March 9 2014 How To Increase Your Patience
/How To Increase Your Patience
Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the spirit is patience.
Proverbs 16:32 – Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper, than one who takes a city.
Four Ways To Test Your Patience
1. Interruption
Matthew 19:13-14 – Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
2. Inconvenience
Luke 10:40 – Lord don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!
3. Irritations
Some Irritations
- Long lines.
- Misplaced items.
- Cold food at a restaurant.
Numbers 20:10-11 – Moses was irritated.
The Oyster: Turn irritations into pearls.
4. Inactivity
Job 14:14 – All the days of my hard service, I will wait for my reward to come.
Proverbs 19:2 – It is not good to be hasty and miss the way.
The cause of impatience is a lack of peace.
Four Steps To Increase Your Patience
Step one Develop a new perspective.
Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience. It is his glory to over-look an offence.
Proverbs 20:24 – A man’s steps are directed by the Lord.
Proverbs 14:29 – A patient man has great understanding, but a quick tempered man displays folly.
Step two Develop a sense of humor.
Proverbs 14:3 – A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.
Psalm 2:4 – The one enthroned in heaven laughs.
Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart does good like medicine.
Step three deepen your love.
1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient.
Ephesians 2:4 – Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Step four depend on God.
Bible Characters of Patience:
- Noah waited 120 years.
- Moses waited 80 years.
- Abraham waited 100 years.
- God’s Old Testament folks waited for Jesus.
- Disciples waited in the upper room.
Psalm 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
2 Peter 3:15 – Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.
