Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Practicing Patience Pt.3

Let's turn to Hebrews, Chapter 10. We want to continue with the topic of practicing patience. You have need of patience, the Scripture says, and all of us can say, "Amen" to that. When we talk about having need of patience, so often we think about--the first thing would be the little irritations that we have: nobody likes to stand in line. If you want to talk about, "You have need of patience" from the natural perspective, we were just up at DMV and that will try your patience. It will try your sanctification, and as we were endeavoring to stand and make it through those particular areas, we think, "Man, I just need to be patient." We want to learn to be patient when we're sitting in the traffic on the beltway. So, some of us are training ourselves to be patient there and we put on our praise tapes, or whatever it is, and we just soothe our spirits and don't become uptight. Most of you have perfected that. I don't like any kind of line, I don't like any kind of waiting; I am not a naturally patient individual. I know that comes as news to some of you, but I just don't like waiting around, I don't like standing in line.

But that's not what the Spirit of God is speaking of here when He's talking about patience. In relationships He's talking about forbearance; He's talking about the ability to endure others' frailties, carnality, maturation process. Patience, as it has to do with relationships, is a forbearing type of attitude because, just as the Master, we're touched with the feelings of one another's infirmities. We know what it is to have a frame of dust; we know what it's like to deal with sin in our members. Those of us that have the spirit of patience working in us, it's a fruit of the spirit that allows us to exhibit God's forbearance with us. Having received it, we're able to express it.

As it pertains to trials and tribulation, as it pertains to spiritual warfare that we're in on a daily basis, it has to do with steadfastness, as we were talking today, that aspect of being immovable from the truth. We said that literally it meant "sedentary," you hold your ground. We talked about it metaphorically talking about the focus that comes and how it's a fixed purposing to accomplish something, to have a goal and to be immovable from attaining that. We talked about people that are able to do that in the natural, and you look at certain athletes and certain businessmen that just won't be denied. It has to do with that persistence, that consistency, that ability to endure the hardships that would come against you that would keep you from attaining. So, here we are a people that are training--constantly training ourselves spiritually in the midst of this warfare--and we need to be constant and we need to be purposeful, and we need to not give up any of the ground that we've taken. Having done all, we stand, praise God! We occupy. We will not be moved from this that we've acquired by the Spirit of God. That's part of this process that we've been talking about.

The apostle says in Hebrews, Chapter 10, verse 36, "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." So, the patience is not just in waiting for the promise, the patience is also in attaining the will of God, after you have done the will of God. Then we wait for the season of God's blessing and the promise to manifest itself. The will of God, the Scripture says, is our sanctification. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification..." (1 Thessalonians 4:3) That's a statement that most of us are aware of but so many of us are looking for the will of God in our lives. "What's the will of God? What job does He want me to have? Who's to be my life's mate? Is it the will of God that we buy such and such, that we go to this particular place?" And our minds are occupied with all of these things that are in the periphery. Don't get distracted by the "will of God" that's anywhere outside of your personal sanctification. The will of God is your sanctification. Your perpetual cleansing and preparation for the coming of Jesus, that's the will of God for your life. And if I'm going to go on a trip, if I am going to purchase a particular item, is this going to in any way distract from my Christlikeness, from my pursuit of God? Is this something that's going to take time, effort, resources of energy and whatever else from my representation of the kingdom of God, from my ministry that God's called me to? Am I being brought off course and spending time saying, "Is this the will of God? Lord, show me if this is Your will." Consistently focusing on the prize, the mark--not being distracted by all of the attractions of life--is this spirit of temperance and patience that we're talking about. Because all of these other things can try to enter in and steal the Word of God from us; that Word that is constantly cleansing us and preparing us for this life of sanctification and service. God speaks to us and we start on the course, and then the next thing we know we're praying about the will of God and we haven't even finished the last word that He's spoken to us. We're running down some other path wanting to find the will of God. You have need of patience. Finish the race that's before you. Finish the course. Have you finished what God told you to do last, or have you been distracted? We want to start another project and half of the things that you started are half started. And it comes over into our spiritual pursuits and so that's one of the aspects that we need to judge our own lives by and say, "Am I finishing the directives that the Spirit of God has been giving me?" And if not, then we need to pray and ask God to help us and to begin to work patience in our lives.

Look over at James for just a second and see what he says in that particular passage in James. James, Chapter 1, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into [different] temptations [tests, trials]; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." Let me ask you the question: When we begin to have pressure, trials, things aren't going our way, we're a little bit disoriented; we want to have more information as to whether this is the path of God, the direction that I'm supposed to be in--Most of the time when these trials and pressures come the only thing we can think about is getting out from under the pressure. And the reason we can't count it joy is because we don't really understand what it's working in us: This virtue of patience; this ability to stand with absolute confidence that the steps of the good man are ordered by God. You see, the lack of patience is just a lack of trust. It's unbelief; it's a lack of faith. When there's not the capacity to stand firmly convinced, immovable, whenever we're double-minded, we're questioning, we're in unbelief. And Father wants to work this virtue of the ability to rest and be confident and trust that what's taking place in your life right now is for an eternal good; it's for an eternal purpose. And we are so living for the moment. And everything in our generation is speaking toward that.

We're living in the instant generation. You know, it's interesting--how many of you remember when you used to take a picture and it was days before you could get it back? And then finally somebody came out with one-day development, and it was like, "Wow!" And then it was like an hour. And now you go "click" and then you look at it, you say, "Let's try it again." You "click," "Oops, you're still ugly," or whatever. But everything is instantaneous now, and we have need of patience because we put God on that same schedule. Most of us are frustrated because we are trying to compress eternity into time and space and we just don't understand why God doesn't fit. "Why isn't God as anxious as I am? Doesn't He know that this is on a time schedule? Doesn't He understand? If this thing's not done by today it's gone and lost!" Not in the kingdom of He who calls things that are not as though they were, who can speak things into existence. Not in the kingdom of the one that raises the dead. If we're living in an anxiousness and a frustration, if we're bound by all of the constraints of time and space, then in reality our faith is constantly being eroded a little bit at a time and we think we're all right still because our doctrine's still right. And if anybody gave us a quiz we could pass the test. But how frustrated are you? How fearful are you? How involved are you in plan B, C, D, E, F... just in case? Or the capacity just to stand and know and proclaim, "If God's for me, nobody can stand against me. After I have done the will of God I will receive the promise." "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification..." (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When I've allowed this situation to reveal my heart and I choose God and I choose to trust, then I will receive the promise. But, if I'm anxious, if I'm not patient--consistent to proclaim the Word of God, to rest in the promise of God--then you know what's going to happen? I'm going to make another plan, I'm going to have a back up, I'm going to make provision for my will. I want it done in my way and in my time. Can anybody here identify with what I'm talking about? That's the arena that all of Adam's children live in.

James says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." What's the context here? He's talking about patience. When he's speaking here--look what he's saying--he says, "If any of you lack wisdom..." what wisdom is he speaking of? Generic wisdom? No. If any of us lacks wisdom as to what's going on in this trial, let him ask of God. "What's going on here, Lord? Why am I so uptight? Why am I so fearful? Why do I feel that I have to need a natural understanding and can't trust and rely in following you?"

So how do we relate, then, to the trials of life? We're going to look at Job in just a second and the things that Father was revealing to his heart. The Scripture speaks about the patience of Job. He was anything but patient through the majority of the trial. Oh, he didn't curse God and die like he was admonished to do, but he was constantly trying to justify himself, make excuses for himself, prove that there was no sin in his life. We all know the final verdict of that thing. God spoke to him and said, "Job, the problem here is that in the midst of all of these trials you're trying to justify yourself and not Me. People don't understand and they're saying that the reason that this has happened is because there's sin in your life and you're in unbelief; and you're arguing and fighting for your own reputation and you need to just proclaim My goodness." None of us wants justice as it pertains to God. We must have mercy or we will not stand. In all of life when things aren't going our way and most of us want to stand up and say, "Bless God, I've got rights and nobody's going to do that to me and I'm going to...." The day's coming--what I'm trying to get across to us and especially as Americans--we all want to stand up and fight and say, "We have rights and the law..." That's all going to be going away. Are you going to be able to control your spirit and let God fight for you and believe that the Judge of all the earth does right, and come to the understanding that there is no justice in this life? Can you live with that?

Keep your finger here and go back to Romans 5 for just a second and take a look real quickly back at Romans. Romans, Chapter 5, verse 3 says, "...we glory in tribulations [trials, adversity] also: knowing that tribulation worketh [what?] patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; [Now, what is that whole scenario of trials and endurance and standing with favorable expectation in our heart and believing that God loves us and if He's for us nobody can be against us? What is that all about? Look what He goes on to say] because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost...God commendeth his love toward us, [verse eight says] in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." These adversities in life are the challenges to whether we believe that God loves us or not. They all have to do with our awareness of the character, the love of God and the relationship that we have with Him. Are you going to be able to stand when things aren't so favorable? When people don't treat you fairly? When your children choose to serve other gods? Your spouse deserts you? Your child dies while you were standing in faith? You lose your business? Your health's gone? Job got it all at one time. "You have heard of the patience of Job," the Scripture says. What are we doing as it relates to the same scenario that Job was in, to put the focus on the goodness of God? Are any of you going through some adversities right now? Things aren't quite going your way? Are you counting it all joy? Look what he says in Romans: "Do you understand we glory in tribulations?" That word glory means "to boast." "I stand and I boast on the goodness of God in the midst of all of these pressures and all of these trials, because my relationship to Father doesn't have to do with my quality of life; it has to do with my awareness of His presence. That's my treasure and nothing is going to rob that from me." Now, everything's going to try to steal it and you need to guard that treasure above all else.

Look over at Psalm 37 for just a second, and in the thirty-seventh Psalm, verse seven, as the psalmist is speaking here concerning this ability to just be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Your labor, your working--or I should say your submitting to God's working in you to will and do His good pleasure--are the works that he's speaking of. Now in Psalm 37:7 it says: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: [This has to do with our generation. Look at the next phrase] fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way." If ever we've lived in a time where it's been propagated that gain is godliness--that's one of the doctrines that's been prominent in our generation. And even if it's not the doctrine of gain is godliness, the other doctrine that runs parallel to that says: God is alive to enhance your quality of life. It's all about quality of life--politically, economically, socially, emotionally, intellectually--so everything's about the creature and his betterment. These are the doctrines that are just being poured upon us.

And so we look around and we see that other people are doing better than we are and they've got more stuff than us, and they don't seem to be having the hassles that I'm having with my spouse and with my child and with my boss. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." "There just doesn't seem to be justice. These people that are out there and they're not serving God, and yet they're prospering and they're not having to deal with half the stuff I am." Of course not! The devil's already got them. He'll gladly, as the god of this world's system, lavish upon them. Listen! That's his job. What did he say to Jesus? "Look at all of these kingdoms. I have the power to give them to who ever I want. All you have to do is [what?] bow and worship me and I'll give you a kingdom. They're all mine." Have you examined your heart and asked yourself, "Am I fretting because of those that seem to be doing better than I?" You have need of patience. You need to begin to trust and rest in the Lord, and believe that your steps are being ordered and that God's directing us, and that we can "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7).

Psalm 40, verse 1, the psalmist speaks again and he says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Do you believe that God is aware of your circumstances? Is there an anxiousness in your life? Anxiousness is just fear; fear is anti-faith, unbelief. And so we're a people, then, that are being called into that consistent waiting and trusting. I like what Isaiah said in the twenty-sixth chapter. He said, "Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; [That word is justice. We believe that You will administer justice, but not in our time and not in our ways. So our rest is in Your timing, in Your character.] the desire of our soul [he goes on to say] is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee." All we're wanting, Lord, is for You to be glorified in our life, for our soul in the midst of these circumstances to be edified and purified to Your image.

Do you want the circumstances to change or do you want to change? Do you want out of this mess? Do you want it all to go away? Or do you want to come out of this fire as pure gold, refined? You have need of patience, counting it all joy when we fall into different trials, knowing this that the trying of our faith works patience. Let it have its perfect work that you might be made perfect and entire wanting nothing. No lack in the ability to walk in the spirit. Glorying in tribulation. This isn't easy! Don't think that I'm saying this is easy. This is something that takes faith, it takes discipline. So many things, I know, in my own life--it seems like there's always something--and that ability to just try to step back and just go, "Lord, whatever will bring You the most glory." Because, like you, I want things done; I want them done my way, my time, and when it's not it can be frustrating. And when you're wanting to do as many things as some of us want to do, then it perpetual frustration.

As I've analyzed my own life the one thing I've found is this. If I'm frustrated, then what I'm involved in is temporal, because I've never found myself frustrated about eternal things; things that I can truly identify and say, "This is the work of God, this is the will of God, this is the course of God and God's working in this thing." The things that frustrate me is when I know it's something that I'm involved in and I'm without that supernatural enhancement and there's doubt as to whether I can pull this thing off or not. But, when I'm in faith and I know it's already going to happen, there's rest. Whenever anxiousness comes, whenever that lack of patience is there, you're in your own strength; you need to take note of that. And guess what? You're going to get whipped because we're no match for Him.

And so He allows us to come into these times of trial and all of a sudden you find yourself and you say, "I have no solution. I have no strength. There's nothing left in me." And God says, "I'll work this for My glory. Because all of these things will work together for the good of those that love Me and are called according to My purpose. " And you step back and you resolve yourself to the love of God and things around you begin to die and fade, and the focus comes back and you count it all joy for what God has allowed you to do by His grace. And that's that process of purification that He's calling us to. But we need to learn that trust and that reliance on God. It's better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man, the Scripture says. You know, we can say it in a way that's even more applicable to us: It's better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in yourself "Man," generically; "you," specifically. It's the daily battle that every one of us is involved in. And so, Father's calling us into this life of purification, sanctification. He's calling us to that steadfastness.

There's one other thing that I want to comment on and then we're just going to take some time at the Lord's table and worship Him. The passage that we were making reference to this morning in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 58, do you realize that what you're doing in the spirit--1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." We quote it so rapidly, I want you to stop and think with me for just a moment. Your labor is not in vain (finish it) in the Lord. How much of the time and energy that you're spending right now can you say is in the Lord, by the Lord, for the Lord? How much time in your life is spent with God having to prune you, purge you, purify you, chasten you? Aren't you glad the Lord loves you? How many of you feel like you are constantly being chastened? Anybody have that feeling at times? Let me see your hands. Seems to be a pretty big majority doesn't it? Can I encourage you? The Lord chastens those that He (what?) loves. Now, the good new is, He loves you; the bad news is, you need a whipping. But He's going to constantly bring that chastisement and that purification in our lives so that we can produce the fruit that remains, so that there can be a boast in the Lord, and a glorying in the Lord. But all of this refining process requires patience. It requires us praying for wisdom. Saying, "Lord, what is it in my life right now? It seems like I'm having to deal with this thing. Show me. Most of the time I just want to wiggle out from under the pressure. I really want to deal with it at this moment. Show me my heart. Free me from the power of self-vindication and let me make the decision to die to self to justify you, to glorify you in the midst of this thing." This is that whole process that he's been referring to as it has to deal with our presentation of living the gospel, the expectation of the coming of the Lord.

We're going to finish this evening with Philippians, Chapter 1. The apostle says, "Only let your [life] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." I think that's the one thing that we've been able to do well here, is not give up on each other. A striving together to truly let these principles that the Word of God has given us of lifting up hands that are hanging down, of reproving darkness, running to the light, iron sharpening iron. So, if there's times when you get a little weary of it, of people being so involved in your life, you need to start counting it all joy; this is something to rejoice in. So many around us that seem to be trials at times are the greatest blessings that you have as our lives are being refined, intertwined, and we are constantly helping define the course of the straight and narrow. And somebody among us will try to tote something in that doesn't fit. And we'll say, "You can't bring that thing on this journey; it doesn't fit, it's not acceptable. It's not what brings glory to God." And we bring instruction and reproof and correction. And we have need of patience. "Am I going to stand up? Am I going to endure this one more time? I'm just so tired of everybody trying..." And you endure; you stand. You say, "I am not leaving. Where can I go? Where else are the words of salvation but in the Word of God? That's what the Word says, and I'm just going to stand." And the next thing you know, then, the purification takes place and the scales fall off your eyes and you go, "I had never seen it, but I see it now." This is the will of God, your sanctification. It takes place as we are refined through patiently enduring chastisement, reproof, rebuke, and instruction. Then we become the men of God thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Father, we do thank You again tonight for Your presence and Your Word as it's alive and working in us. We're living in a generation that refuses to be told what to do, refuses to conform, refuses to subordinate. We all have rights. Everybody's doing what's right in their own eyes. There are no absolutes. And in the midst of this environment, we have need of the virtue of enduring this constant trying of self-will. Constantly choosing to die to self--constantly denying our own understanding, our own intellect, our own abilities--that You might be glorified in us. "Be not weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you don't faint." Thank You, Lord, for that admonition. Help us to finish this course, seeking to be refined, seeking to be more like you, refusing to be anxious, refusing to be fearful. Because faithful is He who promised, who will do it. We rest in that, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's stand before the Lord as Gary comes and the deacons. We'll take just a few moments and focus on the goodness of the Lord, His presence. 1 Corinthians 15, His death, that we might live. He who knew no sin made to be sin with our sin, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness. How many times have we taken these emblems in our hands, and it never becomes common, does it? Always in awe of the love and the mercy of God, His goodness to us. I was so blessed as I heard a story, one of our families, they've been believing God and things in the natural haven't been real easy financially and yet the testimony of this family is that they're at such peace and joy and excited about living by faith. Finally, there was an opportunity for income and this income was put off just a few weeks. They sat down with their children and they said, "You know, the Lord's been blessing us and all of our needs have been met, but at this moment we don't have a lot in hand and our missions pledge is due, and the only money, really, that we can have access to right now," they told their adolescent child, 10-, 11-year old, "is in your piggy bank, and we just want to honor God and believe the Lord." And the young child said, "Yes." And the Dad said, "And I'll put it back." And the child said, "That's okay Dad, whatever God wants." Those are some pretty rich people, wouldn't you say? "The check's coming in three weeks, I'll make it up." What do you have in your hand right now to bless God with? "Yeah, but it would be easier in three weeks." Patience, consistency, you do it the same way every time to the glory of God. What a blessing! What a treasure in the life of those children! What a lesson that will bear fruit into generations! "Oh, we'll just wait. We'll make it up somewhere down the road. Let's go to the Pizza Hut. Let's consume it on ourselves. Let's just wait. Let's make it easier. God will understand." How consistent are your choices to honor God first, foremost, at every juncture? That's what patience works in us. That's what brings glory to God. That's what proves our belief of His love for us and our expression of our love for Him.

As Gary plays, let's just worship the Lord and honor Him right now. Hold the emblems, we'll all partake together. Let's sing it and worship Him. "You are holy, holy, Lord; there is none like You." Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Oh, hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus. Hallelujah! It's not good enough to just obey most of the time, to die most of the time. In baseball, if you hit 300 you go to the Hall of Fame. We're living in a world where consistency is pretty much non-existent. He's calling us to do it the same way every time and there's nothing easy about it; it's just what we have to do. Our joy and our boast is in His goodness, His love for us, the privilege, the opportunity of being able to serve. And it has to be renewed every day. It's not a once for all.

And so again, Lord, we take these emblems and the cross was something You gloried in and yet it hurt, it was painful. It was not desired. "If it's possible let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless not My will but Thy will be done." We stand as a people in the midst of trials today, of confusion of our own natural frailty, and we say, "Father, we don't know as You know and we don't understand, and if it's possible let it pass, but not my will Thy will be done." And as we drink and eat we boast and make our declaration that You are good, that Your ways are right and just, that You love us, You've purchased us, we are Your children, we are Your bride, and we are victors and we proclaim that in the name of Jesus. Not because we feel it but because You declared it. And by faith we partake right now and rejoice in the victory. And we receive this bread, we receive this cup, as emblems of the final victory, the glory of God in Jesus. And for that we say thank You, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's partake of the bread together. The cup, the victory in His name. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Just rejoice in that tonight and in the place that you find yourself today--the warfare with your flesh, your mind, your circumstances--just begin to boast in the victory that's been won. Begin to rejoice in what's being worked in your character right now, that Jesus is being formed in you. Don't panic over your children. Thank God that He's working His image in them right now. If they're struggling, if thing are going on, thank God. Believe God to put enough pressure to make them into the image of Jesus. Don't try to bail them out. Don't make it easy for them. Let God finish the work in them. And do you know what? Their trial may not be about them, it might be about you. Their trial may be whether you're willing to go up Mount Mariah or not. "I just don't understand why they keep going through all these trials." It's about you. When are you going to die? When are you going to stop worshipping them? When are you going to start giving glory to God and honor to God and trust in the goodness of God?

There's a number of circumstances in this fellowship that that could apply to. I believe that the Spirit of God is speaking to somebody. It's not a word of knowledge. These are things that I have knowledge of, but they weren't things that I was thinking about. This is something that came in my spirit. God's speaking to somebody. It's more than one. You have need of patience. God's doing good things in your life. Just stand. Don't collapse. Count it all joy. Boast in tribulation as to how good God is. Call things that are not as though they were. Speak the end of this thing and praise God for it--Oh, hallelujah!--that after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise. Hallelujah! Let's sing this together. Just rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. Hallelujah! You're so good, Lord! "Oh, Lord, You Have Been Good"

Oh, hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We thank You, Lord. Oh, hallelujah! Just thank Him for His goodness right now. Just rejoice in Him and thank Him for His goodness and His love for you, in His wisdom, in the ordering of your steps. He's got you right where He wants you. Like Jacob, you just need to learn to cry "uncle", you need to just let Him win, and receive the promise.

We thank you for it, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen. Before you go, turn to somebody next to you. Say, "Let patience have its perfect work." Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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