Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

What are some things teens are impatient about?
Leaving home
Marriage

1.) Remember the promises of God
A)Heb. 6:13-15

2.) The promises of God are worth waiting for

A) James 5:7 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.

B) Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

C) Heb. 6:13-15

vs. 15- And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Do you want second best??? If you get ahead of God, you’ll get it

3) Patience is not built in a day.

-2 Peter 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

-It is a building process that starts with knowledge of God’s word
-“Lord, give me patience and I need it right now!”

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

*Saul was impatient and it cost him a kingdom
*Sarah was impatient and it caused an opposing nation to raise up
*Moses was impatient and it cause him his position, promise and life
*Elijah was impatient in allowing God to rescue him from Jezabell and he lost his position to Elisha.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “run with endurance” the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, “We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder — the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christ-like thing! The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street.” To wait is hard, to do it with “good courage” is harder!

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

-Depression is not something that we should make light of.
-There are varying degrees of depression.  Some may require medical help
-Always try to find the cause.

In our text, Jesus had been telling the disciples that he is going to leave them.  He told Peter he would deny him three times.   Then he said, “Let not your heart be troubled.”

a simple definition of depression:  a troubled heart!

What should you do when you feel depressed?

I) Take control of your emotions (heart)   (Lincoln Illus.)
- “let not” = do not allow

II) Confess your sin
a) often depression is a result of un-confessed sin
b)Psalm 51  “restore unto me the joy”

III) Sing praise to God
a)Music was used for Saul when he was depressed 1 Sam.16:23

b)Psalms 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

c)sing anyway….even when it’s hard to (Paul and Silas in jail)

d) listen to good godly music

IV) Use the Word of God
a)Psalm 119:25, 28, 50, 81, 114, 147, 162
b) believe and trust God’s promises
2 Peter 1:4; 3:13-14

V) Pray
-Isaiah 40:31
-Matthew 26:41
-Luke 18:1 pray and not faint
James 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray…

conclusion:

2 Corin. 4:8-9, 16-18

One of England’s finest preachers was C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). Frequently during his ministry he was plunged into severe depression, due in part to gout but also for other reasons. In a biography of the “prince of preachers”, Arnold Dallimore wrote, “What he suffered in those times of darkness we may not know…even his desperate calling on God brought no relief. ‘There are dungeons’, he said, ‘beneath the castles of despair.’”

Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life’s calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” But somehow, from somewhere, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly vindicated his bout with discouragement.

Do you ever feel like you just don’t fit in?

Sometimes physical differences cause us to feel awkward and left out.

1)Remember that God made you.
Psalms 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

2)Remember that you are impressive.
fearfully: In a manner to impress admiration and astonishment.

3)Remember that you are a pleasure to God.
Revelation 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

4)Remember that you are valuable to God.
Matthew 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

5)Remember that you always “fit in” with Jesus!
John 15:13-16
He chose you to be his friend

Facts to consider:
    We all have emotions
    It’s ok to have them – God gave them to us
“Anger is a divinely implanted emotion. Closely allied to our instinct for right, it is designed to be used for constructive spiritual purposes. The person who cannot feel anger at evil is a person who lacks enthusiasm for good. If you cannot hate wrong, it’s very questionable whether you really love righteousness.”
-Dr. David Seamands.

    How we express them is important
How can we “sin not”?

Eph. 4:17-25

1.) Renew your mind   Vs. 23  Prov. 19:11  Col. 3:8

2.) Rest your mouth  Prov. 15:1 (Illus: Lincoln and the letter)

3.) Relax a minute  “soon angry”  Prov. 14:17; Titus 1:7

4.) Review relationships with man  Prov. 22:24-25  (Illus: Amish)

Self control is the bottom line.

An author for Reader’s Digest writes how he studied the Amish people in preparation for an article on them. In his observation at the school yard, he noted that the children never screamed or yelled. This amazed him. He spoke to the schoolmaster. He remarked how he had not once heard an Amish child yell, and asked why the schoolmaster thought that was so. The schoolmaster replied, “Well, have you ever heard an Amish adult yell?”

Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of favoritism. Stanton complained to Lincoln, who suggested that Stanton write the officer a sharp letter. Stanton did, and showed the strongly worded missive to the president. “What are you going to do with it?” Lincoln inquired. Surprised, Stanton replied, “Send it.” Lincoln shook his head. “You don’t want to send that letter,” he said. “Put it in the stove. That’s what I do when I have written a letter while I am angry. It’s a good letter and you had a good time writing it and feel better. Now burn it, and write another.”

Luke 6:27-35
Some facts to consider:
-You will be hurt in life
- Often it will be by those whom you love or know well
How should we handle ourselves when we are hurt?
1.) Recognize how Jesus and Steven responded when they were wrongfully accused, persecuted and even killed.
-Forgive the one who hurts us
Luke 23:34
Acts 7:59-60
-They saw it as an opportunity to give God glory
Acts 5:41
2.) Reach out to that the person who hurt you.  He is in need of spiritual guidance.  Be an example to him.
-Jesus said “they know not what they do”.
-Luke 6:28  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
-James 5:19-20
3.) Reason that you can not fight fire with fire.
-Romans 12:17-21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
-I Thess. 5:15
-Prov 20:22
4.) Remember that your reward is great if you overcome the old nature.
-1 Peter 2:19-20
-Luke 6:22-23
5.) Recognize that responding carnally reveals a fault in our Christian character.
-1 Corinthians 6:7
-James 4:1
Conclude:
1 Peter 2:20-23  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Here are some facts to remember:
#1)  You may not know all the details of a situation

#2)  You don’t need to know all the details of the situation
-some details can be hurtful and damaging to our brothers
-some things can be damaging to our spiritual growth
*sometimes details are hidden to protect church or people

What should I do when I am confused?
#1)  Trust God
Psalms 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

#2)  Trust your pastor
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
Hebrews 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

#3) Don’t jump to conclusions
-human nature is to try to figure things out using human reasoning
-Be careful who you listen to.
*some people are carnally minded and will tell you rumors

#4)  Don’t try to take matters into your own hands
-God never approves of protests or demonstrations
-If you have doubts and fears, share them with your pastor
-Talking among yourselves is gossip and is destructive

#5)  Be content with the situation that God has put you in
-You may learn some valuable lessons in life from it
-As long as you are in God’s hands, you are safe

Read Prov. 5:7-14