Patience

If you go to any bookstore trying to find a book on patients. You will not find it. Trust me, I tried, I thought I might get some help somewhere but I couldn't find a book on patient and finally come to the conclusion that the probably the very few authors who feel qualified to write on the subject, including yours truly and very few people can develop, let alone maintain patients, but I am convinced ultimately that in this fast paced society in which we live, in which we crave for instant food and instant drinking instant publishing and speed dialing and even antique being manufactured. While you wait that in this kind of a situation. Patients becomes irrelevant to people and under these conditions is no such publisher wants to publish a book on patients and is nobody's gonna buy but here's the real problem. I wanted to listen to me carefully today. Please because I do speak out of experience. Here's a problem is a major problem is that most Christians are being carried along by this current of culture and therefore instead of resisting it, and stand firm. We go along with it. Not only that, but we bring this kind of thinking this kind of impatience into the Christian faith. We bring it into the church of Jesus Christ would bring it into our lives, just as the world's so we want instant prayer being answered and instant holiness in an instant worship in the instant sermon, like somebody said you know those or so minutes to develop Christian it's we have plenty of those. Now let me tell you at the outset, I am no expert on the subject. I have some experience with it, but not unexpressed. As a matter fact I know less about the subject then probably some of you, I often remind myself when I find myself in one of those situations that it took an hour six months to find a parking spot in fact I want to tell you about a minister who used to live in Southern California number of years ago and that he was to speak at an all-day conference and that was running late.

It began when the alarm didn't work on time and and then in order to kind of speed up things. He got himself shaving and that the shirt that he wanted to wear that day was not Ironton and then to make matters worse, as he was running out to his car, he noticed that the tire was flat, disgusted, and by this time, thoroughly distraught. The minister finally got underway with a sudden burst of speed and and and and racing through town. He did not notice a stop sign and he rented and as fate would have it, there was a policeman there nearby, and within seconds, he heard the siren coming after him and stopping him and the man by the time was so frustrated, so agitated that young minister friend he got out of his car and jumped out of start yelling at the policeman. He said get your ticket.

Everything else is going wrong today, whereupon the policeman walked up to him and quietly said, this is Sir.

I used to have days like this before I become a Christian. I'm not going to tell you how this young minister felt well, I'm telling you this for a reason.

Obviously is that I have learned the hard way that if Satan can sap your strength in the skirmishes of life. He doesn't have to fight you in the big battle that if Satan gets you in the little things of life. He has already defeated you in the spiritual battlefield that if Satan succeeds in getting this little foxes to come under your spiritual friends. He knows that he has already destroyed divine and that is why it is very important to understand what the Bible says about patients not we use a word like everything else out of context, different reasons to suit us, but we must understand what the Scripture say what does the word meaning the Bible. The Greek word is this microbe Somaya. It's one word, but I'm pronouncing it as if it's too micro-Somaya and the reason for this is translated patients frustrated long-suffering is translated, slow to anger, all those things out of dry translation but really it's two word joined together to make up one word in the Greek, one word in English micro-Somaya.

Once it means anger and the other one means slow all along it can be translated either way. In other words, half of the Greek word for patients means anger half of the word means anger and the other half means long or slow in Agnes chapter 34 in verse six the Bible tells us that slowness to anger is one of the characteristic of God, slow to anger and abounding in love. The Bible speaks about the anger of God, and I want to plead with you today. Please whatever you do, I don't want you to misunderstand me and I wanted to listen to me very carefully and I want to tell you why that needs explanation very carefully because today, many Christians want to eliminate that part of God's character today, many Christians want to eliminate this word out of our biblical vocabulary. They do not want to speak about the anger of God the wrath of God or the justice of God and this is why how they come up with it and the reason for and the danger of interpreting life of the Christian life through your experience is going to lead you not only the disbelieving in distrusting the word of God but is going to lead you to apostasy altogether because people think of anger as their experience to the life or the defendant in a father or mother or grandfather in the hole more than the school somewhere because to them. Anger means business.

That's what it means they saw anger to be the flying off the handle and therefore this is surely that's not how God is there rocking the wrong that's not the anger of God and that is why you must understand that when the Bible talks about the anger of God or the justice of God or the wrath of God. It is inexorably linked to his love. The two go together. You cannot split them there. The two sides of one coin. Let me explain this because God loves humanity that he created.

His anger is directed toward anything or anyone who my words that masterpiece of the masterpieces. It is God's love that caused him to pour his wrath upon his son on the cross of Calvary. It is because of his love that is angry over sin is because of his love that he's angry with Satan is because of his love that he's angry and his anger will be manifested. One day, to emphasize the love of God. So many people deny the anger of God or the wrath of God or the justice of God. And when you do that you don't end up with an image of a God who was weak and lazy and could not be bothered with sin.

But that's not how God to emphasize God's anger and judgment without understanding that the incredible love of God, you gonna end up with an image of a God who is vindictive and vengeful does not God, and the biggest problem with modern-day Christian is very want to pick and choose instead of understanding and comprehending the true character of our God. We have become so sentimental that we want to create a God to fit our fancy. We want to create a God that fits our liking. No wonder every surveys been showing that about 50% of the people in the churches in America they behave, think and live just like the unbelievers outside of the church when people scoffed at the fact that Jesus promised to return and he did not return back. At the time of Peter Peter in second Peter 39 says that it is his patience that is keeping him from coming back.

Why, because when he comes back. His judgment is going to be final and swift, but I must tell you something else about judgment that I don't want to ever to forget it. You see, judge the judgment of God is not and this is where the languages all modeled the judgment of God is not about something that I'm going to suck it to the this is what we think none on that's not the judgment of God. The judgment of God is the natural consequences of sin. The Bible talk about the Holy Spirit as the restrainer.

So far the Holy Spirit has been restraining us from getting all the consequences that are the natural consequences of sin. The natural consequences of disobedience. The natural consequences of ignoring God and refusing to listen to the voice of God. Yes, there are some things there are earthquakes with tens of thousands of people die. There are shootings there are floods there are all kinds of things. But the still the restraining hand of God.

Still, where in my personal opinion, accompanied with you from the word of God is my personal opinion that probably the restraining hand of God is beginning to be taken away and when the hand of God completely is pulled out after his believers are taken up to heaven. I want to tell you if you think what we're seeing right now is bad you don't want to be around when the fun that happened. If you've never committed your life to Jesus Christ. This be the day I don't want to be around in the day of judgment. When finally the restraining hand of God is taken away and people get the consequences and get the natural wages of sin, but because our knowledge of the character of God is so mounted and modeled. It is natural that our understanding of our anger to be muddied and modeled only give you some examples and see if you can identify with one of those. There are some people who repress their anger. Why because they think that anger is always wrong.

I often had to chuckle when someone is talking to Mrs. lucky enough I'm not angry about this, but as it will, I'm surprised you brought it up. How would I know otherwise you know all the turnarounds and women.

What's wrong with the look I'm angry right now with me tell you why what's wrong with that whatsoever say like I'm angry right now and I probably can verbalize what I'm going to tell you in few hours a few days or whatever what's wrong with repressing your anger all refusing to admit that it exists, will not help you deal with it.

There are others who may not repress her anger, but they suppress it. To say the two are different.

Yes, the suppressant will say any anger of any kind whatever, for whatever reason, is just not spiritual, just not spiritual. Okay, so I want to say what about this time when Jesus went to the temple and the kick some people out of their will close a supermarket outside the temple suppression of anger is always expressed in the paleface few slips only even quietly never to come back that that's that's a suppressed anger. I want to tell you suppression of anger is when hurt resentment coldness, fury furnace abound below the surface. The tragedy is that those folks think that it is not spiritual to be transparent and be open and openly deal with whatever it is that is eating them up. While I believe. In fact that what the suppressors are doing is not spiritual. Why because they are destroying their health, suppression or repression can lead to depression and that is not what patients is well that is 1/3 group. This particular person would say man that's not me you not talking about me I am the kind of person who let it all hang out. I mean when I get mad. Everybody knows I let everybody know you probably as proud of your forthrightness. Just as the suppressors of anger proud of their full self-control. There is no reason for either to be the case because neither of those. A biblical those who suppress her anger need to move on to develop the fruit of the spirit and developing the fruit of the spirit is in patients is to develop an expression prop up godly biblical expression of your anger those hotheaded people need to develop the fruit of the spirit which is patience that is learning to be slow to anger. I tell you that is an incredible balance that I personally crave.

I tell you honestly alert about a man who learn to balance both and that he was an older man.

He was at the doctor's office and that he waited and waited, like most of us know what that's like waiting a doctor's office. No doctors please forgive me.

I don't mean to be nasty but I just know this is what you do to us. This dear man didn't want to get angry.

He just did not want angry finally waited kept asking will few more minutes to momentous a couple of hours later he looked at the nurses of man. He said I'm going to go home now and die a natural death, like to be like this may have had to just learn the balance here parents who have little ones understand how harassing they can be. There are those of us who have little ones all under six or whatever else it's a challenge to have this balance not fly off the handle and I know I met my fair share of mistakes about this and out of my children talk to me about this fact. I heard about this harassed mom who was a little girl fooling around in a very crowded shopping mall and the girl was just giving you fits.

Some of you parents understand this summer she was pulling on her skirt.

I don't want to walk. She was wanting, she was complaining she was mimicked you were just giving you fits finally the harassed mom softly pleaded while she standing there looking at whatever the merchandise and sisters quiet, Cynthia. Be patient Cynthia to get easy Cynthia calm down Cynthia and find that a shopkeeper was trying to make some small talk he went to the little girl is it so your name is Cynthia, the mother said no name is Amy I am Cynthia. Someone told me the other day that American men jumped traffic lights to save seconds but they wait patiently for hours to tee off on the golf course.

Listen whatever you do don't confuse patience as the fruit of the spirit with false patients or fake endurance. Don't confuse the two.

There are some people who are just too lazy to respond it out.

That's not the fruit of the spirit. There are some people are just so proud that they would not signify the response is not the fruit of the spirit.

There are some people who are just insensitive to criticism. That's not the fruit of the spirit. All of these might come across to us is long-suffering them. I come across sources, patients with a relative you listen to me please the source of true, long-suffering, and patience is the Holy Spirit of God.

The motive for food, long-suffering the motive for true patients is the glory of God the glory of God is what makes you patient it is what makes you long-suffering. That really counts when you are long-suffering and patient with those who persecute you, for the sake of your faith. For those who harass you in the workplace because of your faith. You are truly demonstrating the fruit of the spirit. When you are long-suffering and patient in overcoming sin and overcoming temptation and having victory over sin and temptation. You are truly demonstrating the fruit of the spirit. When you overcome when everybody is around you this trying shortcuts. Those are trying to cut corners when those around you are taking it easy and not working hard, but you choose the hard work you choose standing for the truth you choose that doing the right thing. You are indeed exhibiting the fruit of the spirit. When you do not see visible reward for your faithfulness when you do not cease with justice and you are tempted to give in and give up. But you persevere and you stand firm that is the exhibiting of the fruit of the spirit. Let me tell you not only my personal conviction learn through hardware is in hard means a long time. Not only my personal conviction but also my first hand experience in the subject. One of the major causes is not the major causes for impatience is ignorance. You heard me right. Ignorance will be repeated. Ignorance when your horizon is limited. When your focus is your little world when your vision extends no further than the tip of your nose when you experience frustrations alive. You will be impatient when you do not have and live with her tongue at in mind when it is your focus when you get in the tough times of life, you will become angry and enraged when you cannot see God's big picture every time you face a minor problem in life, fear and anger will be your normal reaction and that is why children are impatient. That's why they are so attentive and that's why they're demanding you know and they will keep nagging him to give them what they want to, so must do other things.

Why why kids are like that tell you why because they think the world revolves around them. They are ignorant of the big picture they cannot see him and they can't help but I'm not blaming them. Don't misunderstand me.

They have an excuse but we don't because there are so show focused read about the father who was driving from Mexico City all the way to Colorado on a fishing trip with his son and both are looking forward to that so much and in the little fella kept saying how many miles and the father say 250 he were just a little wiser. How many miles is a 230. How many miles or 200.

The boy was really frustrated and finally he said was that while bad. He said the we get there before my sixth birthday is ignorance causes impatience. Conversely, faith, knowledge is vital ingredients for patients face knowledge is vital ingredients for patients Christian patients is based upon the absolute not just head knowledge. But knowledge of understanding the premium rate all of one's life is absolute belief that conditions every minute of every day that God is sovereign, that he is at work on behalf of his children.

Christian patients stems from the knowledge that very well. Not before dropping nor forsaken by the very God out there who have committed their soul. Christian patients springs from the expectancy that the God who loves them. The God who died for them. The God who cares for every detail of their life is soon coming back to take them home and here's a formula that works for me. All every time never missed a formula that always works for me with impatient goodies. The more you forget your real home. The more you treat this world as your real home. The more inpatient, you'll become with the aggravations of life. The only thing that works and will work is when you begin to focus on heaven as your home. Nothing in this life is to be compared with the glory that is awaiting us.

We have lost sight of that in the church of Jesus Christ and that is why we get impatient. That is why we get irritated. That's why we get aggravated because we have lost the true destiny that it is heaven is heaven. As I conclude with me tell you three things.

Three examples. The James give us James chapter 5 beginning verse seven he gives us three examples that spurs us to patience and perseverance. Long-suffering first. He said in verse seven, you must understand the laws of farming. If the farmer keeps on digging the seed every few days to see how it's doing the harvest hell of a good harvest like the farmer says James we must all be in play be patient for God's timing and other farmer does not confuse waiting with laziness and I don't want you to read while he is waiting for the harvest he is working preparing the harvest equipment preparing silos working on the on the bars and getting things ready is working all the time. What is waiting for God's timing and the harvest on the second thing James said verse 10 of chapter 5.

He said the righteous does suffer for his righteousness. You know the martyrs who suffered for the sake of Christ. And this is not the first century. Right now, this day and age people are being martyred for the sake of Christ. Right now the reason they are persecuted for the faith. The reason they are martyred for the faith is because the world system hates God hates the truth and hates the followers of Jesus Christ, that when you suffer as a result of of your sin and be patient.

In that situation. Not doing God any favors you not going to get a reward for this one. But when you are patient with injustice with things that are happening that is totally out of your control.

God has a great reward for you. And don't forget that. And the third thing James said verse 11 is remember Job remember Job even God seem to deal unfairly with Job, although we know that is Satan. The author of evil instigated it all, but Joe blamed God. Listen to a James said, remember the great outcome and the joy that follows is the reward for patients. Look forward to that and you will grow as you cultivate the fruit of patience, shall we pray, my beloved friends.

Surely you must know that preaching such a sermon bringing such a message has been filtered through the messenger and God always does his work in the vessel before he uses it now pray that it is your desire for God to work in the vessel. Your vessel continuously. Just once when their week or even during your morning devotions leaving devotions or whatever, but on a minute by minute basis. Whatever your whatever group you identify with. Let outcry be to God today Holy Spirit of God, teach me how to be filled on a daily basis with your power and your strength in your presence so that I might learn to cultivate the fruit of the spirit, our precious heavenly father. What a privilege it is to be cold into being imitators of Christ our Lord. We have failed many a time. Also, Lord, I have failed many of time.

The Holy Spirit of God and the name and in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ come into our lives. First cleanse us and then Phyllis and then do that again tomorrow and every day.

Teachers give us knowledge, faith that we help us and empower us to cultivate and develop the fruit of the spirit.

It is in Jesus name that I pray. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that's LTW.Ward