“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

“For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

“Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him” – Heb. 10:36-38

In 1963 I accepted the Lord into my heart in a little country Lutheran Church in rural Wisconsin. I was a Junior in college, doing well, but lost in my purpose in life when my wife’s uncle invited me to an evangelistic meeting and I was born again. The pastor asked me to read Revelation 3:19,20,21

 

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

I read it and the pastor asked “What happened?” I answered “Nothing.” He said, “Read it again.” So, I read it again and again nothing happened So, he said “Read it again!” This time I realized the truth of those words and Jesus came into my heart. I felt like a 10 ton weight had lifted off me and I began to laugh. That was 56 years ago and God has never failed me since, though there have been many times He has had to rebuke and chasten me on the way.

We are now entering the time of the end. Jesus called it the “days of Noah” and the “days of Lot” and wickedness is abounding on the earth. Canada and England, once bastions of Christian truth, now hate Christianity and are passing laws to curtail the preaching of Biblical truth. Europe has turned its back on Christian truth and is being taken over by Islamic fundamentalism. The United States is in a battle for its soul, being attacked by leftist atheists, God hating socialists, as well as Islamist, as Christian symbols are being removed from all public display and our Christian history is being downplayed and expunged. The signs of satanic worship are displayed over the land. The arch of Baal, the symbol of satanic worship, is being displayed in New York and Washington D.C.

The nearness of the War of Gog and Magog, as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is becoming evident to all who are watching events in the Mideast as Russia, Turkey, and Iran are flexing their muscles and challenging the United States and Israel.

Also natural disasters are increasing as we witness tsunamis, earthquakes, wildfires, and volcanoes shake the earth. Strange die offs  continue happening worldwide. It is as Hosea prophesied –

“‘Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.’ – Hosea 4:1-3

With this constant bombardment of bad news, it is easy to become discouraged and question your faith in God’s mercy and control, as Satan seems to be winning. It is at this point that God speaks – “For you have need of endurance”. His promise is sure –

“For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”

Jesus is coming and the signs all tell us it is not far off. If your faith is weakening, hear the words of Hebrews 4 vs 16 –

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

We can come ‘boldly’ to the throne of grace because the blood Jesus shed for us bought us this right. He has grace to help us obey His words and faith to stand in this evil day. For 56 years, I have proved this promise – you can too.