Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

“But the fruit of the Spirit is…patience.”  ~Gal. 5:22

Brothers,

     In our modern-day world we have a major advantage, but also a disadvantage over the ancient world: stuff. Computers, bicycles, electricity, shaving cream, Starbucks (though in most cases that is a disadvantage), roller coasters, and plastic forks… we are incredibly blessed by the multitude of things that make our tasks easier and our fun more extravagant. However, we are at a major disadvantage because of this. People used to wait until they had a whole day to go shopping, or until they had some extra money or crops to trade for some treat. Nowadays, people can do their shopping on the Internet, their desire for a treat is satisfied by a dollar ice cream cone from McDonald's, and their cars allow them to travel hundreds of miles in a few hours. Yet (and especially for us as Californians) the speed at which we do things concerns us so much that we often forget to enjoy it.

     Why do I say this? Because our modern-day world lacks patience.  As I’ve said before, the fruit of the Spirit is not just a bunch of unrelated topics, but complementary traits. It is like a woven blanket, with each trait acting as a thread, all of which are interconnected into one covering. You show patience with those whom you love by overlooking some of their faults and by forgiving annoyances or minor offenses against you, and because of your patience, peace exists between you.  Patience brings joy by waiting for the precious gifts of the Lord, both physically and spiritually. In today’s environment of super speed, we’ve lost not only most of our ability to wait, but also our desire to wait. Think about Noah and how he spent almost one hundred years building the ark because he obeyed the word of the Lord and trusted that all those years’ labor would not be in vain. Or think about the patience of the prophets who endured all the threats, curses, and tortures of a generation who did not fear the Lord. Most importantly, remember the patience of Jesus. For over 30 years, He knew that He would die on the cross. Yet He did not run or flee, but steadfastly endured.

     So my encouragement for you is this: when you begin to worry, be patient. Wait on the Lord and He will not fail you. When you begin to be frustrated with a sibling, friend, or neighbor, be patient. Remove the plank from your own eye and be humble. When you are given the opportunity to buy some tool or toy, be patient. Look first and see if you can afford it and then look again to see if there is perhaps some better use to put your money towards. There is an old phrase that I’m sure you’ve heard many times before. It’s “good things come to those who wait.” As I’m sure you will find out, some of the greatest joys you will have in this life are ones you have had to wait a long time for. And I know that the greatest joy you will ever have will be one day being raised to eternal life with our Lord and Savior. To get to that day, you may very well have to endure a lot. Yet to endure takes patience and patience takes work. So start working!

Your brother in Christ,

Corey

The Lord is in Control

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” ~Matt 6:31-34

Brothers,

This week at the dinner table, my family went over the Lord’s Prayer and talked about each of the different components of it. One of those parts was Matt. 6:11: “Give us this day our daily bread.” In other words, we pray that the Lord would give us what is necessary for that day. Some people take this to mean that we should work to provide for our families just for the day, or even in some cases, not at all, taking this to mean the Lord will provide all our needs. Now I don’t mean to give the impression that they don’t do other things with their time. George Müller, a man who ran several orphanages in England, did so by prayer. He did not work outside of the orphanage; his work was training up the children under his care, making decisions for what repairs were to be made and what tasks were to be taken up. Yet he never asked for money and didn’t work in a job that paid money. But God provided for his needs and gave him all that he needed. Sometimes they didn’t have breakfast to serve the children until God providentially provided milk and bread in the form of a milkman and baker who both were having trouble with their wares and so gave them to the orphanages. This was a noble attitude, but the Bible also talks about a man providing for his family and suggests that preparing for the future is a good thing. So what is right? Should we work and save for the future? Should we work only for a day’s wages? Should we work at all, trusting instead on God to provide for our needs? Let’s look at the last one first: Should we work at all? My answer: yes. George Müller had the job of training up children and providing for their needs. Like the disciples described in Luke 10:7 who preached the Word without pay, yet were given food and shelter by Christians, Müller was also a “laborer…worthy of his wages.” He had a job working for the Lord and the Lord provided for his needs. Should we work for the Lord only and not for man? No, for the Law holds many rules centered around business. We also have a clearer example: Paul was a tentmaker who worked while ministering and Jesus was a carpenter who worked for all but the last several years of His earthly incarnation, at which time He devoted Himself fully to ministry. So it is Biblical to work. Should we work for a day’s wage only? No; Solomon tells us to take a lesson from the ant which stores up food for the winter. Throughout the Old Testament we see inheritances where the firstborn is given a double portion, but all the rest is divided between the remaining sons. Dowries also are given for daughters. So it is not only Biblical to save for your future, but the futures of your children. The essence of the passage is not to become John the Baptists who live in the desert on locusts and honey, but to trust the Lord for our provision, however great or small. We are not to worry when finances grow thin, for the Lord will provide. We are not to hoard money or resources, for to do so would put them on a higher pedestal than God. We are not to let our focus be towards what we will do with our resources, for when it becomes our primary focus, again we have placed it higher than God. This passage is a warning: Don’t let material possessions become your worry or god. Save, provide for your family, but do not let money become your focus. The Lord will provide when circumstances seem grim. When our goal is to show His love by blessing others, He Himself will bless us. Therefore, prepare for tomorrow, but do not be anxious or worried about what tomorrow holds. The Lord has all things under control.

Your brother in Christ,

Corey

Do Not Lose Heart!

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame… For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body…Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ~2 Cor. 4:1-2; 6-10; 16-18

Brothers,

Many times in my life I have struggled with depressed spirits. These times often follow periods of stress, tension, emotional struggles, or busy periods of time. With each one, however, I ask myself why even these circumstances would cause me to doubt God’s ultimate plan and purpose, for that is all that depression is: a spirit that is troubled because the focus is not on God, but on our own cares and worries. Yet all the powers of this feeble world cannot overcome the light that is within us. Tortures that make us cringe at the thought of so much pain carry the force of a feather against these verses. For what can man do against the Spirit of the Lord? I am in no way saying that you won’t experience any pain or struggle. In fact, unfeeling as it may sound, I pray that you would suffer pain and torture for Christ’s sake, for through such trials you will be purified and refined and you will be given a crown of glory in heaven. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, the grace of God is a costly grace: “costly because it calls us to follow, and grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. Costly because it costs a man his life, and grace because it gives a man the only true life.” Depression is but a tool of Satan to distract us by directing our thoughts to earthly troubles rather than heavenly power. Do not let the things of this world come first: career, marriage, finances. Instead make the Lord your focus and let your job be a way of showing the diligent, faithfulness of Christ. Let your marriage be a way of expressing the love and devotion which Christ showed to His errant sheep. Finally, let the way you handle your finances demonstrate the way that Christ provides for His Church. Do not lose heart, brothers, for though the battle seems long and painful to us now, the grace of the Lord is sufficient to carry us through it all and bring us to a land that is free of pain and sorrow and instead is full of joy in the presence of the Lord. How precious is that thought! May you rest always on His promises and may you hide them in your heart and remember them in you darkest hours. May His name be glorified!

Your brother in Christ,

Corey

Riches will not profit you in the coming days of Judgement

_­Dear Corey,

In this letter I am going to go through part of the end of James, so let’s jump into chapter 5, verses 1-2.

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.”

In many places in Scripture we are told that earthly treasures will pass away and disappear, while our souls endure forever. We are to store up treasures in heaven and not in earth. The end of this passage reads,

“Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth…You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.”

God hates when we are unjust. God hates when, motivated by personal gain, we take advantage of others. Unfortunately, most of us have a struggle with selfishness, but we need to keep trying. Instead, we need to be patient and content. James 5:7-8 says,

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

We are to love and be patient. I want to end with verse 9, “Do not grumble against one another brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold the Judge is standing at the door!” This week love and forgive all. Be patient and longsuffering. Glory be to God!

Your Brother in Christ,

Nick

Patience during persecution

Corey,

For the first part of 2010, I am going to be writing letters on the book of James, one of my favorite books of the Bible. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” When we face troubles and trials it allows us to grow spiritually. In times of national trials or hardships many people start reading their Bibles. For example, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks the number of Bibles sold shot up. But trials do more than grow our faith, they grow our patience.

James 1:4 says, “Let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Patience is an important virtue to have. Timothy 6:11 says, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.”

James 1:5-6 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.” God gives wisdom to us if we ask in faith. Patience and wisdom to understand God’s Word are both good things to have.

The point of this letter is to encourage you to have faith even through trials. We may not know why He allows us to face them, but we know they allow us to grow in Him.

Your BIC,

Nick