Worship & Word: Sundays at Empowerment Temple- with Rev. Dr. Robert Turner

Main message: Patience is active, faith-filled endurance powered by God — not passive acceptance of injustice — and believers must keep trusting and persevering without becoming like their oppressors, because God times the breakthrough.

Key points:

• Patience (longsuffering) is not pacifism or consent to permanent suffering; it preserves the soul and empowers strategic, faithful resistance.
• Irritation is the precursor to impatience; when patience is depleted people seek instant gratification or make bad choices (golden calf, Esau, Lot).
• Don’t adopt the oppressor’s weapons or ways; overcome evil with good and maintain holy means of struggle.
• Biblical and contemporary examples (David, Israelites, Esau, Abram/Lot; Mike Brown vs. Malcolm Brogdon) show waiting and faithfulness often precede reward — don’t quit just before your breakthrough.
• Keep the spiritual “fire” and lamps burning (stay faithful, serve, volunteer) so you’re ready when God acts.

Scriptures mentioned: Colossians 3:12, Romans 12:21, Galatians 6:9, Exodus (pillar of cloud/fire), 1 Samuel (Saul/David; Saul’s disobedience), Genesis 25 (Esau), Genesis 13 (Abram and Lot), Matthew 25 (ten virgins/keep lamps trimmed), 2 Peter 3:8, Psalm 23:6, Job 13:15