Tag: patience

How Are You Doing Today?

Text:

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV)

36  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Observation:

Are you tired of life in this world? I read this CS Lewis quote on Twitter yesterday, and I thought of it when pondering the question I just asked.

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is…we were made for another world.”

Our world is filled with trials and temptations; they are the common lot to all of humanity. Let’s look at some of them, and then look to a Word from the Lord that speaks to them.

  • pain
  • sickness
  • separation
  • cheating
  • lying
  • stealing
  • immorality
  • disease
  • divorce
  • emptiness
  • poverty
  • death

James 1:2-4 (ESV)

2  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

3  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

4  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

In the midst of our trials and temptations those who know the Lord, and have put their trust in Him have within them the power and patience to overcome the troubles we face living in the world.

James 1:12 (NLT)

12  God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Yesterday I attended a monthly meeting of senior adults at our church, and we had a time of testimony and prayer. Our leader started calling on different members asking them to sing a song. This morning I woke up with this song on my mind prompted by something I read recently.

The song said in part, “I believe I’ll run on, see what the end will be. At the end there is something waiting for me”. Then, it said, ” I will toil on, pray on, and sing on”. My, my how those old songs of the church feed your soul, and encourage you to endure.

Hallelujah! All my troubles will be over. My soul is singing, “Soon and very soon I’m going to see the King”.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)

12  Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I am so grateful that You are always near to Your people.

Father, I pray that we would learn to lean on the power of God that is alive within the hearts of all of Your dearly beloved children.

Father, I pray for transformation and renewal in the lives of Your people. Father, I pray for patience and endurance. I believe and declare that You are able to get us through all of the trials, temptations, and troubles we are facing living in the world. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

What Type of Leader Are You?

 

Text:

Matthew 20:24-28 (HCSB)

24  When the 10 ?disciples? heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.

25  But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them.

26  It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

27  and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many.”

Observation:

Two things brought me to the place of focusing on this topic today. Yesterday I read an article by John Maxwell about leadership. He offered a Maximum Impact Leadership Assessment tool, and since it was free, I decided to take the assessment. My maximum impact strength was service.

The second thing happened this morning when I read the You Version Bible Verse of the Day, which was Matthew 20:28.The focus was service.

Needless to say my one word goal for today is service. The question asked by the devotional I listened to this morning was this. What goal can you set today to be a servant?

The best advice of how to be a servant leader was modeled by Jesus. He told His disciples the type of leaders they should be.

Matthew 20:26-27 (HCSB)

26  It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

27  and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

Prayer:

Father, I exalt Your name above every name; there is none like You, no not one.

Father, help each of us to embrace the leadership model of Jesus. Father, help us to show love and patience, today and everyday, to the people that we encounter in our home, workplace, and the marketplace. Father, help us to be more and more like Jesus everyday. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Daily Bread

Title: The Power to Live in Difficult Times and with Difficult People

Text:

2 Corinthians 6:4 (KJV)
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

Observation:

No matter who you are or where you are it is not difficult in this world of diversity and division that we can agree that we live in difficult times and there are a lot of difficult people in this world. How then shall we live? How then shall we walk?

We don’t always know with precision the direction that we should go in the journey of being a Christ follower. However, what I have found is that you just have to go; to take the next best step.

The key is that you are never alone in your journey; you have a leader so keep your eyes on Jesus, and keep moving forward. Here is an example of the patience of Paul in waiting for a helper.

Acts 16:1-5 (NLT)
1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

This scripture leaped off the page for me because God has been teaching me a lesson on patience. He is showing me through various life experiences the peace, provisions and power that come when we wait on the Lord.

The Apostle Paul had to sever ties with John Mark for a season. However, God had another young man that became a profitable son in the faith to Paul, and that was Timothy. I tell you  there is peace, provisions and production when you wait on God, and continue to walk in His way.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the reassuring word you planted in my heart this morning about the virtue of patience. Lord, help that person who is in a difficult place right now, and dealing with difficult people to be able to look up to Jesus, and take the next step toward Him. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/701#ixzz2x49v6kBE