11 “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
13 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Emphasis added.) Mark 13:9-13.
How can we endure to the end?
It is tough enough to live a normal life of working hard for your paycheck, keeping your job, staying married, and raising your kids.
But, then we get a bad boss, jealous and mean co-workers, new job responsibilities, down-sizing, marital difficulties, and rebellious children. Our roof leaks. Our car breaks down. Our parents become aged and need help. We get fat. We get lazy. We get sick. We get injured.
How can we deal with just such normal events in life?
Then, on top of all of these normal events, this Scripture states: “they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings … they arrest you and hand you over … Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name …”
How can we endure all this?!
First of all, we must live within the day. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 We don’t experience all these troubles on the same day. We should not worry about everything at once. Rather, we should focus on the actual troubles that we have for that day. We should not worry about tomorrow.
Second, God will help us with the troubles that we encounter for that present day. Notice the phrase “day of trouble” in the following Scriptures. Yet, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!”
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.”
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
“In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, For You will answer me.”
“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Recall it to mind, you transgressors.
9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.” Isaiah 46:8-11.
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 