You Have Need of Endurance - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 06/30/24
This
message was originally recorded October 4, 2015.
My
notes:
"We
all face various testing where we have to abide under the pressure and the
testing that life circumstances bring our way, and that's daily; we all face
various circumstances that the Lord is calling us to remain under - to abide
under - to be steadfast and to persevere with manly endurance."
Over
the years, Doug has taught us that as we study scripture how we need to know
the interpretation - the who, what, when, where, and why (i.e.: context) - and
also the application(s) that we can apply. In other words, in the Gospels,
since the church is a mystery and not yet revealed, the passages that indicate
the end of the age are by interpretation speaking of Israel's eschatology, not
that of the church. However, "we need to understand that God's provision
for them and warnings and exhortations apply to us (the church) at the end of
this age."
Once
again we are warned, "There is a judgment that is coming upon the church
very soon, as we see the consummation of the age before us, nation rising
against nation, and the prophecies of those nations that are now gathering
around Israel prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 happening today."
So
what about endurance? What does that look like? Endurance requires us "to
continue to abide and remain under the circumstances that God has sovereignly
placed you in, to remain under... to remain under... to remain under while the
soul continues to die." We have need of endurance; "not a change of
circumstances... or another way out where we can find a better life, so our
soul can feel better." As for our soul life needing to die, "don't
forget that death is not the end; it's the means to an end." The result of
that dying to self is the resurrection life of Christ. "You want God to
change your circumstances? You'll give up sonship. Our circumstances are not
the issue. What is God training us; what is the discipline (child-training) of
the Lord in those circumstances? What's He trying to teach us? Is it pleasant?
No! The soul is dying."
What
is God waiting for in sending His Son to come for His bride? "He's waiting
for that which represents as soul-governed church to accept crucifixion with
Christ, and come on to the ground of Jesus Christ in a state of exanastasis
(Philippians 3:11). That's what He's waiting for. A church that will be
raptured will be wholly on the ground of resurrection spiritually, not
physically. A church that is governed by the life of the soul is not going to
stand at the end."
Speaking
of Hebrews, "it has everything to do with the inheritance - the whole book
has to do with inheritance, full reward. It's a race that's set before
us." The race requires perseverance and endurance. "There's a race
set before us, and there's a joy set before Him. What is that joy? 'I must be
perfected; I must go through to God's full end as Man for man so that the
Father can bring many sons to glory. The joy of giving to the Father - many
sons." For the joy, Jesus endured. "Are we enduring anything that's
greater than what He has endured?"
Endurance
for overcomers results in reigning with Christ. "’If we endure with Him (2
Timothy 1:12), we shall reign as kings.’ Endurance - reigning. ‘If we suffer
with Him, we shall be glorified with Him’" (Romans 8:17).
Link
to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-4-15+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
A
rich discussion followed with plenty of jewels that relate to the message:
https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-4-15+Discussion.mp3
Recommended:
JD Farag recently gave a very good message on the suffering church of Smyrna
(Rev. 2:8-11): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NeWBIL_FO0.
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!