HOW TO WAIT PATIENTLY PART 1

TEXT -- PSALMS 62:1-8

INTRODUCTION

THIS MORNING I AM GOING TO BEGIN A SERIES OF MESSAGES ON "HOW TO FACE LIFE'S PROBLEMS".

WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY THERE ARE FOUR MISCONCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNING PROBLEMS.

SOME THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN YOU WON’T EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH PROBLEMS.

YET THE BIBLE NEVER PROMISES THAT.  IN FACT, IT TELLS US THE EXACT OPPOSITE.

JOB 5:7  BUT A PERSON IS BORN FOR TROUBLE AS SURELY AS SPARKS FLY UP FROM A FIRE. (GW)

OTHERS THINK THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU COULD EVER EXPERIENCE IN LIFE ARE ALL MENTIONED WITHIN THE BIBLE.

WHILE THE BIBLE DOES MENTION HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT WE MIGHT EXPERIENCE IN LIFE, IT DOESN’T MENTION EVERY PROBLEM.  INSTEAD, IT TELLS US TO WALK BY FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD.  IF GOD TOLD US EVERYTHING, THERE WOULDN’T BE ANY NEED FOR A DAILY FAITH IN GOD.

ANOTHER MYTH CONCERNING PROBLEMS IS YOU MUST NOT BE VERY SPIRITUAL IF YOU HAVE THEM.

AGAIN, THE EXACT OPPOSITE IS PROBABLY TRUE IN A LOT OF CASES.

2 TIMOTHY 3:12  ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE ALL OUT FOR CHRIST IS IN FOR A LOT OF TROUBLE; THERE'S NO GETTING AROUND IT. (MSG)

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE JOB.  THE BIBLE DESCRIBES HIM AS BEING A PERFECT AND UPRIGHT MAN.  YET, LOOK AT THE ENORMOUS PROBLEMS HE EXPERIENCED IN HIS LIFE.

ANOTHER MYTH ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE IS THAT IF YOU KNOW ENOUGH OF THE BIBLE YOUR PROBLEMS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE SOLVED AND GO AWAY.

AGAIN, THIS IS VERY FAULTY REASONING.

IF SOMEONE WAS TOLD BY THEIR DOCTOR THAT THEY HAD A TUMOR, THEY WOULD BE CRAZY TO THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY HAD READ SOME MEDICAL JOURNALS ON THE TOPIC THEIR TUMOR WOULD SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR.  IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE TUMOR YOU HAVE TO OPERATE ON IT.

NO AMOUNT OF BIBLICAL TRUTH WILL SOLVE LIFE'S PROBLEMS UNLESS WE APPLY GOD'S WORD TO OUR LIVES.
 
OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN PSALMS 62:1-8 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO WAIT PATIENTLY".

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY GOD ALLOWS US TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS IN OUR LIFE IS SO WE WILL LEARN HOW TO BE PATIENT.

JAMES 1:3  FOR WHEN THE WAY IS ROUGH, YOUR PATIENCE HAS A CHANCE TO GROW. (TLB)

IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY WHERE FROZEN DINNERS, INSTANT FOOD, FAST FOOD LANES, INSTAMATIC CAMERAS, AND EXPRESS LANES EXIST IN THE GROCERY STORE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO BE PATIENT.

MANY PEOPLE WOULD RATHER DO ANYTHING THAN WAIT.  THAT ALSO MEANS THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD RATHER DO THE WRONG THING.

WAITING ON GOD IS RESTING INSTEAD OF WORRYING.

TODAY THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE ABLE TO PUT ON A FALSE FRONT, PRETENDING TO BE AT PEACE WHEN REALLY THEY ARE ALL TORN UP ON THE INSIDE.

THIS REMINDS ME OF A STORY ABOUT SOME AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO HAD RENTED A HOUSE IN KOREA AND HIRED A LOCAL BOY TO DO THEIR HOUSEKEEPING AND COOKING FOR THEM.  THE KOREAN BOY WAS ALWAYS SMILING AND ALWAYS HAD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, EVEN THOUGH THE SOLDIERS PLAYED ONE TRICK AFTER ANOTHER ON HIM. THEY NAILED HIS SHOES TO THE FLOOR.  AND HE'D GET UP IN THE MORNING AND PULL THE NAIL OUT, PUT HIS SHOES ON AND STILL GO ON SMILING.  THEY PUT GREASE ON THE STOVE HANDLES AND HE WOULD WIPE IT OFF AND CONTINUE TO SMILE.  THE BALANCED BUCKETS OF WATER OVER THE DOOR SO THAT WHEN HE OPENED IT HE'S GET SOAKED.  BUT HE WOULD SIMPLY DRY HIS CLOTHES AND CONTINUE TO SMILE.  FINALLY THEY BECAME SO ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES THAT THEY CALLED HIM IN AND SAID, "WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO TRICK YOU AGAIN".  HE ASKED, "YOU MEAN NO MORE NAIL SHOES ON FLOOR?"  "NO MORE."   "YOU MEAN NO MORE GREASE ON STOVE KNOBS?"  "NO MORE."  "YOU MEAN NO MORE BUCKETS OF WATER OVER DOOR?"  "NO MORE."  OKAY THEN, NO MORE SPIT IN YOUR SOUP," HE RESPONDED WITH A SMILE.

HOW CAN YOU EXPERIENCE LIFE’S PROBLEMS WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND WITH PEACE IN YOUR HEART?

IT’S BY LEARNING HOW TO FACE YOUR PROBLEMS WITH PATIENCE.

THIS MORNING I’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER FOUR WAYS YOU CAN DEVELOP MORE PATIENCE IN YOUR LIFE.