WAITING ON THE LORD

Memory Verse: and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me, Isaiah 49:23C.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 40, John 19, Prov 16, Phil 3

 

It pays to wait on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 says 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. Asides all these, those that wait on God will not be ashamed, Isaiah 49:23c. The problem with most believers today is that instead of waiting on the Lord, they take short cuts and the sad thing about short cut is that it cuts one’s life short. Many instead of waiting on the Lord take on social networks to look for life partners. They use dating sites, match makers and all these. There is only one match maker and that is God. He knows you more than you know yourself, He will pick a partner you need not a partner you want.  

 

Don’t because of pressure result to going to Egypt for help i.e. strange places. Don’t go and take strange baths or drink strange portions because you are looking for a child. Anything you get outside God is from the devil. If the devil gives you an apple, be rest assured it is filled with worms. James 1:17 says every good and perfect gift comes from God. Proverbs 10:22 says the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Don’t because of success sell your soul to cheap to the devil. It may seem that everyone is ahead of you, just wait on the Lord because when your time comes you will be their mentors.

 

To wait on the Lord could also mean to serve in the vineyard of God. Waiters in restaurants are people who serve. When you serve God in truth and spirit, you will never be ashamed. This is guaranteed! This has been tested and tried! When you sincerely serve God with all you have, shame will be far from you. I remember the case of particular sister in church. When she started fellowshipping in our church, she joined virtually all the groups in church – choir, sanctuary cleaners, evangelism just name it. This lady just loved to serve in God’s vineyard. Do you know that she was the first sister to get married in the church? Because she made herself readily available for Christ; Jesus made Himself readily available for her. Because she didn’t let Jesus down; Christ did not let her down. We had better looking, more qualified sisters but the Lord settled her matter first. Others saved up to buy nice shoes and bags; she saved up to pay for her building funds. Today she is married with children. They said she spent too much time in church, those that said that are still single! The God who she served wholeheartedly brought her own husband.

 

ACTION POINTS: If you have not been serving God the way you should, please take Him more serious. If you have been serving God with all your strength, I can assure you joy is on your way.

ACCEPTABLE SERVICES

 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Gen 23, Matt 22, Neh 12, Acts 22

Isaiah 40:31 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

To wait on God means to serve at God’s table. After waiting on Him to His satisfaction, He gives a tip. The tip is He renews the strength of those that wait on Him. Not only that, He ensures that they mount up with wings as eagles; He also ensures that tiredness or weariness would be a strange word to them. When strength is renewed prospering – spiritually, mentally, financially e.t.c becomes easy. Mounting up with wings as eagle simply means achieving or making progress without stress. The tip He gives to those who wait at His table is basically He helps them prosper without stress. Proverbs 10:22 says the blessings of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

There are things expected of waiters in a restaurant. They are expected to be well groomed .The cutlery used to serve is expected to be clean. They are expected to be courteous and polite when carrying out their duties. When a well groomed waiter serves you to your satisfaction, on your way out you give him a tip. But if you walk in and you notice that the waiter is in dirty uniforms or there is a cut on his hands or his nails are unkempt, you will request for another waiter or walk out of the restaurant. If the waiter brings your food in a dirty dish or you notice dirty cutlery on table, you will request for a cleaner cutlery or leave. If while serving you, he is everywhere or impatient or look uninterested, after eating you will pay for the meal and he gets no tip. The same thing happens when we wait at God’s table. The first thing He checks is if we are well groomed i.e. are we saved? Have we been washed clean in the blood of Jesus? Without salvation, all our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. No one wants a waiter in filthy rags, definitely not God. He checks the hands of those waiting on Him if they are unkempt i.e. their ways. He checks if they are righteous or not. Psalm 11:7 says the Lord’s countenance beholdeth the upright. The next thing He looks at is the cutlery used to serve Him i.e. the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 says for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. According to Jeremiah 17:10 the Lord searches the heart. He searches the heart to check if the service is eyeservice or not. He searches the heart to check if the fellow is serving him grudgingly.2Corinthians 9:7 says every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly , or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. The next thing God looks at is how the waiter serves him i.e. work ethics. One thing God disapproves of is laziness. Jesus said in John 5:17, my father work hitherto. God loves diligence in service. Hebrews 11:6 says God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God is more interested in the giver of the gifts than the gifts. When He is satisfied on all grounds, He then gives a tip. A single tip from God is enough for a lifetime. If you don't believe me ask Solomon. This king took his time to offer a thousand burnt offerings to God. He was not in a haste . His heart was right with God. His ways were commendable before God . When he had finished waiting on God,his tip was to ask for anything he wanted, 2 Chronicles 1:6-12.

PRAYER POINT; Father I am making up mind to serve you please give a tip.

WAITING ON THE LORD

 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Gen 4, Matt 4, Ezra 4, Acts 4

Isaiah 40:31 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.

BIBLE STUDIES: Lamentations 3:25-26

What does it mean to wait on God? A waiter is a person whose occupation is to serve at a table. When you go into a restaurant, waiters serve you. After the waiter must have served you to your satisfaction, on your way out you give the waiter a tip. To wait on God means to serve at God’s table. After waiting on God to His satisfaction, He will give you a tip. What is the tip He gives? Isaiah 40:31 says 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; they shall walk, and not faint.

The tip God gives after we have waited on Him to His satisfaction is that He renews our strength. The synonyms of strength are power, security, courage, health, stability e.t.c. When God renews your strength (power), prospering financially becomes easy. Deuteronomy 8:18 says it is God that gives power to get wealth. When power is renewed one will become a blessing-spiritually, financially, materially, physically, to anyone they come in contact with. Also one is able to restore joy to homes just like Jesus did when His strength was renewed in Acts 10:38. The bible said He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. When He renews your strength (Security), your security is guaranteed. Psalm 125:2 says the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even forever. When He renews your strength, you will receive courage. Once He renews your strength, you will be able to boast that if God is for me, who can be against me (Romans 8:31). When God renews your strength, you will be free from every disease, Deuteronomy 7:15. When He renews your strength, you will enjoy stability. It will be impossible to move you because God is your help, Psalm 46:5. After He renews your strength, you will begin to mount up with wings as eagles. Which means you will go from crawling to walking; walking to running; running to flying and from flying to soaring like eagles. If at the moment you do not speak in tongue, once your strength is renewed you will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and you will begin to speak in tongues. As you begin to labor in God’s vineyard, give to God, evangelize, your strength will be renewed and before you know it any sick person you pray for will recover immediately. Lamentations 3:25 says the Lord is good to those who wait for Him. Psalm 37:9 says those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth. If at the moment all you do is just go to church on Sundays, why not begin to serve God so that He can renew your strength. Once your strength is renewed, at your place of work your managers will begin notice an excellent spirit in you; in your business everyone will suddenly start patronizing you; at school your grades will tremendously improve, in your marriage things will change for the better and if you are single God will provide partner.

PRAYER POINT: Father I am ready to wait on you , please give me a tip.