10 december, 2023
2 Peter 1:5 – 6; Galatians 5:22 – 23
Reading:
2 Peter 1:5&6
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Galatians 5:22&23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
INTRODUCTION
The verses in 2 Peter tell us to give all diligence to add some things to our faith, I want you to notice that one of those key disciplines is patience. In Galatians, we see 9 fruits of the Spirit. One is long-suffering. The Greek word that is translated as “long-suffering” in that verse is also translated as ” patience ” in other Bible verses.
We can see that patience is important. Patience is cheerful endurance or hopeful waiting. It embodies the willingness to suffer long.
Not too long ago, I have had my patience tested. I said to myself, “This person is trying my patience.” God reminded me that He is patient with me, and I am to be patient with others. As servants of God doing His work, it is so important that we learn to exercise patience. As we work with people, and get involved in their lives, we must be willing to suffer long on their behalf. We must be willing to endure their problems and weaknesses and bear long with them in order to be effective servants of God. Today, I will remind us of three truths to help us be patient with others.
(1) REMEMBER THAT GOD IS PATIENT WITH US
Psalm 86:15, “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalm 103:13 – 14, “13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
God remembers what we are made of. He pities us, or He is merciful and compassionate toward us, AMEN.
Lamentations 3:22&23, “22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Judah had forsaken God. They were in captivity. Jeremiah weeps and laments over his nation. Yet, God still did not consume or destroy Judah.
Romans 15:5, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:” The God of patience and consolation; this refers to God being a God who is willing to endure or suffer long with people and comfort them. I am so glad that I have a God of patience!
(2) REMEMBER THAT GROWTH TAKES TIME
An example is a farmer who plants crops on a farm. Some crops are cultivated once a year, and some are two times a year. For instance, yam is a yearly produce, maize or corn is two times a year. Here in Africa, God has blessed us with good and fertile land, Glory be to the name of our great God. But when a farmer plants, he has to be patient for the growth of the crops he planted; it takes time to grow. I read about special oak trees. An Oak tree – plant an acorn in a pot two to three weeks later, transplant it outside, and water it when needed, within 20 to 50 years, it will start producing acorns.
From the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:14, Jesus said, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” Basically; because this convert falls away and does not keep growing in his/her Christian life, he/she is never able to bring forth fruit to maturity or perfection. WHY? Because growth takes time. Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
As we work with people and try to keep them to grow and change, let us remember to be patient with them. Let us be slow to write someone off. Growth takes time.
(3) PATIENCE IS VITAL FOR EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN SERVICE
1 Corinthians 6:4, “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,” The Apostle Paul says that they are exhibiting that they are the true ministers of God – by their patience.
1 Timothy 6:11, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Some have coveted after money and followed after it to their downfall. Paul tells Timothy, “FLEE SEEKING WEALTH” and rather “FOLLOW AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE, PATIENCE, MEEKNESS.” A man of God ought to seek to exercise patience!
This is not always easy. The ministry is working with people. Sometimes, people are stubborn, difficult, disobedient, uncaring, disloyal, and dishonest. This is why we must follow after patience. James 1:3&4, “3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Wow! When we learn to exercise patience and patience has done its work in our lives, it will lead us to maturity. Yes, patience is vital for effective Christian Service.
Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
What great advice! Let’s get rid of those things that are hindering us from doing God’s will, Let’s RUN WITH PATIENCE God’s race for our lives! We should not sit back and be idle, hiding behind the excuse that people take time to grow. We should RUN our race. As we run, we should have patience. For example, from our church, many members are not tithing – I am not happy that we have church members who don’t tithe. Yet, I will be patient with them. I will love them. I will continue to teach them.
“God loves me just the way I am, but too much to let me stay that way.”
We ought to love people as they are. We ought to be patient with them and give them time to grow. Yet, we should not stop trying to bring them to spiritual maturity.
Husbands need to learn to be patient with their wives,
(Honour them as weaker vessels), our children, those we work with, and even other church members. Others have patiently taught us, guided us, preached to us, and loved us – let us as God’s ministers do our work with patience.
CONCLUSION:
Are you a patient person? O, patience is so important in working with people. Remember, God is patient with us, growth takes time, and patience is vital for our Christian Service.
Amen!!!