God of Patience Opening Prayer: Join together today in prayer and praise thanking God for all the lessons we are able to learn through His Word. May Help us to focus on what the Bible teaches concerning patience. Memory Verse: Romans 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Talk about today's verse: 1. What book in the Bible is today's verse found in ? 2. There are three key words in today's verse . What are they ? 3. Do you know what it means to be patient ? What other words help us to understand what this word means ? To continue To stand firm To persevere 4. Are you able to wait with full trust and faith in God for things that you want or need ? 5. Did you notice the order of the key words in this verse ? Patience Experience Hope 6. There is an order to everything and every word in the Bible has a spiritual lesson and meaning for us , just as God intended. Read the following verse: Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Talk about it : When you were born , were you born as an adult ? We begin as babies , then children , then young adults and then adults. Think about birds and how they are hatched from eggs. Can they fly right away or do they have to learn with a parent teaching them the right time and the right way ? How about farmers growing a crop ? Do you think farmers can raise a crop without the gift of patience ? There is hard , enduring work , daily work that needs to be done before a decent , fruitful crop can be grown. Read The Following Verse: 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. 7. Did you know that God is patient with us ? ( Very , very , very , very patient ) 8. Read the following verse: Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5 _________________________________________________________ Hymntime: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/p/r/prahimal.htm PRAISE HIM, ALL YE LITTLE CHILDREN ­ Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love; Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love. Love Him, love Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love; Love Him, love Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love. Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love; Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love. ____________________________________________ Poetry Corner Within A Word Within a word is found the journey of our lives Where there are moments of sunshine Mixed with splatters of darkness And through it all, Hope survives. Patience brings the smaller word of pain. It is often said-“Without pain we'd have no gain.” Pain is something we endure And with God as our help We shall sustain. Patience holds yet another word – paint. We are all born to live under A wonderful rainbow in the sky Playing among Earth's golden plains Breathing in vast oceans of blue A world designed with colors Most vivid and true. Pace is necessary with patience An important word found within Noting the stride and steps we take Towards others and the Lord - Doing things prayerfully… While we wait. In patience, we also find peace And this special peace Shall never cease As it is sent from above With immeasurable love Lighting all hungry hearts- Until the whole universe shines With God's glory. Julie Pisacane © ___________________________________ Close with prayer being mindful of our God of Patience who tends to us continually -- and let us remain patient and strong throughout all trials and experiences that come our way. May God continue to richly bless all of you .