I’M SAVED, NOW WHAT? (part-47)

I’M SAVED, NOW WHAT?

PATIENCE
Have you ever heard someone say,
    “I need patience and I need it right now!”?
It doesn’t sound like someone who really has a desire for patience,
does it? Most of us have been programmed to expect everything
immediately. As a result, most of us have a struggle with patience.
What do the scriptures say about patience?
    Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s
    coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield
    its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and
    spring rains. (James 5:7)

James tells believers (brothers and sisters) to be patient. For how long?
Until the Lord comes (according to James). Why in the world would
We be told to wait that long? Because when the Lord returns, all of
the wrongs will be corrected at that time.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first. Those who
exalt themselves will be humbled and those who are humble
will be exalted. This should be reason enough to look forward
to His return.

This seems like a very long time to exercise patience, but when
compared to eternity, it is actually a very short time. Patience
also helps in developing our own character. When we are patient,
we are positioned to include other godly attributes in our lives.

James gives us an example of patience by referencing the farmer.
The farmers in Palestine were dependent on two rainy seasons.
They couldn’t control when the rains would come, they could only
be patient and wait. It’s important to understand that while they
were patient, they didn’t stop working.

They continued tending to their farmland while they waited for
their crops. This is good advice for believers. We need to develop
and exercise patience as we wait for the Lord’s return, but we
should not be idle. As we eagerly await His return we need to be
busy serving Him and using the spiritual gifts He has given us.

Do you know the spiritual gift God has given you? If not, then
why not? Have you prayed and asked Him to show you what
your spiritual gift is? God promised to give spiritual gifts to
His people, so if you do not have a spiritual gift, do you really
belong to Him? From what we read in His Word, it indicates
we do not belong to Him if we have not received a spiritual
gift from Him.

God didn’t graciously give us His salvation and then a spiritual
gift for us to allow Satan to convince us that we either (1) do not
have a spiritual gift, or (2) that we do not need to actively use
what God has given us to use for Him. God wants us to fully
enjoy using what He has given us as another venue for
showing our faith and for worshipping Him.

A follow-up question is: “If you know your spiritual gift, are
you actively using it to glorify God and point others to Jesus?”
If not, then why not? What is preventing you from using
what God has generously given to you?
    For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus
    to do good works, which God prepared in advance for
    us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Here is a list of some of the spiritual gifts:
Prophecy:
    It means proclaiming God’s Word; serving as a mouthpiece
    for the Lord. It can describe preachers and teachers, but it
    is also something all believers are called to do.

Serving:
    Ministry work in a practical and personal way (it might be
    visible or behind the scenes). They will often serve without
    having to be asked – they sense a need and they fulfill it.

Teaching:
    Has a God-given ability to explain the scriptures. Can help
    others understand how the scriptures should be applied to
    their daily lives.

Encouraging:
    Motivates others to action (enthusiastic action). Enjoys being
    a cheerleader for others who are using their gifts to serve the
    Lord. Can inspire those serving the Lord to do even more.

Giving:
    This a characteristic of all followers of the most giving person
    ever – Jesus Christ. It describes a person who enjoys being
    generous to others (they need to allow God to control their giving
    so they to not give lavishly, which can become a selfish feeding of
    their own ego; in other words, they start giving so people will like
    them more).

Leading:
    Organizes ministry efforts – very important for the structure
    and finances of churches. Has a clarity for managing needs
    without being influenced by emotions.

Mercy:
    Shows grace and kindness; ability to express love toward others;
    can lift the spirits of others who are sick, hurting, in distress, etc.
    This person has an ability to sense the needs of others and to
    comfort them in their time of need.

Jesus is the epitome of “unlimited” patience:
    “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners,
     Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an
     example for those who would believe on Him and receive
     eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:16)

If you frequently attend worship services, then you’ve heard of
the patience of Job. However, if you read the book of Job, you
will see a long list of complaints. Job cried out in protest against
God. Even his friends were shocked at his disrespectful anger.
Most of us would be afraid to talk to God the way Job did.

God, however, did not “zap” Job. In fact, God ordered Job’s pious
comforters to seek repentance (through Job) for not speaking the
truth about God, even though Job was the very source of so many
heated complaints.
    After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to
    Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your
    two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about
    me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and
    seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt
    offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you,
    and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according
    to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my
    servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite
    and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and
    the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.” (Job 42:7-9)

Don’t you love that about our Father God? Job was a man who
was only human and reacted as a human might. He did show
patience in the fact that he refused to curse God and die. But
it was the Lord who showed the very best of what it means to
be patient. God, as it says elsewhere in Scripture, refused to
break the bruised reed or snuff out the smoldering wick.

In the book of Job, we see the patience of God above the patience
of Job. God (our Father) defends the hurting, uplifts the oppressed,
and listens to the complaints of the suffering. He may not respond
to our questions with neat, pat answers, but He will answer our
questions using His own patience. He knows what we need and
when we need it.

Patience is a virtue that many believers struggle with in today’s world.
We live in a time of fast food, microwaves and high-speed computers.
We drive through, download and move on to the next thing as quickly
as we can.

We need to realize that sometimes God says, “Wait”. As followers of
the Lord, we must be willing to not only surrender to the “will” of
God, but we must also be willing to surrender to the “wait” of God.

The scriptures tell us that Simeon had been instructed by God to “wait”.
It was difficult for Simeon because he had no idea of how long he was to
wait. All he knew was that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s
Messiah.
    “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that
     he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s
     Messiah.” (Luke 2:26)

Simeon accepted the fact that the timing of his life and death were
in God’s hands. Once he saw Jesus, he knew his waiting was over
and he said,
    “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
     you now dismiss your servant in peace”
     (Luke 2:29)

In a similar way, Anna, an 84-year-old widow,
was a faithful follower who never left the temple.
   “There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel,
     of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with
     her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was
     a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple
     but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”
     (Luke 2:36-37)

She lived a life of worship, forever waiting on the Lord.

Simeon and Anna demonstrated remarkable patience. He waited
and she remained faithful. Their days, months and even years,
were in God’s hands.

Patient faithfulness is a virtue that needs to be demonstrated
in the lives of God’s followers today and every day.

Have you surrendered to the “wait” of God? When do you want
God to answer your prayers? More than likely you would say,
“Right now!” While you are waiting, pray this prayer,
“Lord, teach me to wait on You.”

Would you be as patient with yourself as God is with you?
Be honest, how often do you disappoint the Lord? Think
about how you feel when others disappoint you. Are you
patient with them, or do you over-react? Is your attitude,
“I’m going to straighten them out!”?

Have you ever thanked God for His patience with you?
During your next prayer time, thank your heavenly
Father for being patient with you and ask Him to help
you with your own patience.

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com