Good morning! I’m glad to welcome you to worship today at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
How patient are you? Many people seem to struggle with patience. In a culture that seems to demand everything “right now,” having virtue of patience is a great challenge for some, and non-existent in others.
We have instant cereal, instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant messaging, etc. In fact it has been said that Americans have developed a “microwave mentality.” After all, we expect instant service, instant food and instant results.
How thankful we all should be that God is patient with each of us. Psalm 86:15 says, “but You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
When the Ten Commandments had to be written a second time, the Lord said to Moses, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…” (Exodus 34:6)
As we come to the fourth virtue of the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, PATIENCE, we come to a virtue that is desperately needed, especially in a culture that demands instant “everything”, including judgment and condemnation of others. Today we will learn from Galatians 5:22- 23 and James 5:7-8 what it means to be patient.