Waiting Patiently With Faithfulness

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Waiting Patiently With Faithfulness
Date: Tuesday November 29, 2011
Chapters: II Corinthians 5-8
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-29
All Scripture quoted comes from the King James Version.

Hello My Friend,

Perhaps one of the most asked questions of the faithful Christian is, “Why does the person living the wicked life always prosper?” The truth is, while it might look as though they have everything they want and do whatever they want to get it, it's all a storefront, it looks good on the surface, but deep down, it's a big mess. The culprit, Satan, he will do anything he can to get a person to stop living their lives for God, especially if it is a saved person. Why? To keep others from getting saved. I always imagine that since Satan knows his fate he may think that if he keeps people from getting saved he might prolong his life, but he is a fool because Jesus can come any day to claim His crown, no one, escapes the lake of fire unless they are saved. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever...He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” -Revelation 20:10, 21:7,8.

An amazing thing happens the instant a person receives Christ as their Savior, you not only escape the second death, you also get God. He dwells in every person who accepts and receives His Son, I tell people all the time that God is not in many of those churches. We might have churches or buildings that we gather in to worship God, but God the truth is, He is not contained withing those four walls you enter unless there are saved people in them. In Paul's second letter to the Corinthians he reminds them that God they are God's building.

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens...Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause..Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” -II Corinthians 5:1,11-13,17.

It's sad, but there are many saved people out there living horrible wicked lives, they do not realize or care that God is right there with them. I tell you what, while I am no saint, there are some things that get me thinking if I do that God will do it too and it stops me from doing them. I saw someone that I have known for a long time, he is saved, he knows my faith and I imagine he thought he could break me because we did have a history. He got a rude awakening when I told him I wasn't doing what he wanted and not to contact me anymore. It is only by God's grace that we are saved, but that does not give us a free pass to live immoral, wicked lives. While God's mercy keeps us from being cast into that fire after we are saved, we will still face the consequences for our actions before we get to heaven. No one can receive God's grace in vain and not expect repercussions, which Paul explains further.

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain...But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things...Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” -II Corinthians 6:1,1,4-10,14-16.

We must, as much as possible, separate ourselves from those who live wicked lives, all they do is bring us down, make us commit sin, and cause havoc in our relationship with God. Faithful Christians are by no means perfect, we are going to sin, but we learn from our mistakes because we grow in Christ each day. Believe it or not, we represent Christ, we are the example that others follow to know Christ too. How are they going to know the importance of being saved if a saved person is living more wickedly then they are? God wants us to prosper, He truly does, but before we prosper He is going to afflict us, chastise us, and let Satan test us, no matter who we are, even faithful Christians have some things they need to clean up in their lives as they grow in Christ. We need not let God's role as our Father discourage us from living the Christian life. Paul explains the reason he was so hard on the Corinthians in his first letter.

“For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.” -II Corinthians 7:8-12.

There is no one more convicting, outside of the Holy Spirit, than a true man of God, my preacher knows how to tell it like it is, he is strong in his faith, admits the things he has done wrong, and knows how to minister to you know matter what you are haunted with from your past. Conviction brings repentance, repentance brings faith, faith brings commitment, commitment brings salvation to others. When you face Jesus one day your faithfulness in Him is going to pay off. Jesus is going to show you how much you He appreciates all the hard work and suffering that you had to go through for standing by your faith. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad...Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” -II Corinthians 5:10,20,21.

I know it's hard to deal with people ruining other peoples lives to get what they want and not want to just lash out at them, trust me, I have lashed out at people and it did not do anything, but cause me more pain. However, there was a positive to my brief moment of forgetting myself, it reminded me that I never want to go back to the life I lived without Christ. We do not have to let people get the best of us, we do not have to live like they do because they refuse to have some morals, we do need to stand firm in our faith, but we do not need to bow down to their level. God will take care of things for us, all we have to do is wait patiently for Him. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” - Psalm 37:7-11.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
In my attempt to live the best life I can live with You in it I am constantly being tested in my faithfulness to You. While I cannot escape being tempted, I can escape the temptation as You always give us a way out of any temptation. Lord, give me Your power, work in me, only You can help me overcome the weakness of my flesh to succumb to those who want to see me fall. As I patiently wait for You, let me be the example You want me to be. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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