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Randy & son Aaron

www.truthworks.com          18 NOV 03          devotion archive          send this page to a friend

PATIENCE

I tell you the Truth,

Thanks for your patience with me!  Sorry for the delay over the past couple weeks.  Now it’s time to get rolling with the devotions again.

I want to dedicate this devotion to a special friend.  Just want you to know that I’m praying for you.

There’s a new commercial on television by Cingular cell phone service.  The gist of the commercial is “instant gratification.”

It’s very obvious that “instant gratification” sells.  Marketers know Americans.  We want instant everything; coffee, popcorn, meals.  The list goes on.  We are a society of instant gratification.

But beware of the pursuit of instant gratification.  It will stifle your spiritual growth, diminish your faith and reduce your trust in God.

James 5:
7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

They say that patience is a virtue.  It’s not only a virtue.  It’s an enormous necessity in the Christian walk.  If you are a child of God and try to walk with Christ, yet lack patience, you’re in for a long ride.

As I said, we are being bombarded with the idea that instant gratification is worth seeking.  But throughout God’s Word we’re told that we are to be patient.  We are to be patient with one another.  We are to be patient with God.  We are to be patient in all things.

It’s interesting that in the middle of James words about patience, we find a warning about grumbling against each other.  But isn’t that the first thing that happens when we loose patience?  We grumble.  We complain.  We look for and find fault all around us - simply because we refuse to wait upon God.

Do you have friends or family that you grumble against?  Are you having a difficult time waiting on God to deliver you from a situation you are in?  Is it obvious to you that you lack patience?

If so, perhaps it’s time to see what impatience is doing to you and to stop, turn to God and pray.  Again, when we lack patience, we hinder our faith.  Faith not only requires stepping out into what we cannot see, it often times requires us to endure patience.  When we wait on God with patience, He creates perseverance within us, which will always increase our faith.  Why do I say this?  I say this because it’s only through patience with God that we can witness His faithfulness.  And His faithfulness is a perfect faithfulness.

Psalm 40
1 I waited patiently for the LORD ;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

If you think things are bad, be patient.  Keep crying out.  Know that He hears you.  Wait upon the Lord.  Endure patience.  And I promise you that His faithfulness will shine through like bright sunshine after the clouds of a mighty storm have passed.

Your Servant,

Randy Hunt
randy@truthworks.com
2TIM 1:7

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Unless otherwise specified, all scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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