FAITH AND PATIENCE

THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE :

John 3:10, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?"

The Greek word translated "master" here actually means, "an instructor, doctor, teacher". Nicodemus was a very educated man in religious matters, yet he didn't have the slightest idea what Jesus was talking about.

Nicodemus' relationship with God had all been academic. He knew a lot about God, but he didn't know God personally. Jesus had a union with God that was unique and Nicodemus was intrigued. God was Jesus' father. This was foreign to Nicodemus.

Jesus had not been educated by man and yet He knew God in a way that the theologians and seminary graduates of His day didn't. He shocked Nicodemus when He told him that the only way to truly know God was through an experience of becoming born again.

The number one thing that sets Christianity apart from religion is this born again experience. We don't just have a different doctrine than the others.

We have been born from above. We have Jesus Himself living in our hearts. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. We truly fellowship with God as our father. A man with a born again experience is never at a loss when confronted by a man with an argument.

THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE :

...imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. - Hebrews 6:12, NIV

In our culture today, people are used to getting things right away. Some people say that we live in a “microwave” society. In other words, we’ve been programmed for immediacy. People don’t like to wait. But the scripture says, “It’s through faith and patience that we inherit God’s promises.”

Sometimes, it’s easy for people to start out in faith. We declare, “God, I believe I’m going to accomplish my dreams. God, I believe I’m going to overcome this obstacle.” But, it gets harder when we have to walk in patience. When you pray, can you say, “God, I not only believe for big things but I trust Your timing? God, I’m not going to get discouraged if it doesn’t happen immediately. I’m not going to give up because it’s taken a week, a month or five years. I know the set time is already in my future, so I’m going to wait with faith and patience because I know that it’s on the way.”

Remember, through faith and patience we inherit His promises. Trust His Word, trust His timing, and trust that your answer is on its way!

 AN IMPORTANT COMMAND :

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. —Mark 12:30

When asked by a lawyer to identify the most important rule in life, Jesus replied, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). In those words, Jesus summed up what God most desires from us.

I wonder how I can possibly learn to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. Neal Plantinga remarks on a subtle change in this commandment as recorded in the New Testament. Deuteronomy charges us to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength (6:5). Jesus added the word mind. Plantinga explains, “You shall love God with everything you have and everything you are. Everything.”

That helps us change our perspective. As we learn to love God with everything, we begin to see our difficulties as “our light and momentary troubles”—just as the apostle Paul described his grueling ordeals. He had in mind a “far more exceeding and eternal . . . glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

In the advanced school of prayer, where one loves God with the entire soul, doubts and struggles do not disappear, but their effect on us diminishes. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19), and our urgent questions recede as we learn to trust His ultimate goodness.

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek; give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to Thee.

The most treasured gift we can give to God is one that He can never force us to give—our love.

LET PEACE RULE :

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from the Christ rule(act as umpire continually) in your hearts--deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds.... And be thankful--appreciative, giving praise to God always. – Colossians 3:15

Have you been praying that God will let you know whether a certain action you want to take is agreeable to His will or not? Let this peace of Christ be your guide. Let it help you settle the issue. If you start to take that action and you realize you don't have peace about it, don't do it.

Remember, though, that this inner leading of the Holy Spirit, this subtle sense of uneasiness or peace He gives you, is something you have to watch and listen for carefully. He generally won't just come up and knock you out of bed one morning and tell you what you need to do. The primary way He speaks to you is by what the Bible calls an inward witness.

So, you have to listen. You can't just stay busy about the things of the world all the time. You have to give Him time and attention.

Also, watch out for strife. If you're irritated and upset about things in your life, it will be very hard to receive that quiet guidance from the Holy Spirit. So take heed to the instructions at the end of this scripture and "be thankful... appreciative, giving praise to God always." Maintain a thankful, grateful heart. You'll find it much easier to hear the "umpire of peace" when He makes a call.