As we have addressed, patience is crucial to inheriting the promises and being in God’s will. Consequently, I have tried to turn “waiting” into special opportunities to “enter His gates with thanksgiving” (see Psalm 100:4) and get closer to Him. We are told “in everything give thanks” (see I Thessalonians 5:18),so I have especially tried to use unexpected delays to thank Him for the delays, so I can learn more patience....

As we have addressed, impatience is not a fruit of the Spirit. So, if we are led by impatience, we will not be led by His Spirit, and likely not be in His will.

Recently, the Lord showed me how much I had missed Him throughout my life, and how many unnecessary troubles I had experienced because of my impatience. I was shown the miracles I missed, the divine connections...

There is a tendency in ministry to measure success by the number of people we attract rather than by God’s criteria.

John 6 is one of the most crucial chapters in the Bible. In this chapter, Jesus’ ministry profoundly changed. Up until that point, Jesus worked miracles so the people would believe. After, He mostly worked miracles for those who believed. Before, His main teaching and focus was on the multitudes;...

As we have covered, there are four steps to preparation for ministry: 1) teaching, 2) training, 3) equipping, and 4) deployment. Most of the body of Christ seems to be stuck in teaching mode, with little training, less equipping, and even less releasing of the body into their callings. Ephesians 4:15-16 states:

          “We are to grow up in all aspects...

Last week we looked at the first two steps to equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry: 1) teaching and 2) training. The next step is equipping. In the military, equipping begins when you have satisfactorily completed your instructions and training and are given your own weapon. If you are in the infantry, you are given your own rifle. If you are a pilot, you are given your own aircraft.

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