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 1/19/99 Good Morning.... +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ The one thing for which we are
all being disciplined is to know that God is <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< Greetings! This is Jimmy and I'm doing the devo again this week. Talk about lightning striking twice in the same place! First, I want to let you know that I am not taking over the devos. The boys and I had the flu last week and now my darling wife is sick. I’m trying to relieve her of some of her chores and joys too, one of those being Apron Strings. So, as she is resting and recovering, she asked me to share a few words on "Patience." So be patient with me! <smile>
Have you heard the American's prayer? "Lord, give me patience...And I want it right now!" It's awfully hard for a country that exists on frozen dinners, instant mashed potatoes, powdered orange juice, packaged cake mixes, instant print cameras, and freeway express lanes to teach its young how to wait. In fact, it's next to impossible. One evening I was fussing about seeds in the grapes my wife had served for supper. After crunching into another seed, I laid down the law. "No more grapes served in the Swindoll home unless they are seedless!" I announced with characteristic dogmatism. Later, when nobody else was around to hear her reproof, Cynthia edged up to me and quietly asked: "Do you know why seeds in grapes bug you?" "Sure," I said, "because I bite into those bitter little things and they scatter all over my mouth!" "No," She smiled. "It's because you're too impatient to dig them out first. The purple grapes really taste better.....but they take a little more time." There I stood, riveted to the pantry door by a very true ( yet painful ) set of facts. I was too busy, too much in a hurry to split open a grape and pull out the seeds. Wow! No wonder waiting is such a difficult hassle for me to handle. Wouldn't you rather do anything than wait? If the truth were known, some of us would rather do the wrong thing than wait. I have found, however, that waiting is the rule rather than the exception in life. The exception is an open door; when you have one----go! They don't happen very often! But waiting, when the door is closed doesn't mean you're out of the will of God. You could be right in the center of His will. The open door is the exception. The burst of green lights happen just a few seconds in life. The rest of the time is filled with a few yellow lights, and mostly red lights that flash, "Wait, wait, wait!" From: "Three steps Forward and Two
steps Back" <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< The enemy of our soul has one purpose - to destroy God's work: to seduce and discourage us, to cut us off from the favor and presence of God. He comes against us with temptation and lust that can lead us to sin, which in turn engulfs us in guilt, fear, or condemnation. Is that happening to you? It happened to me this past week. It may not always be because our heart is wicked. The devil is not as anxious to destroy you as God is to deliver you. God is more prepared to keep His promises than the devil is to ruin you. The nearer the enemy comes to you, the Lord is all the nearer. NEAR means "defense," meaning God is near to defend the downcast and brokenhearted. King David saw God holding his right hand. God is walking hand in hand with you. If this is happening to you, Draw Near to God. He will draw nearer to you (James 4:8). Praise Him!...Seek Him!....Pray! Claim His promises!....Worship Him! Stand still and see the salvation of God....I did, so I know He will do it for you! -By: David Wilkerson- <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< At first we laid in graves of emptiness, <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§> PATIENCE! You know, that "thing" we all need but know better than ask for it. Cause as soon as we pray for patience, we get tested, and something happens. The baby flushes a diaper down the toilet, the 5 year old shaves the cat and the 8 year old decides it's time to bake a cake. Then we walk in to see a naked cat floating on a huge bread roll in the middle of the bathroom floor. Then we look to heaven and say, "Lord, give me patience, a broom and a mop." <Smile> Guess I’m the only one those things happen to huh? Let’s see what the Bible says about patience:
Is James for real? How do we count temptations, trials and suffering as joy? The key is in verse 2. The trying of our faith works patience or perseverance as the NIV states. Through these hard, sometime funny situations, the Holy Spirit comes in and actually strengthens us, giving us, not just enough to get through, but enough to carry us through and OVER. This kind of patience can only come from walking through hard places. Vine’s Expository says it like this, PATIENCE, PATIENT, PATIENTLY We do not like hardships or obstacles, but the Bible says those things happen, but what is important is how we react. In Acts, we see 2 men of God bound and in prison, but instead of complaining and griping and saying, "Woe is me, how could this happen?", they responded differently.
Sounds like they had a lot of joy? They sure had patience! They knew they were not going anywhere, and could possibly die. So? THEY PRAISED GOD! Even though things look bad, they let their situation increase their faith instead of destroying it. In our walk today, there are obstacles and problems that arise to destroy our faith. Count it for joy! If the enemy is on you that bad, he knows you are a danger to him and his kingdom, just as you are a joy to God and His Kingdom. Just as Paul and Silas, you can be bound physically, but ever so free spiritually. Those men around them heard these two praising God even though things looked bad. What do those around you hear when things go bad for you? Do they hear songs of praise and adoration to a loving God or do they hear complaints and selfish prayers? When all these thing happen, Brothers and Sisters, Praise God! Jesus was our example. Even as he showed his fear and humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane, his final statement was, "Not my will but thine." He overcame his fear, and God wants you to overcome too. Let God have is perfect way in you just as He wants his peace and patience to be in you.
Be patient Friends, and Endure. Jimmy Skipper
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