Patience

Text: Psalms 33:12-22

 

I.         What do you do when things don’t go your way?

            A.        When money becomes tight? Or someone cheats you?

            B.        What happens when life gets difficult and you don’t have a solution?

            C.        Or what happens when something needs to be done and you don’t have enough time?

            D.        For most of us, we tend to get frustrated or even angry at the situation

            E.        Let’s examine a few situations

II.        When people do you wrong

            A.        Regardless of how another person behaves, we should always return good

                        1.         Proverbs 24:29 - Don’t return evil for evil

                        2.         Proverbs 20:22 - Don’t take matters into your own hands. Instead, wait on the Lord to deal with the situation

                                    a.         No, “I’ll teach him ...”

                                    b.         Matthew 5:39 - Turn the other cheek when slapped

                        3.         I Thessalonians 5:15 - Instead of evil, do good

                                    a.         I Peter 3:9 - Return blessings when someone rails at you

                                    b.         Romans 12:17-21 - Overcome evil with good

            B.        Love your enemies - Matthew 5:44

                        1.         Exodus 23:4-5 - If your enemy’s animal strays, return it. Help with burdens

                                    a.         Do you hold doors open for your enemy or slam them?

                                    b.         If you see your enemy struggling, do you give him a hand or walk by?

                        2.         Proverbs 25:21-22 - Give aid to the needy, even if they are your enemy

                                    a.         Luke 6:35 - Lend without expecting any return

III.       You teach, but it seems no one listens

            A.        II Timothy 4:1-2 - Teach with long-term objectives in mind

                        1.         II Timothy 2:23-25 - Don’t strive but be patient with all

                        2.         Titus 3:1-7 - Remember that you were once like them

            B.        We need to learn to put up with people

                        1.         I Corinthians 13:4,7 - Love bears all things and suffers long

                        2.         Ephesians 4:1-3 - Forbear one another in love, keeping the unity

                        3.         I Thessalonians 5:14 - Be longsuffering toward all

                        4.         Colossians 3:12-15 - Put up with brethren, forgiving as Christ forgave us

IV.      When things don’t go as expected

            A.        Be patient in difficulties - Romans 12:12

                        1.         Luke 9:51-56 - The Samaritans refused Jesus lodging

                        2.         Jesus did not retaliate or even argue. He simply went on to another town.

            B.        Be longsuffering in difficult situations

                        1.         Colossians 1:9-11 - Strengthened to obtain patience

                        2.         Galatians 5:22 - Patience is a fruit of the Spirit

                        3.         James 3:17 - The wisdom from God is peaceful and gentle

V.        Every Christian needs to learn to be patient

            A.        Titus 2:2 - Learn to be sound in perseverance (or continuing patience)

            B.        James 1:4 - Learned through trials to make us complete