1 Peter 5:5,7
Likewise, ye younger....casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you
This verse has been a blessing to me this morning. It ministered to me as I recognised that God has pledged to care for me and to take care of me and all the things that would cross my path. Interestingly, when you read through 1 Peter 5, you'll see that Peter was addressing the younger in the church to stop worrying.
Don't we all worry and become anxious for the things which are to come. I came into work this monday morning dreading the issues and stuff which I've to accomplish in this week as well as the weeks leading up to June. Added to that are the never ending responsibilities in the church and outside of it. Days like these where I spend one brief moment thinking about the unsolved issues and amount of endless work which I need to do with my limited mental capacity and time, I really shudder in trepidation and wish it can all disappear.
Far from it disappearing in a snap of my fingers, I realised the simple truth that God has for us to live by. To cast it all on Him. If you've done fishing, you'll know that the concept of casting. With a simple flick of the hand, you cast your hook, bait, line and sinker into the sea. (There's no varying flicking techniques like how we are told to lice, topspin or pound a tennis ball.) From then on, you just wait patiently and do little, because the fish will either bite or it won't. Apart from jigging the line, there's nothing much to do to induce the fish to bite, even then you never know what fish would go for the bait.
Likewise, we are just to flick our worries to God because He cares and want to relief us from it. If we don't cast it to Him, we are not empowering God to handle our issues. Today, may you too come to an understanding that we serve a God who cares, and doesn't want us to live stressed, anxious lives. May you and I learn to say "life is good because my God cares and attends all my worries".
blessings,
M.
"A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)
31 March 2008
28 March 2008
God Delights in Me.
Psalm 18:19b
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
My ears perked up when I heard this verse.
I was humbled when I heard the verse that "the Lord delights in me" and I pray you will too. It suddenly elevated the truth of God's great love for such a incomplete, imperfect person in me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a self pitying party or a self condemnation whipping session but I pray that you see the depth and breadth of the love of an incorruptable God who chose to look at us whom are of sin, flaws and poor nature, and still chose to delight in us.
I'm humbled that He even stopped to look and yearingly care about us who are insignificant, blemished and yet full of arrogance because we feel that we matter because we have breathe and the energy to live the life we choose. When faced with the revelation of His character, I'm reminded of how self absorbed many of us are in our lives and how we forget the amazing grace of our saviour who awaits for us to come back to Him to spend communion time with Him.
The cross is the very demonstration of His great love for you and I. Because He loved us too much to see us live aimless, broken, self-indulgent lives for the 70 years that we have on this earth.
I cannot tell you how deeply I feel for the many lives today that I see in church who come and are emotionally torn, physically worn, mentally warped, and socially wounded but choose to come religiously in their protective shells. You must see what I see today; the sheer simplicity and purity of God's amazing grace for us that speaks to the inner man!
If I only had one message to share at the end of my life, I'll share about the amazing grace of God who is always there, caring for me even though I often chose to live my own life without Him. Today, I pray you see the revelation of God's immense love for you.
blessings,
M.
"What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him, That You examine him every morning and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18)
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
My ears perked up when I heard this verse.
I was humbled when I heard the verse that "the Lord delights in me" and I pray you will too. It suddenly elevated the truth of God's great love for such a incomplete, imperfect person in me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a self pitying party or a self condemnation whipping session but I pray that you see the depth and breadth of the love of an incorruptable God who chose to look at us whom are of sin, flaws and poor nature, and still chose to delight in us.
I'm humbled that He even stopped to look and yearingly care about us who are insignificant, blemished and yet full of arrogance because we feel that we matter because we have breathe and the energy to live the life we choose. When faced with the revelation of His character, I'm reminded of how self absorbed many of us are in our lives and how we forget the amazing grace of our saviour who awaits for us to come back to Him to spend communion time with Him.
The cross is the very demonstration of His great love for you and I. Because He loved us too much to see us live aimless, broken, self-indulgent lives for the 70 years that we have on this earth.
I cannot tell you how deeply I feel for the many lives today that I see in church who come and are emotionally torn, physically worn, mentally warped, and socially wounded but choose to come religiously in their protective shells. You must see what I see today; the sheer simplicity and purity of God's amazing grace for us that speaks to the inner man!
If I only had one message to share at the end of my life, I'll share about the amazing grace of God who is always there, caring for me even though I often chose to live my own life without Him. Today, I pray you see the revelation of God's immense love for you.
blessings,
M.
"What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him, That You examine him every morning and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18)
24 March 2008
Benchmarking Ourselves
Jeremiah 10:23
"The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps"
Every parent always falls into the trap of benchmarking their kids with others. We all grew up somehow realising that we can never seem to be the smartest kid because when we get 99%, there's always someone who gets 100%. Even when we obtain a perfect score, we'll be told that its a good job but it must have been an easy paper or asked how many others have obtained similiar perfect scores.
Sadly, it results in us having in-built systems of always comparing with everything and everyone. Alternatively, we end up striving to as high a standard as possible and base it upon our wishful aspirations. Want some proof? How much money would you say you would like to earn per month in order to live a contented lifestyle? What would you consider contented anyway? The answer for these 2 questions which most of us would provide would go on and on endlessly. We know that we should be contented with anything we have, but we still do aspire for more anyway.
The word of God tells us that our standards, our direction, our way must be found outside of ourselves in Jesus Christ. There is nothing within man to give him a true sense of direction. So there is really no point trying to compare our life with equally flawed individuals. Until we align our hearts to God's Word, we will never find what our soul seeks more than anything else: peace with God and true fulfillment in life, living under His Lordship and the Sovereignty of His will!
Technically, we lower the standards when we benchmark our intentions and behaviours with what we consider to be the right thing to do or the rationalise our thinking by our intelligence. Therefore, may we remember that the only benchmark we need to have before us should be following God's standards and His words. What is it? "Be Holy for I am a Holy God"
blessings,
M.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy path" (Psalm 119:105).
"The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps"
Every parent always falls into the trap of benchmarking their kids with others. We all grew up somehow realising that we can never seem to be the smartest kid because when we get 99%, there's always someone who gets 100%. Even when we obtain a perfect score, we'll be told that its a good job but it must have been an easy paper or asked how many others have obtained similiar perfect scores.
Sadly, it results in us having in-built systems of always comparing with everything and everyone. Alternatively, we end up striving to as high a standard as possible and base it upon our wishful aspirations. Want some proof? How much money would you say you would like to earn per month in order to live a contented lifestyle? What would you consider contented anyway? The answer for these 2 questions which most of us would provide would go on and on endlessly. We know that we should be contented with anything we have, but we still do aspire for more anyway.
The word of God tells us that our standards, our direction, our way must be found outside of ourselves in Jesus Christ. There is nothing within man to give him a true sense of direction. So there is really no point trying to compare our life with equally flawed individuals. Until we align our hearts to God's Word, we will never find what our soul seeks more than anything else: peace with God and true fulfillment in life, living under His Lordship and the Sovereignty of His will!
Technically, we lower the standards when we benchmark our intentions and behaviours with what we consider to be the right thing to do or the rationalise our thinking by our intelligence. Therefore, may we remember that the only benchmark we need to have before us should be following God's standards and His words. What is it? "Be Holy for I am a Holy God"
blessings,
M.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy path" (Psalm 119:105).
23 March 2008
Your Legacy
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"For our light affliction, which is but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal"
It has been a good 4 to 6 weeks which I've been unable to post anything due to crazy life of 3 weeks of reservist, 1 week of work and 1 week of Ranger's national camp. The most ironical part of my absence being that I had met up with my 2nd and newly set up discipleship group and I mentioned that posting each posts was very important as it allowed me to find and self discover scriptures. Needless to say, after making pledges to be faithful, I'm overwhelmed by life's challenges and I can't even step up to fulfil the fresh pledge. I can only sigh at the frailities of myself and how it's really challenging to stand up to life's crazy schedules.
Nonetheless, it's really time to pick up the pieces and continue.
Just 30m mins ago, I was just reading an email subscription which I get from Saddleback church. The topic was about Leaving a Legacy. As I read on, it stated this fact, "Every great and godly legacy starts with one person. Someone who says, "Enough is enough." No more pointless pain. No more tolerance for the deceitful, destructive, and dysfunctional lifestyle. Time to reverse the curse. Will that someone be you?"
Today during the Easter sunday service, Sis/Aunty Mabel gave a long sharing as a sunday school teacher that the kids which she taught in her early days are today parents and grown adults. Then, she nicely pointed out that I was her student (a terror in those days) and as I grew, I ended up as a teacher and mentor to her son. Something which she would have never imagined when she first taught me coz I was a real "Bart Simpson terror" child.
Many of us in church may be the one called to be a trailblazer that plows a path for the generations to come. In our human perspective, we really can't see that far. Everything seems temporary and the present would be overwhelming as we view in doubt and look at the surmounting crazy issues of life before us.
Perhaps there will not be signs along the way for us to follow. Our promise from the scriptures is that only God goes before us and during our journey we may feel alone, but we need to be assured that many will follow. What's worrying is that some of us may not endure long enough to faithfully finish our leg of the race!
With a generational view, we need to note that we were created to be part of an ongoing heritage and what life throws at us is trivial when we view it with an eternal perspective. Every lap we run with integrity and intensity will help those who begin where we end. It's really similiar to our earthly reasons for slogging hard to leave behind a financial blessing to our offsprings someday when we pass away.
Therefore, I pray that we will come to discover that running this race in life is not just about winning, but about finishing your leg of the race that would impact the next generation after you- albeit of your offsprings and/or the spiritual offsprings which come behind you.
blessings,
M.
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (Psalm 119:71 )
"For our light affliction, which is but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal"
It has been a good 4 to 6 weeks which I've been unable to post anything due to crazy life of 3 weeks of reservist, 1 week of work and 1 week of Ranger's national camp. The most ironical part of my absence being that I had met up with my 2nd and newly set up discipleship group and I mentioned that posting each posts was very important as it allowed me to find and self discover scriptures. Needless to say, after making pledges to be faithful, I'm overwhelmed by life's challenges and I can't even step up to fulfil the fresh pledge. I can only sigh at the frailities of myself and how it's really challenging to stand up to life's crazy schedules.
Nonetheless, it's really time to pick up the pieces and continue.
Just 30m mins ago, I was just reading an email subscription which I get from Saddleback church. The topic was about Leaving a Legacy. As I read on, it stated this fact, "Every great and godly legacy starts with one person. Someone who says, "Enough is enough." No more pointless pain. No more tolerance for the deceitful, destructive, and dysfunctional lifestyle. Time to reverse the curse. Will that someone be you?"
Today during the Easter sunday service, Sis/Aunty Mabel gave a long sharing as a sunday school teacher that the kids which she taught in her early days are today parents and grown adults. Then, she nicely pointed out that I was her student (a terror in those days) and as I grew, I ended up as a teacher and mentor to her son. Something which she would have never imagined when she first taught me coz I was a real "Bart Simpson terror" child.
Many of us in church may be the one called to be a trailblazer that plows a path for the generations to come. In our human perspective, we really can't see that far. Everything seems temporary and the present would be overwhelming as we view in doubt and look at the surmounting crazy issues of life before us.
Perhaps there will not be signs along the way for us to follow. Our promise from the scriptures is that only God goes before us and during our journey we may feel alone, but we need to be assured that many will follow. What's worrying is that some of us may not endure long enough to faithfully finish our leg of the race!
With a generational view, we need to note that we were created to be part of an ongoing heritage and what life throws at us is trivial when we view it with an eternal perspective. Every lap we run with integrity and intensity will help those who begin where we end. It's really similiar to our earthly reasons for slogging hard to leave behind a financial blessing to our offsprings someday when we pass away.
Therefore, I pray that we will come to discover that running this race in life is not just about winning, but about finishing your leg of the race that would impact the next generation after you- albeit of your offsprings and/or the spiritual offsprings which come behind you.
blessings,
M.
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (Psalm 119:71 )
05 February 2008
Money.
Genesis 17 :13
"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Last saturday was one of those rare Saturdays which I was able to attend service because I wasn't needed to help out in Living Springs. During the sermon, Ps Alvin asked this question to everyone, "what would make you happy?".
When questioned, 'money' was one of the immediate answers that was volunteered. I must say that I was rather disgusted with the honest answer and am still rather repulsed by the bluntness by which it revealed the spirit behind it all. I'm not asking for a politically correct answer like good health, but I did wish for a righteous answer that would arise from people who really sought for the right thing. Simply because the mouth only speaks/proclaims what comes from the overflow of the heart, so if the spirit of all was right, the answer would be too.
We will always need money, good grades, companionship, favour and everything that would make this life's existence better. But beyond that, we're only here for a temporal purpose. When I read the above verse, I'm reminded that we are like the slaves of Abraham purchased for a price. The differnnce is we have been purchased by something worth more than money - the blood of Christ. How can any of us in church therefore feel that we are lacking in wealth to make us happier then? If your instinctive answer to happiness is something earthly, may the Lord circumcise your heart and let you know who you belong to.
With a microcosmic and earthly mentality to life, it's really no wonder why so few live victorious lives. If we're only focusing on money and worldly stuff to bring us meaning in life, then I think life is really sad and the life that we are tasked to live as a Child of God is really an underperforming one.
This was my answer to the question: "I wish that all my Rangers live an amazing God fearing life that fulfils the destiny and potential that I glimpsed. That they would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ until the day they make it through heaven's gate."
May you recognise that just as Abraham's slaves and family were promised God's everlasting covenant, so is your life. But until you decide to seek therefore the kingdom of God, you'll never grasp the concept of how your life is to be full of joy and abundance.
blessings,
M.
And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." (Luke 22:35)
"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Last saturday was one of those rare Saturdays which I was able to attend service because I wasn't needed to help out in Living Springs. During the sermon, Ps Alvin asked this question to everyone, "what would make you happy?".
When questioned, 'money' was one of the immediate answers that was volunteered. I must say that I was rather disgusted with the honest answer and am still rather repulsed by the bluntness by which it revealed the spirit behind it all. I'm not asking for a politically correct answer like good health, but I did wish for a righteous answer that would arise from people who really sought for the right thing. Simply because the mouth only speaks/proclaims what comes from the overflow of the heart, so if the spirit of all was right, the answer would be too.
We will always need money, good grades, companionship, favour and everything that would make this life's existence better. But beyond that, we're only here for a temporal purpose. When I read the above verse, I'm reminded that we are like the slaves of Abraham purchased for a price. The differnnce is we have been purchased by something worth more than money - the blood of Christ. How can any of us in church therefore feel that we are lacking in wealth to make us happier then? If your instinctive answer to happiness is something earthly, may the Lord circumcise your heart and let you know who you belong to.
With a microcosmic and earthly mentality to life, it's really no wonder why so few live victorious lives. If we're only focusing on money and worldly stuff to bring us meaning in life, then I think life is really sad and the life that we are tasked to live as a Child of God is really an underperforming one.
This was my answer to the question: "I wish that all my Rangers live an amazing God fearing life that fulfils the destiny and potential that I glimpsed. That they would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ until the day they make it through heaven's gate."
May you recognise that just as Abraham's slaves and family were promised God's everlasting covenant, so is your life. But until you decide to seek therefore the kingdom of God, you'll never grasp the concept of how your life is to be full of joy and abundance.
blessings,
M.
And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." (Luke 22:35)
04 February 2008
God First
2 Samuel 6:2, 3
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
25 January 2008
Asking for More Rain
Zechariah 10:1
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)