Faith and Patience

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>    |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> back to<B>  </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Edification Articles"><B>Edification Articles</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Faith and Patience</B></div> <div> <A HREF="the_gifts_of_the_maji_and_ou.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny">The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny</A></div> <div> <A HREF="solomons_wisdom.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Balanced Outlook on Live!">A Balanced Outlook on Live!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="what_is_truth.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What is Truth?">What is Truth?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="satans_snare.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Satans Snares">Satan's Snares</A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="are_you_ready_for_the_return.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Are you ready for the return of Christ?">Are you ready for the return of Christ?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="readers_corner___september_2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner September 2008">Readers Corner - September 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_ultimate_plan.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Ultimate Plan">The Ultimate Plan</A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="called_to_be_a_kingdom_of_pr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Called to be a Kingdom of Priests">Called to be a Kingdom of Priests</A></div> <div> <A HREF="readers_corner_july_20008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner July 20008">Readers Corner July 20008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="knowing_god.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Knowing God">Knowing God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="living_without_gods_word.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living without Gods Word">Living without God's Word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="trauma_in_america.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trauma in America">Trauma in America</A></div> <div> <A HREF="proverbs_31_wife___an_exampl.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proverbs 31 Wife An Example for the Chu">Proverbs 31 Wife - An Example for the Church of God!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="cremation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cremation">Cremation</A></div> <div> <A HREF="change.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Change">Change</A></div> <div> <A HREF="only_one_mark_of_the_beast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Only One, Mark of the Beast?">Only One, Mark of the Beast?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="how_should_pentecost_be_coun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How should Pentecost be counted?">How should Pentecost be counted?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="gods_planned_parameters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Planned Parameters">God's Planned Parameters</A></div> <div> <A HREF="human_nature.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human Nature">Human Nature</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Burnout">Christian Burnout</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What I am living for">What I am living for</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id432.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ The Passover The Wavesheaf">Jesus Christ; The Passover -- The Wavesheaf -- The Firstfruit!!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id431.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beyond the veil">Beyond the veil</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id429.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All Because of Us">All Because of Us</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="As Little Children">As Little Children</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id427.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Something to think about">Something to think about</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id423.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="OBSERVE GODS FEAST FOREVER">OBSERVE GOD'S FEAST FOREVER</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id420.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human nature">Human nature</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id419.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude">Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id418.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who has the authority?">Who has the authority?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id415.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods will">God's will</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id414.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Really good news!">Really good news!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id413.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="It wont be long now!">It won't be long now!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id412.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jerusalem Our City of the Future">Jerusalem - Our City of the Future</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id411.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Listen to God">Listen to God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id407.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Identifying the Holy Spirit">Identifying the Holy Spirit</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id406.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The book that hold the desteny of men!">The book that hold the desteny of men!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id405.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Which Will You Be Chosen?">From Which Will You Be Chosen?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id403.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Always be Ready!">Always be Ready!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id401.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Without vision">Without vision</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id400.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yielding fruit after its kind!">Yielding fruit after its kind!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id397.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two groups of Jews">Two groups of Jews</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id396.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Almost Forgotten Day ">God's Almost Forgotten Day </A></div> <div> <A HREF="id395.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calli">The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calling</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id394.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep the Right Day for Passover">Keep the Right Day for Passover</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id393.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Pain of Change">The Pain of Change</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id392.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Man Who crucified Christ!">The Man Who crucified Christ!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id390.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two Churches of Revelation 12">Two Churches of Revelation 12</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id389.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Heart Knower">The Heart - Knower</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id388.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All things work together for good!">All things work together for good!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id387.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Understand Gods Healing Plan">Understand God's Healing Plan</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id386.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feed Gods Household">Feed God's Household</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id382.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Religion could not save us">Religion could not save us</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id381.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Know Thyself">Know Thyself</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id380.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fear Factor">Fear Factor</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id378.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Accountability">Accountability</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id374.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why they will fight Christ at his coming">Why they will fight Christ at his coming</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id373.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Ma">The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Man</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id372.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods Word">Sharing God's Word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id371.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!">More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id370.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacle">Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacles</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id366.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living in a world without the Bible ">Living in a world without the Bible </A></div> <div> <A HREF="id365.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When all else failsPress On">When all else fails-Press On</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Come out of Babylon and be not partakers">Come out of Babylon and be not partakers of her sin</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id363.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All other ground is sinking sand">All other ground is sinking sand</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id362.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddle of Leviathan?">Riddle of Leviathan?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id360.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christs Message In The Parable Of Lazaru">Christ's Message In The Parable Of Lazarus And The Rich Man</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id359.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep Gods Sabbath Holy">Keep God's Sabbath Holy</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id358.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ, The PassoverThe WavesheafT">Jesus Christ, The Passover---The Wavesheaf--The Firstfruit</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wave sheaf">Wave sheaf</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id356.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let no man take your crown">Let no man take your crown</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id355.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods three appointed harvests">God's three appointed harvests</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id343.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Modern day Israel">Modern day Israel</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Planting of America">The Planting of America</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id342.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Where is God?">Where is God?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id344.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The power of words">The power of words</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id340.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Promises of the fifth commandment">Promises of the fifth commandment</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id341.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=". . . and my People love to have it so!">. . . and my People love to have it so!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id347.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Betrayal of Christ">The Betrayal of Christ</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id348.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Purpose of Gods Law!">Purpose of God's Law!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id349.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The evils of sin">The evils of sin</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id350.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="He who overcomes">He who overcomes</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id351.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods word">Sharing God's word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id352.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id318.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GODS HOLY DAY OFFERINGS">GOD'S HOLY DAY OFFERINGS</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id320.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Time to count">Time to count</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trumpet of God">Trumpet of God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="To forgive is divine">To forgive is divine</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Overcoming bad habits">Overcoming bad habits</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Little Fock">Little Fock</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id329.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Government in Gods Church">Government in God's Church</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id330.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HWA Radio Transcript 1979">HWA Radio Transcript 1979</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id333.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Is God speaking to us?">Is God speaking to us?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id334.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Do you believe God?">Do you believe God?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id335.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warnings and Exhortation">Warnings and Exhortation</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id336.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Righteous Judgment">Righteous Judgment</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id337.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The physical and spiritual blessings of ">The physical and spiritual blessings of submission</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Faith and Patience</B></div> <bR> <div> FAITH === <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” </FONT>(Heb 11:1).</div> <bR> <div> PATIENCE === <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” </FONT>(Rev 14:12).</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      In the first chapter of Acts, we see a small group of faithful followers of Christ gathered together, evidently, in the same large upper room where the disciples had their last Passover meal with Jesus.  They were there on orders from Jesus Christ Himself, to wait for the promised Holy Spirit from God.  In Acts chapter 2, when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they did in fact, receive the Holy Spirit - in a most dramatic way.  The Apostle Peter goes on to give his famous Pentecost sermon that resulted in the instant growth of 3,000 members into the newly formed placePlaceNameNew PlaceNameTestament PlaceTypeChurch.       The part of Peter's sermon that concerns us though is Acts 2.  After hearing Peter's inspired sermon - the people ask, “what must we do?”  “Then Peter said to them, `Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'” (Acts 2:37-38).   So, the Holy Spirit is a gift from God - given upon repentance and baptism, but there are also fruits that are produced in our lives by that same Holy Spirit - if indeed it dwells within us.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV).  Notice that two of the fruits given are “faith” and “patience.”  Faith is also listed as one of the six foundational doctrines in Heb. 6.</div> <div>      Let's look at the subject of faith and patience and even touch on how those two fruits relate to the subject of healing.    </div> <div>      What is faith?  Here is a definition found given in an old “Good News” article: “Faith is simply confidence and assurance in God - the absolute certainty that something will happen according to our unshakable belief, based on God's promise, or knowledge of His will.  It is trust in God, not in man - not in one's own unfounded supposition.  Faith is assurance that what God has promised, He will perform(Rom. 4:21).  It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).</div> <div>       James has something to say about faith too, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds (or works)? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, `Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  Vs. 18, “But someone will say, `You have faith; I have deeds.'  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.  You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?  Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, `Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend.  You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:14-24 NIV).</div> <div>       Works show the genuineness of our faith!  How can we know that our faith isn't “dead” or in “vain” as James mentions in his letter?  Our faith, or belief, to be effectual - must be based on a solid foundation and as James brings out, it must be coupled with works or deeds, or, we could say, living by every word of God.  We know that there are many “sincere” people out there, but most of us are spiritually mature enough to know that just being “sincere” isn't enough.  We can be sincerely wrong.  That's why we're told repeatedly in the scriptures not to “trust in man.”  Man, no matter how well intentioned he is, is often unable to keep his promises.  However, God is a sure foundation.  God will never break His word.  He doesn't change.  Mal. 3:6 says:  “For I am the LORD, I do not change.”  God is totally reliable, faithful - He cannot lie.  Heb. 6:18 tells us: “...it is impossible for God to lie.”   He can and will, bring to pass, whatever He promises.   So, in a nutshell, faith boils down to just believing and trusting God and acting on it.  Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, belief in whatever is stated in the Bible, is a properly based belief.  We must base our faith on the Word of God, not faulty human reasoning.  To ensure that we do that, we must do a couple of things.</div> <bR> <div>                                          <I><B>“ASK”</B></I></div> <div>       The<U> first </U>thing we must do is simply ask.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it”(John 14:12-14).</div> <div>      <U>Second</U>, we must ask according to God's will, not our own.  Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example to follow in our trials as well:   “And He (Jesus) was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, `Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done'” (Luke 22:41-42).    The example prayer Jesus gives in Matt. 6, commonly called the “Lord's Prayer,” shows one of the things that should be included in our prayers is to ask or state that God's will should be done.  “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10).</div> <div>      <U>Third</U>, in order to base our faith on the sure foundation of the Bible, not the traditions of man, we must actually study our Bible!  We must follow the example of the Bereans. “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to placeCityBerea.  When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These (Bereans) were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:10-11).  Paul when speaking directly to the Thessalonians, tells them: “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).  And tying into that point, is Paul's instruction to Timothy over in 2 Tim. 2:15, to “rightly divide the word of truth.”</div> <div>        If we do these things, then we can pray and have confidence that we are asking “according to God's will,” because we have “searched the scriptures daily” as the Bereans did and “rightly divided the word of truth,” as Paul instructed Timothy.  God can speak as clearly to us, as He did the Patriarchs - through His written word, the Bible.</div> <bR> <div>        <I><B>“FAITH”-----“OBEDIENCE”-----“PATIENCE”</B></I></div> <div>                                   <I><B>“HEALING”</B></I></div> <div>         At this point, I would like to touch again on the subject of healing.  There are three vital ingredients necessary for healing:<U> faith, obedience and patience</U>.  We will look briefly at the first ingredient, faith and obedience and how they tie into our trials - especially healing.  </div> <div>         Referring back to a previous point about asking according to God's will,  “And this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1John 5:14). 1John 3:22 - dealing with obeying God - these two scriptures go hand in hand,  “Whatever we ask (according to God's will), we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”  John has a lot to say on this subject  “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”  But, what does Jesus add in Vs. 15?  "If you love Me, keep My commandments. Vs. 21: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” (John 14:13-14,15,21). Keeping God's commandments is something we must do - a “work,” if you will, that reflects our love for God, His Law and way of life.  So, when we study God's word, we also realize that besides believing God and asking according to His will, we must also do something: obey His commandments. </div> <div>           Third ingredient necessary for healing or any trial for that matter.   This is the one that seems to cause the most problem for many of God's people and that's <U>patience.</U>  Many feel their faith is worthless because they don't seem to receive what they prayed for - especially in healing.  They search the scriptures and come up with James 5:14-15.   The Bible plainly teaches that God can and does heal “Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).  </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>                                       “TRIALS”</B></I></div> <div>      These same principles we are talking about can be applied to any trial in life - it could be financial difficulties, employment problems, or even marital problems.  But, for our purpose we will apply the topic mainly to the subject of healing.   It's one of those things that God has promised to do for those who love and obey Him.   </div> <div>       We believe God and go to Him and claim that promise of healing, again knowing that God cannot lie.  But, what happens then?  This is where the third ingredient in healing or resolving a trial comes into play: patience.  Whether it's healing, or some other trial; perhaps you have prayed earnestly about it, maybe even fasted.  You have exercised faith.  You have, as far as you can determine, done your part.  Still, relief has not come when you hoped it would.  Maybe you have said to yourself, “Oh, if I only had faith like the righteous men and women in the Bible!”  Is that right - is that what the Bible really shows?  Did God always grant His people instant deliverance from trials, or heal them immediately in every case?  The truth is, that while God often intervened in a speedy manner in response to the needs of certain individuals mentioned in the Bible; in other cases, He delayed delivering some very faithful men and women.  </div> <div>     The Psalms says that “The Lord tests the righteous” (Psa. 11:5).  In other words, God sometimes made them wait.  He tested them and allowed them to endure difficult, trying situations.  The prophets of the Old Testament were very familiar with “suffering and patience,” as it states over here in James, “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.  Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!  Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:7-11 NIV).</div> <div>        What does this show us?  That an obvious lack of faith can certainly cause answers to prayer to be delayed, but a delayed answer does not necessarily mean there is a lack of faith - if you followed my reasoning.  A delayed answer is not a reason for someone who has given his or her life to God, to become discouraged.  As we will see a little later, when God “tests the righteous,” He is testing their faith - He exercises it, refines it, perfects it and increases it.  And to it all, He adds patience.  Obviously, God could deliver us at any time from what ever problem we may have.  But, how would that develop godly character in us?  God doesn't want us “just as we are” - in the same state in which He called us.  He expects us to “grow in grace and knowledge;” to produce five more talents from those He initially gave us - not just return what we may have been given, or buried in the ground, unused.  God calls that servant “unprofitable.” </div> <div>          It's contrary to our human nature to wait.  We want it now.  To wait for God takes patience.  It requires faith that God is in charge and that He knows what He is doing.    If God makes us wait for something, then it's for our own good.  There is surely a lesson being taught - if we have eyes to see.    The NIV translates Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”</div> <div>         God promises to deliver us out of every affliction, but He does not promise <U>when</U> He will do so.  Sometimes He does it right away.  Sometimes He does not.  Sometimes He doesn't even do it in the course of this life!  As we “search the scriptures daily,” we must be careful though,  not to mis-understand God's promise of healing.  God's word nowhere says that He promises to heal everyone of every sickness and every disease in this life.  If He did that, there would be no sick among us and we would all probably live 800-900 years, as did Noah or Methuselah.  </div> <div>        When God restores this earth to its original pristine condition during the Millennium, men and women will indeed live longer healthier lives, but that is not the case right now.  God doesn't promise us eternal life right now.  God doesn't say necessarily when He will heal, or how, only that He will.  James only says that God promises that the prayer of faith would save the sick and that God would raise them up.  He didn't say <U>when</U>.  Sometimes it is instantaneous.  I have seen some pretty miraculous healings in my own life and certainly in my wife's.  I've seen my children healed, as I'm sure many of you have.  Other times, it appeared that God didn't intervene at that particular time.  The point being, many times, God expects us to wait patiently for our promised healing.  God will heal us in His own good time and way.  Our job is to faithfully trust Him and place our lives in His hands and patiently wait if necessary.</div> <bR> <div>                                   <I><B>“MIRACLES”</B></I></div> <div>        There are many examples in the Bible of Christ or His disciples instantly and miraculously healing someone, but there are just as many examples that show God sometimes wants us to wait.  Perhaps it is to teach us a lesson, or to work out something in our life according to one of the essential ingredients of proper prayer - remember, we ask “according to His will” - do we really mean that or not?  Do we want God's will, or our own?</div> <div>            I want to give you a few examples of great men in God's sight, that did not receive immediate healing.  [Just to show you that you may be in good company!].  We all know the story of Job and how God allowed Satan to afflict and torment him with painful boils and other dreadful things - until God had worked His will and Job had learned his lesson.  Job didn't immediately understand what had happened to him.  In fact, it took quite a while for Job to fully profit spiritually from the trials that came on him.  Job survived his trials because of his faith and patience.  Eventually, God healed Job and restored all he had seven fold. </div> <div>          God also promises that He won't place any more on us than we can take - even though we may question that at times! “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (or trial) will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).</div> <div>        We know from a couple of the Psalms and events recorded in 1 Kings, that King David - “a man after God's own heart” - suffered from what he called “a loathsome disease.”   David says:  “There is no soundness in my flesh because of your anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.  For my iniquities are gone over my head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.  My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.  I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.  For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.  I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.  Lord, all my desire is before you; and my groaning is not hid from you.   My heart pants, my strength fails me: as for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me”(Ps 38:3-10).  It appears that this was near the end of David's life, but there is no indication in scriptures that God healed David of it.  In fact, David, sick and feeble, died after reigning over placecountry-regionIsrael for 40 years.  David, as with all of God's faithful people, died in faith, knowing that God will raise him up at that last trump - totally healed and with a glorious spirit body prepared for him by God.</div> <div>       The great prophet of God, Elisha, also died in the faith - unhealed.  “Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of country-regionIsrael came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, `O my father, my father, the chariots of placecountry-regionIsrael and their horsemen!'” (2 Kings 13:14).  Vs. 20: “Then Elisha died, and they buried him.”  And yet, continuing with the rest of vs. 20 and 21, we read:   “And the raiding bands from placecountry-regionMoab invaded the land in the spring of the year. So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.”   Elisha died of a sickness, God did not heal him, at least not right then, yet when this other man's dead body touched Elisha's dead body, the other person wasn't just healed, he was restored to life!  God did great works and miracles through David and Elisha.  Why didn't He heal them?  Only God knows, but we, and they, can be assured (by faith) that we will be healed and raised in the soon coming resurrection.  That is one of the sure promises of God.  </div> <div>       The apostle Paul was another man whom God used in a mighty way:  God used Paul to heal many people - even drive out demons.  Paul was bitten by a deadly poisonous snake and wasn't affected by it.  Many feel that God literally raised Paul from the dead - after one of his stonings - in order that Paul could finish the ministry God had called him to.  Paul lists a litany of trials and problems he faced in 2 Cor. 11:23-28.  Most of them were frightening and life threatening.   I certainly wouldn't want to go through even a fraction of that!        After relating to the Corinthians his experience with sufferings, Paul relates to them a vision of the Third Heaven.  Yet, Paul says he couldn't boast about that - only his sufferings and infirmities.  “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7).  The great Apostle Paul called on God on three separate occasions for healing.  God did not heal him then.  Part of our faith is knowing, as I mentioned earlier, that God may be working out some special purpose in our life.  We have to have faith.</div> <div>        Paul related how he had been caught up in vision to the third Heaven - where God's throne is:  An event that might make most men glory in themselves and be puffed up with vanity.   Let's add verse 8 through 10 - this time from the NIV. “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, `My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness'” (2 Cor 12:7-10).  Paul says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  God wanted Paul to know from where the strength to do His work came from.  Doesn't that dovetail exactly with our situation today?  God's work - His will, is still being done - by “His power” and “His Spirt,” not by ours!  We must be humble, submissive servants that God can work through.  God can't use vain, proud people.  </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>                                      “REVIEW”</B></I></div> <div>        Just to review some of the points made so far: There are three vital ingredients involved in healing, or in resolving any trial: <U>faith, obedience and patience</U>.  When a person prays for healing, he must believe and obey God, and then, because God has not promised when He will heal, he must patiently wait for God's intervention.</div> <div>         Paul, trying to encourage the saints to whom the Book of Hebrews was written, tells them: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,  that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promise” (Heb. 6:11-12.).  Sometimes, it takes a lot of patience on our part to wait for God to act ... when He knows the time is best.</div> <div>        Let's examine a few places in the Bible where “patience” is listed.  Jesus Christ gives the explanation of the parable of the sower here. “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.  Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.  The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by perseverance and patience produce a crop” (Luke 8:11-15, NIV).</div> <div>        Paul gave a message to the Thessalonians.  Notice what Paul says, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,  so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer” (2 Thess. 1:3-5).</div> <div>           James says,  “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).</div> <div>           And similarly, the Apostle Peter lists patience as one of the essential virtues to make your calling and election sure.  Peter says we have been given.... “exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control patience, to patience,  godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness (a trait attributed to the Laodiceans), and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.  Therefore, (or since you know this...)  brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;  for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:4-11).</div> <div>         The “faith” chapter, Heb.11, lists many of God's people who patiently waited in faith, even died in faith, “not having received the promises” - at least not in their lifetime.  God expects no less faith from us.  That same chapter says that “it is impossible to please God without faith.”</div> <div>         We need to “stir up” the Spirit of God and ask God for those fruits of His Holy Spirit; faith and patience.  Ask God to increase your faith - to strengthen it, so that it is pleasing to Him.  God wants us to ask and rely on Him.  That's one of the lessons we saw with Paul.  It's Christ in us; His faith in us that is going to finish the work He is doing in us and eventually bring us into the everlasting Kingdom of God.</div> <div>        None of us have the righteousness or faith necessary to be saved!  That only comes from Christ, through God's Holy Spirit.  “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it,(the faith), is the gift of God” (Eph.2:8)  -  as part of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit.</div> <div>          Paul shows that it is the faith of Christ in us, not our faith. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Christ living in us, through that same Holy Spirit, can supply us with the faith we need to trust and obey God at all times.  Faith acts as our breast plate and shield.  It's a vital part of our spiritual armor - something we need to be ever vigilant about - with Satan so angry and so active!  We must believe in God, but more importantly, what His word says.  We need to realize that our own faith is not sufficient to save us - we need the very faith of Jesus Christ added to our very limited human strength.</div> <div>           God knows best.  If we have committed our life to Him; He is working with us, perfecting our character, teaching us lessons that we need to learn.  He corrects us for our good.  He is the Master potter.  Let Him work in your life.  Have patience, because a master never rushes his work, or turns out a slipshod product.  </div> <div>          Faith and patience is a gift of God - and it comes as a result of God's grace, prayer and Bible study.  Base  your faith on the sure foundation of God and His Word.</div> <div>        Obey God! Ask in believing prayer, not wavering, and according to God's will for those vital fruits of His Holy Spirit: <B>Faith and patience</B>.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Pete Fleming</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>