Open the Double Doors – 5

Subject: Shut the Doors - Continued

by Rick Welborne

Isaiah 45:1-3 (NKJV)
1  "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
2  'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
3  I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. 

Malachi 1:10 (NKJV)
10  "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," Says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.

-We have talked about verses that speak about shutting the doors and why God would tell a church or individual believers to shut their doors…last week “worship in the waiting”

--We want God to open double doors so it is imperative that we not give Him reasons to tell us to shut our doors. Sometimes I think we have no clue what it is God expects of us as followers of Christ .

--So what does He want, expect, or most of all, deserve?

1. God deserves our honor.

2. God deserves honor when it comes to complete obedience.

Malachi 1:8 (NKJV)
8  And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? 

--When the people brought their lamb or sacrifice to the Lord as an offering, it was supposed to be the best they had to offer…it was in the law and commands.

A. Partial obedience is disobedience…Saul.

B. Temporary obedience is disobedience…Demas. 

C. Delayed obedience is disobedience…Jesus said follow Me…Follow Me now!

D. Careless obedience is disobedience…Prodigal son’s older brother.

3. God says shut the doors.

--Shut the doors if you are unwilling to bring your best, your first, and your all!

Week 2 of Shutting the Doors

1. God says, “Honor My Name and give Me glory!”

Mark 12:29-30 (NKJV)
²⁹  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
³⁰  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

2. God says, “You must fear My Name!”

Psalm 111:10 (NIV)
¹⁰  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

3. God said, “You must honor your spouse!”

Malachi 2:13-14 (NKJV)
¹³  And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears, With weeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.
¹⁴  Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.

--Last week we spoke about worshiping God while we wait on our miracle.

--Tonight we will look again at why God would tell us to close or shut our doors. 

Malachi 3:7-12 (NIV)
⁷  Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
⁸  "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.
⁹  You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me.
¹⁰  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
¹¹  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
¹²  "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. 

1. God said, “Stop robbing Me!”

--I love when people say…all those preachers and churches want is money…really? Maybe we should check and see before we make an accusation…some give sacrificially because it is their passion.

--Most of the time people who say such things are the very ones who do not give to the Lord or to charity. Just maybe they should read the Word and notice Who is saying…Stop robbing Me! Says the Lord Almighty!

--Now I know there are ministries that are trying to take advantage of poor widows and church folks who are looking for hope. I have been in these widows homes as they cried because they couldn’t give more.

--One widow (who had already given to a certain telethon 3 times) wanted a certain book they were promoting but you had to give $75 before you could get it. I told her to turn off the TV. Got her the book for $5.

--When God says to bring the whole tithe to the church, does He mean it? When God says stop robbing Me of tithes and offerings, does He mean it? This is God, not a preacher!

--This from our General Council World Missions Director Greg Mundis about the people in Cuba:

Greg Mundis - “Thank you for challenging your congregation to pray for those who have suffered so much in the Caribbean and especially for our brothers and sisters in Cuba, a nation of great poverty where families live on about $20 per month. I have personally been there to speak at their General Council and participated in the launch of their mission’s program, in which they are asking these poor people to each give $1 of their $20 monthly income to support Cuban missionaries they will send throughout the world.” 

--They already bring two dollars of their twenty dollars to God’s house as their tithe and then, on top of that, they give one dollar a month to support missions. They live on $17 a month…how is that possible?

--It is not possible! They do not live on $17 a month…they live by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He will bless them when they are obedient to bring the tithe and to give offerings besides.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
¹⁹  And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

--God even goes so far to say…Test Me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 

--We are talking about double doors…we are talking about floodgates being opened so much that we do not have the capacity to handle what He wants to give us…if we do not take Him up on this…Forest Gump - stupid is as stupid does.

Malachi 3:11 (NLT)
¹¹  Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

--What you do will be bountifully blessed by God…who would not want God’s blessings?

Malachi 3:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

2. God said, “Fear My Name!”

Malachi 4:2 (NKJV)
²  But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. 

--To you who fear My Name…I like to investigate and see if the scriptures we are reading define themselves. Who are those who fear His Name? Who are the ones in Malachi who fear His Name?

Malachi 3:1 (NLT)
¹  “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

--Did you see it…did you see those who fear the Lord in this verse? Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming.

--The ones who fear the Lord are the ones who are seeking God in His temple and those who are eagerly looking and waiting for His return. Look at what else He says:

Malachi 3:2-3 (NKJV)
²  "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap.
³  He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. 

--So those who fear the Lord are those who are looking for His coming and those who allow the fires (tests) that come to purify them…not make them fall away…He comes with healing in His wings…get under His wings!

1 John 3:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
²  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
³  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 

1 Peter 1:6-9 (NKJV)
⁶  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
⁷  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
⁸  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
⁹  receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.

--I guess fearing the Lord really comes back to giving God the glory dues His Name!

3. God says to fathers and to children, “Love each other!”

Malachi 4:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
⁶  And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." 

--Verse 5 is a direct reference to John the Baptist…Luke 1:17. Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!

--Matthew Henry was saying of verse 6 that when Christ shows up The Sun of Righteousness comes with healing in His wings…He heals relationships between parents and kids…let Him show up!

--Thus, He heals relationships between God and His people…and therefore He heals societal issues that have gone awry. The point is when God shows up, everything changes. Our nation needs families to be healed!

--So what is our job…we must allow Him to show up…we must beg Him to show up at home, at church, at school, at work, at city hall, at our capitol buildings and at the White House.

--When Jesus comes earth and everything else changes!

Psalm 24:1-10 (NLT)
¹ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.
²  For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.
³  Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴  Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.
⁵  They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.
⁶  Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. 
⁷  Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.
⁸  Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle.
⁹  Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.
¹⁰  Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. 

Feast or Famine – 5

Subject: True Disciples

by Rick Welborne

Proverbs 3:5-10 (NKJV)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
⁸  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

John 21:15-19 (NLT)
¹⁵  After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
¹⁶  Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
¹⁷  A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
¹⁸  “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
¹⁹  Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” 

--Three weeks ago we looked at the parable of the dead tree and hopefully, many of you were ministered to by Holy Spirit and the Word. Last week we were ministered to by the Grants…going thru the storm. 

--Today I want to look at those who were closest to the Lord…those who ate with Him, traveled with Him, ministered with Him, and those who spent three years with Him.

--How we can relate to the disciples are those of us, who have been saved by Him, who have been baptized in Holy Spirit, who have served Him for 20, 30, 40 years or even more.

--The disciples were pretty much going on with their normal lives and one day Jesus shows up and changes everything. He calls them to be His disciples and they willingly follow.

--We too were living our lives separated from Jesus and His Kingdom…many of us were bound by habits, alcohol, drugs, inappropriate relationships but all of us bound by our sin and lost. We all needed Jesus.

--Can you imagine with the disciples, being called by this miracle worker Who walks around healing people and setting those free who were oppressed by the devil. It was cool and powerful!

--Just think of God empowering you with Holy Spirit to go out and heal people, seeing them set free from whatever bondage they were in…I remember the personal joy of being in His Kingdom and sharing with others.

--The disciples immediately began to think of the promises of the coming Messiah and what His Kingdom would look like, especially with them sitting at His right hand and His left.

--Images of Jesus sitting on His throne, Him ruling over the Romans who had oppressed them for so long, and them sitting beside Him in majesty and power…how cool would that be. 

--Many of us may have come into God’s Kingdom so glad to be freed from sin and bondage and have an idea of coming glory in our lives. Maybe we came up in churches that convinced us everything would be well. Easy.

--There has been a false gospel preached that says once you receive Jesus…you would be healthy, wealthy, and free from the trials of this life…Can I say “It ain’t so!” Life happens to all of us…good and bad. Storms come!

--Today we will look at the concept or reality of being a true disciple. Many go from feast to famine because they misunderstand what being a disciple for Christ means. Let’s look at three concepts: out, in, and thru!

1. True disciples are brought “out” of all their problems.

--Really? Many people come into the Kingdom of God thinking that if I simply receive Jesus that all will be well…their bodies healed, their finances turned around, their family reconciled, and storms turned away.

--I think preachers are much to blame for this because we do not share the reality that Jesus will save you and write your name in the book of life but sometimes life may be tumultuous and simply difficult. So much pain.

--I think many people stop reading the chapter in the Bible that talks about the heroes of faith because the beginning sounds much better than the ending…Listen to the report.

Hebrews 11:33-39 (NLT)
³³  By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,
³⁴  quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.
³⁵  Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
³⁶  Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.
³⁷  Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.
³⁸  They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
³⁹  All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 

--We see the disciples being disappointed where Jesus was leading them. Again, they thought that serving the Messiah would be glorious and even glamorous…can’t wait to show those Romans.

--They followed Jesus (not listening to Him – we are not reading the Book) He spoke of being crucified and rising on the third day but all they could see was Jesus delivering them out of all their problems. Ruling!

--The night Jesus was arrested, all these fair weather followers, deserted Him and went into hiding. Afraid!

--Where was the bold apostle Peter who was going to follow no matter what?

Matthew 26:33-35 (NCV)
³³  Peter said, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not.“
³⁴  Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows you will say three times that you don’t know me.“
³⁵  But Peter said, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you! “ And all the other followers said the same thing. 

--Even after Jesus’ resurrection and as He was about to ascend to heaven the disciples were asking…is this our time to come out of all these problems…is this Kingdom time?

Acts 1:6-8 (NKJV)
⁶  Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
⁷  And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
⁸  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

--Even the angel had to ask them, why do stand here gazing up into the heavens…get your heads out of the clouds and do what Jesus told you to do because He is coming back someday!

2. True disciples are helped “in” all their problems.

Romans 8:31-39 (NKJV)
³¹  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
³³  Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
³⁴  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
³⁵  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶  As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
³⁷  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
³⁸  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
³⁹  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

--These things (31)…what things… tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword…death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing can separate us…I guess He helps “in” our problems.

--We want God to take us out of all of our problems and sometimes He does but most of the time He sustains us “in” all these things. Think about Jesus – He was crucified…”In” to your hand I commit my Spirit.

Andrew: Martyrdom by crucifixion.

Bartholomew (Often identified with Nathaniel in the New Testament): Martyrdom by being either beheaded or flayed alive and crucified, head downward.

James the Greater: Martyrdom by being beheaded or stabbed with a sword.

James the Lesser: Martyrdom by being thrown from a pinnacle of the Temple at Jerusalem, then stoned and beaten with clubs.

John: Died of old age after they tried killing him in boiling oil.

Jude (Often identified with Thaddeus in the New Testament): Martyrdom by being beaten to death with a club.

Judas: Suicide.

Matthew: Martyrdom by being burned, stoned, or beheaded.

Peter: Martyrdom by crucifixion at Rome with his head downwards.

Philip: Martyrdom.

Simon: Martyrdom by crucifixion or being sawn in half.

Thomas: Martyrdom by being stabbed with a spear.

--What we spoiled Americans forget is that this life is only a vapor (James) that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. This life is not all there is for us who love Jesus. We suffer in a storm without comfort!

--Jesus said, “In” this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome this world. Jn 16.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
¹⁶  Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
¹⁷  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
¹⁸  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

--“In” our living Jesus is there, “in” our dying Jesus is there, “in” our suffering Jesus is there, “in” our loss of loved ones Jesus is there, “in” our lack Jesus is there, “in” our storm Jesus is there. “In” all our stuff He is there.

--Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb.12) and realize He is with us “in” all these things…Remember what Jesus does “in” you, is more important than what He does for you.

3. True disciples are brought thru all their problems. 

I've had many tears and sorrows                                        
I've had questions for tomorrow
There've been times I didn't know right from wrong
But in every situation
God gave blessed consolation
That my trials only come to make me strong

I've been a lot of places
And I've seen so many faces
But there've been times I've felt so all alone
But in that lonely hour
In that precious, lonely hour
Jesus let me know I was His own

Through it all, through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all, through it all
I've learned to depend upon His Word

So I thank God for the mountains
And I thank Him for the valleys
I thank Him for the storms He's brought me through
'Cause if I never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them
I wouldn't know what faith in His Word could do

Through it all, through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all, through it all
I've learned to depend upon His Word
Yes, I've learned to depend upon His Word
I've learned to depend upon His Word 

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NKJV)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

--Trust Him and He will direct you through!

Open the Double Doors - 5

Subject - The Importance of Worshiping While We Wait 

by Rick Welborne

Isaiah 45:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
²  'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
³  I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. 

Isaiah 40:25-31 (NLT)
²⁵  “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
²⁶  Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.
²⁷  O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
²⁸  Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
³⁰  Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹  But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. 

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)
³¹  But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

–Today I want to speak to you about worshiping in the waiting.

1. There is power in patient waiting as long as we worship. 

–How many of you have ever heard the expression, “That person, that business, the mail service, whomever...they are as slow as Christmas” Fast food...sorry about your wait!!

–Waiting is probably one of the most difficult we humans do because we believe waiting is inactivity and it is wasting precious time. Waiting on the electricity.

Fulton J. Sheen - “Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is "timing". It waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.”    

–What a powerful statement...Patience (waiting) is power, as waiting on the perfect timing of God...for His plan to be laid out in the right way. And to worship during this time. Incredible!

–As we move closer to the Christmas season and as we consider all that Christ has done for us by coming and being born in the manger, we know He came to be Immanuel God with us!

–I am sure Simeon and Anna were just as human as we are when it comes to waiting and that there were times they wondered if they would see the coming Messiah in their lives.

–Both Simeon and Anna were waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel...They had waited for a lifetime for Him to come and now the promise is fulfilled.

Luke 2:25-31 (NLT)
²⁵  At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
²⁶  and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
²⁷  That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
²⁸  Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
²⁹  “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.
³⁰  I have seen your salvation,
³¹  which you have prepared for all people. 

Luke 2:36-38 (NLT)
³⁶  Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
³⁷  Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
³⁸  She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. 

–How many of you are waiting for your own Christmas story to be fulfilled...waiting for your loved one to be rescued, waiting for your body to be rescued from sickness or disease, waiting for your financial situation to turn around...waiting and waiting. Add to your waiting…worship!

2. Live righteously as you wait and worship.

Sarah Mally - “When you chose to follow the way of purity, did you expect it to be easy? When you decided to wait for the best, did you think that waiting would be fun? Did you think that your faith would not be tested? When you decided to take the narrow path, did no one warn you that difficulties, hardship, and tears would be part of the journey, and that you would often face rejection from others and be forced to walk alone? My daughter, that which you wait for the longest you treasure the most, and through much struggle the prize is won.”   

–Waiting, in some ways, would be unbearable if we fail to learn the secret that Simeon and Anna learned as they waited for Christ to appear...they learned to worship in the waiting!

–As Simeon and Anna watched the oppression of Israel and there was the appearance that things were not going to get any better...they made a decision to worship until their rescuer showed up. 

Key: Simeon was righteous and devout (God-fearing) and the Holy Spirit was upon Him

–Life Church, hear your pastor, if you are waiting for Jesus to come and rescue you or rescue your loved ones...make sure you put on the righteousness of God and be filled with Holy Spirit daily.

–Simeon: The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  God give us such worship that Holy Spirit speaks!!! Could He say that to us about Christ’s…

–Anna had known pain and loneliness...after just a few years of marriage her husband had died and she had lived as a widow to age 84...she found the key to her promise!

–She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.  She worshiped in the waiting and it made the waiting bearable.

–Unfortunately when we are young we do not have the life experience to know that things do not always go the way we expect and that waiting seems to be unfair and difficult.

–Young people, be willing to wait for God’s best, singles wait on God - there are some things that are worse than being single.  All of us need to wait and to worship!!!

–What happened for Simeon and Anna as they worshiped and as they waited...Jesus showed up in their lives.

–Do you just suppose that we could receive our miracle if we learned that while we are waiting to worship God with all of hearts. Jesus might just show up for us!!!

3. Worship the Lord continually as you wait.

–We have covered this pretty extensively but I think it needs to be reiterated!!!

Psalm 34:1 (NKJV) 

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

–There will be times in the waiting that discouragement and doubt will try to jump on you. You must bless the Lord at all times...worship is not emotional...obedience!

–Sometimes we are hit with a storm, or a negative report, or sometimes even worse we get no word at all, and there is a tendency for our minds to wander and fear set in but  I will bless the.... 

–Anna: She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 

–Faith says God is worthy no matter what, and faith says giants fall by the power of God’s mighty hand...wait and worship continually! Pray without ceasing!

Psalm 27:1314 (NKJV) 

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 

14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! 

–Pastor Rick, I would have lost heart but I didn’t...I kept my eyes on Jesus, I kept waiting on Him for my miracle, and I kept worshiping...my miracle is at the door!!!

–As you worship He will strengthen your heart and give you supernatural power...people will wonder what the source of your strength is...Our miracle was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger...His Name is Jesus and I worship Him!!!

Psalm 33:1822 (NKJV) 

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, 

19 To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. 

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. 

21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. 

22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You. 

Psalm 130:58 (NKJV) 

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. 

6 My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. 

7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. 

8 And He shall redeem Israel From all his iniquities. 

–You must establish in your heart, your mind, and your spirit that there is none other in whom can be your trust and where you can direct your worship!!

–He is the One Who is worthy of us waiting on and worshiping!!!

Isaiah 40:2531 (NKJV) 

25 "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. 

26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? 

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 

29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 

31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. 

Proverbs 8:3435 (NKJV) 

34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 

35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD.