Patience in Waiting

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. —2 Peter 3:9

Waiting is part of our lives.

Like the ancient Israelites, we too are waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ. Though He already came as the long-awaited Messiah, we wait for Him to come as Ruler over all the earth. We wait for Christ's Second Coming.

God is also waiting. He waits for people to see His Glory; He waits for people to admit that they are lost without Him; He waits for people to say "Yes" to His love; He waits for people to receive His forgiveness; He waits for people to turn away from their sins. God is waiting for our Repentance and Faith in Him.

God is not slow in coming; He is patient in waiting. He is waiting to have a relationship with those He loves. He had made His first move when He sent Baby Jesus and the sacrificial Lamb. Now He waits for us to welcome Him into our lives as Lord and Savior.

God is waiting for us to make our move to Him. Come.

Our Heavenly Abode

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

• Jesus was the real temple of God. Through His death and resurrection, this temple was enlarged to include His Church. The Church is the dwelling place of God today on earth. We become a part of God's temple when we are in Jesus. God's house today is the Church, composed of individual believers in Christ. Each believer is an abode of the Holy Spirit, and is thus a dwelling place of God.


• By His death and resurrection, Jesus has prepared this place for us. By means of His death on the cross, we sinners were cleansed by His blood. God could not indwell us until He did this. By means of His resurrection, Christ became the life-giving Spirit to indwell us.


• Jesus wants us to be where He is. Jesus was a man who dwelt in God. God was His abode. Likewise, God the Father dwelt in Him. Jesus was the Father's abode. They mutually indwelt each other in a marvelous and mysterious fellowship. Jesus’ desire was that we would be where He was, enjoying a life mingled with God.


• When we realize that Christ is dwelling in us today, we enjoy His wonderful presence within our heart; our life becomes heaven on earth. This life we live is full of troubles. Disappointments and sufferings abound. Within we struggle with the flesh of sin, and without the world tempts us. But by the indwelling Christ, we can be freed from both.


• God desires a house. This has been His eternal aim. As humans, we are homeless wanderers without Christ. Both God and man become satisfied in this mutual abode. Have you entered in?

A Fuller Life is to Serve Others

And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. (Mark 10:44)

• James and John, two disciples of Jesus, asked to be at His right and left hand in His kingdom. The other 10 disciples were greatly displeased with them for asking, possibly because they wanted that kind of position too! The disciples were struggling for supremacy and greatness; they wanted the highest positions in the kingdom.


• But Jesus used the opportunity to teach them about another kind of life, one of serving others. He said, “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all”.


• It appears that service for others is God’s design for us. Even Jesus, the Son of God, did not come to be served, but to serve.


• As we look at Christ’s example and depend on the Holy Spirit’s help, we too can be servants and will create a fulfilling life.


• The most direct way to experience a fuller life is to serve God and help people.

Jesus, our Cornerstone

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. (1 Peter 2:4)

• The most precious things in life are not material items.
   
• Rather, it is the people who have loved us and built into our lives.
   
• And we don’t know what we would do without them.
   
• When the apostle Peter referred to Jesus as “a chief cornerstone, elect, precious” (1 Peter 2:6), it meant Jesus is truly precious to him.
   
• It was his prized possession above everything and everyone else.
   
• So is Jesus to us.
   
• Where would we be today without the constant unfailing companionship of His faithful presence, wise and perfect guidance, merciful patience, comfort, and transforming reproof?
   
• What would we do without Him? We just can’t imagine!
   
• Lord, help us not to focus on fleeting treasures, but on You, our most precious treasure.
   
• Lord, teach us the joy of reveling in You, and Your loving presence and provision in our lives.
   
• Of all that is precious, Jesus tops the list.
  
  
  

Jesus Is The Creator And Controller

John 1:3

Jesus Is The Maker Of All Creation. Everything was made through Him!

Jesus Is The Master Of All Creation. He is the power that holds the universe together (Col. 1:16-17).

Jesus is the Creator and He is in control.

The world is all in His hands and all things are working toward the purpose for which He designed them!

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But the Lord Jesus humbled Himself and became a creature in creation! God became dependent upon a human mother. Jesus stepped out of eternity, laid aside His glory and entered this world as a human baby! The greatest expression of God’s power was when Jesus added humanity to His deity and came to live and die among men (Phil. 2:5-8).

Jesus was born into this world 2,000 years ago as a helpless infant. He lived here in poverty and rejection only to die a horrible death on a cross. He did all of this because He loved us (Rom. 5:8).

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Jesus is our Creator and Controller.

But Jesus is also our Christ, our Messiah, and Savior!