Conformed to His+ Image ... PATIENCE in Babylon the Great

 Are we developing 

CHRIST-centered patience

or

“Our-Political-Rights”-centered

activism ?

 ?  ?  ?

But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be

perfect and entire (Complete),

wanting/lacking nothing.

James 1:4

 

PATIENCE , the virtue , is  frightening. It literally means “to stay under.”  We think of it as endurance.  The endurance , however, is measured ONLY WHEN WE ARE UNDER A SEVERE TESTING. 

 

Notice that the Apostle James exhorts us “to LET” (allow) patience to have her perfect work.  We are NOT to hinder The LORD’S work of perfecting our lives because we do not “like” these hard, unpleasant, hurtful experiences and events HE+ calls us to endure. 

And ye shall be hated of all men

for My+ Name’s sake.

But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

In your patience possess ye your souls.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem

compassed with armies,

then know that the desolation

thereof is nigh..

Luke 21: 17 – 20

 

Here, The LORD JESUS commends   PATIENCE   to us in the midst of HATRED when His+ Followers are being hounded and hated by all sectors of society … the public, the government,  and the religious alike. We will not have a friend except JESUS. There will be NO PLACE of SAFETY except by His+ side.

 

How close is this event ?

 

Ask the Persecuted Christians in North Korea, in the Sudan, in Vietnam, in Thailand, in Iran, in Iraq, Syria etc. It is worldwide and coming to all lands. That is a Scriptural promise no-one likes to “claim.” 

 

There will not be PEACE under Mr. Trump … at least, not for serious-minded Christians.  There will ONLY be a “new world order” agenda. Note that Mr. Kissinger is one of his “consultants,”  along with others in the CFR club.  

 

We do NOT JOIN ourselves to the “popular-rights” crowd. We do not become unequally-yoked with political movements and social rights activities. That would put us with strange bed-fellows.

Instead … 

Serious-Minded Christians join ourselves to CHRIST, Who+ is the Eternal Word of the FATHER. We receive from His+ hand what HE+ has ordained. HE+ places some in dire straights.

HE+ places some in terrible persecution. HE+ does this so that we might bear WITNESS TO HIM+  — in the WORST OF PLACES, to the WORST ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY — in this grossly blemished, unrighteous Civilization.

 

And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

 

knowing that

tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:3

 

It appears the ONLY way to develop CHRIST-centered PATIENCE  is in tribulation… TRUE tribulation ( i.e., not a flat tire or a burned supper.)

 

So that we ourselves glory in you

in the churches of GOD

for your patience and faith

 

in all your persecutions

and tribulations

that ye endure:

2 Thessalonians 1:4

 

PATIENCE,  it seems, is tied unfailingly to persecution. Injury gained BECAUSE of following CHRIST JESUS. Loss sustained because of holding fast to His+ Truth. Sorrow endured because of faithfulness to His+ Word.

 

For ye have need of patience,

that,

after ye have done the will of GOD,

ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 10:36

 

PROMISES — to be received — are connected to doing the Will of GOD.  In order to do the Will of GOD, though, we must OF NECESSITY develop PATIENCE  during  persecution and tribulation.

 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us…

Hebrews 12:1

 

There is a race tailor-made for each one of us. It will touch the “sore” spots in our hearts.  Our particular race will reveal our weaknesses and weights and faults that have warped our character, warped our faith. 

 

What are we to do

to rid ourselves of these warpings ?

 

We are to RUN anyway. We are not to flinch and fling ourselves away from the race-track that Our LORD has assigned for our particular life-run. We are not to join a “people’s-rights” movement and campaign for a lessening of the distresses.  We are to STAY FOCUSED ON THE RACE-TRACK which HE+ has ordained. 

 

Here is how we WIN that race:

 

Looking unto JESUS

the AUTHOR+ and FINISHER+ of our faith;

WHO+ for the joy

that was set before HIM+

 

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of GOD.

 

For consider HIM+ that endured

such contradiction of sinners against Himself+,

lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,

striving against sin.

 Hebrews 12: 2-4

 

Our Race is to be won on our knees.  We win as we DRAW CLOSER to CHRIST.  HE+ will direct our prayers against the evil forces and our prayers WILL PREVAIL …. if HE+ is truly directing them and not our own voice. 

Yes, we need to gird our loins to suffer. However, the kingdom of darkness is going to feel the heat of the Suffering Saints’ prayers !

The Prophet Daniel tells us this:  in the midst of a TERRIBLE on-slaught against GOD’S people, they will be strong and DO EXPLOITS!

[ The exact word “exploits” is not in the Hebrew, but the meaning involves ACCOMPLISHING MUCH. See DANIEL 11:32.]

 

May we humble ourselves, forsaking the ways and means of the world. Let us diligently cast aside values and ideologies that are CONTRARY TO CHRIST. Every Follower of JESUS in every society in every country MUST DO THE SAME. 

 

All of our various societies and governments — tribal, democratic, and all those in-between — are all run by fallen men. The fallen nature of man ALWAYS co-operates closely with the ideologies of satan.

 

The business of our fallen societies and governments does NOT CONCERN the Followers of JESUS.  We have a totally different nature and our Kingdom has NOT YET been established, in Power and Glory upon the earth.  ( But,  that IS COMING! )

 

We are passing through our respective lands and tribes for one purpose only: to turn the hearts of fallen man to Our Heavenly FATHER and to HIS Glorious SON+ JESUS CHRIST. We are to rescue fallen men … all who are willing to be rescued … for the sake of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

 

Let us  therefore  be about

OUR  FATHER’S BUSINESS+ …

and leave the fallen world’s activities

to fallen men.

+  +  +

 And at that time shall Michael stand up,

the great prince which

stands for the children of your people:

 

and there shall be a time of trouble,

such as never was since there was a nation

even to that same time:

 

and at that time

Thy+ People shall be delivered,

every one that shall be found

written in The Book.

 

And many of them that sleep

in the dust of the earth shall awake,

some to everlasting life,

and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

And they that be Wise

shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;

and they that turn many to Righteousness

as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12: 1-3

 

In The Name of GOD,

YHWH ELOHIM Almighty,

 and  YHWH ADONAI+

HIS only begotten, Eternal SON+.

And YHWH RUACH ha KADOSH

HIS Eternal SPIRIT.

 

AMEN + + +

Let PATIENCE Have Her PERFECT WORK !

ALLOW   PATIENCE

TO HAVE HER PERFECT WORK !

 

Knowing this,

that the trying of your faith

worketh patience.

 

But LET patience have her PERFECT work,

that ye may be

perfect and entire,

wanting nothing.

James 1:3-4

 

Endurance with joy … or at least with obedience… will DO something for us, if we walk through our trial in the Companionship of The LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

 

HE+ suffered on the Cross for people who did not love HIM+ …. yet.  HE+ suffered mocking and scourging and rejection for people who did not know HIM+ … yet.

PATIENCE  will take us through such trials of our bodies and hearts also. 

He+ made HIMSELF+  of no reputation.  NONE!  HE+ was the humblest of men, taking upon HIMSELF+ the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.  And being found in fashion as a man, HE+  humbled HIMSELF+.

 

PATIENCE will lead us down the path of humbleness also, especially if we embrace that path as “from The LORD.”

 

And became OBEDIENT unto death, even the death of the Cross.

 

Can we humble ourselves in our trials and hateful tasks yoked upon us … in order to join HIM+ on the Cross ?

 

SOME of our hateful and hard situations we find ourselves in, we have simply brought on ourselves.

 

We have clamored for THAT  mate, THAT house, THAT job, or THAT car.  We have been sad and depressed when our longing has been denied.  We yearn so DEEPLY for  “THAT” special mate or “THAT” special position or thing.  Just to make us happy.  Just to fulfill our lives, yes ?

 

But, throughout our impatient years, the LORD has blocked our desire. Still, we continue to nag and refuse to be content with the lowly, Self-effacing path HE+ has ordained for us.

 

Finally …

The LORD steps aside and allows us to obtain  “THAT”  — whatever it is. Unfortunately, it takes only a very short time to discover the Truth:

 

 All along, Our LORD has been saving us

from tremendous heart-ache,

saving us from tremendous burdens,

or saving us from a deeper sorrow

than our hearts had ever known.

 

And now, there is no turning back.  We chose our mate, that position, that house.  The bill for sowing to our yearnings is coming due.  Our burdens and heart-aches are increasing exponentially.

 

How do we survive ?

 

We humble ourselves to CHRIST JESUS.  We admit and confess that our hard-headedness and Self-will has procured for us this awful situation.

 

Then we repent. 

 

HE+ tried to warn us not to go in that direction.  HE+ tried to re-direct our will to JOIN HIS+ WILL… but we could not abide doing that. So now, with the distress sitting in our lap and growing bigger daily, we see the error of our Self-centered life and we REPENT.

 

We cry to HIM+ for forgiveness, for leaving the path of fruitfulness.  Our hands are so full of the distressing situation that we now are VERY LIMITED in what we can do for the Kingdom of GOD.  HE+ knew it all along; now WE see it as well.

 

Our next step is to ENDURE and walk in a companionship with Our LORD through the mess of our lives that we have created ourselves. 

 

For some,  after patience has had its perfecting and corrective work done in us,  HE+ will provide a way of escape.  HE+ will speak to our hearts about this and hopefully, by the hard lesson we have had forced upon us, we will WAIT and LISTEN for His+ re-direction of our lives… and GO when HE+ says “Go” and “Stay”  when HE+ says STAY.

 

For others, there will be no escape and they are left to carry the sole responsibility with the unwanted child to raise …  the  hurt of an unfaithful mate … the straight-jacket of an over-whelming debt locked into a neighborhood where there are NO friends and instead, is infested with spiritual enemies who are destroying our children  …  or the never-ending responsibility of a handicapped parent (child, spouse, or sibling) to care for.

 

Sadly, these burdens take the IMpatient ones totally off the work The LORD had originally chosen them for to further His+ Kingdom.

 

But wait ! 

 

There is hope for our life, even though the heavy issues are not resolved.  THIS TIME… we do EVERYTHING to walk in that straight and narrow path that leads unto Life. 

 

The LORD JESUS never abandons His+ sheep if we want HIM+ to rule our lives.  HE+ never abandons us … if and when we repent and return unto HIM+.

 

Thus, we are admonished by the Apostle James to “allow PATIENCE to have her perfect work ”  in us. 

 

We will see, then,

HIS+ Great Patience

with us !

 

Walking hand-in-hand with The LORD JESUS CHRIST through sorrow, we will receive correction and perfection.  Made mature, we will NEVER  follow our own devices and yearnings again.

 

We will learn to allow the LORD to bring into our lives the people and things and WORK which HE+ wants us to have as friends, mates, abodes, and labors.  We will learn to chase after NOTHING in our heart and in our flesh.

 

Then, when HE+ brings people, places, and work to us, it will be ordained by The LORD for our happiness and Self-worth, as we lose ourselves in His+ Perfect Will.

 

Yes, let us allow PATIENCE to have her perfect work in us. We will NEVER, EVER regret it… like we do from those regrets accrued by NOT allowing PATIENCE to bring us to maturity in CHRIST.

+  +  +