Blessed to be a blessing VIII

 Hebrews 11: 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Romans 4: 18 Against all (human) hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Like A Caged Lion

The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks were calm and peaceful attitude. His intimate friends, however, knew that at times he suffered moments of frustration and irritation. One day a friend saw him pacing the floor like a caged lion. “What is the trouble, Dr. Brooks?” asked the friend. “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!””

• Against all (human) hope
• Human based, short lived, Pessimistic, critical, wishing, worry,
• Human hope doesn’t only give up quicker

Mark 11: 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

• In hope believed (whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours)
• In hope – a position of believing, faith = patience, waiting
• This is the most difficult part of faith.
• We all want to believe and receive in the same moment.

James 5: 7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

• Ulli share something

Thanks For Your PatienceTwo

Christians were driving through an area where the road was being widened. At the end of the repair zone, a sign informed travelers, “Construction Ended. Thank You for Your Patience.”

“I think that would make an appropriate epitaph for my life,” said one of the Christians.

• So became…  - Just as it had been said to him

Fifty-Two Years’ Prayer For The Last Man

 More than half a century ago, George Mueller, that prince of intercessors with God, began to pray for a group of five personal friends. After five years one of them came to Christ. In ten years, two more of them found peace in the same Saviour. He prayed on for twenty-five years, and the fourth man was saved. For the fifth he prayed until the time of his death, and this friend, too, came to Christ a few months afterwards.

 For this latter friend, Mr. Mueller had prayed almost fifty-two years! When we behold such perseverance in prayer, we feel that we have scarcely touched the fringe of real importunity in our intercessions for others.

Romans 15: 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance (patience) and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

• What God said HAS to be the basis of our patience!

• Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact

How do we strengthen Patience?

1. We already saw in Romans the primary way is the scriptures
2. Pressure develops muscles!

James 1: 2 My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, 3 because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. 4 Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.

Nancy Kept Trying

One of the amazing stories of sheer courage in the face of tremendous odds is that of Nancy. Stricken with polio at ten, she was condemned to wear heavy braces and later crutches. Yet, in four years she became a swimming champion who told President Roosevelt, when he asked her how she had become the youngest champ despite infantile paralysis: “Well I guess I just kept trying, Mr. President.”

Her parents had taken her to a man named Jack Cody, swimming coach at an athletic club in Portland. It took a year to teach her to swim the length of the pool. But she was determined. Finally the coach realized that this young girl was not only interested in swimming as a means of restoring her health and the use of her limbs, she wanted to be a champion. Four years after her paralytic attack, she came in third at a meet in Santa Barbara, California. At the age of nineteen she changed her style of swimming and emerged from the meet as national champion. She just kept trying.

Abraham’s Lack of Patience “There is an ancient legend that Abraham invited into his tent a man, who at mealtime gave no thanks to God for His mercy. Whereupon the patriarch drove him forth into the desert unfed and unsheltered. But in the night God touched Abraham and awoke him, saying to him, “Where is the stranger?” Abraham said, “When he did not fear you, or thank you, I drove him forth.” God rebuked him, saying, “Who made you his judge: I have borne with him all these years. Could you not bear with him one night? Have you learned nothing from my mercy to you?”