Patience in waiting (3)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains. So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is very near.” James 5v7-9 (AMP)

Another area that we need patience is in waiting for the Lord’s return. Romans 13v11 (KJV) says “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Beloved, we need to stay strong and be careful that we do not fall away from the faith. We need to really continue to dig deep to know the Lord for ourselves. If we look around us, you might find a certain level of coldness and passivity sweeping across the church. Matthew 24v12 (KJV) foretells this saying “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” But the grace of God abounds to keep His own and our God is able to keep that which is committed unto Him until the end (Romans 5v20, 2 Timothy 1v12). Beloved, let us draw near to God like never before.

Hebrews 3 verses 6 and 14 (NLT) resonate with me. These verses say “But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” And “For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.” The faithfulness we have shown in the beginning, we must continue till the end. God loves us so very much. The verses below really spoke to me of how God wants to give assurance of His care and His promise to His people. Let us run this race with patience, that we may share in all that belongs to Christ.

Supplementary Text

“For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6v13-20 (NLT)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. Father, we commit ourselves into Your hands, for we know You are able to keep that which is committed into Your hands until that day. We thank You for You are able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of Your glory without fault and blemish. We honour You. Even as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we thank You because You are doing a work in us to make us willing and able to please You. Help us to live lives that glorify You o God. Blessed be Your holy name forevermore. In Jesus name, amen.