God's Perfect Timing Series

Principles from Psalms—Part II

God’s Perfect Timing

April 14th, 2002

Psalms 33:20-22

Recap:

Last week we started our series in Psalms entitled, “God’s Way is Best!”

• We discussed key principles like:

A. God’s Way Requires Trust

B. God’s Way Requires Delight

C. God’s Way Needs a Commitment

D. God’s Way Brings the Blessing

Today, I would like us to turn our attention to key elements regarding God’s Timing.

- God has a time for everything!

Ecclesiastes 3:1

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

While I’ve learned timing is important, the process of going through the “wait” becomes the challenge to us.

Questions:

Why does God ask us to wait, when we believe the answer should be now?

Why does His schedule never really line up with our own?

How do we manage our time in the mean time, while God is taking His time, showing us the right time, for His perfect time?

• I think as we look into Psalms this morning, we’ll find some key principles regarding God’s timing in every situation of our lives.

God provides in so many different ways:

A. Spiritually—He meets every single one of our spiritual needs

B. Physically—He’s the sustainer and giver of all life

C. Financially—He’s the greatest provider we have

• I can think of no better way to illustrate God’s timing in my own life than this past year…

Story:

At the Broadmore Resort in Colorado Springs, CO.

• I needed to finish my college

• I had only 3 classes left

• I needed $5600, and I had none

- The next night Cheri called and told me a rather unusual action of the Missions Board.

- Individuals on the Board and the Missions Board pledged more than $6000 that came into my Bethany account the next few weeks.

• The Bible says, “God is not a respecter of persons.”

• If he financially provided for us, He can do the same for you.

• The hardest part is the waiting time before the provision

Psalms 33:20-22:

What I like about this passage is the writer expresses there is always hope with God!

- When one thinks about this universe and its expanse, the stars, and even the intricate painstaking detail God created us with, we understand there is nothing that is impossible with God!

- When the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her about Elizabeth, her barren cousin having a baby, he makes this incredible statement…

Luke 1:37

“For nothing is impossible with God."

I have found there are a few things waiting helps us in…

I. Waiting For God Brings Submission:

Psalms 33:20a

“We wait in hope for the Lord…”

• People have a natural tendency to fix things on their own.

 My wife and I have been learning the art of communicating over the last seven years of marriage.

 It’s real simple, she says what to do and I do it!

Story:

Communication between spouses is a learned art.

• At first I needed some help because I always wanted to fix things

• She would explain the problem to me and I never knew she just wanted me to listen.

• After a while, our “communication” wasn’t working so we devised a plan to help me learn how to read her mind.

• We called it the “F or L” question.

• Simply put, as my wife would begin to pour her heart out about her day or problem, I would simply ask, “Honey is this an F or a L”?

• You see the F stood for fix and the L stood for Listen.

About 98% of the time, she just wanted me to listen, although about 98% of the time I wanted to fix the problem.

• Husbands, this is a real help here when learning how to read wives minds.

All I’m saying is this; people have a natural tendency to fix things.

 When we are in a tight jam or something has happened, we tend to:

A. Seek the best counsel

B. Try the best treatments

C. Pay the highest price for answers

• When in reality we should be running toward God.

• Sometimes we find that God is the last one we consult.

- Having to wait on God forces us into submission to his will and his timing.

- He lets us exhaust all of our resources and energies until the only hope we have remaining rest in His will and His plan.

- Sometimes it’s easy to be like our sons and daughters and get a little too impatient with the timing of God’s answer.

- But I have found when He comes through with the answer, it is sweeter than one can ever imagine.