PERSIST UNTIL THE END!
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: “Volhard tot die einde”
Translator: Lynda Botha
Someone sent me a letter which included beautiful comments from the Afrikaans “Bybel in Praktyk” and I would like to share a part of that letter with you.
The heading of this letter was:
An appeal to the believers to persevere in order to receive what God has promised.
The part that I want to share with you here from the Afrikaans “Bybel in Praktyk” (p 1926), is the following:
"God often uses the hardships people cause you by insults and persecution to show the world, as if in a showcase or on a theatre stage, how His child manages these trials. Even though your hardships might be experienced through these people who are causing these events as a public humiliation, God is actually trying to boast with you. This knowledge that God is showcasing you to display the power of true faith, gives you the strength to persevere! "
HEBREWS 10:33-34
33 “Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.”
34 “You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
Then further we also read in this passage from the Afrikaans “Bybel in Praktyk”:
"The author wanted to encourage his readers to prove the authenticity of their faith by their perseverance in times of extreme hardship.
They should not get discouraged and give up.
Believing involves a person to trust what Christ has already done for you, but it also involves having your hopes on what He is still going to do for you in the future. "
HEBREWS 10:35-38
35 “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!”
36 “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.”
37 “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.”
38 “And My righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
This concludes the part of the letter which I wanted to share with you.
Therefore, child of God, look within the spirit of yourself – but not towards how you stumble, because we all stumble often – but rather look at your faith in Jesus Christ and you will see pure show quality!
Finally I would like to share with you now a few Scriptures from the Bible, to encourage you child of God, who is going through difficult times, to keep persevering to the end and to remember as you read these Scriptures, that it is God's words and not words of people.
1 COR 10:13 “The temptations (Trials) in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation (Trials) to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted (Trials), He will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
JAMES 1:2-4
2 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
3 “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
4 “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”1 PETER 1:6-9
6 “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”
7 “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
8 “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. (This is not a worldly joy, but the joy of the certain knowledge in our faith in Jesus Christ to know what is waiting for us)
9 “The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.”ROMANS 8:18-21
18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.”
19 “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are.”
20 “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,”
21 “the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.”ROM 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
JOHN 16:33 “I (Jesus) have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Greetings,
Sakkie