James 5:10-12 

¹⁰Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

¹²Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Remote Control

How often do you normally relax and sit in the living room of your house? What do you instinctively search while sitting on a sofa or favorite chair in your living room?

Remote control! Yeah! It is very handy innovation. With it, you can switch on a favorite TV show, air conditioner, windows, doors and gates while sitting on your chair.

Are there remote controls to open or close the gates of heaven? None! The gates of heaven are always open. You’ll enter heaven if your name is written in Book of Life.

How many gates in heaven? What material is used for the gates of heaven? John wrote in Revelation 21:21-27, ²¹The 12 gates were 12 pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

²²I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. ²⁶The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. ²⁷Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

If you hope to enter heaven one day, make sure that your name is written in the Book of Life of the Lamb. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. If you sincerely believe in him, Christ knows it; he wrote your name in his Book of Life. But how can we be assured that we truly believe in Christ? God sent his Holy Spirit as guarantee in our innermost being.

Pray like: “Lord God, let you Holy Spirit lives in me!” God sends his Holy Spirit in our innermost being when we genuinely believed in Christ. It declares in Romans 8:9-11,  ⁹You are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit of Christ helps genuine believers to live in godly righteousness.

Righteous lifestyle practically proves that the Holy Spirit is active in us. Living in godly righteousness can be very challenging in any generation. Horrible problems, bad situations may provoke us. Instinctively, we respond negatively when we are provoked.

Actually, undesirable challenges of life are instruments to test our faith in Christ.

How do you normally respond when you are provoked? Positively! Negatively! Well, we need patience to avoid negative reaction? Patience is fruit of the Holy Spirit of God.

1.  Patience

¹⁰Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 

Prophets were messengers of God; they preach the word of God. They exemplify godly patience. Naturally, our sinful instinct disregards the word of God. If you’ve tried to share the gospel of Christ, you may have been disregarded somehow.

All believers of Christ, we are mandated to testify of Christ. Technically, believers are preachers of the good news of salvation. When we explain the gospel of salvation, we use Scriptural verses, so we preach the word of God. We are messengers of God; we become prophets of God, one way or another. Godly wisdom helps us internalize such?

Amos

Prophets of God had been ignored, disregarded and rejected throughout history. Amos was rejected but he patiently preached the message of the Lord to Israel.

It narrated in Amos 7:10-15, ¹⁰Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. ¹¹For this is what Amos is saying: “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’”

¹²Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. ¹³ Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

¹⁴ Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. ¹⁵But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” 

Prophets were also called seers. They can see God’s work that others cannot. God sends anyone he determined as his messenger. Have you heard your call?

You may have sensed that God is calling to speak of his good news of salvation. If you’re hesitant pray like: “Lord God, please, fill and empower me by your Holy Spirit!” Pray, wait and sense the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our innermost being.

Can we personally sense it? Yes! How? When the Holy Spirit empowers, we’ve got enthusiasm to testify of the transformation that the Lord has done in our life;  enthusiasm will be our divine signal to proceed. Christ has declared in Acts 1:8, ⁸You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses.

When his Holy Spirit empowers us, we testify for Christ spontaneously. Truly yes! There will be no reluctance. We will be glad and ready to testify of the transformational work of Christ in our life when the Holy Spirit empowers us. So, pray to be empowered. God is patient and  he offers everyone an opportunity to believe in Christ and be saved.

Certainly, we desire that Christ will come sooner for us to practically realize his promise of living in heaven. But God has set perfect time for that. It says in 2 Peter 3:9, ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Godly patience includes godly desire for everyone to believe in Christ. And, we pray for love ones, relatives and friends to come to repentance and have faith in Christ. We want them to be assured of living with God in his heaven. When we cannot see practical transformation in their life, we may feel sad but we must be patient.

Pray like: “Lord God, let your Holy Spirit produce patience in my life!” We keep hoping! The Lord will eventually transform our love ones in his perfect time. Amen!

We must persevere, pray; and also testify of the goodness of God for us. What is the difference of patience and perseverance? Perseverance is blessedness!

2. Perseverance

¹¹As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Why are we blessed when we persevere? To persevere is to honestly work with integrity despite difficult struggles or hostility. Great results are blessings from the Lord.

Parents: Pray for perseverance to carefully discipline your children. Children may ignore godly advice. Pray that God helps them listen and obey them for their welfare.

Why not pray for patience instead of perseverance? Patience helps us endure difficult situations, tolerate sufferings, stay calm, and not irritated in the face of a provocation of hostile individuals. With patience, you are fine not to argue or explain your point. With perseverance, you can’t be silent until you carefully explain your point.

Actually, God allowed Satan to test the integrity of Job; he persevered. Then, Job was practically blessed even more. His children died, his properties were gone, and his health deteriorated. Job suffered physically and emotionally. As if suffering was never enough testing, his wife said in Job 2:9-10, ⁹“Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Misfortune and sufferings tested Job. He persevered, he maintained his integrity and righteous lifestyle. Friends came not to comfort but annoyed him. They presumed wickedness caused his sufferings and misfortunes. If Job was patient, he might quietly listen to their irritating speech. But no! Job didn’t tolerate their rebuke; he refuted them  and declared he’s righteous before God. He didn’t stay quiet. When a friend said something, Job had more to say. He rhetorically articulated his belief and disproved their accusation.

But still, Job had prayed for his friends. He was righteous in action and word. He maintained his integrity despite provocation. Such is practical example of perseverance.

It says in Job 42:10 & 12, ¹⁰After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.  ¹²The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.

Job persevered. He maintained a godly lifestyle of righteousness; he was blessed. Reflect: With patience, we can stay calm in the midst of problems or hostility.

With perseverance, we continue to live in righteousness. We persevere and pray for love ones with hope that God answers our prayer in his perfect timing. We witness for the transformation that Christ did in our life; we also share his gospel to potential believers. God rewards perseverance, practically or spiritually on earth or in eternity.

We can also persevere in godly character, attitudes, habits or lifestyle. Pray to be more responsible at work, honestly study harder, enthusiastically get involved in the ministry, and regularly read the Bible. Parents: Pray to carefully discipline your children.

What else? If you get tired of the good things you do, pray to be filled with Holy Spirit; so that, he produces fruit of patience in your life. Pray for perseverance to keep on living with integrity and honesty. God has prepared something great for you. Amen!

But still, when someone tries to annoy, irritate or provoke us because of our belief and lifestyle, how should we answer righteously and persevere like Job?

Don’t try to impress or swear anything. Just be precise in your statement.

3.  Preciseness

¹²Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Intentional neglect of swear will be condemned. The term “swear” is properly interpreted as “promise or take an oath” as oppose to “cursing.” If you cannot, do not promise; be precise; and, simply say, “no” or “yes.” Be precise! Don’t try to impress by promising something that you have no intention to fulfill; condemnation is decreed.

Some people impress themselves and say, “I can do this; I can do that!” They also encourage to others, “You can do it! Go! Go! Go! You are great! Sadly, believers are tempted to use Scriptural promises just to comfort others.

Example: Jeremiah 29:11 says, ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Have you recited this promise of God to comfort others? The problem here is: The other person you wish to comfort may not believe it or no faith in the Lord. We believe God’s promises but we do not know the plan of God for others. God may prosper and not harm yo, but it may not be similar case for others.

Tragedies around the world are practical examples that God allows difficulties.

The Twins

Many twins may have similar appearance but their destiny will be very different. It says in Romans 9:10-16, ¹⁰Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. ¹¹Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: ¹²not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ¹³Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”  ¹⁴What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Different destinies of twins serve as practical proofs that God created each of us very uniquely from others. All of us experience testing of faith differently from others.

We persevere in coming together. Other people struggle. They prioritize work, school, family, relationship. We have work, studies family, relationship, and we worship God.

Perseverance is blessedness. Remember Job! His wife considered his integrity as useless so that she even encouraged him to curse God and die. Yet, Job persevered. His friends may have articulately verbalized biblical realities about sin, but they didn’t know that God has allowed suffering for Job to persevere. And, God blessed Job even more.

Persevere! Honestly do with integrity, your responsibilities, obligations, duties. God will bless you more than you can dream or imagine, if you persevere. Life attracts many struggles; we can persevere and not anxious about life, how?

It says in Philippians 4:6-9, ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

All ideas that linger in your mind always ask: Is this true, noble, right, pure lovely, admirable, excellent praiseworthy? It’s yes, if you sensed the peace of God in you heart.

God is compassionately merciful! Pray that his Holy Spirit produces joyful peace and patience in your life. Pray that God empowers you to persevere in godly lifestyle. Pray for stronger faith and godly wisdom to understand and assimilate this truth.

When God blesses you precisely abundantly, personally testify of his grace.

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