Sermon Central
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"Pausing For The Blessing”
Contributed by Bubot Parago on Feb 21, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: it is as if Peter is no longer standing on water but standing on the Word “COME” of our Lord... Peter had a solid rock word on his feet. That is, until he saw the wind. Can you imagine he can see the wind?
In this hurry-up world, fast-paced technologies, waiting for anything can cause us to lose our temper, our patience and our good sense—more frequently than we care to admit! No one enjoys waiting in line. We don’t like waiting at stoplights. We don’t like waiting for dinner. We don’t even like waiting for good things. We want what we want right now.
The Word of God precisely insists that we learn some of life’s greatest lessons while we wait. Waiting rooms can be hard classrooms, but God promises vast rewards to those who wait for Him. God plans to use the long pauses in our lives for our blessing . . . We have no choice as believers of Jesus to let Him take charge... let Him, and let us make our waiting moments as pausing for the blessings!
7- “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
8- You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
9- Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10- Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11- As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”(James 5NIV)
I- BE PATIENT: v.7
1. DISCOVER God’s will.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him” (Lam. 3:25). God does not allow delays in giving us the desire of our heart to lead us along. Rather, we know that even as we wait, He is working all things together for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28). Yet, as we eagerly anticipate His provision, we must keep our eyes on Him—listening for His voice and direction. In that way, we learn to do His will and our relationship with Him grows deeper.
2. DRAWS supernatural energy and strength.
God invites us to claim His promise in Isaiah 40:29–31: “He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”
Just as God deepens our relationship with Him through times of waiting, He also increases our energy, faith, endurance, and strength. We grow in the likeness of Christ and all of His attributes—including in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22, 23). Surely, waiting on Him is never wasted time!
3. DEFEATS Enemies:
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you” (Prov. 20:22). How wonderful to see the Lord rescue us and bless us with His favor. When we do things our way, in our own hurried time, we end up defeated. But when we wait on God and obey His commands, He ensures our victory and keeps us from foolish and precipitous acts.
Waiting and developing patience is one of great qualities of a maturing believer of Jesus. Let us start now and listen to the great pastor...
“Don’t waste your time waiting and longing for large opportunities which may never come. But faithfully handle the little things that are always claiming your attention.”—Dr.F.B.Meyer
We must learn to wait because we are not writing our own personal and ministerial stories. Life does not work the way we want it to, in the time we want it to. You and I do not live in the center of the universe. That place is forever occupied by God and God alone. “That in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son....” Our individual stories and the stories of our churches are part of the great ancestry-to-destiny story that He alone Authors. Waiting becomes immediately easier when we realize God is sovereign (and we are not) and when we further reflect on the reality that He is the penultimate Source of everything that is wise, loving, and good.
Waiting, therefore, is not a sign that our world is out of control. Rather, it is a sign that our world is under the wise and infinitely attentive control of a God of fathomless wisdom and boundless love. This means we can rest as you wait, not because we like to wait, but because we trust the One who is calling us to wait!
II- BE PERSISTENT: v.8 “stand firm”
