James 5:7: Be Patient, Therefore, Brothers, Until The Coming Of The Lord

James 5:7
[7] Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (ESV)

Have you ever asked the Lord to give you patience? Me neither. I am afraid that the way he would give me patience is to make me wait even longer. I am personally not a fan of waiting. Whether it is waiting in a long line for an event, being stuck in slow moving traffic, or waiting for being reunited with a special friend; I am not good at waiting.

James tells his readers to be patient until the coming of the Lord. It is important to note that he inserts the word "therefore." Every time in Scripture when you see the word "therefore," you should find out what it is "there for." James has just been talking about the rich people who were oppressing the Christian believers. He tells the Christians to be patient in relation to the oppression of the rich.

The Lord is returning. The pain and suffering that the believers were enduring at the hands of the oppressive rich was eventually going to come to an end. Just like the farmer knows that he must wait for rains to come which will prepare the soil for an abundant crop, so also the believers are to wait on the Lord to bring judgment to the rich and a reward to those who have been faithful.

I know that many believers go through almost unbearable struggles. It may not be the rich who are oppressing you, but it may be your co-workers. I know that our teenagers are often bullied by classmates for being Christian. It could even be family members who are harassing you for your faith. Be patient. The Lord is coming.

Talk to your Heavenly Father today. Tell him how you have been oppressed. He cares. He will help you to patiently wait until your deliverance and reward.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog