Make some objectives for your life for the new year. This is about the time where you begin to do that.
And that's why this is the time where we as a church begin to think, what does this year hold for us as a body?
And so we spend some time and has been the standard here, as I understand it, is this is the time for setting forth initiatives.
What will we do this year as a church to be following after the standard of the Lord?
To be looking at his word, to conform our hearts to what he is asking us to do, and to model him, to mimic him in new ways.
Well, this morning, and as I've been thinking about this Sunday, as I've been thinking about initiatives,
I want to approach it a little differently.
Because this morning, I think what stands in our way, more than anything else in terms of being productive and fruitful and effective for the Lord,
is not so much what we are doing or are not doing, but what our identity is, who we are as the people of God.
What is your identity this morning?
Where do you find your place?
How do you define yourself as an individual?
And how does that begin to shape your perspective and your approach to life?
I think this really came front and center for me several years ago,
when I had the opportunity to go and to teach some Christian leaders in Russia.
Yaroslavl is about 160 miles north of Moscow.
And by way of introduction, we were supposed to give our name and we're supposed to describe ourself.
What is something that is true about you, so that we can kind of get to know one another a little bit better.
And of course, the teachers went first, followed by the people, the students in the class,
and I think there were as many as 20 students, Christian leaders in this church and surrounding churches who are part of this venue.
And of course, as you would expect and describe yourself, I'm Andrew Scheer, and I've been a pastor for X number of years.
I live, at that time, I live in Aurora, Illinois.
I'm a graduate of the Master's Seminary.
I've been married for so many years.
I have so many children.
And this is what defines me as a person.
Listen, maybe your description of yourself would be along the same lines.
That's how we tend to think.
And I was struck, I was struck by how the venue began once it was turned over to the Christian leaders.
First said,
My name is Mikael, and I am a sinner saved by grace.
Sasha, I am a son of the king because of the grace of God in my life.
Nikolai, I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
And on and on and on and on they went, describing their identity in relationship to Christ.
Not their identity and what they did as an individual.
Who they were is defined by their function, by their role.
But their identity based upon the work of God in their life.
That is what shaped them as an individual.
That is what changed their perspective about every one of those other spheres in which they lived.
As a father.
As a husband.
As a pastor.
As a worker.
As a student.
Whatever context in which you find yourself.
It is shaped by the identity that you have because of Jesus.
So who are you this morning?
How is that identity shaping and changing the way you live?
How does an understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done for you?
Help to focus your agenda.
Help to filter out the activities.
Help to provide some perspective for the moments that you find yourself in from day to day.
Rather than your agenda.
Rather than trying to force something else into this already packed schedule.
We come to the beginning of the year and we think strategically about all of the things that we need to do in life.
And we wonder how in the world can we come to this point and add anything else to an already saturated schedule.
Do you understand what I'm talking about this morning?
And so as we stand here at the beginning of the year I want to take a radical step.
I want to take a radical step backwards.
A step back.
And I want us to remember our identity which will shape our activity.
And as we get this right in life it will begin to change everything for us this year.
In the approach that we have to ministry and family and neighboring and working and everything else that comes into your sphere.
Who are you and why does it matter?
What are the radical life changing implications?
And what difference does it make for you tomorrow?
We can't even begin to exhaust this subject.
And this is going to be an introduction for us in a year of looking at and understanding our identity in Christ.
We're going to keep coming back to this because I think this is so significant for us.
This is stepping back and appreciating who God is and what he has done for us and what that means tomorrow.
I want to put a part of a verse on the screen.
So if you could do that for me.
This is the verse that we're going to look at this morning.
I wonder if you can fill in the blanks.
It goes like this.
For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
In blank and blank you shall be saved,
In blank and blank shall be your strength.
Just think about that for a moment.
If you were to begin to put the words into those blanks,
how would you begin to describe what must be true of your life
in order to experience salvation and strength of God in your life?
What are the activities?
What are the agenda items you must put in your calendar from day to day
in order to experience the presence of God?
Really, the presence of God in your life in terms of salvation and strength.
I think this verse is key for us.
It's key for us because every one of us in this room wants to experience rescue.
Every one of us in this room has cried out for help.
Every one of us in this room desires God to show up in your life.
Every one of us in this room wants to look back on a life of productivity and fruitfulness,
a life that has been effective, a life that has enduring significance.
And this is the key.
This is where it begins.
This is how it starts in your life.
It shatters our conception of salvation.
It obliterates any ideas that we have in terms of thinking how strength shows up in your life
because it's counterintuitive.
It's not what the culture would say in terms of how strength should come.
But as we look at it this morning in Isaiah chapter 30, verse 15,
I think we'll begin to understand why this verse is so significant.
So turn with me, if you would, to Isaiah chapter 30, verse 15.
If you're a guest with us this morning, it's on page 591 in the Pew Bible ahead of you.
These are the words of God.
The Lord God.
The Holy One of Israel.
This phrase found nowhere else in all of the Bible.
This exact phrase.
The Almighty God.
The Holy God shows up to give us a word this morning.
We've looked at Him throughout the book of Isaiah.
Showing up in various ways through the history of Israel and seeking to intervene in their lives.
And now He speaks.
What does He say?
Here's what He says.
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
In returning and rest you shall be saved.
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
How many of us would have filled in the blank with those words?
Quietness.
Rest.
Returning.
Trust.
The very things that probably are very foreign to us in this Western culture.
Driven by the idea that we need to be about hurry and about scheduling and about activity and about ministry in so many different areas.
But the word of the Lord for us this morning is rest.
Be quiet.
Trust.
Wait for me.
Let my salvation and power and strength show up for you.
Stop taking the things that are in your life into your own hands.
And start trusting me with these things.
And maybe you'll begin to see.
Maybe you'll begin to see.
Fruitfulness.
Take shape.
This morning I want to just lift up in this verse.
In chapter 30 verse 15.
I want to lift up to us the demand of God for dependence.
God demands your dependence.
That is what this verse is speaking to this morning.
And it happens in a couple of ways.
First we're going to look at the fact that it happens as we are running to God.
You see in this verse there are two couplets.
There are two phrases that go hand in hand.
They're side by side.
And they use words that help to describe one another.
It begins with the word returning or repentance maybe in your translations.
And it ends with the word trusting in that second phrase.
And so the first and last words go together.
Returning and trust.
That's what I want to look at this morning.
I want to describe it as running to God.
Can you say that it's true of your life that you are one who runs to God in every moment of your life?
Essentially, we invite God to the party of our lives when we are running to him for help.
His presence is clear.
And so the benefits of his presence show up for us.
And it results in what we see there.
The rescue or the salvation of God in that first part of the phrase.
And the strength of God in the second phrase.
Can you imagine it?
That becomes clear when God is invited to the party of our lives.
Imagine it.
Every conversation.
Every activity.
Every thought.
Every moment.
That is fruitful and effective because it is surrendered and yielded to the salvation and the strength of God in your life.
Can you imagine it?
What kind of life would that be?
If guided and governed by God.
It will be empowered by the divine.
And you will experience salvation and strength.
Notice what it says here.
Notice how God puts this in this verse.
In returning and rest, you shall be saved.
In quietness and trust shall be your strength.
There are no exceptions.
There are only expectations.
The expectation of God coming into your life and intervening in miraculous ways.
When we surrender in this way as God has called us to surrender.
Returning to him.
So when God shows up in your life, his power will prevail.
And it will result in enduring fruit.
So what are we talking about?
Well first, in returning and trust, these two go hand in hand.
And when the Old Testament talks about returning or it talks about repentance and trust, it's referring to a turn of heart.
And the only time in all of the Old Testament this word is used, returning, is used in a noun form.
It wants us to understand the end of the position, not the initial phases of returning.
It wants us to recognize that it is in the full yielding of heart that begins to experience the benefits of God coming into a life.
It's often repentance or turning back.
A turning away or a turning towards the Lord.
And throughout our study in Isaiah, we've come face to face with the people who've been disloyal.
From chapter 1 all the way through chapter 66, this group of rebellious individuals.
And even when they had some righteous kings, whether it be Uzziah or Jotham, there still seemed to be compromise among the people.
There was still idolatry.
There was still a waywardness of heart.
There was still a drifting in focus, in devotion, in worship.
Maybe God was speaking in that situation.
Or perhaps God was speaking during the reign of Ahaz.
When there was a wholesale rejection of the things of God.
When the worship of God was corrupted.
When the temple was polluted and dismantled.
When the worship was turned over to idolatry.
Maybe that's where the prophet Isaiah is speaking to that situation.
They need to return.
They need to repent from what they're doing.
And yet, as we understand the context.
As we look back to the first few verses of chapter 30.
We begin to understand that actually the returning needed to come.
Even in the midst of restoration and revival.
In the time of Hezekiah.
When there was this resurgence of the people in terms of worship and devotion.
There was still dysfunction.
As it related to holy embracing trust and confidence in God.
Look with me.
At verses 1 and 2 of chapter 30.
Notice the description we find here.
It says,
Ah, stubborn children, declares the Lord.
Who carry out a plan but not mine.
And who make an alliance but not by my spirit.
That they may add sin to sin.
Who set out to go to Egypt.
Without asking for my direction.
To take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh.
And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt.
Although Hezekiah had helped to redirect the focus of the people.
And to reorient their heart.
There was this resurgence among the people in terms of worship.
Not only in Judah.
But also in the nation in totality.
He invites them to come and participate in a Passover.
And as we look in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
We see that in that day.
Like no other day.
There was this resurgence among the people.
In terms of worship.
Speaking of Hezekiah.
The writer of Kings says.
There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah.
Either before him.
Or after him.
And yet.
And yet here we are.
A call to repentance.
Because if you remember.
Back at the end of last year.
When the nation of Assyria was coming against Israel.
Coming against Judah.
The initial posture of Hezekiah's heart.
And the heart of all of those in Jerusalem.
Was how do we protect ourselves?
What can we do?
And so.
They take matters into their own hands.
We find from 2 Chronicles.
That they stop the water supply.
And they channel it into the city.
They build up the wall.
They raise the towers.
They build a second wall for additional protection.
They make weapons and shields.
They set commanders over the people.
They appeal to Egypt for help.
As we see here.
In the first part of chapter 30.
There was.
There was a dysfunction.
There was a disconnect of heart.
How faith and action show up in a life that is consistent.
A deficiency that led to running to human ingenuity.
Running to human strength.
Rather than surrendering and yielding to the power of God.
So that Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem need to recognize.
That trusting God leads to looking to God for help.
Not looking to the world.
It might seem obvious.
But if they were going to experience salvation.
Salvation that only comes from God.
Then they must look to the source of salvation.
They must yield and surrender and hope in the God of salvation.
To bring salvation to them as a people.
The same is true for us.
What is the greatest hindrance to salvation and strength showing up in your life this morning?
It is the same.
That instead of looking to the source of salvation.
We look to human ingenuity.
We look for salvation within ourselves.
We look for salvation within our world.
We look for salvation within human philosophies.
And we don't look for salvation in Him.
Until things get so desperate.
And all of our options have been expended.
That then we begin to look for help.
Because we understand we can't find it any other way.
We need to have hearts.
That look for answers.
And solutions that are only found in God.
Not apart from Him.
And it is an unrepentant heart that says,
I know what is best.
I have a better way.
And that is deception.
And that is pride.
And God in His mercy is calling us to faith.
He's calling us to trust.
He's calling us to repentance.
Repentance to trust in Him.
And surprisingly,
this heart shows up in the most unexpected time.
In the most unexpected place.
In the heart of Hezekiah,
whose heart was given to the Lord.
In the heart of a people who had been revived,
in a sense, spiritually.
And yet, here, again,
they needed to be called back to trust.
What does trust look like
when Assyria comes knocking at the gates?
What does trust look like
when difficulty and adversity
comes knocking on the door of your life?
What situations in your life
need rescue this morning?
How does this clear message
confront our current approach
to where we find salvation and strength?
Is it time for returning in your life?
Is it time for repentance?
Perhaps the best indication
of trust and faith in returning?
Perhaps the best indication
that is taking place in your life
is in this second point
that we find in Isaiah 30, 15.
First, there is a running to God.
And second,
there is a resting in God.
A resting in God.
Have you ever heard an initiative
that said we need to rest?
How about that for an initiative?
We ought to have that one
every single year, right?
But the resting that the Bible talks about
is not the resting that we're so familiar with.
It's not the resting of leisure.
It's not the resting of inactivity.
It's not the resting of idleness.
It's not the resting of just checking out.
It is a resting that is active.
It is a resting that is deliberate.
It is a resting that is opposed to striving.
It is a yielding of self.
A surrendering to God.
That is the resting of the Old and New Testament.
That is the resting of the Scripture.
And that is the resting
that God wishes for His people to enjoy.
Are you enjoying rest this morning?
Would you say that the quality of your life
is one of rest and peace and quietness?
Look at this again with me.
This is what God is calling us to know
and to enjoy in Isaiah 30, 15.
In returning and rest, you shall be saved.
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
Rest, which is the ease from trouble.
It's peace or tranquility.
It is implying the faith in a greater individual.
In here, namely God,
who will deliver us and make us safe.
Quietness is to be at rest or to be at peace.
To be hushed.
To be silent.
God's word for us this morning is rest.
Do not strive.
Rest in Him.
Let the peace of God reign in your life
as the Apostle Paul would say to us.
Stop thinking that you need to give God a helping hand
and start leaning, resting, waiting,
and depending upon Him.
In this chapter and throughout the book of Isaiah,
Israel is confronted with their striving.
We find it in verse 1
where He is calling them
and confronting them about making alliances,
carrying out plans that don't belong to God.
setting out to go to Egypt
before God had ever given them the word
to move in that direction.
They're full of activity,
but none of which is sanctioned by God Himself.
And thus, all of this activity will end up in futility.
They were busy.
They were diligent.
But they were disobedient.
It's a hard word for those of us who love to serve.
It's a hard word for us who want to be faithful.
This is a hard word for us who want to be in control.
This is a hard word for us
when we compare other scriptures,
and particularly,
walk circumspectly,
not as fools,
but as wise,
redeeming the time because the days are evil.
That's calling us to work, right?
Not calling us to rest.
And I would present to you,
it's because we misunderstand
what God is calling us to
when He's calling us to dependence.
There is working,
but there is first waiting.
Waiting that rests in the direction and guidance of God
so that He can move us in the direction of working
that He wants us to go.
We must yield to God's agenda,
not our own,
so that He might get the glory.
That's what is at stake here.
What is at stake
is the glory of God.
Now imagine for a moment
that the people of Israel
didn't get the memo
because we do understand
that their heart changed.
It became submissive to God.
It began to wait.
And by the way,
all of the working that they had done in Jerusalem,
all of the building up of reinforcements,
was that necessary?
Remember the story?
Assyria comes,
and what happens?
God turns them away.
God kills 185,000 soldiers,
sends them back to Assyria.
Not a sword is raised.
Not a person is killed.
And God gets the glory
because they yield themselves
and wait for Him to show up.
But so often in life,
because of our working,
we get in the way
of God getting the glory.
We obscure
the power of God
and His ability to work
in your specific situation
because we decide
that God is not faithful enough
to intervene
because He's not doing it now.
He needs some help.
Help Him out a little bit.
Imagine
if the people of Jerusalem
had tried to help God out a little bit.
Here's what would have happened.
Look with me at verse 16.
And you said,
excuse me,
the end of verse 15 says,
but for all of this appeal,
the people initially said
they were not willing.
So here's what God's going to do to them.
You said no.
We will flee upon horses.
Therefore, you shall flee away.
We will ride upon swift steeds.
Therefore, your pursuers
will be swift.
A thousand will flee
at the threat of one.
At the threat of five,
you will all flee
till you are left
like a flagstaff
on the top of a mountain,
like a signal on a hill.
God in His grace
shows up for you
when you take matters
into your own hands
and He shows you
the futility
of your own ingenuity
until you're left isolated.
He does that as a grace for you
so that there will be a point
in your life
where you finally turn
and you finally let Him
receive the glory
for all that He wishes to do
in your life.
So if there's any anxiety,
any sleeplessness,
then rest.
Learn to rest.
Learn to wait.
Learn to trust in God.
He is the God
who speaks
in the still,
small voice.
He is the God
who says,
Be still
and know
that I am God.
Can you imagine it?
The God of the universe
wants to show up
for you
to make His name glorious
in whatever situation
you find yourself.
And when we don't hear His voice,
it's not as though
He were not speaking,
but as though
we were turning up
the volume on everything else,
every other voice,
every other philosophy,
every other plan,
screams in our head
to drown out
the voice of God.
So we need to step back.
We need to rest.
We need to listen
and be silent
and be quiet
as we're instructed to do
so that we can hear
the voice of God
and then move.
And then,
we will appreciate
and understand
and experience
His saving
and powerful presence
in our life.
wouldn't you agree
that one of the greatest
sources of sin
in our life
is hurriedness?
Like,
for me,
when I'm in a hurry,
I'm edgy.
I get in the car
and I begin
wherever I'm supposed to go
and I'm running late,
which I tend to run late a lot.
And so when there's people
in front of me
who are not driving
the way that normal people should,
there is a little frustration
in my heart.
Or how about at home?
When there is
the pressure
of your workplace
or the pressure of life,
it's bearing down on you
and there is not
the quietness,
there is not the resting,
there is not the waiting
and trusting on God.
How does that show up
in your interactions
in your home?
Is there tenderness
typically?
Or does it tend to be
a little bit
brazen
and harsh?
And
you look back
on the situation
and say,
oh,
that did not demonstrate
the compassion
and gentleness
of my Savior.
Or the hurriedness
of the schedule
that takes us away
from the things
that we know
are so important.
The rush of the day
that moves us along
so that there isn't time
for personal devotion
and meditation
on the Lord
and building that relationship
and having that fellowship
with Him.
And so we sin
not because we are
actively involved
in sinning against God,
but because we are
blown away
by our schedule
and we're unable
to dial into
what really matters.
Or how about
in our neighboring?
I was reminded
of the significance.
I'm typically
in a hurry
and yet
by God's grace
He helped me
a couple of weeks ago
not to be in a hurry.
I went
to go to the parts store,
the auto parts store
and it was freezing cold
that day.
I think it was like
five degrees outside
and there was a guy
with just a thin coat
standing outside
shaking like crazy
and his front hood was up.
Now, I don't know
the first thing
about cars, okay?
But I just wanted
to demonstrate
a little bit of concern.
Hey, what's going on?
Found out that he had
a problem with his battery
and that should be
an easy one.
I should be able
to help with that one.
So for the next hour
and a half
we labored over his battery.
That would never
have happened.
If I'd have been
in a hurry.
I would have typically
missed that opportunity.
And yesterday
you know
more neighboring
happens by coincidence
than by plan.
Yesterday
we're out shoveling
and I met
four brand new neighbors
down our street
because of
just a willingness
to let God
govern my own agenda
instead of me
taking ownership
of it myself.
The opportunity
the opportunity
to serve
the opportunity
to meet
the opportunity
to initiate
a relationship.
God wants us
to be people
of quietness.
He wants us
to be people
of rest
so that he can
show up
and get the glory
for the great things
that he will accomplish
in your life.
I also want to
bring some balance
into our discussion
this morning.
I'm a person
who tends
to be very disciplined.
I've always
tended to do that
even as a
small child.
I love
discipline
to the extent
that I still have
a couple of notebooks
that I did
when I was in high school.
I went through
the whole book
of Daniel
verse by verse
and wrote down
all that I learned.
I went through
the entire Old
and New Testament
and have copies
of every chapter
that I wrote about
in the book
of the Bible.
Discipline is good
don't get me wrong
but I want you
to understand
this morning
that we're not
talking about
discipline
when we're talking
about dependence
on God.
When I speak
about dependence
on God
I'm not talking
about discipline
and I think
there are some
dangers to discipline
that I want to
talk about next.
What are some
of the dangers
of discipline?
Maybe
you have thought
these things yourself
and it comes
with a leading
statement.
The leading
statement that says
I have done
all that I am
supposed to do
and the first
one is
why
do I feel
so
empty?
Why
do I feel
so
empty?
Have you ever
felt that way?
You have all
the discipline
you're supposed
to have.
You read
your devotions.
You read
the scripture.
You pray
to the Lord
faithfully
day by day.
you serve
in a ministry.
You're faithful
as a parent.
You do
or at least
try to do
all that God
has called
you to do
and yet
you walk
away
feeling so
empty.
What is
this about?
What does
this mean?
What is it
supposed to do
for me?
All it is
is me
going through
the motions
and so
you come
to this
point in
life
where you
because of
the emptiness
that you
feel
and you
feel like
you're going
through the
motions
you're
faced with
this question
and the
question is
God
do I
keep on
going
through
the motions
or
do I
stop
playing
the hypocrite?
You ever
felt that
way?
Do you
ever wonder
in your
life
why God
seems so
distant
from you
when you
have
put so
much energy
in being
so faithful?
I think
the parable
of the
soils
may speak
very
clearly
to us.
Remember
as Jesus
was talking
about the
parable
of the
soils
he identifies
four soils
this is the
response to
the word
four responses
to the word
and the
first response
to the word
is that it
lays on the
surface of
the soil
hard and
packed
it's unable
to penetrate
and so what
happens?
The enemy
comes and
snatches it
away.
I wonder
if maybe
because
of the
hurriedness
of life
the seeds
of the word
never have
time
to be
cultivated
and to
penetrate
the heart
and actually
make a
difference.
Perhaps
the word
of God
is just
glancing
off the
surface
and that
is why
you feel
empty.
That is
why I
feel empty
because I've
not allowed
the word
to have
its way
through
meditation
through
time
through
spending
fellowship
with God
through
the word.
It's
never been
given
opportunity
to penetrate
the soil
of your
heart.
So
you feel
empty
frustrated
for all
the discipline
there is
no fruit
in your
life.
Don't be
deceived.
Discipline
is not
a substitute
for dependence.
danger
number
two.
I have
done all
that I
am supposed
to do
how can
I do
any more?
I addressed
this briefly
at the
beginning
of our
introduction.
I don't
know how
long I
can keep
up this
pace.
I don't
know how
I can
add anything
more to
my agenda.
It's already
so full.
How can
you possibly
expect me
to do
something
else in
terms of
ministry?
ministry.
I'm already
tapped out.
I've already
got enough
on my
plate.
Don't
ask me
to do
any more.
Maybe
you're
a good
employee,
a good
student,
a good
spouse,
a good
parent.
You're
involved
in ministry,
spending
time in
fellowship
with the
Lord.
How could
you add
anything
else to
that already
busy
agenda?
I can't
keep up.
And so
when new
ministry
opportunities
are presented
to you,
you're like,
it's already,
I'm already
at capacity.
It's too
bad.
There's
nothing more
I can
do.
But
surprisingly,
a look at
Jesus'
life demonstrates
that he was
not only
never in a
hurry,
but he was
also extremely
productive
and fruitful.
spiritual.
How did
that happen
in his
life?
Well,
it happened
because of
a heart that
was given
to dependence
on God.
Jesus models
for us that
more can be
done when
our lives are
empowered by
God and
directed by
him than
they could
ever be
accomplished
through
discipline
itself.
danger
number
three.
Danger
number
three is
I have
done all
that I'm
supposed to
do,
so obviously
that's why
things are
going well
in my
life.
This is
perhaps the
most dangerous
of them
all.
This
heart
of a
Pharisee
that would
say,
God is
indebted
to me.
His grace
is not
grace.
it is
merit.
It is
something I
deserve.
And so
when I have
good health
and when my
cars don't
break down
and when I
get that
promotion
and when my
relationship
is going
well and
when my
kids are
well behaved,
it's because
I have
followed the
magic formula
as prescribed
in the Bible
and so
my life
looks this
way.
And so
just follow
my example
and everything
will go well.
with you
too.
It is
the heart
of a
Pharisee.
The heart
of a
Pharisee
that says
essentially
that God
owes me
that's why
things go
well for
me.
Of course,
I've done
my part
so God
will do
his part
as well
and subtly
we take
credit for
God's grace.
grace.
And in
doing this
we demonstrate
that our
true affection
and our
true heart
is not
to make
God
glorious,
it is to
make me
comfortable.
Rather than
knowing God
more
and loving
God more
and glorifying
God more
whatever the
cost,
even through
difficulty,
what really
matters in my
life is being
happy.
And in
order to be
happy,
I am
disciplined
and I walk
through the
checklist and
then everything
will be okay.
It's not to
bring God
glory but to
bring me
happiness.
Very dangerous.
The opposite
truth is also
just as
dangerous.
I have done
all that I'm
supposed to do.
why is my
life such
a mess?
You ever
felt that
way?
I have
followed the
formula.
After all,
we find,
especially in
1 Peter
chapter 3,
if you would
love life
and see good
days,
let him
refrain his
tongue from
evil,
his lips from
speaking deceit,
let him turn
from evil and
do good,
let him seek
peace and
pursue it,
because the
eyes of the
Lord are on
the righteous,
his ears are
open to their
prayers,
but the face
of the Lord
is against
those who do
evil.
So,
if I follow
the magic
formula,
then certainly
my life will
go well,
and if things
are not,
then maybe
it's because
I've missed
something along
the way.
Or worse
yet,
God is not
faithful.
God doesn't
actually do
what he says
he's going
to do.
Discipline
can be
dangerous.
But I want
you to
understand that
the converse
is also
dangerous.
Not only the
danger of
discipline,
but the
danger of
doing nothing.
The danger
of doing
nothing.
We live
in a world
that is
caught up
with leisure.
have you
felt its
tug on
your heart?
Whether it
be social
media,
whether it
be gaming,
whether it
be movies,
whether it
be entertainment,
whether it
be hobbies
and activities,
or even
family time,
fill in the
blank with
everything but
God.
Everything
seems to be
more important
than cultivating
a fellowship
with God.
there is a
danger in
doing nothing.
There are
several, but
just two that
I want to
briefly focus
on in the
next couple
of moments.
First, it
is not what
you were made
for.
It is not
what you were
made for.
When God
talks about
waiting, he
is not talking
about idleness.
waiting, he
is thinking
about active
dependence.
We see this
show up in
Acts chapter
1.
When he
calls the
disciples to
go back to
Jerusalem and
to do what?
Do you
realize he
calls them to
go back and
to wait?
wait for the
Holy Spirit to
show up and
then power
will come?
The presence
of God will
mark their
life and
they will
change the
world upside
down?
It begins
with waiting,
not with
working.
And so they
go back and
they pray and
they fellowship
and they pray
some more and
they sing and
they develop
community together
and then the
spirit comes and
the rest is
history.
God shows up
and that's
when they
begin to
experience true
true meaning
and purpose
in life.
When they
are operating
in the
pattern that
God has put
in their life.
It begins
with waiting.
God has made
you to be a
vessel of
divine power.
You will
not
feel satisfied
until you
are doing
what God
made you
to do.
Rather than
looking back
on a life
full of
regret,
you can
look back
on a life
full of
productivity
and fruitfulness.
Not only
for yourself
as God
has worked
in your
life but
as it
spills out
and blesses
the people
around you.
Next is
it will
never
satisfy.
It will
never
satisfy.
To do
nothing
will never
satisfy.
You keep
filling
yourself up
with all
of these
other things
and as
Jeremiah
describes it,
he describes it,
my people
have committed
two evils.
They have
forsaken me,
the fountain
of living
waters,
and hewn out
for themselves
cisterns,
broken cisterns
that can hold
no water.
We fill up
our lives
with all
of the earthly
satisfactions
and we never
come to a
place of
true rest.
rest.
God wants
rest for
you but
only come
through him.
And finally,
finally we
see in
Isaiah 30
18 now,
drop down a
few verses,
we see the
description of
God's desire
for you.
The description
of God's
desire for you.
Therefore the
Lord waits.
Isn't that
interesting?
God waits.
The Lord
waits to be
gracious to
you and
therefore he
exalts himself
to show
mercy to
you.
For the
Lord is a
God of
justice.
Blessed are
all those
who wait
for him.
He is a
God of
patience.
He is a
God of
waiting.
He is a
God who
is long
suffering.
He is
also a
God who
is full
of mercy,
full of
grace.
He wants
to draw
you in
to himself.
He wants
to be real
with you,
to fellowship
with you.
Can you
conceive of
it?
The God
of the
universe
wants to
know you
and to
be known
by you.
He
waits for
you this
morning.
He wants
to make
you fruitful.
He wants
to clear
away the
clutter of
your life
so that
you can
really
experience
salvation
and
strength
today.
Are you
willing?
Are you
willing?
At the
end of
verse 15
it says,
but you
were not
willing.
May that
not be
said of
us.
May we
be willing
and running
and resting
so that we
can really
be fruitful
as God's
people this
year.
it comes
as we
understand
and appreciate
our identity
in him.
Let's pray.
God we
thank you
this morning
for identity
that can be
found in
you and
you alone.
That you
desire to
show up in
our lives
and you
desire
Lord
to be a
God of
rescue
and a
God of
strength
for us.
May we
look to
you,
wait for
you,
trust in
you this
morning and
throughout
this year.
We pray in
Jesus name.
Amen.