A Time For Patience

Stand and lift up your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Patience

Would you take out God’s Word, and turn to James, chapter 1. Now, James is one of the most upfront guys in the entire Bible. If you want to know what James is thinking, then he’ll be very happy to tell you. James is going to teach us about patience, and I want share with to you about the purpose and power of patience that I have learned

James 1:1-2: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptation. knowing this, that the trying of your faith brings patience.”

Now, that’s James, chapter 1. Turn to the last chapter of James, now—James, chapter 5. James begins this work on testing and trial by talking about patience, and he ends it talking about patience. Now, I begin in James, chapter 5, and verse 7: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.”

I really believe, if you don’t learn patience, you probably will learn very little of anything else. If you don’t learn patience, you probably will not learn much of anything else.

For example, you certainly wouldn’t learn to play the piano, organ, or guitar without patience, could you? There was a time long ago when I took organ lessons. And, there was a time when my mom who was my teacher spoke to me and said listen to me.. you don’t have patience and she was right. You can’t learn to play the organ without patience. You can’t learn anything without a certain amount of patience. Anything worth learning, really, it seems to talk of patience.

Now, patience—when we use the word patience—we kind of think of the idea, to do tedious things—and what’s involved. But actually, the Bible word patience, and the word that I’m using here from the Book of James, means “to be able to bear up under great pressure.” “To bear up under great pressure”—that’s what the Greek word means—“to bear up under.” Literally, it means, “to endure.” And, it just might be better, rather than translating it patience, if we translated it endurance.

I found this little article once and I would like to read it you. It blessed me so much that I just thought I would read it to you, because many of you think that one of these days you’re going to come to some great trial in life, and then, you’re going to have to have patience.

Listen to this: “Most of us dream of becoming rich, or famous, or doing great things for the Lord. We thought life would be meaningful and exciting, but instead, our lives are routine. Our daily work seems of no consequence or, even worse, we’re unemployed, ill, or aged. Others do exciting things and tell of their successes, while day-by-day-by-day, we seem to go unnoticed. But God knows. He saw the poor woman throw two coins in the collection plate. He knew that Moses was tending sheep for 40 years. Jesus often used the services of ordinary people on His way to do great things: the boy with his five loaves and his two fish, Mary and her perfume, Simon to carry the cross. Jesus knows about the car that broke down, the poor marks at school, the bad temper of the boss, the constant headache, the dull job, the stubborn children, and the ailing relative. If it concerns you, then it concerns Christ.”

If it concerns you, then it concerns Christ. Why? Because we’re a part of Him. We’re members of His Body. 1st Corinthians 12: 18, says: “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them.”

It has pleased God to put you where you are. He is watching to see if you are faithful in the monotony as well as in trouble, or persecution, or prosperity. Now, it’s one thing to be faithful in trouble. It’s another thing to be faithful in persecution. It’s one thing to be faithful in prosperity. Hey folks, it’s something else to be faithful in monotony, huh? In monotony—I mean, in the same old life. God calls most of us to do only the ordinary, and sometimes, the menial tasks of life. We probably cannot see His purposes, but we must not refuse to meet the needs that He puts before us. Do not despise the day of small things. We may not see the effects of our efforts, but we can leave the outcome to God. When Peter asked what would happen to John, Jesus told him that it was not Peter’s problem. Jesus told him, “Follow Me”