His Patience

0:00March 7th. His patience. You know someone with the gift of patience. It seems no matter how much time is asked of them, they're always happy to give. Even to monotonous and never-ending tasks. In a world of greater demands and faster results, this person is, well, willing to wait. It's easy to recognize patience as a virtue, but have you ever considered why this is? Patience is a quality from the very nature of God. In each of our lives, God has demonstrated great patience, guiding us to Himself when our heart was turned against Him. And He continues to show patience through His forgiveness and grace. Maybe no one knows this better than the man we're about to meet. Jack Ferguson is here today to share with us His true story. On this unshackled, daily devotional. As a freshman in high school,

1:02I burned my own picture out of the yearbook. It acts so bizarre I spent time in psychiatric institutions. After high school, I drifted around, far from my family. Several times I stayed in rescue missions and once, I pretended to pray for salvation. But the truth was, I loved sin. The next six years, however, I was constantly bombarded with the gospel. I bought a motorcycle and was hit broadside. I made a bargain with God during surgery, but I didn't keep it when God was merciful and spared me. A couple of years later, I was charged with rape. I was so drunk, I don't remember what really happened, but prison loomed before me and I was terrified. Once again, I cried out to God and He was merciful. I was sentenced to just one year in the county jail, and it was there. I finally responded to the gospel and prayed for salvation. The Lord cleaned up my language and took away my cigarette habit. But when I got out, I slipped back into drinking and broke my parole. I had to serve another year this time in prison. God used that year behind bars to help me learn solid doctrines through studying His Word. And since 1986, I've been

2:04preaching the gospel in prisons and work camps. Today, I'm alive in Christ, and He has restored the many years I wasted. In Romans chapter 2, the Apostle Paul commands believers to live righteous lives in the light of God's grace. To those living in sin, Paul asks in verse 4, despises Thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Trent, the truth is, the patience of God should draw us closer to Him in thankfulness and worship. And as we saw with Jack's story, may we be glad to see God's patience toward even the worst of sinners, that they too might receive His saving grace. Will you consider this truth today? Unshackled, the longest running audio drama in history airs on over 3,000 radio stations worldwide,

3:06real people, real life stories, stirring dramatic accounts of hopelessness, and the hope that changes everything. This award-winning program grips the heart with compelling and relevant stories of transformed lives. Without Jesus Christ, we are all shackled by sin, by our wrong choices, disobedience, and selfish motives. But God is at work, and the power of Christ sets us free of our bondage. Unshackled daily devotionals are built on true life accounts and help us ponder the application of Scripture to our lives. A key Bible verse is provided so you can dig deeper into its specific intent and what it means for our lives in these unshackled daily devotionals. Listen to a new devotional every day, and don't forget to tell your friends about unshackled daily devotionals.