Those that wait upon God
Notes
Transcript
Those that wait upon God
Text: Isaiah 49:2–6 (KJV 1900)
Isaiah 49:1 (KJV 1900)
Listen, O isles, unto me; And hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; From the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
* Just a little side note about verse one this morning, here is another of the many examples of why a Christian should speak out against abortion.
* Abortion is the murder of a person that God has a purpose for their life, even while they are still in the womb of their mother.
* Now look with me at verse 2:
* In our text this morning, we open up with a summary of the calling of the Prophet Isaiah to bring Israel back to God.
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, And made me a polished shaft; In his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
* In verse 4 we see Isaiah sometimes felt like his message was not being heard-
4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain:
* Isaiah left the results with God. Look at the last half of verse 4:
Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, And my work with my God.
* In verses 5-6 we see the Prophet Isaiah’s mission- To preach and bring Israel back to God-
5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, To bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, Yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
* Now, for times’ sake, skip down to verse 21-
* We see now that God reveals to the Prophet Isaiah that he will use the Gentile nations to bring Israel back to God:
Isaiah 49:21–23 (KJV 1900)
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, Seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, A captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; These, where had they been? 22 Thus saith the Lord God,Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, And set up my standard to the people: And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, And thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, And their queens thy nursing mothers: They shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, And lick up the dust of thy feet;
* Now here is the verse where we will take our main thought this morning and form where we get the title of our message this morning:
Those that wait upon God
look at the last half of verse 23, And thou shalt know that I am the Lord: For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Introduction:
Waiting upon God
* I hate waiting! Everyone hates waiting! Nobody wants to wait!
* There is nothing that rubs the human nature so wrong as having to wait!
* It reminds me of the me of the J. G. Wentworth commercials- “It’s my money, and I want in now!”
* We as human beings seem to be saying to God “It’s my life and I want it now!”
* We as humans are bound up with the never ending business of trying to control our lives!
* We are continually vexed with the impossible job of controlling our destiny!
* Wait a minute! Stop there is a better way to live!
Ecclesiastes 1:12–15 (KJV 1900)
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Ecclesiastes 2:11 (KJV 1900)
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:17–19 (KJV 1900)
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
Ecclesiastes 2:20 (KJV 1900)
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:22–23 (KJV 1900)
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
* The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes was speaking with only the understanding and viewpoint of a man who does not know God.
* According to the Bible, God has so ordered every man’s life that the good days are stacked up with the bad days so that life without God would be empty and bleak with no hope.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 (KJV 1900)
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
* We desperately need to be set free from being vexed by life!
John 8:36 (KJV 1900)
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
* Jesus told us that this is not the attitude that we should have. Listen to the words of Jesus in Mark chapter 8:
Mark 8:34–35 (KJV 1900)
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
* Jesus taught His disciples a different way to live- a better kind of attitude for life- the way God really intended for mankind to live- a life of waiting upon God.
* This kind of attitude toward life will result in a life free from worry, free from the fear of sudden destruction, a life of peace and joy!
* This kind of life is the secret to true happiness!
* What Jesus wanted his disciples to learn was to wait upon God!
I. Those that wait upon God will never be ashamed.
And thou shalt know that I am the Lord: For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
* David lived in the attitude of continually waiting upon God.
* David could have killed Saul and taken the kingdom by taking matters into his own hands, but he chose rather to wait upon God.
* David could have rushed into battle with his own strength, but David waited on God to lead the way into battle.
* David’s life was marked by this principle of waiting upon God.
Psalm 25:title–22 (KJV 1900)
1 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, Let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed:
Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. 4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: For thou art the God of my salvation;On thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; For they have been ever of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy mercy remember thou me For thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. 8 Good and upright is the Lord: Therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: And the meek will he teach his way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. 12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; And his seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; And he will shew them his covenant. 15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; For I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged:O bring thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: Let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; For I wait on thee. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Those that wait upon God will never be ashamed!
II. Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken.
Not only will those that wait upon God will never be ashamed but, Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken.
Psalm 37:title–40 (KJV 1900)
1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him: For he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, And to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: But the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright:And their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: But the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; And his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, And forsaketh not his saints;
They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, And his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him. 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, And he shall exalt thee to inherit the land:
When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.\
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: The end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, because they trust in him.
Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken!
III. Those that wait upon God will never lack direction.
Not only will 1) Those that wait upon God will never be ashamed and, 2) Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken, but also notice with me that 3) those that wait upon God will never lack direction.
Psalm 37:28–31 (KJV 1900)
31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
James 1:2–8 (KJV 1900)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
* Waiting on God involves patience.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Proverbs 3:1–6 (KJV 1900)
My son, forget not my law; But let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, And peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Those that wait upon God will never lack direction!
III. Those that wait on the Lord will never lack strength.
Not only will 1) Those that wait upon God will never be ashamed and, 2) Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken, and 3) those that wait upon God will never lack direction, but 4) Those that wait on the Lord will never lack strength.
Isaiah 40:28–31 (KJV 1900)
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary?
* How do we know that God is able to strengthen us as we wait for Him? We know our God is always ready to give us strength because He never gets tired! Our God never needs to rest! Our God is never asleep!
There is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; And to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles;They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.
* Because we have confidence in our God, we can patiently wait on God.
* When God wanted to encourage His people Israel He spoke the following words to them through His prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 41:10–13 (KJV 1900)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;
yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
* Through the prophet Isaiah, God told His people He would hold them up and support them with His right arm- not his left arm- the weak arm- but He promised to uphold them with his strong arm, His right arm!
* Then God said the most tender thing to His people- He said that they didn’t have to be afraid because He would hold their hand!
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, Saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
* The apostle Paul knew what is was to experience God’s strengthening hand. Turn with me now and listen to the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 6:
2 Corinthians 4:6–10 (KJV 1900)
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
* I want you to see this great truth this morning!
* Why is it the will of God that we troubled on every side, but not distressed?
* Why is it the will of god that we are we perplexed, but not in despair?
* Why is it the will of God that we are persecuted but not forsaken?
* Why is it the will of God that are cast down but not destroyed?
* Look at the answer in verse 7:
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
* We suffer because it glorifies the Gospel!
* We suffer because is illustrates the suffering of Jesus!
* We suffer because those who are in darkness see the power of God on those who wait upon their God!
* Those who observe us waiting upon our God see the eternal power of God holding our hand as we patiently wait on our God!
* Those that wait upon God will never lack strength this morning! Our God will renew our strength!
* We will rest like the eagle in the current of God’s power and strength and it will cause us to rise up to soar to great heights like the eagle!
* We will run and not be weary!
* We will face trouble, but not be distressed!
* We will be perplexed but not be in despair!
* We will be persecuted but not forsaken!
* We will be cast down but not destroyed!
* It was this knowledge that prompted the apostle Paul to proclaim in say ion Philippians chapter 4 and verse 13:
Philippians 4:11–13 (KJV 1900)
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!
Those that wait on the Lord will never lack strength!
IV. Those that wait on God will never lack provision.
Not only will 1) Those that wait upon God will never be ashamed and, 2) Those that wait upon God will be never forsaken, and 3) those that wait upon God will never lack direction, and 4) Those that wait on the Lord will never lack strength, but 5) Those that wait on God will never lack provision.
* Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 30:
Matthew 6:30–34 (KJV 1900)
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
* What did Jesus mean when He said “for the morrow shall take thought of the things of itself?”
* What that meant to those who heard Jesus speak was this: Jesus said there is no need to worry about anything! Just let go of worry,
“God will see to it, that everything you need tomorrow, will be there when you get there!”
* When I was preparing this sermon, at this place my mind went immediately to the poor widow woman in II Kings chapter 17.
* God had told the prophet Elijah to prophecy the wicked king Ahab that there would be no rain, not even dew on the ground until Elijah said so.
* For three years there was a great famine I the all the Land of Israel at the world of Elijah.
* God told Elijah to go into the wilderness and there the Bible says he stayed by a brook and the birds brought him bread and meat, and he drank form the brook. This went on for a long period of time.
* Then the strangest thing happened- the brook dried up!
* The Bile says the World of the Lord then came unto Elijah a told him that God had commanded a widow woman in the city of Zarephath to sustain him through the rest of the drought.
* When the prophet came to the gate of the city of Zarepath, he found a pitiful widow woman gathering sticks to make a fire.
1 Kings 17:10–16 (KJV 1900)
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:
and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not;
go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel,
The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.
* So what did Jesus mean when he said to the people
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
* What he meant was that the provision of God is like that widow’s curse of oil, and barrel of meal- it will never run out!
* Those that wait upon the Lord this morning will never lack provision!
Psalm 50:9–15 (KJV 1900)
11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: And the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High: 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble :I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
* God will provide for those who wait upon Him because it gives Him glory to deliver those who wait on Him!
Those that wait on God will never lack provision!