For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. [Philippians 3:18-21 NKJV] To wait upon The Lord demonstrates patience; something in short supply nowadays it seems. We want to get where we are going fasterThe KJV Bible calls patience ‘long suffering’. Isaiah says [40:13] “but those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”. That renewal only comes through patiently waiting. Why you might ask does The Lord need us to wait; probably because He know what we are like - He knows the stuff we are made of and thus the surest way to get us to be the best. Jesus never rushed things because He was constantly directed by Father God, who takes deliberate time with us, and we can only appreciate God’s point-of-view by a long discipline. The Army never gives a trainee an assault rifle until the trainee is fully prepared, so God does not ‘let us loose’ until we understand what He has placed in our hands, so to speak. Many have wondered why, throughout the Gospels, the disciples seemed to miss what Jesus was saying. They were in training, and their mid-steps are ours also. Peter famously was always running ahead of himself. It was only when he learned to ‘wait upon the Lord’ that he was ready to fulfil what Jesus knew was his part; ‘upon this rock I will build My Church’. When God brings a blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. The blank space may come in order to teach you what sanctification means; or it may come after sanctification to teach you what service means. Never run before God's guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt – don't. [Oswald Chambers “My Utmost For His Highest”] We have three different videos today as we couldn’t decide which to go with. Two are very different versions of the same song and the third is a ‘classical’ rendition of the original verses in Isaiah. “They That Wait Upon The Lord” - Walk of Grace Church “They That Wait Upon The Lord” - sung by Mercy Mushaisano “But They That Wait Upon The Lord” (Newlove Annan) OSWALD CHAMBERS — THE DISCIPLINE OF PATIENCE Sunday 26th July 2020 To “wait on the Lord” and to “rest in the Lord” is an indication of a healthy, holy faith, while impatience is an indication of an un-healthy, un-holy unbelief. |
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS…Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Archives
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GEORGE and GILL STEWART |