Patience

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Eph 4:1-3

There are times when my patience really wants to fly out the window. It can be a struggle to be patient with those who continue to make the same mistakes over and over again and wonder why they are having such a hard time in life.

A friend of mine once warned me that I should be very careful what I asked God for because He answers our prayers and we may not like the way in which He answers them. She had warned me against asking God to give me patience. She had asked for patience in caring for her family and He had answered. He helped her to learn to be patient by refining. As things grew even more troubled in her family she learned to be patient with others even as she continued to care for and love them. She also learned to trust God in all things.

My friend has gone through a lot of trials. Yet, she is patient and kind and has an uncanny gift for maintaining unity in the bond of peace.

May we all bear one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Patience

The internet was down when I woke up at 5 this morning. Rebooting the modem, the router, and the computer, itself, a few times did not help. I decided to finish the sermon I've been struggling with instead of wasting any more time trying to fix it myself. I live in the woods, at the end of the line, so my high speed DSL isn't always so high speed and it goes completely out every now and then, seems like more often in bad weather than good. I figured I had tried all that I could try and I would call the tech when their office opened at 8 a.m.. I waited and wrote.

I have learned to wait on the internet. I have learned to wait on many things. Everything does not always go as I plan. But, life continues. There is no sense to getting upset about something so minor and that we have no control over. There are so many things in this world that are so much worse than the internet not working or a television show or a computer game being disrupted. It can even be a good thing when we lose our connection with the world wide web from time to time.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians (4:1-3) "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  Here is Paul, in prison, begging the Ephesians to lead lives with humility, gentleness, and patience bearing with one another in love. Paul met his imprisonment not just with patience; but with joy that the Lord had opened many doors in that prison so that he could proclaim the Good News to those who would not otherwise hear.

Some of the things that we lose patience with are pretty trivial compared to the troubles others suffer in the world. It would be best to ignore these minor obstacles and just move on past or over them. Don't let them interfere with what God has called you to do. Take advantage of what might seem to be a hindrance; because, it just might be a door opening for you. 

Just as I finished the sermon at 7:30, the internet came back on all by itself.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rev 13:1-10 Beast of the Sea and Idolatry

Rev 13:1-10 NIV
If you are a Christian, expect persecution. The dragon, who is Satan, has been exiled to the earth and he is not happy. He will give authority to the beast who comes out of the sea to rule the nations and make war against God's people. Anyone who will not fall down and worship the beast will be persecuted. It will not be easy. It is not easy. With faithful patience and endurance we are to reject all forms of idolatry, whether they are to things that might bring us earthly pleasures or people in power. God is with you. But, do not be deceived. Do not think that this is something that all will just happen in the future for the devil is also very near to you. He will use all means to detract you from your relationship with God our Father and Creator. He is busy, very busy, trying to break your relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord. Do not succumb and fall down and worship anything or anyone other that our Father, our Saviour, our Protector.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Peter 1:1-11 Faith, Perseverance, Patience

2 Peter 1:1-11 NIV

Plowing fields around the Ring of Kerry took patience,
perseverance with much faith.

I have to admit that there are definitely days that my self-control and perseverance are lacking. They are more present today than they were twenty or thirty years ago. But, I do still fall short. I fall short because there are times when I get so wrapped up in getting things done that I forget that God is with me and do things the way others (or I) would prefer that they be done. Not doing God's will; but, instead doing what pleases a few people usually ends up in a disaster. And... disasters can mightily challenge our self-control and perseverance.

So I pray that God would grant us all faith and that in faith; goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love might follow.

God Peace - Pr. J

2 Timothy 4 - Preach The Word No Matter What

2 Timothy 4 NIV

Monastery at Valaam, Russia

Paul is anticipating his death and so closes this letter to Timothy encouraging him to come quickly to even while he gives Timothy instruction on ministry. "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction," he writes. (vs 2) 

Just as the many deserted Jesus in his last hours, Paul finds that many have deserted him. He warns Timothy to especially watch out for Alexander who did him great harm. There are those who have and will turn their ears away from truth and turn aside to myths. They will listen only to what will please their itching ears. They will come up against you for proclaiming the truth. Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all duties of your ministry. (vs 3-4)

It is not easy to proclaim the message of God in Christ Jesus. There will be many who will want you out of their lives, even dead. They do not want to hear the truth. The Word of God, is after all, a two-edged sword: one edge to stab the conscience; the other to heal the wounded soul. Be aware of those who would attack you for the truth. But, do not worry unduly about them for God is with you and for you. With patience, continue to proclaim the good news to all who would hear.

"The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all." (vs 22)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Col 3 Be Kind

Colossians 3 NIV

Compassion, kindness, gentleness,
patience....

A friend recently tried to do a favor for someone; even though he had no clue as to who it was that he was trying to help. He was just trying to do the right thing. He was trying to help someone in need. For trying to do the right thing he was majorly disrespected. We live in a world where people can really be ugly to others even when they are being served with the best of intentions by others. Compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience are often greeted with anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. I am confident that this will not stop this friend from doing the right thing in the future nor should it ever stop us from living life according to the love and peace that we have received in Christ.

St. Paul reminds us that whatever we do we should do at it with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. He reminds us to say and do all that we can to promote peace among us; to respect and to love one another. Do not let the haters in this world stop you from living life in Christ, pray for them. And, whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 9:19-29 God is Patient

Romans 9:19-29 NIV
God, indeed, has shown us much patience. My patience wears thin at times. It sometimes just boggles my mind that so much bullying occurs. The love of God is rejected. The love of God through others is rejected; insults returned instead of love. When things don't go our way; when we don't get to be the center of things; we don't consider that maybe it is God's good will for us for that moment in time. We consider it an affront to us and do everything to get our own way even if it means negatively affecting others.

We are sinful human beings. Yet, God is patient with us; way more patient than we deserve. He does not want to execute His judgment upon us. But, ultimately the day will come when it will be done. In the meantime; let us consider His patience with us. We still live! We still have the opportunity to repent (to turn around) and follow Jesus into the Kingdom of God where there will be much more joy and peace than can be found by following in the ways of the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 14:8-14 Ask In His Name To Glorify God

John 14:8-14 NIV
Be careful what you ask for in Jesus' name. You may not appreciate the answer to your prayers when it comes as much as you thought it might. God's will; after all, does not necessarily agree with our will. A friend of mine once told me that she was very sorry that she asked God for patience. He had answered her prayer and she was receiving this gift in a very hard way. She was learning it.

Jesus tells us that whatever we ask in his name, it will be given to us. We ask for all kinds of things and the reality it that the answer to some of those prayers is "no." Jesus did not say we could have anything our hearts desire. He said, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." (vs 13)

Note: our prayers are not answered so that we can be glorified; rather, that our Father be glorified. Whatever we ask in Jesus' name that will glorify God will be answered and remember that His will; His ways are not necessarily our will; our ways.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Job 24 - Day of Judgment

“Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment?" (vs 1 NIV)

I think maybe Job is not thinking very straight in his pain.  He's looking way to forward to God executing His judgment on the world. Sure some of us might look forward to it.  But, what about those who are not prepared for it? I don't think we have to rush it because, I've got a pretty good idea that God knows what He's doing and has picked an appointed time for judgement.  Actually, that idea is backed up by scripture.  See Zephania 1; Malachi 4; Matthew 10, 11; 2 Peter 2, 3; 1 John 4; and Jude 1. God has a plan.  Everything is in His time.  Just because we can't figure out the date or the time, doesn't mean God hasn't ordained it.

The Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem writes in Ecclesiastes (3:17 ):

“God will bring into judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”

 

I know there have been days when some of us wished that day would hurry up and get here, just like Job.  But, let us remember that none of us are without sin.  I know that there is no way that we can show the mercy and grace and the patience! that God has shown us.  But, how about if we give it a try? 

 

May God help us, to have patience, quit worrying about others are not helping those in need, and help them ourselves.  :)  God's Peace - Pr. J.