Waiting On God

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Waiting On God                                                            4-19-20

Bottom Line: Waiting on God means seeing life through the eyes of God and living within His timing and planning.

Introduction:  Reading of Psalm 27:1-14

 A. Are you good at waiting? Is it a pain or an opportunity for you?

   1. Waiting is a test of patience. Usually depends on what it’s for.

   2. Waiting is a test of perspective. Boring or chance to use iPhone

 B. This year’s theme: HeartSight 2020 is all about learning to look through the eyes of God. From Eph.1:18 “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” to know and see that God has and is doing.

   1. Seeing through His eyes changes everything. Not like our eyes.

   2. Waiting becomes very different when seen w/ His eyes

 C. This is especially true when the waiting is for God.

   1. When will He show up? When will He intervene and change things?

   2. Number one question Jews asked during the Holocaust.

 D. Recently read a couple articles from Vietnam POW’s.

   1. Vicious treatment, day after day, for years. Some 5-8 years

   2. Quote from one who was at the infamous Hanoi Hilton

 E. Terrible, seemingly endless suffering! How did they get through it?

   1. Can we learn something from them?

   2. Let’s first look at what the Bible teaches us about waiting on God.

1.  The story of Abe! Genesis 12-22

 A. Begins in his comfortable home in Haran. Call & covenant = nation!

   1. Egypt w/ wife, Lot separates & rescued, God covenant = count stars

   2. Hagar & Ishmael, at 100 Sarah 90 told by God and he laughed

   3. Three visitors, this time next year, Sarah laughed, Sodom & Gomorrah destroyed, Abimelech deceit, then son born, Isaac

 B. God tested him to offer up Isaac – no doubt and no delay!

 C. What do we learn from Abe about waiting on God? God’s timing!

2.  The story of Joe!  Genesis 37 – 50

 A. His story begins at 17 yrs of age w/ 11 brothers, sons of Jacob.

   1. Envy & jealousy, cistern time, sold to Potiphar, 2yrs in prison

   2. Prison time, 30 yrs old begins w/ Pharaoh (41), 7 yrs of abundance

   3. Famine began, family sent, back & forth, reveal and reconciled

 B. Joe’s maturity is amazing: 45:5-8; then after death of Jacob when the brothers were fearful, 50:19-21

 C. What do we learn from Joe about waiting on God? God’s planning!

3.  The story of the Jesus guys!  Acts 1:3-11

 A. How were these guys feeling on Silent Saturday?

 B. Compare and contrast Silent Saturday with Wonder Week!

   1. The week between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost preaching

   2. After 40 days with Jesus, how did that week of waiting go?

 C. What do we learn about waiting for God from the apostles? God’s Guidance!

   1. God will give us direction, by His timing and planning

   2. God is not our Google Search – He drives things not us!

Conclusion:

A. It’s not how long we wait, it’s what do we do while we wait?

   1. Use the opportunity to grow = read, pray, help others

   2. Use the opportunity to trust = “I know who I have believed”

   3. Use the opportunity to get ready & be prepared!

      * “Be active in sharing your faith” Philemon 6

      * “Be ready to give an answer” 1 Peter 3:15

B. How did those POW’s get through it?

   1. Surprisingly Psychologically healthy – little PTSD

   2. Why? How? Camaraderie, Family & country, & faith

   3. Togetherness, purpose, and trust in God!

C. How well are you dealing with waiting on God?

D. Let’s pray for God’s timing, planning, & guidance!

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Bible Study from the lesson: Waiting On God

Sunday, April 19, 2020

1.  When do you struggle the most with waiting?

2.  If you take your worst struggles with waiting and looked at them through the eyes of God, what would it change?

3.  What does it mean to wait on God?

4.  How much of Abraham’s life was spent waiting on God?  What do we learn about God from Abraham’s experience?

5.  Joseph never blamed God for anything that happened to him. What did he understand about waiting on God? (Gen.50:19-20)

6.  Describe how different the mood would have been around the apostles during Silent Saturday and Wonder Week!

7.  It is not how long we wait but what we do while we wait! What can you do for God while waiting for him to change things?

8.  How do we use our faith to help us get through difficult times?

9.  How well are you doing with waiting on God?

10.  As you consider our present challenges, how do you see God’s timing, planning, and guidance working? Will we only understand it in hindsight?