Through Faith and Patience - Pastor’s Heart

Hi Folks!

How are you going? Have you been receiving any of God's promises in your life since the last time we got together? Praise God if you have! If the answer is "not yet" well don't fret and give up. As I mentioned in the last letter, God will fulfil His promises in your life as you put your expectation and trust in "Him". But all the promises don't necessarily come to us overnight. Our Father God does indeed answer our prayers that we pray in faith in the name of Jesus, as I will show you in a moment. But as our scripture today declares it is through faith "and" patience we inherit the promises.

... Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask and you "will" receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:23-24

It brings great joy not only to you and I but to our Father God when we receive the answers to our prayers. What God promised us in His Word He will do but the manifestation of it doesn't always come to us when we would like it to. Have you realized this yet? Our God is a faith God and we must not only believe when we pray but keep on believing afterwards, right up until the time we receive the promise. This is where patience comes in.

The word patient in the Bible doesn't necessarily mean "wait a long time". In the context of what we are studying it means "keep on believing until the promise is manifested". In the Word patience is often translated "endurance" or "perseverance". You have to make up your mind that God is faithful to His word and that He is not a liar. If we will believe and also be patient, the promise will surely turn up. Not only must we believe when we pray, but we've got to keep on believing for as long as it takes. This is where our faith is tested. If you and I really believe, then we will endure for as long as it takes - knowing our God is faithful. As I heard a famous preacher once say concerning answered prayer, "If you will be willing to stand forever, then it won't take very long". Our attitude must be, My God is faithful and I will trust in Him.

The words patience, endurance & perseverance are not the most popular words in society today, especially in the western world. Life seems to be so busy and demanding that if we don't see almost instant results then we'll either give up or try another way. We live in the generation that wants instant results, instant success, instant pleasure. We don't want to have to wait for anything, hence the great debt we see folks in bondage to with home loans and credit cards etc. Not so in the kingdom of God. If you're not at least willing to ride it out for a while and exercise the fruit of patience, then you will find yourself frustrated at best. The kingdom of God works 100% of the time but it is on His terms and conditions - because it is "His" kingdom we are operating under. His kingdom never fails and it will endure forever. Why is this? Because it is built upon the foundation of His Word.

Forever, O Lord, your Word is settled in Heaven. Psalm 119:89

Abraham is called the father of our faith and he is a great example of a man who walked in both faith and patience. Abraham obviously believed God because he received his promised child Isaac. But if he had given up hope along the way and quit, then the promised child would never had come. He was an old man of nearly 100 years and his wife Sarah was barren. After 24 years it must have started to look as though God was not going to come through... but not to a man of faith. Abraham was willing to persevere and endure until the end. Abraham considered God to be faithful and as we see in scripture so did his wife.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was passed the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:11

Thank God for our dear Abraham and Sarah! They as well as other men and women of God who have gone on before us have showed us the way to receiving from heaven... through faith and patience

Have a great day!

David

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