Tag: Timing

Hope Deferred

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

Hope Deferred

Proverbs 13:12

We have all hoped and been disappointed, even if it were for just a moment in time. Our disappointment comes from unmet expectation. It’s those times when we believed or hoped for something that didn’t happen or at least didn’t happen in the time frame we expected it to happen. The Bible gives us examples of stories like Lazarus whom Jesus raised form the dead yet his sisters were disappointed that Jesus didn’t come sooner; their hope was deferred, because their expectation was delayed. Jairus was the ruler of the synagogue that approached Jesus about going to his house to heal his daughter and on the way his hoped was deferred while a woman whose hope had been deferred many times received hope and was healed. However Jesus did go to the house of the ruler, and his daughter was healed. It just didn’t happen in the time frame that was expected, and for a moment Jairus was disappointed. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” The Message translation says it this way: “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” I am thankful that my times of disappointments that may only last for a season can be turned around in an instant! We serve a God of the “turn around.” What took a lifetime to create can be changed in an instant. Someone reading this today needs to know your situation is about to turn around! Your heart may have been made sick with disappointment but its about to leap with joy in fulfilled hope. The Bible tells us that weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. When the sun sets on one season it will rise on another season. Your situation is about to turn around!  

WHAT IS HOPE?

*Hope: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
*The Hebrew word simply means hope or expectation. i.e. What you hope or expect to happen.

 

WHAT DOES DEFERRED MEAN?

*Deferred: postponed or delayed, suspended until a certain time or event.
The Hebrew word suggests one who sows and has to wait. It means to be delayed and to continue on without results.

WHAT IS HOPE DEFERRED?

*Hope Deferred is repeated postponement of your expectation.

 

1. What are our Reactions when our hope is deferred?

-We get Angry. (God – self – everyone) -We become Passive-Aggressive. -We Blame everything and everyone. *(Baalam even blamed the donkey) -We want to Quit.

2. What are the Reasons we are disappointed when hope is deferred?

-We serve God Conditionally. (if you do this?) -We put are Agenda ahead of His timing. -We Idolize the wrong things. -We put our faith in what God does but not who He is.

3. What we need to do when our hope is deferred… Repent!

*repentance is simply a change of mind, heart and direction – new focus *(waiting) -Don’t give up hope on what God hasn’t given up on. -Don’t hold onto what God can give you grace to let go of. -Don’t miss what God has done by always looking at what hasn’t happened. -Don’t believe that just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it never will.

7 Things To Do to Change Your Focus When Hope is Deferred:

-Be honest. -Prioritize. -Realize God is your savior and you are His servant; not vice-versa. -Return to your first love (intimacy and passion). -Seek God’s agenda and will not your own. -Focus more on being and less on doing; don’t miss the moment or purpose. -Put God and people ahead of your own dream, vision and goals and trust Him.   Joseph had a dream and that dream wasn’t deterred by the Pit, Potiphar’s house, or the Prison. It wasn’t even deterred by the Palace. He was deserted in the pit; the pit represents those things that others do that we have no control over. Have you ever been disappointed or lost hope in others?  He was betrayed and lied about at Potiphar’s house. Have you ever lost hope or been disappointed because someone believed something about you that wasn’t true? Have you ever had someone take their word over yours? Don’t lose hope God will have the final say! He was put in the prison undeservedly. Have you ever been been disappointed because you received what you felt you didn’t truly deserve? And to make it it worse Joseph met a baker and butler that said they would remember him but they didn’t. Have you ever felt overlooked or forgotten? It’s disappointing to say the least. Joseph made it to the palace and was able to see his dream fulfilled. It probably didn’t happen in the time or the way that he expected, but it did happen. He was able to examine all the circumatnces and look at his brothers and say, “What you meant for harm God has used for good.” In every delay. Through every struggle. With all of the disappointments. God used it “all” for good! Faith is the substance of things HOPED for the evidence of things NOT seen. Don’t lose hope! Keep the faith! Although you may not see it you can still hope. That called faith. There’s a story in the Bible of persistence and faith. It’s about a judge and a persistent lady. Jesus tells the parable to His followers: “The judge had no regard for God or mankind. But this woman kept knocking and asking the judge for justice. Finally the judge says to her because you won’t give up I am going to give you what you are asking for.” Then when Jesus ends the parable He says these words: “when the Son of man appears will He find faith on the earth?” If you have read the story you might have asked the same question I did: “what’s the connection?” I think what Jesus is saying is this: “When I come back will I find faith that won’t give up?” “Will I find people who in spite of their situations and circumstances didn’t quit?” “Will I find people who although they were disappointed, they still hoped?”  Here it is again Proverbs 13:12 in the Message translation: “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” Galatians 6:9 tells us if we don’t grow weary in well doing we will reap what have sown for; what we have believed for. Don’t quit! Like the rock-band Journey said, “Don’t Stop Believing!” Life and people can disappoint you. Believing and expecting without seeing any tangible results can make your heart sick. But proverbs 13:12 also says a “good break” can turn your life around! As I said before we serve a God of  the “turn around.” You may be down but you are not out. God is able! Your situation is about to turn around, the hope that has been deferred is about to be fulfilled!

What You Wouldn’t Choose, God Will Use

Posted on by Rob Collins in Messages

The Things You Wouldn’t Choose God Will Use.
Gen. 50:20 / Rom. 8:28

Joseph’s story is complicated but the timing of God is evident. Joseph was 17 years old. He was his daddy’s favorite. God gave him dreams and his dad gave him a coat. The dreams and coat made his brothers angry. Angry to the point they stripped him of his coat and through him in a pit but had second thoughts and took him out of the pit and sold him to some foreigners as the passed by, but he was bought by a wealthy man named Potiphar who took him to Egypt where Potiphar’s wife lied against him so Potiphar had him thrown in prison where he interpreted a butler and baker’s dream and later was remembered by one of them causing him to find favor with the Pharaoh by interpreting his dream. Pharaoh gave him all authority and when a famine came Joseph was able to bless his family, and others, even the brothers who through him in the pit. The pit changed Joseph, but it didn’t change his brothers. Not everyone will get it but the key is that you do.

Here is what these scenarios of Joseph’s life represents:

1. The Pit represents what others do to you that you have no control over.

*There will be things that will happen to you that you will not have control over. People will do things,and say things, that you can’t be responsible for. The greater issue is not what happens to you, but how you respond to What has happened to you. Joseph couldn’t get out if the pit on his own, and you can’t either. You need the help, the favor, and the grace of God to help you. He will be reaching out, as you reach up.

2. Potiphar’s House represents someone else’s word against your word.

*Potiphar’s wife was “hot to trot”. She was “miss hotty totty”. She wanted what she wanted when she wanted and when she didn’t get it, she lied. There will always be those times in life when it is your word against someone else’s. You won’t always be able to prove you are right. The important thing is that you know and God knows and sometimes that is all that matters. If you do the right thing God will honor you and that is what truly matters.

3. The Prison represents waiting and feeling overlooked and forgotten about.

*if you have lived a little there have been times that you have been or felt overlooked. God is a God of “timing” and “order”. He is a God that moves in seasons. If you are waiting it feel you are being overlooked you must remember there is a reason for this season. While you are waiting, God is working. Trust Him!

4. The Palace represents God’s favor, grace and blessing that is more about others.

*All of us desire God’s blessing and favor on us. Most of the time we make it “all about us” when in fact it is all about god and others. Remember, you are blessed to be a blessing.

God used every process of Joseph’s journey to get him at the right place at the right time so that God could use him to bless those that meant him harm. Joseph wouldn’t have chosen any of the scenarios that he had to go through but it was ultimately the pit that promoted him to the palace. If Joseph’s brothers would not have thrown him in the pit Joseph might have been walking a round town in a multi-colored coat interpreting people’s dreams while he and his family starved to death. Joseph’s brothers didn’t change both Joseph did. Not everyone will get it the most important thing is that you do.

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