Endurance - Do you have what it takes?

Good Morning World!
This morning while cleaning one of the college classrooms I noticed a textbook opened to a story about Sir Ernest Shackleton a heroic explorer of the Antarctic.  What caught my attention wasn't his heroic feats as much as some interesting seemingly unimportant details.

On one of the expeditions he used a ship called the Polaris of great craftsmanship,  however, he changed the name to Endurance which was based on the family motto: Through endurance we will Conquer. This to me was the most important element of the whole heroic event!  Why?  Because it shows what was in the man.  Through endurance he was able to keep ALL of his crew alive in the Antarctic after a terrible shipwreck in the ice.  Not many people can say that they have what it takes to endure through such hardship and turmoil!

The scripture tells us that Jesus said these words: "He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved!" Do you have what it takes?  This can be a hard life, and believing in Jesus Christ and living by His principles can be difficult at the best of times.  Not because it is difficult to follow Jesus and His ways, but because people in this world don't understand why we do what we do.  It is a lack of understanding in the unknown and fear that causes people to treat those of us who try to live a righteous, God filled life in a not so pleasant manner.

It takes a great deal of intestinal fortitude and endurance to keep your tack, and not turn back.  We must not let the negativity of this world beat our convictions down.  Don't let the majority tell you that you are wrong, just because they don't understand your point of view.  Endure the cross as Jesus did, and one day you will find that it leads to a glorious salvation! Keep the faith and don't look back!

Yours for Christ,
Pastor Fred

Ever Wonder?

Have you ever wondered:

1. Why there is some much crap going on in the world today?
2. Why are there wars and famines?
3. Why are there homeless, and shut-ins?

My list could go on and on, but I'll let you think about the possibilities. Have you ever thought about these things? I'm sure you have, most everyone I've ever talked to has at some point in time thought about world hunger, famine, dying children and the homeless.

Let me share a couple scriptures with you before I explain.

Leviticus 26:3-13
(vs 3 and 4)

If ye walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Also read:
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Deuteronomy 30:1-14

The above verses describe the blessings of God upon His people if they will follow in His ways.

BUT

There is another side to the coin! If we will not walk in God's ways He will put on us all the curses, and more until we repent and come back to God!

Read:
Leviticus 26:14-46
Deuteronomy 28:15-68
Deuteronomy 30:15-20

These scriptures are for the children of God you say.....sure here are some for those who are not "children of God."

Leviticus 18:24-30
God will command the land to spew out the inhabitants who defile themselves with unholy things and activities!

The simple answer is "SIN".

We have let down our standards, our beliefs, our convictions, our faith and let society and modernism dictate to us what is right or wrong. The only problem is that society things all the wrong things are right, and all the right things are wrong!

We must get back to God, repent and live according to Holiness and pleasing God!

Yours for righteousness,
Pastor Fred