When God Waits Intro: In both the Old and New Testament, we have record of God waiting for

a certain event to take place before taking action. Deuteronomy 2:13-18 records a time in history where God waited for a certain event to happen before taken further action. Notice it below: Now rise up, [said I], and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 2:14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, [was] thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. 2:15 For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed. 2:16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, 2:17 That the LORD spake unto me, saying, 2:18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: Galatians 4:4 makes it plain that God waits for the right time before doing something. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law So why does God do this? The Reason for the Wait: God has a certain counsel through which He works so that the end result of His actions is the salvation of as many people as possible. Ephesians 1:11-12 talks about this counsel. Notice that all things that God does is according to this counsel. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Thus we know that everything God does is for the purpose of saving as much of humanity as possible. The Reason for the Wait, Part 2: God does not want any of us to perish. 2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The Reason for the Wait, Part 3: God is waiting for us to ripen. James 5:7- Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Revelation 14:14-15- And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto

the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. Dealing With the Wait- How: Having this knowledge that God waits because He has a counsel which seeks to save as many people as possible can help us with the waiting process. Notice Lamentations 3:25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him. Know that God will be good to you in the waiting process. This makes waiting easier. Remember James 5:7 told us that the Lord has patience for the ripening of the fruit. Notice what James 5:8 says. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. If the Lord is patient for our ripening process to take place, shouldn't we also be patient with our own growth? This time of waiting should not be an excuse for idleness. The instruction is clear. We are to stablish our hearts... But how do we do this practically? Dealing With the Wait- How, Part 2: The Lord is to be sought unto for the purpose of stablishing our hearts and keeping us faithfully patient during the wait. He accomplishes this through the Holy Spirit. Notice Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you: 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Dealing With the Wait- How, Part 3: The Holy Spirit will change us as we practically follow the counsels below: Psalm 1:1-3- Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 1:2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Luke 8:15- But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience. 2 Corinthians 3:18- But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Conclusion- More Information Explaining the Wait: If you try to wait in your own strength, you will become sick of waiting and will be in danger of forsaking the way of the Lord. Notice Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life. Ecclesiastes 3:11- He hath made every [thing] beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. God makes EVERYTHING beautiful.. But it takes time. The reason for this is because the salvation of men is a process. It doesn't happen immediately. If we remain submitted to the Holy Spirit, we will develop- first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. Romans 8:28- And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. If you fail, do not become discouraged. God can work it out for good. Isaiah 30:18- And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD [is] a God of judgment: blessed [are] all they that wait for him. In reality, God's waiting is mercy to us. He does not want us to be lost. He will wait as long as possible so that as many people as possible can be saved. Since this takes time, we are to occupy our time, not in idleness and sinfulness, but in deep meditation of His Word and practically applying His teachings to our lives. It is thus that we shall become fruitful men and women of the Lord who are fit to be eternally saved.