The 7 Last Words of Jesus Christ – Patience in Waiting for the Fulfillment of Promise
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30 – Patience in waiting for the fulfillment of Promise.
Have you ever prayed for something and felt like God is not going to answer your prayer? Or have you been claiming God’s promises but feel like God is hesitating in fulfilling those promises?
Look nowhere else but at the cross. Jesus knows exactly how that feels and worse!
First of all, you will have to understand that “God made all things beautiful in His time” and that “there’s a season for everything”.
Jesus had to wait 30 years before His ministry began. He had to wait 3 more years to fulfill the promise and mission of salvation. And then, again, had to wait until everything that was written was fulfilled before He can give up His life, die, and ends the unimaginable suffering He went through.
Do you see the amount of patience it took for Him to walk in righteousness through all those years? And He was finally able to say, “It is finished!” at the very last moment.
Look past the suffering to the reward
Paul answered that in Hebrews 12 saying,
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Did you see that? Paul said “For the joy set before Him (Jesus), He endured the cross.
Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that He was going to suffer a great amount of torture, pain, and unimaginable suffering, yet, He did not hesitate. Why? Because He considers it joy to persevere knowing the reward He was going to receive.
And what reward is that?
It is our salvation. Being able to finally be with the Father in Heaven and sharing the salvation to the rest of God’s children, so that we can be with Him forever.
Patience in Waiting
Now, let’s look back at our situation.
What are you waiting for? Are there promises that you are waiting to be fulfilled? How are you waiting?
God knows what’s best for us
God did not say that He will always give you what you “want” but He definitely will give you the best for yourself.
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Are you Afraid of Tomorrow?
Recent events may have given you concern about our future. Rumors of war, diseases, economic shutdowns and world leaders who seem distant to the wishes of their people are not necessarily sunshine and rainbows.
However, the world keeps spinning. The sun rises and sets. Life goes on.
The bible tells us to refrain from embracing fear. In fact, it commands us to be courageous, to take a position of confidence in the goodness of our Father. Many times men and women of God throughout history went beyond their fears and overcame their situations. Every act of courage is the overcoming of the easier choice of succumbing to fear.
Are you afraid of tomorrow? Is the situation out of hand? Here are three things you can do to overcome fear.
Embrace the Situation
The first step to being worry-free is to accept the situation you are in. Sometimes, being on the extreme end of positivity creates a false sense of reality. A sound understanding of what is taking place at the moment pushes one to a corner. At this point, the only decision to make is either to succumb to fear or to plan the next steps ahead.
Adjust Your Perspective
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REJOICE IN THE TIME OF CRISIS
Sometimes, because of the situation, it is easy to be carried away and lose our joy in the Lord. Our news is filled with words that relate to crisis, lockdown, even confusion.
However, the bible points us to a different focus. We are called to embrace a higher perspective.
The verse says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4)
Abiding joy should be our aim. In fact, it should be the goal of every Christian. The joy we speak of is not dependent on the situation we are in. This joy is driven by the power of Christ which is every believer, rooted in the presence of Christ in us! For us to live our lives rooted in the Joy that is in Jesus, we must first understand rejoicing in the Lord entails.
What does it mean to “rejoice in the Lord always”?
- It does not mean we will never be sad.
If you are feeling down, sad or maybe a little discouraged, it is normal. It is the human side of us that gets carried away by the situation. However, we have hope! We are called to embrace another view. Choose to keep hoping, to keep dreaming, and to keep rejoicing!
- It is not a matter of feeling but of obedience.
If we are going to read that verse again, we will realize that we are being commanded to rejoice! Meaning, every time we feel disheartened, out of obedience, we have to rejoice. Despite the trials we face, our option is to fill our hearts with joy. This doesn’t mean that we blindly disregard our current situation. It means that God’s rescue is on the way. Better rejoice early!
- An attitude of contentment and hope
Sometimes, the greatest obstacle to joy is the condition of our hearts. I believe that we are called to greater things. However, I also believe that we are not to be discouraged when things are not what we expected them to be, at least not at the moment. Therefore, it is necessary to have a heart that appreciates where God has brought us through while looking forward to a great harvest in the coming days.
Now that we have a better understanding of what it means to “rejoice in the Lord,” follow the three simple and practical steps below to help you walk with great joy in your hears:
How can we rejoice in the Lord?
- Personal Relationship with Christ John 1:12 (Build a strong personal relationship with Christ)
- Keep your mind and heart in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His promises Jer.29:11 (You won’t stay sad if you are fully aware of His promises! )
- Live by Faith, not by Feeling or by Sight – 2 Cor.5:7 (Faith is the currency of Heaven. Keep believing and never, ever, give up! )
Let this verse remind each of us that no matter how big the trouble we are in, God’s finished work was done to bring peace in our hearts. And every heart that is at peace is a heart that rejoices!
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
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Christmas Begins with Christ
Christmas is celebrated around the world. Each culture has a slightly different version of it. To those who have grown around a Filipino community, Christmas begins as early as September, popularly known as the start of the “BER” months. 
Being one of the most important events in the Christian calendar, Christmas is surrounded by arguments and controversy. During this time you will hear arguments about the exact birth date of Christ, the inclusion of the Nativity Scene in Christmas trees, whether to use “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”, or making sure Christ is not eliminated from Christmas by writing it as “X-Mas”.
However, this season is not about winning an argument. It is about winning the hearts of men.
Our series this year is titled, “Christmas Begins with Christ”. Our desire as a church community is to highlight the person and work of Jesus. It is easy to get distracted in this season wherein the world offers diverse alternatives. Ask 10 people around what this day means to them and you’ll probably get 10 or more different answers.
Christmas is a Promise
Throughout the Old Testament, God promised a savior who will save the world. From the garden of Eden, through the lives of the patriarchs, and through the words of the prophets, Christ has been foretold and previewed. You have to know that Jesus is the Son of God long before He was born to Mary.
On the day Jesus was born, God has finally brought into fruition what He has promised to His people generation after generation. Christ has come, the savior of the world.
Christmas is about Hope
If you are feeling down and hopeless, this is a time to reflect on the promises of God in your life. Let all the sounds and smells of this season point you to the faithfulness of God. Remember His goodness and His providential care. Keep the hope alive and burning in your heart. What He has promised, He will do!
Christmas is about Family and Community
The Nativity is a powerful picture of what Christmas is really about. While the focuses on lights, food, and acquiring material things, the first Christmas pictures family and community bound by a purpose. We can see that heaven and earth have come together to witness God’s greatest promise: to save the world from the death caused by sin.
Keep reaching out to your family members and to the people in your sphere. Let them experience the love of Christ through your speech and actions. Make all efforts to make Him known, especially at this time of the year.
It is our hope that in this season, more than anything else, make Christ the reason why we gather, give gifts, and celebrate. Let us keep in mind that when God makes a promise, He is sure to fulfill it.
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Thank You, Jesus!
Different cultures and traditions set aside time in their calendars to give thanks for blessings even before the establishment of the Thanksgiving Celebration. A good harvest, success in government and even for a newborn baby became some common reasons for people to hold a special day for the purpose of expressing gratitude. In America, Thanksgiving Day was established to commemorate the Pilgrims and their first harvest. Thus, it was originally called Harvest Festival. The Finished Work of Christ
If there is one reason we celebrate this day, we can all say that the work of Christ is more than enough to be thankful for. People are hopeless on our own but through Christ, they now have a reason to keep going. We keep pursuing the expansion of His kingdom here on earth. We stand as lights that point to Christ and the salvation He offers to anyone who believes in Him. Our JRM-Vallejo Community
Whenever we think of the people entrusted to us at JRM-Vallejo, we could not help but thank God for the way he brings people together. We are grateful for all the volunteers and workers in the different ministries in our community. Your hard work and dedication is a fuel to our desire to do our best for His glory. You are all awesome! God’s Faithfulness and Providence
When God guides us to do something for Him and His kingdom, it always accompanies provision. Throughout the years, God has been so faithful to us in providing what we need to continue in the work entrusted to us. This year, we’ve created events and celebrations that allowed us to share the gospel to the more people and God has provided. Indeed, if it is His will, it is His bill. Read more...