The Priority Of Waiting On God

THE PRIORITY OF WAITING ON GOD

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: FUNDRAISER PRIZE

1. A Pastor was having a fundraiser at his church. On Sunday morning he got in the pulpit and boldly announced, “The first person who gives $1000 this morning can pick out 3 hymns.” 2. The sanctuary was quiet for a minute and then a spinster lady at the back waved her handkerchief and said, “Ok, I’ll give $1000.” The Pastor said, “Come on up here sister!” She did.

3. She handed him a check for the amount and he said, “What 3 hymns do you want?” She looked the congregation over and said, pointing, “I want him, and him, and him!”

B. THESIS

1. Tonight we’re talking about the “Priority of Waiting on God.”

2. This is a fascinating study on what “waiting” is, people who waited on God, how to wait on God and its mighty ramifications.

3. We’re going to look at many different scriptures along the way.

I. QUIET TIME OF INTIMACY where we come to know God.

A. PLACE OF ONE ON ONE

1. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Ps. 46:10.

2. You can get a lot from God in corporate worship services, Bible studies, and seminars. But if there’s no one-on-one between you and God, then your knowledge of Him is 2nd hand, or dependent on others.

3. You REALLY only get to know God intimately when you’re alone with Him. A poor analogy of a young couple who get married. The 2 of them, alone, come to know each other as no one else knows them. They couldn’t really gain that kind of soul-joining intimacy in a group setting.

4. That’s why we need to be alone with God; to know Him and be known of by Him.

B. PLACE TO RECEIVE MINISTRY

1. MARY & MARTHA; 39 [Martha] had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Lk. 10:39-42.

2. The word “distracted” above indicates there’s something she (or us) was supposed to be paying attention to, but wasn’t. The main event in that house was Jesus Himself, not the festivities.

3. HUMOR.

a. One day, a teacher was teaching her young class the story of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. She carefully explained how Mary and Martha had hurried to clean the house and cook a special meal.

b. Then she paused and asked, “What would you do if Jesus was going to visit your house today?”

c. One little girl quickly responded, “I’d get the Bible out of the closet and put it on the table!”

4. IMPORTANT THINGS HAPPEN AT THE FEET OF JESUS…

a. THE SICK WERE HEALED (The 10th leper fell at His feet to give thanks for his healing, Luke 17:16),

b. THE DEAD WERE RAISED (Jairus fell at His feet & got his daughter raised from the dead, Mk. 5:22),

c. THE DEMONS CRINGED AND SCREAMED! [The Syrophoenician woman’s daughter was delivered,( Mk. 7:25); The Gadarene Demoniac was found clothed and in his right mind (Luke 8:35)],

d. THE APOSTLE JOHN GOT HIS REVELATION of the End Times (Revelation 1:17),

e. EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW & EVERY TONGUE CONFESS!

f. & THE DEVIL IS UNDER HIS FEET! PRAISE GOD!

g. At the feet of Jesus is where the miracles happen, so get to the feet of Jesus!

5. What is the "one thing" that is needed? To know the person of Jesus! In John chapter 15, Jesus told us to "abide” in the Vine; that means to "wait for", "to remain in the same place."

6. For some of us, getting closer to Jesus means we must simplify our lives, to unclutter them, to carve time out of our schedules by removing some things not as important, so that we can spend quality time with Jesus.

II. TIME OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

A. THE RESTORATIVE POWER OF ABIDING

1. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isa. 40:31.

2. Isaiah tells us that waiting on God can have up to 4 types of restorative effects:

a. Your spiritual strength, which had become exhausted, can be fully recharged, restored.