God's Appointments - Part 3 — Joshua Daniel

But when Jesus changes, just keeps you beautiful too. Your words are beautiful. Your reactions are beautiful. I can never forget this scene. I was at a conference in England. And the host, our host, my host, was an Anglican minister, vicar.

A Gentle Minister’s Grace Under Offense

A big, venerable, oldish gentleman. Very gentle. He was running a temperature that evening. And he said, I'm staying home. And we, my friend and I, both of us who were living with him, departed to the meeting.

And when we returned, we expected we were on tiptoes. We said we mustn't disturb him. We must let him sleep. But when we opened the door, we saw him on the same sofa or couch where we had seen him sitting when we left.

And he was not in a grumpy mood either. He said, you locked me in. When you went out, you locked me into this room. Nearly three hours locking a man into the room. It is all living room. I can see how some of us would have fumed.

But what a gentle, gracious smile. No offense taken. What a beautiful man I found him to be. Imagine all of you girls, your wives, locking your husband into the bedroom. When you come back and open the door, one of the bed heads will land on your head.

Growing in Christlikeness Through the Spirit

That is a typical Asian husband. My dear people, God's spirit gives us beauty for action. I don't know whether you want to remain as you are. No, no, I don't want to remain as I am. I have to be more Christ-like.

Oh yes, there are many things which are not very beautiful in my life. I have had to learn patience. And you know some of our brothers whom I have had to train were almost unteachable, incorrigible. But I had to exercise faith and patience over the years.

So I do not know how many of you are patient in stressful situations. The Bible speaks of the patience of Job. Something a height which a man like me will never reach, I presume. And when I look at our saviour before his accusers, what will you not say anything in your defence?

Won't you speak? Don't you hear all that they witness against you? I wonder if two or three people accuse you of something. You know, I hear of people who take the phone and harangue people. See, I didn't do like this, this, this and so on for two hours.

The Lord’s Prayer and Dependence on God

So, to come back to the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be your name. Deliver us from evil. What great prayers. Thine is the kingdom. The power. And the glory. We all know what it is to lean on the flesh. The arm of the flesh.

Every person here who has a tongue that goes roundly in his mouth. You don't know that.