BE PATIENT WITH GOD!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022.

SUBJECT : BE PATIENT WITH GOD!

Memory verse: "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Habakuk 2 vs 3.)

READ: Romans 4 vs 16 - 22:

4:16: Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

4:17: (as it is written, “I have made thee a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which be not as though they did; 

4:18: who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

4:19: And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb

4:20: He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 

4:21: and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

4:22: And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

INTIMATION:

It is pertinent to wait to receive from God after you have presented your petition in prayers to Him. Our memory verse is the answer God gave prophet Habakkuk. God's answer to Habakkuk is the same answer He would give us; "Be patient! I will work out My plans in My perfect timing." It isn't easy to be patient, but to trust God fully means to trust Him even when we don't understand why events occur as they do. Everything has its timing before God. Your duty is to wait, for surely, if it is His Will, it must surely come.

The passage we read today is a graphic illustration of what the apostle Paul said about Abraham’s attitude when the promise was delayed. The 18th and 19th verses say, "Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb."

God made a promise to Abraham to bless him and make him a great nation when he was seventy five years old, and the wife about sixty five years old. The promise of a child from the wife Sarah didn't come until he was a hundred years old, and the wife ninety years old. At that age Abraham was already weak in his body. It is very likely he may not have been having erection again. Again, at ninety years the wife's womb was considered dead. In all these circumstances, Abraham didn't shake in his believe of the promise of God—the Word of God.

Abraham believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness. He hoped that God will make good His promises in the future. Hope is always in the future. It takes your faith, which is now, to hope for the future occurrence of the promise. Abraham hoped for a son, faith takes the place of hope. When the promise or answer is delayed, you wait in hope and by faith, knowing that He who promised is faithful and will do it. He is the same God that calls those things which do not exist as though they did, and they become. He is the same God who looked into the empty dark space and said, "Let there be light, and there was light."

Now, looking at verse 19, our senses will consider strongly the state of Abraham and the wife—100 and 90 years old respectively. But the angel had spoken from God, therefore, Abraham, looking to the promise of God, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He has promised He was also able to perform (verse 20 - 21).

That should be our attitude of believers in such circumstances. Our faith should be that God would give us anything that He had promised, and our petition would be delivered to us as Abraham's son was born to him. You take God at His Word, and your heart overflows with joy that He has given you His Word. The thing for which you have prayed simply is as He promised. You have called into being a thing that was not because His Word had given you the assurance of it. And you have been assured of receiving because He said, "I watch over My Word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1 vs 12.)

What then do you do while waiting? Let us look at Philippians 4 vs 6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." You have done the praying. The requests have been made known. Now with thankful quietness you wait. Someone might say, "But your prayer is not answered, the fever is still there, the bill is still unpaid." You drive the vultures (discouragers) away as Abraham did on his sacrifice. You refuse them to alight upon the Word and destroy it. Anxiety is one of the destroyers, so avoid it. It can make you question God, and murmur against Him (Another set of destroyers).

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the Spirit of complete rest and trust in You, that I may not waver at Your promises through unbelief, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!