GVCC Sermon Handout for September 7th 2014

Garden Valley Community Church

Pastor Shane Moffitt

September 7^th 2014

“HOW GOD BUILDS YOUR FAITH” series

Step #3: God’s Waiting Room

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” 1 Peter 5:6 NLT

v Your test of spiritual maturity is how well you handle waiting….  

“Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.”   

                           Deuteronomy 8:2 NLT ~ Exodus 13:17

#1.  When Waiting ~ Don’t Fear

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 NLT

v To Combat fear ~ focus on God’s Presence

v There are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible ~ that's one for every day of the year

#2. When Waiting ~ Don’t Fret

⁴….But the people grew impatient with the long journey, ⁵ and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained….               

                                                          Numbers 21:4-5 NLT            

          Resting in God ~ is an act of Faith

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:7-8 NLT

#3.  When Waiting ~ Don’t Faint

         

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Galatians 6:9 NLT

v Never undo in doubt what you have done in faith ~ Don’t 2^nd guess your decision

v This stage makes us idealize the past

“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Luke 18:1 NLT

#4.  When Waiting ~ Don’t Forget  

“Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.” Psalm 103:2 NLT

During the delay, time causes us to forget many things. 

When there is a delay, we tend to forget our God given vision. 

We tend to forget what God had done in our life. 

We tend to forget God's goodness to us in the past. 

We tend to forget that God is with us. 

We tend to forget God's power. 

We tend to forget how important it is that we stay in God's strength

and we start focusing on all our problems than on what He has done for us.  The Bible says, Don't forget.

²⁷Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” Matthew 14:27-30 NLT

v The promises of God in His Word are always greater than the problems you're facing

⁷Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the

Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his

many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they

rebelled against him at the Red Sea.

⁸ Even so, he saved them — to defend the honor of

His name and to demonstrate his mighty power.

¹³Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done!
    They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!

Psalm 106:7-8 & 13