Patience

PATIENCE

This is a sermon for me and everyone that, works a high stress job and/ or have a lack of patience. I fit both of these categories. It is something I have fought all my life, and have lost many of the battles. It is something I’m not proud of and something I worry about a lot.

Endurance, staying power, tolerance, lack of complaint, persistence, fortitude and serenity are words synonymous with patience.

Annoyance, irritation, edginess, and intolerance are words that are synonymous with impatience and words that fit me at certain times.

With this as many others things in life we can find help, if we a willing to follow it, in the Bible

PROVERBS 15:1 18

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.

3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good.

4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.

5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.

6 Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, but trouble is in the income of the wicked.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not so. 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves one who pursues righteousness.

10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die.

11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men

12 A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, He will not go to the wise.

13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken

14 The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

17 Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred.

18 A hot tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute.

PROVERBS 14:29

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick tempered exalts folly.

ECCLESIASTES 7:8

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

JAMES 1: 19 20

19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

We already know that we have to have patience.

EPHESIANS 4:1 3

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Again we know we must have patience it is very important for a Christian. So how do we who lack it get it?

COLOSSIANS 1:10 12

10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Now bearing fruit I’ve heard that some where?

GALATIANS 5:22 25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

I received the Spirit when I was baptized and yet I do not have patience, why? As with everything in Bible study we do not know what the Bible says about a subject until we know all that the Bible says.

2 PETER1:1 11

1 Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: