Whilst I was waiting

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Whilst I was waiting

Psalm 40: 1-5 “..I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered..”

   Sadly we all to often these words ‘Your God must be very cruel, to let this person suffer this way’. I then would reply our God Almighty has a reason for keeping us around’. It may not be the answer they want, but I want you think of this way …
Genesis 3 : 1-8 ‘The Temptation of man’
… I’ll not show this chapter because it is a lot. It tells of the conception of Adam & Eve, how God gave them all they needed to eat, with exception of one tree. They had free will to as they pleased, but we know man can’t help themselves to do wrong. So you see it’s not a cruel God it’s man and his free will.

   This kind of conversation happens more than you think. I actually have a confession here. I do have to wonder myself from time to time, and more so when our Heavenly Almighty father is not forth coming to help comfort with a reply.

    In life it seems that we are always waiting, waiting for that special person to come along, waiting for the perfect job to come along, or tell you that your hired. When waiting it seem like an eternity, (as the old saying goes ‘ a watched kettle never boils’). These feeling often end up with impatience, and if unchecked these feelings will send you to being out of control with Anger/Frustration. These feelings if not sorted out will stop you from sleeping.

    We all are waiting for something, today what is that you are waiting for? Might it be one of these …

• Something exciting, like the birth of your first baby being born..
• It might be those all important test results..

   I know some of you might not want to praise the Lord, when you can’t see what to be joyful about, and not want to be joyful at all. OK, lets say your anticipating that holiday you have paid for since last year. Give praise for your job, and thus the means to pay for it as many are not able to do this. If you take time to stop and think there are many many things to give thanks for, green lights – when you to get somewhere in a hurry, you partner wishing you to have a good day at work, am I sinking in yet?

   On the other hand you could be waiting for your exam results? You could be waiting for a partner – to share your life with. NOW is the time to praise the Lord. Those of you that know how I met my wife. (One of these days I’ll share how we met & my testimony).
Psalm 27: 13/14 “..I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord..”

I hears a prayer that goes like this…

“It is hard to wait Lord, sometimes waiting takes a big toll on me, 

and in the midst of waiting and yearning I forget to praise you, 

help me to remember you whether I’m waiting for something 

potentially painful. Teach me patience and the gift of 

resting in your goodness as I fix my eyes on you”

   I’m sure that ‘discouragement’ is not discriminating, or does not matter which Country you come from, some seem to suffer more that others. For when evening falls across the land and a hush comes over the night. When getting ready for bed, which we all have our rituals, like washing your face; cleaning your teeth; letting the dog out; making sure the doors and windows are locked; even alarm set. ‘Discouragement’ comes in many guises, it could be a fit (like Epilepsy), that has been going on for years, it may also be born out of tense family feuding, or a physical ailment (of which I bear witness as I have a broken spine), or it could be a career that has left you some what down. May be your discouragement comes from a recent moment that has left you feeling discouraged and deflated.

   Oh dear, we have all felt the discouragement at one time or another. The question is what are we going to with it? It’s all to easy to to wallow in discouragement and turn your face away from hope. This sort of apathy is not of the Lords thinking. However it does deliver you straight into the devils hands, now the devil is laughing as your 100% focus is on the problem, instead of on our Saviour. Instead of wasting time & energy on things we need to worry about.
Psalm 31:9/10 “..Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief..”

   I know many of you have felt this way, with many of you going through these times right now. If you are, before we go any further, stand up (come on don’t be shy), now shake your arms, now shake your legs, OK now your body, now sit and continue reading*. Having shaken off your old feeling, it’s time for a new feeling a new attitude. Now to help[ with reading the following I want you to stand again, then read the following Psalm ...
Psalm 31:14/17 “..But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You..

   Our enemies are wanting us to give up the fight, and for us to look down cast at the days to come ...1 Peter 5:8 .. “..Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour..” … The devil is sleeked, and wants nothing more for us than to trip us up and lying face flat down in the earth. He will use every trick up his sleeve to keep us there. It is time to put on those work books because no matter how discouraged we may feel there is always new hope for a better hope for tomorrow.

   In Romans 5:5 it clearly says that this hope does not disappoint us, God’s love has already been poured out in to our hearts .. Romans 5:5 “..Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us..”

   You may not feel a lot of love right now. You may not even see any victory a head of you, you don’t even know how you can change thongs. Because of this you may not have any thing planned out yet. Even not sure what it is you can do to turn things around. The thing is you don’t need things figured out yet, just lean on the only One who is the author of your unique life’s story. He will how ever use this disappointment your feeling, and turn them around for good. Always remember when your down, the good times are just around the next corner.

   When hope is your heart and the unfailing love of God is on your side, you can over come every obstacle in your path, for God is with you where ever you go. I read this next statement along time ago, but concludes this sermon perfectly …

“You may feel an over whelming sense of God’s hope permeating 

in your spirit tonight , as you approach the Lords throne, 

you may see God for He is - king over your life - and worship 

Him in gladness for He is doing a good work in you”

Whist I was waiting...3

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Whist I was waiting

Psalm 40 1~5

“. .I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. .”

   Sadly, all to often we hear, ‘Your God must be very cruel, to this person suffer this way’. I would then say, may be it is because, our Lord almighty has a reason for keeping disabled/ill. It may not be the answer they are looking for, but the best I can say at that moment. There is no one answer, let alone God’s reasoning.

   This conversation far more than you would think/like. I actually have a confession, I do have to wonder myself from time to time, and more so when our Heavenly Almighty Father is not forth coming to help comfort with a reply.

   In life it seems that we are always waiting, waiting for that special person to come along, waiting for that perfect job to come along, or to tell you are hired.

      Why is it that we always to be waiting these days? Waiting for that special person to come along, waiting for the perfect job. When waiting always feel like an eternity, (as the saying goes ‘ a watched kettle never boils). Often whilst waiting that eternity feelings often lead to being impatient, and these feeling are left unchecked then they will lead to us being out of control with anger/frustration. Also if these feeling are unchecked then welcome to insomnia.

   We all are waiting for something, today what are you waiting for? Might it be. . .

o   Something exciting may be, like the birth of you baby

o   It could be those all important test results

   I know some of you don’t want to praise our Lord Jesus, as you can’t see what to be joyful about, and just don’t feel like being joyful, because you think you have nothing to be joyful about. OK then, let’s say anticipating that holiday you paid for since last year. Give praise for the job you have, as it has given you the means to pay for your holiday, as there are many people can’t afford to.

   There are many things to give praise for, green lights – that make your journey easy and swift: your partner give you a kiss and wishing you a good day, are you now thinking of other things to give thanks & praise for?

   On the other hand you could be waiting upon those exam results? May be it’s waiting for your partner to come along* for you to share your life with. Now is the time to praise the Lord.

 

(* For those of you that don’t know how I got to meet my wife, one day soon I will share my testimony with you)

Psalm 27 : 13 & 14  “. . I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! .”

I heard a prayer recently that went something like this. .

It is hard to wait Lord, sometimes waiting  takes a big toll on me, and in the midst of waiting  and yearning, I forget to praise you, help me to remember you whether I’m waiting for something good or something potentially painful. Teach me patience and the gift of resting in your goodness; also help me fix my eyes always on you.

   I’m sure that discouragement does not discriminate, it does not matter which Country you come from, even though some seem to suffer more than other. For when evening falls across the land and a hush comes over the night. You’re getting ready for bed, we all have our rituals we go through each night, like wash your face & clean your teeth; letting the dog out; making sure all the doors and windows are locked (such is the world we live in); alarms are armed.

   Discouragement comes in many guises, it may be a family feud that been going on for years, or a physical ailment (of which I bear witness to some in my own family down the years), or maybe it can be a career path that has left you somewhat down and deflated. Maybe you discouragement comes from a recent that has also left you somewhat down and deflated.

   Oh dear, we have all felt discouragement at one time or another. The Question now is what are going to do with it? It’s all too easy to wallow in the discouragement and turn your face away from hope. That sort of apathy is not of the Lords thinking. However it plays/delivers you right into the devils hands, of which the devil is now laughing as now all your attention is on him, instead of on our Saviour. So instead of worrying on things we need not…..

Psalm 31 : 9/10  “. .Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in 

trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and 

my  body! For my life is spent with grief. .”

   I know many of have felt this way, with some of you going through these, even right now. If you are, before we go any further, stand up (no I mean it this will only work if you participate), now shake your arms, go on; now shake your legs; now give your body a good shake. OK, now sit down again and continue reading. Having shaken off that old feeling, now it’s time for a new attitude. I want you to now stand again (please bear with me), and read the following out loud….

Psalm 31; 14/17  “But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”  My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called

upon You;

   Our enemies want us to give up the good fight, and look down cast all our days to come. The devil is sleeked, and wants nothing more than for us trip up, and lying face down in the dirt. He will use every trick up his sleeve to keep us there. It’s time to put on those work boots on, because no matter how discouraged we may feel there is always hope for a better and brighter tomorrow.

   In Romans 5:5 …it clearly says that this hope does not disappoint us. God’s love has already been poured out into our hearts….    

   “. .Now hope does not disappoint, because the

Love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the

Holy Spirit who was given to us. .”

   You may not feel a lot of love right now. You not even see victory ahead of you, may not even be sure what you can do to change things, or may not even have things planned out either, yet. You may not know what can be done to change things around. The thing is YOU don’t need things all figured out yet. Just lean on the One who is the writer of your unique life’s story. Our Lord will use ‘all-this-disappointment’ you’re feeling, and turn it all around for the good. Always remember when you’re down, the good times are just around the corner.

   When hope is in your heart and the unfailing love of God on your side, you can overcome every obstacle in your path, as God is with you were ever you go.

   I read this next segment that brings this short sermon to a conclusion …..

“You may be feeling an over whelming sense 

of God’s hope permeating in your spirit 

tonight. As you approach  the Lords throne, 

you may See God for He is

 - King over your life – and worship Him in

 gladness for is doing good work in you”