 10 and
they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy
and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who
dwell on the earth?" 11
And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they
should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow
servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would
be completed also.
& Hebrews 10:32-11:2, 39-40. 32 But
remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great
conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by
being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly
by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and
accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for
yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which
has a great reward. 36 For you
have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you
may receive what was promised.
37 for yet in a very little while, he who is
coming will come, and will not delay.
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith;
and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But we
are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have
faith to the preserving of the soul.
11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things
not seen. 2 For by it the A men of old 1 B gained approval. . . . 39 And all these, having gained approval through their
faith, did not receive what was promised, 40
because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they
would not be made perfect.
& James 1:2-4. 2 Consider it
all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing
that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let
endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
& Daniel 7:21-22. 21 I
kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and
overpowering them 22 until the
Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the
Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the
kingdom.
& Daniel 10:1-3, 12-14. 1 In the
third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was
named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he
understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. 2 In those
days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not
eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any
ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. . . .
12 Then
he [the revealing angel, probably Gabriel, 9:21] said to me, "Do not be
afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on
understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were
heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the
prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days;
then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been
left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what
will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the
days yet future."
& Galatians 6:9. Let us
not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not
grow weary.
& Hebrews12:1-3. 1
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us
also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider
Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so
that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
& 1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
& Ephesians 6:18. With all
prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with
this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition
for all the saints,
Communion: & Psalm 61:1-4. 1 Hear my cry, O God;
Give heed to my prayer. 2
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the
rock that is higher than I. 3
For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in Your tent
forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.