Revelation 6:10
Elijah said, How long halt ye between two opinions?
William Thompson said, How long before my feeling catches up to my Faith?
Psalm 13:1–2 (NLT)
1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Sometimes all we need to do is talk over a problem with a friend to help put it in perspective. In this psalm, the phrase “how long” occurs four times in the first two verses, indicating the depth of David’s distress.
David expressed his feelings to God and found strength. By the end of his prayer, he was able to profess hope and trust in God.
Through prayer we can express our feelings and talk our problems out with God. He helps us regain the right perspective, and this gives us peace (Habakkuk 3:17–19).
2 Peter 3:8-9
8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
God may have seemed slow to these believers as they faced persecution every day and longed to be delivered.
But God is not slow; he just is not on our timetable.
Psalm 90:4 (NLT)
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.
Jesus is waiting so that more sinners will repent and turn to him.
We must not sit and wait for Christ to return, but we should realize that time is short and we have important work to do.
Be ready to meet Christ any time, even today; yet plan your course of service as though he may not return for many years.
- Sara had to wait
- Hannah had to wait
- Job had to wait
- The cripple at the pool had to waiting
- Elizabeth had to wait
Have you ever been stuck!
- A Place
- A Problem
- A Situation
- A Person
Did you cry How Long?
How will this last?
- Will the Covid be with us
- Will we need to wear mask?
- Before thing return to normal
- This sickness last
- This brokenness last
- This Feeling of being Broken
- This feeling of Loneliness
- This feeling of Feeling Empty
- This Feeling of being overwhelmed
- This Feeling of Fear
- This Feeling of Depression
- Before we Return to School
- Will my mind slow down
- Will my emotion settle in one direction?
How Long?
Last week the text was about the opening of the 7 seals of which we open four and today we will open seal five.
Revelation 6:9–14 (NLT):
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.
10 They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.
12 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
13 Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind.
14 The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.
These martyrs/victims/witnesses were told that still more would lose their lives for their belief in Christ (6:11).
In the face of warfare, famine, persecution, and death, Christians will be called on to stand firmly for what they believe.
Only those who endure to the end will be rewarded by God (Mark 13:13).
The altar represents the altar of sacrifice in the Temple, where animals were sacrificed to atone for sins.
Instead of the animals’ blood at the base of the altar, John saw the souls of martyrs who had died for preaching the Good News.
These martyrs were told that still more would lose their lives for their belief in Christ (6:11).
Christians will be and are called to stand firmly for what they believe.
Only those who endure to the end will be rewarded by God (Mark 13:13).
I know they are eager for God to bring justice to the earth, but they are told to wait.
I know your situation can be hard to bear but you must wait!
God is not waiting until a certain number is reached, but he is promising that those who suffer and die for their faith will not be forgotten.
Rather, they will be singled out by God for special honor.
We may wish for justice immediately, as these martyrs did, but we must be patient. Wait! Lord How Long?
God works according to his own timetable, and he promises justice.
No suffering for the sake of God’s Kingdom, however, is wasted.
Those under the altar call out to God, “How long will it be before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”
As we see the world’s wickedness, we, too, may cry out to God, “How long?”
We may be distressed and impatient, but God has his plan and his timing, and we must learn to trust him to know what is best.
Judgment is coming—be sure of that.
Thank God for the time he has given you to turn from sin.
Use the available time to work to help others turn to him.
The bible tells us not to get weary in well doing?
Lord How Long will the wick reign and the righteous suffer?
Job 14:14 says with all my struggles; I will wait until my change comes!
Ps. 30:5 Weeping may come but joy will come also!
Your struggles are making Room for your Blessing!
In your struggles is the opportunity to show Patience!
If you are struggling right now it is alright to ask the “Lord How Long”
If you are hurting right now it is alright to ask the “Lord How Long”
Giving up is never an option but Calling on the name of the Lord is!
When you are struggling tell yourself, Self I’m Under Construction!
The struggle is Real but not Permanent!
I can bear the struggle because there is a Reward at the End!
You can tell, more about who I am by the scares left from the struggle!
Jesus had nail prints in His hands, His side, and His feet!
But He didn’t get down from the cross!
He didn’t quit nor complain.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NLT)
8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.
"Coffee Time" 