Untitled Sermon

Matthew Mcelyea <[e-mail]>

12:44 PM (3 hours ago)to meGod's Timing Is Always Right Text: Genesis 6–8 Theme: When God says wait, He's not denying you—He's preparing you. Introduction Church, if you've been walking with God for any length of time, you've discovered one thing: God doesn't wear our watch. We like microwave blessings, but God still cooks with a slow fire. We want it now. God says, "Not yet." We say, "Lord, hurry." God says, "Trust Me." There are people sitting in this sanctuary who have prayed prayers that haven't been answered yet. You've cried tears nobody saw. You've wondered, "Lord, when?" But I've come to remind somebody that God is never late. He's always right on time. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in His time." Not my time. Not your time. His time. --- I. God Gives the Assignment Before He Gives the Evidence Genesis 6:14 God told Noah to build an ark. Here's what's interesting. There had never been a flood. There wasn't even any rain. Yet God told Noah to build something for a storm nobody else believed was coming. Can you imagine the neighbors? "Noah has lost his mind." "What's that big boat for?" "You've been building that thing for years." But Noah kept swinging the hammer. Illustration Some of us know what it's feels like to obey God while everybody else laughs. You're saving money when everybody else is spending. You're praying while everybody else is partying. You're serving while everybody else is quitting. Because faith doesn't wait until it sees. Faith obeys because God said so. --- II. God's Delays Are Not God's Denials Noah didn't build the ark in a weekend. He built it year after year. Board after board. Nail after nail. Prayer after prayer. Sometimes God takes His time because He's building more than the blessing. He's building you. He's building your patience. He's building your character. He's building your testimony. Somebody needs to hear this. If God gave it to you too soon, you wouldn't be ready to handle it. Can I preach for a minute? Joseph had to wait. Abraham had to wait. David had to wait. Jesus waited until He was thirty before beginning His public ministry. If they waited... What makes us think we won't? --- III. God Knows When to Shut the Door Genesis says, "The Lord shut him in." Noah didn't close the door. God did. Because when God closes a door... No devil can open it. When God opens a door... No person can shut it. Some of us are crying over doors God intentionally closed. Relationships. Jobs. Opportunities. But maybe God closed the door because the flood was coming. Maybe what looked like rejection... Was really protection. Can anybody testify that God protected you from something you wanted? --- IV. The Storm Didn't Last Forever After forty days of rain... After months on the ark... The Bible says, "God remembered Noah." That doesn't mean God forgot him. It means the appointed time had arrived. I've come to encourage somebody. Your storm has an expiration date. Your tears have an expiration date. Your pain has an expiration date. Your waiting has an expiration date. Psalm 30 says, "Weeping may endure for a night..." But joy... Joy... Joy comes in the morning. --- V. Don't Leave the Ark Too Soon The rain stopped. The water started going down. But Noah stayed inside until God said, "Now come out." Can I help somebody? Just because you can move... Doesn't mean you should move. Just because an opportunity appears... Doesn't mean it's God's opportunity. Timing matters. Many people miss God's best because they move too quickly. Wait until God speaks. His timing is perfect. --- Closing Illustration A little boy planted an apple seed. Every day he dug it up to see if it was growing. Every day he interrupted the process. His grandfather finally said, "Son, if you keep digging it up, it'll never grow." Some of us keep digging up what we've prayed over. We pray... Then we worry. We trust... Then we panic. We believe... Then we doubt. Leave it in God's hands. If He planted it... He'll grow it. If He promised it... He'll perform it. If He started it... He'll finish it. --- Celebration I don't know who this message is for. But you've been wondering if God forgot your address. You've been asking, "Lord, when?" And God sent me to tell you... He's still working. He's working in the waiting. He's working in the silence. He's working behind the scenes. The same God who told Noah when to build... The same God who told Noah when to enter... The same God who told Noah when to leave... Is the same God directing your steps today. Don't give up. Don't quit. Don't walk away. Your breakthrough is connected to God's timing. And when God's time comes... No devil can stop it. No enemy can block it. No circumstance can delay it. Because what God has ordained... Will happen right on time. If you believe God's timing is perfect... Stand to your feet. Lift your hands. Open your mouth. And give God a praise like you know He's already working it out. Because He's an on-time God. Yes, He is! Invitation If you're here today and you've been trying to carry life on your own, Jesus is inviting you into the safety of His grace. Just as Noah entered the ark, Christ invites us into salvation. Today is the day to trust Him. Don't delay when God is calling. Come while the door of grace is still open. Closing Prayer Father, thank You for reminding us that Your timing is always perfect. Strengthen every heart that is waiting, encourage every soul that is weary, and renew the faith of everyone who has grown discouraged. Help us to obey when You speak, to wait when You say wait, and to move when You say move. We believe that what You have promised, You will fulfill. We give You all the glory, honor, and praise. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.