WEBVTT 00:00:22.315 --> 00:00:22.695 Hey, I just want to. 00:00:22.695 --> 00:00:25.716 I want to speak to something, something this morning Pastor Noah alluded to. 00:00:25.716 --> 00:00:30.588 Before I jump into the message, this is a year of crossover. 00:00:30.588 --> 00:00:41.185 I preached about that last week and I believe that with everything inside of me, and had so many testimonials from you guys that it resonated with you. 00:00:41.185 --> 00:01:03.585 And as Pastor Noah was talking about surrender today, what I just heard in my heart from the Holy Spirit for you was that God's about to show you how really good he is and that as you cross over into the new thing that he has for you in 2025, there's going to be an unveiling of his goodness in your life. 00:01:03.585 --> 00:01:09.555 You've experienced it to a measure, but he's about to overflow it in your life. 00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:12.243 How many of you guys know that God is good? 00:01:12.243 --> 00:01:20.944 He's good and we used to say I heard somebody allude to it just a moment ago God's good all the time. 00:01:20.944 --> 00:01:25.424 Everybody say all the time God's good and all the time God's good. 00:01:25.424 --> 00:01:25.686 All the time. 00:01:25.686 --> 00:01:27.379 Everybody say all the time God's good and all the time God's good. 00:01:27.379 --> 00:01:36.206 I believe with everything inside of me that in 2025, you're getting ready to see an unveiling of the goodness of God in your life like you've never experienced before. 00:01:36.206 --> 00:01:44.480 I believe that some of the things you're going to see in 2025 is that your greatest defeat is getting ready to be turned into your greatest victory. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:50.579 See in 2025 is that your greatest defeat is getting ready to be turned into your greatest victory. 00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:57.959 The source of your greatest sorrow is going to be turned into the source of your greatest joy. 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:10.240 The barrier that has held you back from the destiny of God in your life is going to be broken and it's going to be the source of your greatest freedom is going to be broken and it's going to be the source of your greatest freedom. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:15.870 I'm believing there's an unveiling of the glory of God and the goodness of God in your life like you've never known and like we've never known. 00:02:15.870 --> 00:02:25.168 But to do that, we have to let go of some old things and lay hold of some new things. 00:02:25.168 --> 00:02:27.907 That's what it means to cross over. 00:02:27.907 --> 00:02:36.812 It means that there's some things in my past that I've got to let go of and there's some things in my future that I have to lay hold of. 00:02:36.812 --> 00:02:42.689 And this is what God called the children of Israel to do Joshua, chapter 1, 2, 3, and 4. 00:02:42.689 --> 00:02:48.842 As they left the desert behind and began to inherit the promises of God. 00:02:48.842 --> 00:02:53.540 You are getting ready to inherit the promises of God in your life like a way you've never known before. 00:02:53.540 --> 00:02:58.747 This is the year we cross over. 00:02:58.747 --> 00:02:59.888 Everybody say cross over. 00:02:59.888 --> 00:03:04.453 If you receive that, just say I receive that in Jesus' name. 00:03:04.473 --> 00:03:28.817 Today, over the next several weeks, I'm going to be talking about some keys that we need to embrace in order to cross over and possess the promises of God for our lives. 00:03:28.817 --> 00:03:35.693 I'm going to talk about four keys over the next four weeks, and the key that I'm going to talk about today is a key that I've actually never preached on before. 00:03:35.693 --> 00:03:47.270 It's a key that we are very reticent to pray for, and the key is patience. 00:03:47.270 --> 00:04:00.330 Everybody say oh my, the key is patience. 00:04:00.330 --> 00:04:01.947 Turn to your neighbor and say patience. 00:04:01.947 --> 00:04:11.229 How many of you guys have said it or at least heard it said there's one thing that you don't ever pray for. 00:04:11.229 --> 00:04:16.067 You don't ever pray for patience. 00:04:16.067 --> 00:04:16.588 Why? 00:04:16.588 --> 00:04:20.290 Because God's going to give you an opportunity to be patient. 00:04:20.290 --> 00:04:26.750 I've never preached on it, as I said, said a moment ago, and let me tell you why. 00:04:26.750 --> 00:04:42.312 I don't know if you realize this or not, but I always have to first live what I preach and I want to live it. 00:04:42.312 --> 00:04:48.170 Let me guys know, we live in a very impatient society. 00:04:48.170 --> 00:04:52.968 Does anybody know anybody that's impatient? 00:04:52.968 --> 00:04:59.550 You know, some of y'all were so good, you just raised your hand. 00:04:59.550 --> 00:05:03.216 The rest of y'all going to hell pointed to somebody else. 00:05:03.216 --> 00:05:07.689 The rest of y'all going to hell pointed to somebody else. 00:05:07.689 --> 00:05:13.507 How many of you would say we could all use a little bit more godly patience? 00:05:13.507 --> 00:05:16.293 So, as I said, I always have to live this before I preach it. 00:05:16.293 --> 00:05:19.488 And I lived it last night. 00:05:19.488 --> 00:05:23.588 How many of you guys want the story? 00:05:23.588 --> 00:05:24.552 So Kate said did I do something? 00:05:24.552 --> 00:05:30.742 No, you didn't, you were good. 00:05:30.762 --> 00:05:41.949 So the kids were out with their friends having dinner last night and Meg and I were home alone and we were trying to figure out what we wanted to do for dinner and I said, hey, let's, we got a few gift cards, let's go through the gift cards and find a place and we'll order something and I'll go pick it up. 00:05:41.949 --> 00:05:59.148 And we did, and I called it in, I ordered it and when I got there they did not have our order and I just kind of chuckled. 00:05:59.148 --> 00:05:59.730 I said, okay. 00:05:59.730 --> 00:06:02.949 I said, well, can I just go ahead and order it now and I'll just wait on it. 00:06:02.949 --> 00:06:04.624 So I ordered it now. 00:06:04.624 --> 00:06:17.473 I ordered it then and then 30 minutes go by and I have to go back up to the attendant and say, hey, do you know where our order is? 00:06:17.473 --> 00:06:35.980 And she went to look for it and found that they had forgotten it Thank you, jesus. 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:36.920 And she said I'm sorry, we'll get to it. 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:55.915 I said, okay, so they get it and I go to pay for it and I hand them this gift card and they run the gift card and I just begin to laugh and she says Mr Slater, I just appreciate your patience. 00:06:55.915 --> 00:06:58.237 You have been so patient with us. 00:06:58.237 --> 00:07:02.899 And I looked at her and I said I ain't got a choice. 00:07:02.899 --> 00:07:05.783 I'm preaching on this tomorrow. 00:07:09.689 --> 00:07:13.795 How many of you know you need more patience in your life? 00:07:13.795 --> 00:07:36.952 It's been something that actually in my studies last fall I read some things and studied some things on patience and it illuminated some things and awakened some things in me and I'm like, oh my goodness, patience is a key to successful Christian living. 00:07:36.952 --> 00:07:43.867 You cannot effectively be a child of God without demonstrating patience. 00:07:43.867 --> 00:07:49.204 You can't inherit the promises of God without patience. 00:07:49.204 --> 00:07:54.177 You can't demonstrate the character of God without patience. 00:07:54.177 --> 00:08:03.000 Patience is a key to successful Christian living and it's something that we need to rediscover in the church today. 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:16.067 I know that's not going gonna get a whole lot of amens, because we all know what that means, but today we're gonna discover something, we're gonna awaken something and we're gonna apply something that's gonna change everything else in our lives. 00:08:16.067 --> 00:08:20.608 By the power of the Spirit of God, will you stand with me where you are, as we read God's word? 00:08:22.459 --> 00:08:25.406 Hebrews, chapter 10. 00:08:25.406 --> 00:08:30.795 Hebrews, chapter 10, starting in verse 32. 00:08:30.795 --> 00:08:44.567 The writer says remember those earlier days after you received the light, when you endured in great conflict, full of suffering. 00:08:44.567 --> 00:08:54.251 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution, and at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 00:08:54.251 --> 00:09:01.990 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property. 00:09:01.990 --> 00:09:03.120 Why? 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:11.095 Because you knew that you yourselves had a better and lasting possession. 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:15.264 Let me give you the context of this book. 00:09:15.264 --> 00:09:32.043 The writer of Hebrews is writing just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and it was during this time period that Rome began to unleash its fury, its persecution, against the church. 00:09:32.043 --> 00:09:50.857 So the writer of Hebrews is writing to Jewish followers of Jesus Be patient, don't quit, keep enduring. 00:09:50.857 --> 00:09:50.938 Why? 00:09:50.938 --> 00:09:57.524 Because you know there's a possession that is better and more lasting than anything this world can provide. 00:09:57.524 --> 00:10:01.471 He's saying demonstrate the patience that you've already demonstrated. 00:10:01.471 --> 00:10:04.403 Don't stop it, keep doing it. 00:10:04.403 --> 00:10:06.740 He's telling them be patient Verse 35,. 00:10:07.260 --> 00:10:12.673 So do not throw away your confidence, why it will be richly rewarded. 00:10:12.673 --> 00:10:30.642 You need to persevere, you need to be patient so that when you have done the will of God you have done the will of God you will receive. 00:10:30.642 --> 00:10:31.783 You will receive what he has promised. 00:10:31.783 --> 00:10:33.606 You cannot receive the promises of God without patience. 00:10:33.606 --> 00:10:42.225 Patience is a key to inheriting the promises of God for your life. 00:10:42.225 --> 00:10:46.793 For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. 00:10:46.793 --> 00:10:51.830 And but my righteous one will live by faith. 00:10:51.830 --> 00:10:55.791 And I take no pleasure in those who shrink back. 00:10:55.791 --> 00:10:59.326 But that's not who we belong to church. 00:10:59.326 --> 00:11:00.871 Come on somebody. 00:11:00.871 --> 00:11:04.390 We don't belong to people who shrink back in the face of persecution. 00:11:04.390 --> 00:11:07.570 We don't shrink back in the face of difficulty. 00:11:07.570 --> 00:11:10.109 We don't shrink back in the face of a fight. 00:11:10.109 --> 00:11:12.769 We don't shrink back in the face of our flesh. 00:11:12.769 --> 00:11:15.929 No, we stand firm in patience. 00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:20.169 We stand firm in patience. 00:11:20.169 --> 00:11:28.071 We stand firm in patience Because we have faith and are saved. 00:11:29.961 --> 00:11:33.971 The title of my message this morning is simply this Be patient. 00:11:33.971 --> 00:11:36.106 Turn to your neighbor and say be patient. 00:11:36.106 --> 00:11:39.227 Turn to your other neighbor and say be patient. 00:11:39.227 --> 00:11:44.346 Y'all been wanting to say that a long time to some of the people around you. 00:11:44.346 --> 00:11:47.330 Turn around to the person behind you and say be patient. 00:11:47.330 --> 00:11:55.698 Now, this is what I want you to do. 00:11:55.698 --> 00:11:59.368 I want you to say it to yourself, because self needs to hear it. 00:11:59.368 --> 00:12:04.038 Say it to yourself, be patient, be patient. 00:12:04.038 --> 00:12:10.082 This is something that we need to embrace in our lives If we're going to inherit the promises of God. 00:12:10.082 --> 00:12:12.027 Father, we thank you for your word. 00:12:12.027 --> 00:12:15.482 Your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. 00:12:15.482 --> 00:12:18.971 It shows us the way to go and how to arrive there safely. 00:12:18.971 --> 00:12:46.394 And I pray, lord, this morning, that we wouldn't just be hearers of your word but God, that we would be doers of it, that we would indeed be patient followers of Jesus and in so doing we would inherit your promises for our lives, that we would cross over into the future that you have for us, laying hold of your inheritance for our lives. 00:12:46.394 --> 00:12:51.647 We thank you for it today in Jesus' name, and everybody said amen, you may be seated. 00:12:51.647 --> 00:12:53.552 Thank you, caleb. 00:12:57.841 --> 00:13:29.388 Last fall I was doing some study on the early church and discovered some just amazing information, some amazing statistics about the early church and its progression through the first 300 years of its existence, basically from the time of the upper room, where 120 gathered, to the time of the Council of Nicaea in 324 AD and basically 300 years. 00:13:29.388 --> 00:13:30.751 I think I have this for you. 00:13:30.751 --> 00:13:41.095 The church went from 120 people to between 5 and 6 million people in the Roman Empire. 00:13:41.095 --> 00:13:54.409 In 300 years, the church went from 120 in the upper room to somewhere between five and six million people in the Roman Empire. 00:13:54.409 --> 00:14:02.566 By this time, the church accounted for roughly 10% of the Roman population. 00:14:02.566 --> 00:14:21.528 It has been suggested that in order for the church to go from 120 to between five and six million people, the church would have to grow by 40% per decade for 300 consecutive years. 00:14:21.528 --> 00:14:26.024 Does that not just astound anybody else? 00:14:26.024 --> 00:14:40.883 I mean, it's really amazing to see the growth of the early church and what happened in the upper room and how it spread across the Roman empire. 00:14:41.163 --> 00:14:54.682 And what's amazing about the growth of the gospel and the growth of believers and followers of Jesus in that day is that this growth happened and there wasn't an invading military that forced people to believe. 00:14:54.682 --> 00:15:04.570 There wasn't social convention that said, hey, this is how you need to believe and what you need to do. 00:15:04.570 --> 00:15:08.544 As a matter of fact, everything in the world was against them. 00:15:08.544 --> 00:15:25.571 They faced death and they faced persecution for the simple conversion to follow Jesus, and I think a question needs to be asked how in the world did this happen? 00:15:25.571 --> 00:15:35.613 How in the world did the church go from 120 people to between five and six million in the course of 300 years? 00:15:35.673 --> 00:15:45.688 And if you study the early church in the history of the early church, what you find is is that they just flat out lived what they believed. 00:15:45.688 --> 00:16:04.847 They practiced their faith every day, and one of the practices of their faith that was at the top of the list was the practice of patience. 00:16:04.847 --> 00:16:22.187 You read all of the early church fathers and their writings and every one of them, without exception, identified patience as a key Christian virtue and characteristic of the nature of God. 00:16:22.187 --> 00:16:33.668 That you could not separate who God was and patience, and you could not separate who a believer was and their demonstration of patience. 00:16:33.668 --> 00:16:37.148 I mean, let's think about this for a second. 00:16:37.148 --> 00:16:41.812 Just look at God's interaction with the children of Israel. 00:16:41.812 --> 00:16:45.322 He was really patient. 00:16:45.322 --> 00:17:00.873 Think about Jesus becoming flesh like us in his life, his death and his resurrection and you know what you see. 00:17:00.873 --> 00:17:02.466 You see patience. 00:17:02.466 --> 00:17:06.867 I mean, have you read the New Testaments and those dudes he was trying to disciple? 00:17:06.867 --> 00:17:13.972 He demonstrated patience every day with them. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.169 Our God is an incredibly patient God. 00:17:17.169 --> 00:17:21.680 As a matter of fact, that's one of the ways that he describes himself in Exodus, chapter 34. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:28.827 He says I am slow to anger and abounding in love and forgiveness, and anybody else thankful for that today. 00:17:28.827 --> 00:17:36.866 This is who God is, and then it's not just who he is, it's who he calls us to be. 00:17:36.866 --> 00:17:42.092 Try to live the sermon on the mount without patience. 00:17:42.092 --> 00:17:45.884 See how that works out for you. 00:17:45.884 --> 00:17:47.510 I tell you what's going to happen. 00:17:47.510 --> 00:17:49.987 You're going to be the most frustrated person on the planet. 00:17:49.987 --> 00:17:55.823 I mean, I've got to forgive my brother 490 times a day. 00:17:55.823 --> 00:18:00.109 70 times seven is where I got that, in case you're wondering. 00:18:00.109 --> 00:18:04.064 490 times a day, I got to forgive my, my brother. 00:18:04.064 --> 00:18:05.388 That's patient church. 00:18:05.388 --> 00:18:09.000 That's a lot of patience. 00:18:09.281 --> 00:18:14.846 Jesus said if somebody asks you to go one mile, don't just go one mile with them, go two miles with them. 00:18:14.846 --> 00:18:15.904 That's patience. 00:18:15.904 --> 00:18:18.519 Am I talking to anybody this morning? 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:23.853 It's a demonstration of patience in our life. 00:18:23.853 --> 00:18:26.785 And when you really study the early church. 00:18:26.785 --> 00:18:42.729 What's amazing is that the pagans, the lost world of Rome, called Christians strangely strange, like it was weird the level of patience they had. 00:18:42.729 --> 00:18:46.980 Like it was weird the level of patience they had. 00:18:46.980 --> 00:19:03.750 As a matter of fact, their patience was so strange that it caused unsettling in the lost, so much unsettling in their life that it led to their conversion, that the early church's patience was so unsettling that it led to people coming to faith in Jesus. 00:19:04.040 --> 00:19:09.026 And it makes me wonder if we aren't living lives unsettling enough to the world. 00:19:09.026 --> 00:19:19.567 I wonder if the reason more people aren't coming to faith is because our lives just aren't that unsettling to them. 00:19:19.567 --> 00:19:22.791 As believers, our lives should be unsettling to the world. 00:19:22.791 --> 00:19:46.355 Our lives should be living so differently Our priorities, our habits, our attitudes, our words, our actions, our love, our forgiveness should be so unsettling to the world that it causes them to come to grips with their lack of faith in following Jesus. 00:19:46.355 --> 00:19:53.548 And so I wonder if part of the problem in the Western church is is we just don't live lives that are different enough. 00:19:53.548 --> 00:20:04.239 Could the reason be that the church isn't growing in America is because the church has become to look too much like America? 00:20:04.239 --> 00:20:07.526 Growing in America is because the church has become to look too much like America. 00:20:07.526 --> 00:20:11.213 Could the level of our patience just be like the level of the patience of the world? 00:20:11.213 --> 00:20:17.186 We should be more patient than the world. 00:20:17.186 --> 00:20:20.513 We should be more gracious than the world. 00:20:20.513 --> 00:20:22.497 We should be more loving than the world. 00:20:22.497 --> 00:20:32.952 Maybe the problem with America isn't America, it's the church, and that we're not really living what we believe, or at least what we profess. 00:20:32.952 --> 00:20:44.188 And if I'm a follower of Jesus, then I am called to demonstrate a level of patience that should be unsettling to the world. 00:20:44.188 --> 00:20:53.825 It should cause the world to stop and say you did what when they did that it shouldn't be. 00:20:53.825 --> 00:20:55.148 Yeah, that's what I would have done. 00:20:55.148 --> 00:21:10.411 We need to rediscover some things in our lives about what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and patience is one of those things. 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:12.228 Let me define patience for you this morning. 00:21:12.228 --> 00:21:20.594 Patience is the Greek word that I am not going to attempt to pronounce for you today. 00:21:20.594 --> 00:21:24.064 No, macrothumia. 00:21:24.064 --> 00:21:26.847 Everybody say macrothumia. 00:21:26.847 --> 00:21:34.607 It's a compound word and it literally means the great and lengthy restraint of anger. 00:21:34.607 --> 00:21:36.972 The great and lengthy. 00:21:36.972 --> 00:21:48.009 Like there's this restraint of anger that is magnanimous, like it's huge, it's massive, like there's this mountain of restraint. 00:21:48.009 --> 00:21:51.710 But it isn't just a mountain of restraint that is high. 00:21:51.710 --> 00:21:55.009 It's a mountain of restraint that is long. 00:21:55.009 --> 00:21:59.671 It keeps going and it keeps going and it keeps going. 00:21:59.671 --> 00:22:16.213 Let me tell you, let me describe it this way it's not a mountain peak, it's a chain Like my restraint of anger is like the Appalachian Mountains or the Rocky Mountains. 00:22:16.213 --> 00:22:23.510 It isn't just a peak in those mountains, it's something that keeps going and going and going and going. 00:22:23.510 --> 00:22:25.682 It never quits, it never gives up. 00:22:25.682 --> 00:22:32.641 As a matter of fact, it ultimately is committed to outlasting whatever opposition is facing. 00:22:32.641 --> 00:22:49.773 This is what it means to be patient is that I am literally willing to outlast whatever problem, whatever opposition, whatever person, whatever thing that I'm facing. 00:22:50.015 --> 00:22:55.271 Can I tell you just a great key to successful Christian living is just outlast whatever's in front of you. 00:22:55.271 --> 00:23:02.220 Successful Christian living is just outlast whatever's in front of you. 00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:06.444 You read the stories of the heroes of old and you know what you find. 00:23:06.444 --> 00:23:08.553 You find men and women of faith that just outlasted whatever obstacle was in their life. 00:23:08.553 --> 00:23:11.842 They outlasted whatever issue they had inside of them. 00:23:11.842 --> 00:23:14.527 They outlasted the enemy that was against them. 00:23:14.527 --> 00:23:18.233 They outlasted the adversaries that were surrounding them. 00:23:18.233 --> 00:23:25.041 They just were committed to outlasting whatever was in front of them and our church. 00:23:25.041 --> 00:23:34.672 I think we need to rediscover some outlastedness, that I am committed to being patient. 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:38.308 Let me show you what the Bible says about patience. 00:23:38.308 --> 00:23:43.951 The Bible gives us four things about patience that we need to grasp in our lives. 00:23:43.951 --> 00:23:49.633 And here's the first thing Patience is something the Holy Spirit wants to develop. 00:23:49.633 --> 00:23:53.503 The Holy Spirit wants to develop inside of us. 00:23:53.503 --> 00:24:06.328 Galatians, chapter 5, verse 22, says the fruit of the Spirit is love, it is joy, it is peace, and I have a feeling far too often we stop right there. 00:24:06.328 --> 00:24:13.087 I could use some more love, I could use some more joy, I could use some more peace. 00:24:13.087 --> 00:24:18.685 I don't want no patience, but the Bible doesn't stop there. 00:24:18.685 --> 00:24:20.611 It says patience. 00:24:20.611 --> 00:24:27.432 But the fruit of the spirit is love, it is joy, it is peace and it is patience. 00:24:27.512 --> 00:24:33.955 Everybody say patience, look at your neighbor and say be patient, let me, let me. 00:24:33.955 --> 00:24:36.305 Let me explain something for you. 00:24:36.305 --> 00:24:40.587 We have the gifts of the Holy Spirit and we have the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:40.587 --> 00:24:42.968 You know what the difference between the two are. 00:24:42.968 --> 00:24:47.871 Gifts are given while fruit is grown. 00:24:47.871 --> 00:24:51.845 Let me break that down. 00:24:51.845 --> 00:25:14.292 Gifts are given and they are developed through the practice and the operation of those gifts, but fruit is grown by being placed in the right soil, where it can develop and receive the nutrients that it needs to grow in the way that it's supposed to grow, the way that it's supposed to grow. 00:25:14.292 --> 00:25:28.949 See, we've got to put ourselves in the right atmosphere, the right environment, the right soil of the Holy Spirit so that patience can grow up in our lives and produce a harvest. 00:25:28.949 --> 00:25:35.090 See, fruit is grown. 00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:40.448 You've heard it said that Rome wasn't built in a day, but it was built daily. 00:25:40.448 --> 00:25:53.559 Can I tell you that patience will not be built in a day, but it will be built daily as you plant yourself in the seed of the Holy Spirit and allow him to grow it. 00:25:53.559 --> 00:26:03.348 We have to be committed to practicing patience daily, and as we practice it daily, it grows. 00:26:03.348 --> 00:26:05.614 Which takes me to point number two. 00:26:05.614 --> 00:26:13.013 Patience is something that we have to intentionally put on. 00:26:13.013 --> 00:26:22.625 I would love to tell you that patience is just a natural state of your life, but that would be a lie. 00:26:22.625 --> 00:26:26.953 Is anybody in here this morning just naturally patient? 00:26:26.953 --> 00:26:31.289 Some of you say yes, I am Well, god bless your heart. 00:26:31.289 --> 00:26:44.333 Patience is not the natural state of the flesh. 00:26:44.333 --> 00:26:51.923 The flesh is naturally impatient, and so if that's the case, then I have to learn how to intentionally put patience on. 00:26:51.943 --> 00:26:52.425 Colossians, chapter three. 00:26:52.425 --> 00:27:08.240 Paul says this therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, says this therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothed let me translate that for you put on yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and what and what. 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:10.724 Look at your neighbor and say and what? 00:27:10.724 --> 00:27:14.010 Put on patience. 00:27:14.010 --> 00:27:16.054 Let me break down that phrase. 00:27:16.054 --> 00:27:16.734 Put on. 00:27:16.734 --> 00:27:42.672 It literally presents the picture of someone intentionally walking into your closet, surveying all the clothes that are on the racks that you have at your disposal and intentionally choosing a piece of clothes, taking it out of the closet, off of the hanger, and then putting it on yourself to wear that day. 00:27:42.672 --> 00:27:55.554 That's what Paul says we need to do with patience, that we have to make the intentional decision to put it on daily or we won't wear it. 00:27:55.554 --> 00:28:04.721 It on daily or we won't wear it. 00:28:04.721 --> 00:28:09.272 I've got to make that intentional decision to put it on. 00:28:09.292 --> 00:28:11.959 How many of you guys work with the public? 00:28:11.959 --> 00:28:21.160 Listen, y'all better do this. 00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:31.978 Y'all better do this air day I'm talking about air day, and twice on Sunday. 00:28:31.978 --> 00:28:37.307 If you don't listen, some of y'all work at home in your house on a computer and you don't have to deal with the public every day. 00:28:37.307 --> 00:28:38.230 God bless your heart. 00:28:38.230 --> 00:28:42.084 The rest of us that has to deal with you, yahoos. 00:28:42.084 --> 00:28:55.669 We better intentionally put this on or you know what's going to happen we're going to testify about Jesus in a way. 00:28:55.669 --> 00:28:57.353 We don't want to testify about Jesus. 00:29:00.840 --> 00:29:10.093 I had another situation back before Christmas where I had an encounter with somebody that I wasn't very Jesus-like. 00:29:10.093 --> 00:29:11.895 Let me say it this way. 00:29:11.895 --> 00:29:13.205 I was not very patient. 00:29:13.205 --> 00:29:20.772 They found out that I was a pastor and they asked where. 00:29:20.772 --> 00:29:22.500 I said church of the highlands. 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:42.013 I know Pastor Chris. 00:29:42.013 --> 00:29:42.714 He's a friend of mine. 00:29:42.714 --> 00:29:43.855 I told him that story. 00:29:43.855 --> 00:29:44.816 He laughed too. 00:29:44.816 --> 00:29:46.938 He said don't worry, I've done it to you too. 00:29:46.938 --> 00:29:54.659 I said oh okay, I get it. 00:29:54.659 --> 00:29:58.373 We have to learn how to intentionally put on patience. 00:29:58.393 --> 00:29:59.278 What does that practically look like? 00:29:59.278 --> 00:30:03.330 Well, look at the very next verse in Colossians, chapter 3. 00:30:03.330 --> 00:30:06.019 Verse 12, he says you need to put on patience. 00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:10.111 And then, in verse 13, he gives us a practical illustration of what that looks like. 00:30:10.111 --> 00:30:14.590 He says bear with each other and forgive Everybody. 00:30:14.590 --> 00:30:17.227 Say forgive, forgive one another. 00:30:17.227 --> 00:30:27.301 If any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive and this is amazing, as the Lord, just like God, forgives you is how you need to forgive them. 00:30:27.301 --> 00:30:31.132 Can I tell you there is nothing more patient than when we forgive. 00:30:31.132 --> 00:30:44.589 When I forgive people the harms and the headaches that they have caused me, I am forgiving them as God has forgiven me. 00:30:44.589 --> 00:30:48.702 And just in case you were wondering, you'll never have to forgive others more than God has had to forgive you. 00:30:48.702 --> 00:30:55.045 So one of the most practical ways that we demonstrate patience is through forgiveness. 00:30:55.105 --> 00:31:00.046 And then number three patience is something that we have to demonstrate. 00:31:00.046 --> 00:31:10.603 We have to demonstrate it not to just the people that we like and that we hang out with and that we want to be around, but Paul says we've got to demonstrate patience to all men. 00:31:10.603 --> 00:31:11.805 Everybody, say all men. 00:31:11.805 --> 00:31:25.048 First Thessalonians, chapter five, verse 14, he says we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak and be patient with who. 00:31:25.048 --> 00:31:27.125 Be patient with who? 00:31:30.521 --> 00:31:37.726 One of the early church fathers I believe it was Tertullian made this statement. 00:31:37.726 --> 00:31:45.453 He said your patience preaches the message of Jesus. 00:31:45.453 --> 00:31:50.145 I'm gonna say that again. 00:31:50.145 --> 00:31:59.173 You may wanna write that down your patience preaches the message of Jesus. 00:31:59.173 --> 00:32:09.230 When we are patient with everyone, we are witnessing to them about Jesus. 00:32:09.230 --> 00:32:10.593 Why? 00:32:10.593 --> 00:32:32.490 Because it looks so different from the world Because it looks so different from the world In a culture that is obsessed with activity, that is obsessed with, like we used to have the microwave generation I don't even know what to call it. 00:32:32.490 --> 00:32:36.655 Now we all want what we want, and we wanted it yesterday. 00:32:36.655 --> 00:32:39.102 Anybody know what I'm talking about. 00:32:39.102 --> 00:32:44.192 This morning we are obsessed with what we want and we want it now. 00:32:44.192 --> 00:32:51.800 We don't want to wait, we don't want to persevere, we don't want to work for it, we just want it and we're not happy unless we get it. 00:32:51.800 --> 00:32:54.846 That's the American culture. 00:32:55.747 --> 00:33:12.067 And so when we live patient lives with other people and we are forgiving and we are gracious, and when we are kind and when we are compassionate, when, when we are demonstrating God-level patience, it's preaching. 00:33:12.067 --> 00:33:18.527 It's preaching a message that there's something in you that's different. 00:33:18.527 --> 00:33:26.009 That's gonna cause unsettling in the world around you and then they're gonna question what's different about you. 00:33:26.009 --> 00:33:27.445 His name is Jesus. 00:33:27.445 --> 00:33:33.151 How could I not be patient when he's been patient with me? 00:33:33.151 --> 00:33:40.509 Anybody else need patience from God in your life, like a little bit or like all the time every day. 00:33:40.509 --> 00:33:43.429 I need it all the time, every day. 00:33:43.429 --> 00:33:49.988 And when we demonstrate that kind of patience to all men, it's preaching a message. 00:33:49.988 --> 00:33:51.122 Look at this. 00:33:51.162 --> 00:34:02.385 In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, paul, in the midst of talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, stops right in the middle and says hey, hey, hey. 00:34:02.385 --> 00:34:03.327 I want you to get something straight. 00:34:03.327 --> 00:34:13.463 If you have not love, it doesn't matter how powerfully you operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you're just annoying. 00:34:13.463 --> 00:34:17.213 He says you're a clanging cymbal or a resounding gong. 00:34:17.213 --> 00:34:19.085 That's what he says. 00:34:19.085 --> 00:34:25.514 And then he defines what love is in verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 13. 00:34:25.514 --> 00:34:27.788 He says this is what love is. 00:34:27.788 --> 00:34:29.083 Love is. 00:34:29.083 --> 00:34:35.295 How many of you guys just read over that, have read over it? 00:34:35.295 --> 00:34:35.679 A thousand. 00:34:37.784 --> 00:34:46.242 Love is love is the very first descriptor that Paul uses to define. 00:34:46.242 --> 00:34:47.724 Love is patience. 00:34:47.724 --> 00:34:54.141 That's not a coincidence, that isn't incidental, it's very strategic. 00:34:54.141 --> 00:34:58.652 He's trying to show us what love demonstrated looks like. 00:34:58.652 --> 00:35:03.012 First and foremost, out the gate, love is patient. 00:35:03.012 --> 00:35:13.432 Let me give you an interpretive, an expanded translation of this. 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:18.728 Love is not short-tempered or easily angered. 00:35:18.728 --> 00:35:21.757 It does not blow up quickly. 00:35:21.757 --> 00:35:25.206 Instead, it patiently waits for others. 00:35:25.206 --> 00:35:33.344 It is not irritable and impatient, but willing to wait a long time for someone to change. 00:35:33.344 --> 00:35:38.931 That's what Paul is saying there in 1 Corinthians 13. 00:35:38.931 --> 00:35:42.844 He said you can be spiritual, can operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 00:35:42.844 --> 00:35:52.833 But if you're not this way, it does not matter why, because this preaches, it testifies, it witnesses about the message of Jesus. 00:35:52.873 --> 00:35:59.945 And finally, number four patience is a key to crossing over to inherit the promises of God. 00:35:59.945 --> 00:36:17.534 Hebrews, chapter 6, verse 12, the writer says we do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who, through faith and patience, through faith and patience, through faith and patience, inherit what has been promised. 00:36:17.534 --> 00:36:24.768 Through faith and patience, you cannot inherit the promises of God without demonstrating patience. 00:36:24.768 --> 00:36:36.139 Patience is a key to inheriting the promises of God for your life as you cross over into the new season that God is bringing you into in 2025, do not be mistaking. 00:36:36.139 --> 00:36:48.766 It's gonna take patience, but if you're willing to be patient in the crossover, as you move into the new territory that God is calling you to, you will then begin to inherit every promise that he has for your life. 00:36:48.766 --> 00:36:56.152 But I have to do it with and through patience. 00:36:56.152 --> 00:36:57.445 So how do we live this way? 00:36:57.445 --> 00:37:03.570 How do we let me wrap this up how do we live with faithful patience? 00:37:03.570 --> 00:37:04.032 Three ways. 00:37:04.032 --> 00:37:07.786 Here's what you need to understand. 00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:14.012 Patient followers trust the faithfulness of God. 00:37:14.012 --> 00:37:16.226 How do I live with patience? 00:37:16.226 --> 00:37:23.469 Pastor, first and foremost, you've got to trust that the God that we serve is faithful. 00:37:23.469 --> 00:37:29.670 Church, we sang that this morning Great is thy, great is thy. 00:37:29.670 --> 00:37:31.606 One more time great is thy. 00:37:31.606 --> 00:37:34.248 The God that we serve is faithful. 00:37:34.248 --> 00:37:41.244 He's the same yesterday, today and forever, and what he has done, he will do. 00:37:41.244 --> 00:37:42.025 He is faithful. 00:37:42.025 --> 00:37:45.994 He's working all things together for our good. 00:37:45.994 --> 00:37:54.432 I've got to learn how to trust in his faithfulness and as I trust in his faithfulness, I am embracing patience. 00:37:54.432 --> 00:37:57.126 Let me tell you what that practically looks like. 00:37:57.126 --> 00:38:15.447 When I trust in the faithfulness of God, I'm saying God, I know there's promises that you have for my life that you want me to inherit, but I'll leave the results and the timing of that inheritance up to you. 00:38:15.447 --> 00:38:37.434 You're sovereign and I'm trusting that you're working everything together for my good Because you're faithful and I'm going to leave the results of this inheritance and the timing of me receiving it into your hands. 00:38:37.434 --> 00:38:47.728 Israel waited 400 years from the time of the promise of Abraham until they walked into the promised land, and they were there in God's timing. 00:38:47.728 --> 00:38:53.032 God has a timing for you to inherit the promises of God, but it's his timing, it's not your timing. 00:38:53.032 --> 00:38:56.375 And you demonstrate patience when you trust in him and leave that to him. 00:38:56.375 --> 00:39:01.603 It's not your timing, and you demonstrate patience when you trust in him and leave that to him. 00:39:01.623 --> 00:39:05.233 Number two patient followers are hopeful in the promises of God. 00:39:05.233 --> 00:39:05.715 What is hope? 00:39:05.715 --> 00:39:13.590 Hope is the eager expectation of receiving everything that God has promised. 00:39:13.590 --> 00:39:33.884 What that means is that I am fully persuaded and I am fully expectant into receiving everything that God has for my life and, though I may leave the timing of my inheritance up to him, I am holding on to the promises of God for my life. 00:39:33.884 --> 00:39:36.458 I am never letting go of the promise. 00:39:36.458 --> 00:39:42.382 I leave the timing to him, but I hold the promise in my hand, fully expected to receive it. 00:39:42.382 --> 00:39:47.880 Not let some of you have some things that you've let go of. 00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:57.465 There's some promises of God that that have, honestly, you've quit hoping for because the time has just been so long. 00:39:57.465 --> 00:40:02.856 And I'm here to tell you this morning grab a hold of that promise one more time. 00:40:02.856 --> 00:40:10.318 Grab a hold of that promise one more time and don't ever let it go until it becomes your reality. 00:40:10.318 --> 00:40:15.601 I don't know how long it's going to be, but I do know this it'll happen because God is faithful. 00:40:17.090 --> 00:40:22.552 And finally, number three patient followers are obedient to the word of God. 00:40:22.552 --> 00:40:42.476 Here's what I know in my life If I want the got to work the word, I've got to put it into practice. 00:40:42.476 --> 00:40:52.800 And one of the ways that we put the word into practice and demonstrate patience is by doing good to all men. 00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:58.190 In Galatians 6 10, paul says hey, verse 9. 00:40:58.190 --> 00:40:58.690 He talked about patience. 00:40:58.690 --> 00:40:59.652 And then he gets to verse 10 and he said hey. 00:40:59.652 --> 00:41:01.815 In Galatians 6.10, paul says hey, verse 9, he talked about patience. 00:41:01.815 --> 00:41:05.639 And then he gets to verse 10 and he said hey, do good to all men. 00:41:05.639 --> 00:41:09.405 Do good to all men, especially to the family of faith. 00:41:09.405 --> 00:41:24.670 And in so doing you are fulfilling the word of God, in demonstrating patient obedience to his will and to his way. 00:41:24.670 --> 00:41:32.581 And when we live that way, we posture ourselves to be patient followers who inherit every promise of God for our lives. 00:41:33.650 --> 00:41:35.391 Will you stand with me where you are this morning? 00:41:35.391 --> 00:42:01.929 I just have three questions for you in conclusion this morning, three questions for you to ponder and to process through and apply to your life. 00:42:01.929 --> 00:42:07.844 First question is this what do you need to let go of and trust God? 00:42:07.844 --> 00:42:08.246 With? 00:42:08.246 --> 00:42:12.610 What thing have you been holding so tight? 00:42:12.610 --> 00:42:22.130 What result, what timing have you been holding so tight that you've literally squeezed the life out of it because you're not trusting God with it. 00:42:22.130 --> 00:42:30.099 I don't know what that is for your life, but, church, we can hold on to some things so tight that we squeeze the very life out of them. 00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:33.820 Those things we need to learn how to let go and let God. 00:42:35.731 --> 00:42:39.985 Number two what promise, what hope needs to be revived in your life? 00:42:39.985 --> 00:42:41.371 I alluded to that a moment ago. 00:42:41.371 --> 00:43:01.356 There's some things, some promises of God in your life that you've been waiting for for a long time and the way has caused you to let go of them, and you need to revive those things and hold on to that promise until God makes it your reality. 00:43:01.356 --> 00:43:06.896 Finally, number three what step of obedience is God calling you to take today? 00:43:06.896 --> 00:43:18.639 What good work is he calling you to do to demonstrate that he is true and that he is faithful and that he is working all things together for your good? 00:43:20.411 --> 00:43:23.280 The seat in front of you is a connection card. 00:43:25.371 --> 00:43:27.297 I want you to take that connection card out right now. 00:43:31.630 --> 00:43:50.762 There's a pin there as well, and you may not have an answer to all three of those questions, but you may have an answer to one of them, or two of them, and I've asked the worship team just to sing a song, to give us a moment with the Holy Spirit, to allow him to speak to our lives. 00:43:50.849 --> 00:43:56.900 And this is what I would like to invite you to do is the Holy Spirit brings revelation to those three questions. 00:43:56.900 --> 00:43:58.755 I want you to write that down on that prayer card. 00:43:58.755 --> 00:44:11.239 Write that down, and when you do, I want you to bring it and lay it on the front of our stage and turn the front of our stage into your altar and say God, it's time to cross over. 00:44:11.239 --> 00:44:21.072 And I'm going to embody patience in my life, knowing that it is a key to me inheriting your promises, and I'm not staying where I am. 00:44:21.072 --> 00:44:34.572 I believe that you have more, and so I'm now crossing over into my inheritance, believing that you are going to make all things right as the worship team plays, I just want you to make scenes. 00:44:34.572 --> 00:44:41.815 I just want you to write on that prayer card that thing and then bring it forward this morning as a statement of faith In Jesus' name. 00:44:41.929 --> 00:44:43.735 Father, do it right now. 00:44:44.398 --> 00:44:44.820 Come on Meg. 00:44:47.050 --> 00:44:52.742 Still leaning on only what I understand. 00:44:52.742 --> 00:45:00.940 I keep believing it's by my own strength. 00:45:00.940 --> 00:45:02.182 I can stand. 00:45:02.182 --> 00:45:11.936 There I go again. 00:45:11.936 --> 00:45:41.706 Why do I keep on walking when what I should be is waiting? 00:45:41.706 --> 00:45:48.342 You say peace, be still when I can barely keep moving. 00:45:48.342 --> 00:45:52.722 Peace, be still when I'm afraid of tomorrow. 00:45:52.722 --> 00:45:57.581 Peace, be still when my heart needs a healing. 00:45:57.581 --> 00:46:03.182 Peace, be still because you're working it all for my good. 00:46:03.182 --> 00:46:07.860