I'm Going With Jesus!
Tuesday's Devotion (1-30-07)
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark 13:13 (KJV)
If you have accepted Jesus Christ... Welcome to the ultimate test of endurance! If you pass the test, then you will receive the ultimate reward (Eternal life with Jesus Christ.) Some would have you think that life gets "easy" once you accept Jesus Christ. But does being hated by the world that you live in sound easy to you? People have been fired from their jobs for Christ's sake, people have been physically attacked for Christ's sake, people have been murdered for His sake. If you have accepted Christ, then expect the world to hate you! The hard part is loving those that hate you and yes, that is a part of the test too.
Ok, I'm done talking about how difficult the test is to pass... Because if you truly have Jesus, then He'll give you all the answers to pass. Let's talk about the reward, and how it will be worth every hardship we ever endure and more. Let's say that you live a hard life, and then die at the ripe age of 96. Yes, that's a long life especially if you've been through a lot of hardships... BUT if you passed the endurance test and stayed with Jesus, then the reward is eternal life with Jesus Christ. Along with that comes eternal joy, and eternal peace, along with many other wonderful things. But when you compare 96 + years to eternity, it makes those 96 years seem like a few seconds (If even that.) If you don't pass the endurance test, then you don't make it to Heaven... You end up in Hell for eternity. So, you go from one hard life to an even worse one, except the worse one is for eternity. It's one of those options that you have to weigh out. Do you want to live a life full of sin and pay the consequences, or do you want to live a life for Jesus and reap the reward? I've already made my decision, I'm going with Jesus!
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins as we forgive all those who've wronged us. Help us to pass this test of endurance and to stay by your side for eternity. Don't let us fall, and help us to walk in love. In Jesus name. A-men!
God bless