As we close up this week of looking at fruitful living with peace and patience, let me give you an illustration about patience as taking a long time to boil. When it comes to a boiling pot of water, oatmeal or whatever, what factor determines the speed at which it boils? It is not the stove, and not the pot, or even the ingredients in the pot, but it is the intensity of the flame. The pot boils over when the flame is high, and it doesn’t boil over when the flame is low. That’s not a heavy revelation, but it does get a point across! A patient person keeps the burner down, they keeps the flame low. They wait. They listen. God treats us with patience, and that is how we should treat others. If we really want to be fruitful in live and learn to operate in peace and patience, we need to keep the flame low. We must learn to respond patiently. Hebrews 10:36 reminds us that if we want to receive the promise, we must live patiently. Here are verses 34-36. For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.[e] 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
We can run this race with patience, just like Jesus did. We can lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily throws us off course, and run with patience, as we look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Now that’s fruitful living!
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