Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
God expects you to be diligent. If you are diligent, HE will reward you. In 2 Peter 1:4-7, we are told about eight precious promises that you can obtain. The eight precious promises are […]
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long,
Love is patient. A beautiful example of this principle is found in the story of Jacob and Rachel. We are told in scripture that Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. (Genesis 29:20).
We live in […]
Psalms 37:34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shall see it.
Do you desire God to do great things through you? In order to receive the blessing of God exalting you to do great things for HIM, HE […]
Psalms 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
When you wait, God desires that you do so patiently. There are two ways to wait; you can do it your way or God’s way. […]
James 5:7-8 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
There is a time […]
Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
We live in a society that wants everything and we want it now. However, God has a different plan for your life. God desires that HIS children learn patience. God says that it is good for you to […]
James 1:3-4 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
God promised to this world a Savior. However, God did not send HIS Only Son the minute HE first promised to mankind a Redeemer. Instead, God tried the […]
Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
There is no such thing as a self made man. Apart from God you can do nothing. It is God who has given you your […]
Psalms 59:9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defense.
Patience probably is not easy for you. You understand that scripture tells you to wait on the Lord, but at times, waiting does not seem natural. It does not matter what it is, once you have learned […]
Psalms 38:15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O LORD my God.
Where is your expectation? Do you rely upon your own strength or do you rely upon God? It is much easier to rely upon your own strength because you are then able to do what you want when you […]
Acts 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Paul had felt led of the Lord to preach the good news in Asia but the Lord stopped him. Paul understood correctly that it was God�s will to preach in Asia, but he was also careful to ensure that he did God�s will in God�s timing. When God finally released Paul to preach in Asia, over the course of two years, all the Jews and Greeks heard the message God had placed on Paul�s heart.
Paul�s message began with twelve men who had received the baptism of John but had not received the Holy Ghost. From here Paul started teaching in the synagogue and then teaching daily in a school. God gave Paul the ability to heal the sick and cast out devils so then the people started coming to Paul in order to be healed. God opened up the doors for Paul to share the gospel with all of Asia and Paul did not have to travel.
Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
Paul had already been taking the time to preach in the synagogue every Sabbath. However, now that help had arrived in Corinth, God opened the door for Paul to go do what Paul desired to do, preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. God understood that the people in Corinth were ready to hear the truth, but he had Paul wait until help arrived.
Why God waited to press upon Paul that he could now preach the gospel is not known. However, what is known is that God�s perfect timing corresponded with Paul receiving help. It could be God did not want Paul to work on his own because God did not want Paul to become proud in how God was working through him. It could be that God knew the harvest would be abundant and that Paul could not handle the harvest on his own. Whatever the reason, God caused Paul to go through a period of waiting before HE released Paul to fulfill God�s purpose for his life.
Acts 15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
John Mark had been traveling with Paul and Barnabas on their last missionary journey. During this trip, John decided that he was going to return to Jerusalem and thus left Paul and Barnabas to finish the work. God had evidently called John to follow Paul and Barnabas but John did not finish the journey with them.
In Hebrews 12:1, scripture states, �Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us�. This verse is preceded by many examples of individuals who had to demonstrate faith during their lifetime. Paul felt that John Mark had quit the race that was set before him. John did not finish the missionary journey and thus demonstrated his lack of faith.
Acts 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Paul and Barnabas and been chosen by God to be missionaries to the Gentiles. However, upon completion of their missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas ended up waiting in Antioch for a long period of time before God enabled them to go on another journey. During this wait, God used them on a quick trip to Jerusalem were the question was raised whether the Gentiles had to be circumcised before they could be saved. However, just because Paul and Barnabas were in a holding pattern and they were not actively traveling around the world preaching the gospel, this did not mean that they were not seeking ways that they might live their lives for the Lord.
Acts 14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
Paul and Barnabas had finished the work that God had called them to do so they returned to Antioch where they were commissioned. Upon their return, they shared with those who sent them a report of what God had done through them and how the good report of Christ�s life was shared with the Gentiles. Scripture tells us that Paul and Barnabas then had to abide in Antioch for a long period of time with the disciples.
Paul and Barnabas had been commissioned by God to serve HIM on the mission field. However, when they had fulfilled that task, God allowed them to go back to where they started and gave them a time of patience where they were not actively out fulfilling God�s purpose for their life of being missionaries. God had given them a time where they were really busy for the Lord, but now was a period of resting and waiting.
I Samuel 24:4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul�s robe privily.
Samuel had anointed David king. David knew what God�s purpose for his life was. David even had a promise from God that God would deliver his enemies into his hands. Saul was pursuing after David attempting to kill him. However, as Saul was attempting to kill David, he put himself in a position whereby David could have actually killed him instead. David could have killed Saul and taken over the throne by killing the one person who was stopping him from ascending to his God given calling.
Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
This is the second time in a very short period of time that God specifically stated that Sarah was going to have a son. Based upon Abraham�s age, it is clear that no more then a couple of months had expired since God told Abraham of the covenant between them which required him to circumcise every male in his house. It was during this conversation that God rejected Ishmael as the promise child and stated that Sarah would bear a son.
Philippians 2:17-18 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Paul had served God for many years. He had led many heathen to Christ Jesus. He served God doing HIS will without murmuring and disputing. Paul had faced many trials as a result of his faith. However, these trials were his joy and were the joy of other Christians. Paul however knew of one more sacrifice that he was to give. This was the pouring out of his blood for the cause of Christ.
Paul understood that he was going to die for Christ�s sake. His death was not to be a time of sorrow for the church but was to be a time of rejoicing. His death was to be a time of rejoicing because Paul was home with the Lord and the Lord counted him worthy to suffer death just as Jesus suffered an unjust death.
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Joy! Count it all joy! How am I supposed to be cheerful, have a calm delight, and have gladness in my life when I face temptation? God don�t you think that you are being a little demanding to insist that I face my trials with joy?
God gave you a commandment in how you are to live your life. However, HE followed it up with an explanation. God desires that we learn to have a calm delight in HIM as we go through temptations. The reason we are to be cheerful when we go through adversity is because we know that God is working through us. We are able to have gladness because this trial that is before us will enable us to learn patience.
II Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecution and tribulations that ye endure:
The apostle Paul is on the outside looking in at the church of Thessalonica. Paul is able to rejoice in the endurance of the church. Paul is trying to encourage the church by pointing out something that they are doing right. It is interesting to note that this praise is not coming in the middle of the letter but at the very beginning so that everyone who hears this letter will remember that his or her endurance is pleasing to God.
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Jesus is telling a parable in which he started by saying that men ought always to pray and to not faint. HE illustrates this point by telling of a judge who feared not God and a widow who constantly came before the judge seeking the judge to assist her by avenging her of her adversary. In verse seven, Jesus reminds that that �God [shall] avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him.�
This parable is a lesson in faith by reminding us that persistent prayer has a direct correlation with our faith. This widow would not take no for an answer. She was persistent in her petition and eventually she was given her request. So too must we learn to be persistent in prayer, especially when we know what the will of the Lord is in the manner. In verse seven, Jesus also informs us that while the Lord will avenge his own, he will bear long with us. The Hebrew word for bear long means patient. Thus, the Lord will give us our petition, yet HE will often wait a long time before HE gives it to us in order to see how long we will be persistent in our prayers.
