PATIENT ENDURANCE JAMES 5:7-12

PATIENT ENDURANCE “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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

PATIENT ENDURANCE Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.

PATIENT ENDURANCE You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” ‭‭James‬ ‭5:7-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE What does being patient mean? It is a compound word that means, “longsuffering.”

PATIENT ENDURANCE What does endurance mean? The fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving up.

PATIENT ENDURANCE THE BIG IDEA: When suffering in life we must maintain an attitude that is determined to suffer long even in the most unpleasant and difficult situations without giving up.

PATIENT ENDURANCE Look For The Coming of the Lord (5:7-8) “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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James‬ ‭5:7- 8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE Do Not Grumble (5:9) “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” James‬ ‭5:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE "When you complain, you turn yourself into a victim".

PATIENT ENDURANCE There are a number of ways that we grumble against our brothers and sisters in Christ when we are suffering for righteousness. 1) We can grumble because we do not understand why we are suffering when we see others not suffering. 2) We can grumble against each other because people are not paying attention to us the way we think they ought to.

PATIENT ENDURANCE There are two ways to solve this. First, recognize you are being selfish. Second, rather than thinking about what you want people to do, why don’t you go do to them what you want them to do for you?

PATIENT ENDURANCE “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE Follow The Example of God’s Servants (5:10-11) “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” ‭‭James‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE "Hardships prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."--C.S. Lewis

PATIENT ENDURANCE Know The Compassion and Mercy of the Lord (5:11) Notice what James says in verse 11. “You have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”

PATIENT ENDURANCE “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE Do What You Say (5:12) “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” ‭‭James‬ ‭5:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE “but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:5-6‬ ‭ESV‬

PATIENT ENDURANCE Application: All Christians suffer. Either you have, you are, or you will — “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).Acts 14:22

PATIENT ENDURANCE The apostle Paul wrote, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9).2 Corinthians 4:8–9

PATIENT ENDURANCE Suffering happens in community. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).Galatians 6:2

PATIENT ENDURANCE Suffering equips us for ministry. 2 Corinthians 1:42 Corinthians 1:4 that God “comforts us in all afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

PATIENT ENDURANCE Suffering is a battleground. Job 2: Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”[a] In all this Job did not sin with his lips.a

PATIENT ENDURANCE Suffering prepares us for more glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”2 Corinthians 4:17–18

PATIENT ENDURANCE Prayer: Lord, I thank you for every hardship and every suffering circumstance that I have faced. It didn’t feel good but it made me trust you and rely on you. Through it all I have learned to depend on you.

PATIENT ENDURANCE Prayer: Help me to remember that you are taking me from glory to glory and that you will not let me be crushed or destroyed. Every thing I face is just a light momentary affliction that is preparing me for something greater

PATIENT ENDURANCE Prayer: that you have in store for me. In Jesus Name, Amen!

PATIENT ENDURANCE JAMES 5:7-12