God: Never in a Hurry, Always On Time
Be patient with God and with yourself. One of life’s frustrations is that God’s timetable is rarely the same as ours. We are often in a hurry when God isn’t. You may feel frustrated with the seemingly slow progress you’re making in life.
Remember that God is never in a hurry, but he is always on time. He will use your entire lifetime to prepare you for your role in eternity.
The Bible is filled with examples of how God uses a long process to develop character, especially in leaders. He took 80 years to prepare Moses, including 40 in the wilderness. For 14,600 days Moses kept waiting and wondering, “Is it time yet?” But God kept saying, “Not yet.”
Contrary to popular book titles, there are no “Easy Steps to Maturity” or “Secrets of Instant Sainthood.” When God wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years, but when he wants to make a mushroom, he does it overnight.
Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process. James advised, “Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed” (James 1:4b MSG).
Don’t get discouraged. When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn’t think God was acting quickly enough, God had this to say: “These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” (Habakkuk 2:3 LB)
A delay is not a denial from God!
Remember how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. Years ago people wore a popular button with the letters PBPGINFWMY. It stood for “Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet.” God isn’t finished with you, either, so keep on moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering!
Credit: Devotional by Rick Warren.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour………1 Peter 5:8
I grew up in warm southern cities, so when I moved north, it took me a while to learn how to drive safely during the long, snowy months. During my first hard winter, I ended up stranded in a snowdrift three times! But after several years of practice, I began to feel comfortable driving in wintry conditions. In fact, I felt a little too comfortable. I stopped being as vigilant. And that’s when I hit a patch of black ice and skidded into a telephone pole on the side of the road! Thankfully, no one was hurt, but I learned something important that day. I realized how dangerous it can be to feel comfortable. Instead of being watchful, I had gone on “autopilot.”
We need to practice that same kind of vigilance in our spiritual lives. Peter warns believers not to glide thoughtlessly through life, but to “be alert” (1 Peter 5:8). The devil is actively trying to destroy us, and so we too need to be active, resisting temptation and standing firm in our faith (v. 9). That’s not something we have to do on our own though. God promises to be with us in our sufferings and, ultimately, to make us “strong, firm and steadfast” (v. 10). By His power, we learn to remain watchful and alert in resisting evil and following Him……By Amy Peterson
REFLECT & PRAY:
God, keep me from growing lazy or too comfortable in my spiritual life. Help me to remain watchful and alert so that I can resist temptation!
Credit: Our Daily Bread
Thanks to Lyle Dietrich for providing the content for the weekly inspirational bulletin.
We let life take over
| Almost every couple I see for counseling lists communication as an area of concern in their marriage. When we talk about this issue, there are usually a couple of consistent reasons for bad communication. One is not taking the time to talk. We let life take over and the priority of daily communication gets pushed aside. The other is just not listening well to each other. One of my favorite statistics is that we can listen five times faster than someone can speak. For us, that means if Nancy is talking to me, I have to really focus or my mind goes somewhere else. I may think about what I am going to do or what I will say when she finishes talking. Either way she will not feel like I heard her at all. What about your marriage and your communication? What hinders good communication? Your One Thing today is to spend 15 minutes sitting down face to face talking and listening to each other. Today’s One Thing: Spend fifteen minutes sitting down face to face talking and listening to each other. DON’T JUST SURVIVE! – Your Marriage Was Meant To Thrive! |
Revival is Now!
Revival stirs Godly desires within you!
Revival gives you unusual boldness!
Revival gives you a powerful sound of freedom!
Ready or not, it is here!
Are you hungry for God to move in your life?
Are you ready for Godly desires to be stirred within you?
Are you ready for revival?
Contact Pastor Ray at senior.pastor@wlcc-church.org
The WLCC service is set up to accommodate everyone during the pandemic:
• Sunday Service: Starts @ 10:00 AM at the
Old Stone School,
37098 Charlestown Pike, Hillsboro VA
•We have a drive-in service where you can stay in your car, watch the service, and listen to Pastor Ray by tuning your car radio to 1610 AM
•We have socially distanced indoor seating.
•We also have numerous tables, spaced appropriately, for anyone wishing to attend the outdoor service in a more personable atmosphere.
• WLCC continues to stream Sunday Service at 10:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube.
Bible Study Group occurs virtually every Wednesday at 7:30 pm.
Youth Group occurs virtually every Friday evening at 7:00 pm
Join us for a lively discussion. Check your email for the online link to the meeting.
Western Loudoun Community Church is about being the church — not just some religious exercise. We are about fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Great Commandment.
Come see what all the laughter and joy is about.
