Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5

Dear Faithful Seed Sowers,
In verses four and five of the books of Acts, I was stopped in my study with the words “wait” and “promise.”  I know that there are many words in these verses that we could spend a lot of time on. We could talk about the command that Jesus gives. Why is it so hard to follow Jesus’ commands? We heard hurry and“ Go and Tell.” We heard “Go and Make.” Now we hear “Do Not Leave Jerusalem.” Is Jesus thinking clearly!?  Jerusalem is not a safe place. Does not Jesus remember what happened the last time they were all in Jerusalem? Wait! Wait in Jerusalem!

We can hardly wait for our phone to connect to the internet as the little circle goes round and round. A funny side note, I know a woman who was directed by the Holy Spirit to pick the word WAIT as her word of intention two years ago. She truly learned how to wait that year.
The Greek word that Dr. Luke uses for “wait” is “perimeno” and it is a present active verb that mean that the action is continuous– to “stay in one place and anticipate or expect” over and over and over again. Never stop waiting. Keep on waiting.

I think of Abraham and Sarah waiting almost 80 years to have a baby. I think of Daniel in the lion’s den waiting for God to rescue him in the morning. I think of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego waiting in a fiery furnace. I think of Moses and the Israelites waiting and wandering in the wilderness for forty years. It was forty days that the Israelites waited when Goliath stood and challenged them and mocked God. Then David showed up with a sling shot and five smooth stones. Zechariah and Elizabeth waited for years for their baby, John the Baptist. How about the paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethsaida? He waited for 38 years to be healed. Martha and Mary waited for Jesus to show up but then their brother died. Lazarus had been dead four days by the time Jesus showed up and what does he do? Resurrection time! Those are just some of the stories of the people in the bible who are waiting.

Are you waiting on Jesus? You, my friend, are in great company.

Jesus commanded the disciples to wait for the promise. The promise was the Holy Spirit. The person and the power of the Holy Spirit. In next week’s SEED OF FAITH we will spend some more time talking about the Holy Spirit—just wait!
But rest assured. When Jesus promises something — it will come to be fulfilled. It would be good to hold onto some of the promises in the Bible. One of the best promises we have been given is that we will have the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Remember the ending of Matthew. Jesus gave the Great Commission and said — “Remember I will be with you always even to the end of the age.”

So What?

We can all be witnesses. Can I Get A Witness!?
Here is your SO WHAT PASTOR DAVE homework for the week: As you wait, pray. Yep. When you go the grocery store and are waiting in line, stop, look around and pray for the people you see. Do the same at the gas station, at the doctor’s, everywhere you go—and as you are forced to GO AND WAIT…why not try praying for the places we go and people we see? I always ask the Holy Spirit to give me the people’s heart as I pray. We never know how our prayers will affect another heart. Let me give you an example: 31 years ago our eldest daughter graduated from High School. We threw a big party for her and invited everyone we knew! A young girlfriend of our daughter’s came to the party but decided she was to shy to come in. She dropped off her gift and left. My wife is a terrific communicator and she sensed that this young girl needed prayer. She prayed for her, asked our daughter who she was, and then Jac sent her a card thanking her for coming to the party and leaving a gift. Inside her card my wife enclosed a magnet—a GOD loves you magnet.
You are going to have to read next week’s SEED OF FAITH in order to understand how important it is in the kingdom of God for us to learn to wait. Let’s put Habukkuk to memory: Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

We sang a song last week by the group CAIN called THE COMISSION. Somewhere in the song we sang, “I have the purpose…God has the plan.” May we always remember that. The song is not IN MY TIME…but IN HIS TIME. God will make all things beautiful IN HIS TIME.

Want to know what happened in 31 years time with this young lady?

WAIT.

God loves you and so do I,
Pastor Dave
www.theseedchristianfellowship.com