DEVOTION FOR TODAY

Two attributes of God we find in Rom. 15:5-6 are endurance and encouragement. God can endure. He is patient. That's why He can tolerate us with our foolishness for so long. As I look at how patient He has been with me over the years, it simply amazes me. Not only is He patient, He encourages me.
Since He called me to do the work of an evangelist in 1984, I can take you to points in my life when I would have been doing something else other than what He called me to do. With the pressures of well meaning fathers, friends, family and even foes, I could have been in a field where He has not sent me. Many times, people ask me how I have stayed in my calling as an evangelist for all these years without a church base supporting me. It is because God has both been patient with me and He encourages me. When I get down to my last ounce of strength, He energizes and enables me. Our text today admonishes us to be like God in endurance and encouragement. In our marriages, businesses, offices, schools, churches, we should learn to be patient with each other. Instead of pointing out flaws and failures, let us encourage each other. God is so encouraging to me because many times, when I expect Him to be mad at me, He smiles and speaks a word of encouragement. How can we cultivate these God attributes? Our text shows us the secret is in our mind and mouth. Stop telling people that you don't have patience. That's why you really don't have it. What goes on in your mind will come out of your mouth. Before your mouth say it, ask yourself, is this from God? If that person is Christ, what would be my thoughts and words? Let Jesus Christ be the medium of relating with your partner, parent, pastor and president. This will totally transform the way we mind and mouth people. Let the revolution begin. Partner with me to reach 30 million souls in 50 nations this year.Bishop Michael O. Amamieye -www.aggressivefaith.org.