John #21 Being On God's Time
That You May Believe and have Life #21
John 7:1-13
The Feast of the Tabernacles - It was a celebration of remembrance.
It is in the time of the Feast of Tabernacles that we find Jesus in our continuing story. We are given a peek into the relationship between Jesus and his siblings before they came to faith in him after his crucifixion and resurrection.
READ 7:1-13
IS it TIME yet?
How about now?
It's TIME.
Time
English - the measured or measurable period during which an action exists; the point when something occurs; an appointed, fixed moment for something to happen
Greek - kairos /kahee-ros/ due measure; fit time, proper season, opportunity, appointed time, set time
Time - Solomon taught us
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven
Lord Chesterfield wrote, Take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves
Sometimes we are so busy going for the big win, the big score that we miss the little things that move us along.
We want the harvest but we don't plant, water, nurture, weed
There is a time for everything
What of Time? There is a
1. Right Time vs Wrong Time
It has been said that "the right man is the one who seizes the Opportunity"
But seizing the opportunity is no good if the time isn't right.
You can seize a fruit but if it isn't ripe, what's the point?
History, Biblical and Extra biblical is filled with stories of people who seized the perfect opportunity and people who missed their opportunity or tried to force the moment and found failure or complications
Surely the Feast of the Tabernacles is a good time
There's a great crowd, lots of attention, if you're going to do something for God, NOW MUST be the TIME …
And Jesus said …
"for you, ANY time is Right"
Opportunity doesn't necessarily mean it's the perfect time
A. Abraham was promised and heir
1. Taking it into his own hands with Hagar … Wrong Time
2. with Sarah and the Lord, had Isaac … Right Time
B. Gideon
1. 32,000 soldiers wrong time
2. 300 soldiers right time
C. King Saul
1. told to wait for Samuel to offer a sacrifice
2. couldn't wait, offered his OWN sacrifice - same animals, same service, WRONG TIME
D. Israel
1. At the Jordan, first time, didn't trust him to take the land … but it WAS the Right Time
2. 2nd time, told to take, RIGHT TIME, obeyed, blessed, took possession. Walked in Promise
2. Deciding Which is Which
A. Prayer
I'm trying to be very real and practical today …
- ASK - you have not because you ask not
- You have God the Spirit IN you, to GUIDE, INTERCEDE, INTERPRET
1. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)
9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
2. Psalm 32:6 (NIV)
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
3. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV)
12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
4. Psalm 38:15 (NIV)
15 I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God.
5. Proverbs 2:3-6 (NIV)
3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
B. Bible Study
1. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2. Psalm 119
Psalm 119:3 (NIV)
3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.
Psalm 119:4 (NIV)
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
Psalm 119:15 (NIV)
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
Psalm 119:35 (NIV)
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Psalm 119:45 (NIV)
45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Psalm 119:98 (NIV)
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
3. 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of himh who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires
The Truth and the answer is there, just seek and find it.
There are Principles and there are Promises
Ask if the promises, direction, principles are universal for all believers or they specific to one person or group of people or to a specific directive (i.e. Israel, Gideon, Directive "everywhere you step … is yours")
The directive was for the promised land
The principle was for God's will everywhere we step within God's will is ours
C. Wise Council
God has given you other members of the body who have been gifted to give you wisdom, answers, truth
1. 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NIV)
32 men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do-200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
2. 1 Corinthians 12:8 (NIV)
8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
3. Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-
Proverbs 11:14 (NIV)
14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.
Proverbs 12:15 (NIV)
15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 19:20 (NIV)
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
3. While You Wait
Ps 5:3 - in the morning, o Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation
Ps 27:14 wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord
A. Be Still
Ps 37:7 be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, …
Exodus 14:14 the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still
Ps 46:10 Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth
Zechariah 2:10 (NIV)
10 "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the Lord.
Zechariah 2:13 (NIV)
13 Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."
1. Being still does NOT mean be inactive, or lazy it means stop moving where you haven't been instructed to move
2. Stop working under your own power
3. Watch God fulfill his promise, stop trying to create it yourself
4. Jesus CAME here, he LEFT heaven so we don't HAVE to work the work of salvation, we need to be still because that is his work
B. Do the Last Thing He Told You
1. Abraham
God said, "I'll give you a land, make your name great, bless, make of you a nation" … So, while he's waiting for the Son, keep going, following, possessing the Land, receiving the blessing
2. Noah
120 years of ark building. He didn't need to be worrying about how the flood would come or where the animals would come from, just keep building and testifying and let God bring the animals and the flood
3. What's the LAST thing he told YOU to do?
a. Maybe God's given you a glimpse of a future but it's not coming yet. Do the LAST thing … take care of that family, study, know his word, serve in the ministry you are in now. Don't turn down opportunities offered because you aren't getting the BIG THING you want yet.
b. Maybe you are in school but wanting that Big Chance. Be faithful to learn, faithful to serve in the little things. You are waiting for the Big thing, but if you won't make yourself available for the little things, you may not get the big chance if you can't humble for the little and be available
c. Joshua spent 40 years as a servant to Moses and close to God in the Tent of Meeting, before he was ready to be the Servant of the Lord and lead the people.
C. Worship
1. it wasn't Jesus' time yet
2. he avoided the crowds
3. he still went up to the feast of the tabernacles
4. worship him for what he has done in the past - feast represented his provision in the wilderness
5. Worship him for the Word he has given
6. Worship him ahead of time for the direction he has given and what he will do
7. worship him for being the God of Perfect Time
D. Focus On Him
1. that's what worship IS
2. that's what trust is
3. worship and trust are taking your eyes off the creation and onto the creator
4. take your eyes off the promise and onto the promiser
Every Time is NOT the Right Time
When God Calls, the time is Right
When God Leads the Time is NOW
When God Asks, the Answer is YES
The Best One to Ask whether the fruit is ripe; is the ONE who planted the Tree, Makes it Rain, and causes the Sun to Shine
The Best One to decide if it is time is the One who caused the Sun and the Moon to define a day. The one who caused the Earth to Spin, revolve around the Sun. He created TIME and he will END time on HIS time
Come to him
Seek his Face
Enter your closet and pray
Listen for His Voice
Know what his Word has already said
Seek Counsel
Do the Last thing he told you to do
Worship Him
Serve Him
Love Him