Active Waiting: Trusting God's Timing and Vision

Devotional

Day 1: Active Waiting on God

Waiting on God is not a passive activity. It involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. This active waiting strengthens our faith and aligns us with God's timing. Bartimaeus, despite his blindness and societal isolation, did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith. This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing. [47:28]

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you are waiting for God's intervention. How can you actively prepare, pray, and position yourself during this waiting period?

Day 2: Maintaining Vision and Hope

Vision helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack. Bartimaeus, despite his blindness, had a clear vision of what he wanted from Jesus. Maintaining hope and vision during waiting periods prevents us from losing sight of God's promises. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, exemplifies how to wait on God actively. Despite his blindness and societal isolation, he did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith. This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing. [55:46]

Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: What is a specific vision or promise from God that you are holding onto? How can you keep this vision alive and maintain hope during times of waiting?

Day 3: Passion Fueled by Vision

Passion comes from having a clear vision. When we know where we are heading and understand our purpose, we wake up with a drive to push back against the enemy. Passion is not about hype; it's about a deep sense of calling and purpose. Vision helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack. Bartimaeus, despite his blindness, had a clear vision of what he wanted from Jesus. Maintaining hope and vision during waiting periods prevents us from losing sight of God's promises. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, exemplifies how to wait on God actively. Despite his blindness and societal isolation, he did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith. This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing. [01:21:36]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: What is your God-given vision or purpose? How can you let this vision fuel your passion and drive in your daily life?

Day 4: God's Perfect Timing

God's timing is always perfect, even if it feels slow to us. When Bartimaeus received his sight, it happened immediately, but it was right on God's schedule. We must trust that God's greatest blessings require patience and preparation. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, exemplifies how to wait on God actively. Despite his blindness and societal isolation, he did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith. This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing. [01:29:57]

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's timing was slow. How did the outcome demonstrate God's perfect timing in hindsight?

Day 5: Celebrating Progress

While waiting, we should celebrate the progress we've made and trust that God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us. This involves staying in the process and not rushing out prematurely. God's work in us is worth the wait. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, exemplifies how to wait on God actively. Despite his blindness and societal isolation, he did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith. This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing. [01:39:50]

Philippians 1:6 (ESV): "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Reflection: What progress can you celebrate in your spiritual journey? How can you trust that God is preparing you for what He has prepared for you?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the powerful story of Bartimaeus from Mark 10, focusing on the theme "God is at work, wait." We began by acknowledging the faithfulness of Jesus and the importance of honoring those who serve in our church community. As we transition from vision season to harvest season, we are reminded to invite others to experience God's work in their lives.

Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, exemplifies how to wait on God actively. Despite his blindness and societal isolation, he did not lose hope. When he heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, demonstrating his unwavering faith. Jesus responded to his persistent cries, asking him what he wanted. Bartimaeus asked to recover his sight, and Jesus healed him immediately, attributing his healing to his faith.

This story teaches us that while we wait for God's promises, we must maintain our vision and hope. Waiting on God is not passive; it involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. Our waiting should be filled with praise, service, and trust in God's perfect timing.

We also discussed the importance of having vision and passion. Vision helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack, and passion fuels our pursuit of God's purposes. Even in the waiting, we must remain passionate and committed to following Jesus.

Finally, we celebrated communion, remembering Jesus' sacrifice and the vision He gives us. We were encouraged to trust in God's timing, stay in the process, and not rush out of the "oven" prematurely. God's greatest blessings require patience and preparation. As we wait, we should celebrate the progress we've made and trust that God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us.

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Key Takeaways

1. Active Waiting on God: Waiting on God is not a passive activity. It involves active preparation, prayer, and positioning ourselves correctly. We must put our hope in God, not in outcomes or results. This active waiting strengthens our faith and aligns us with God's timing. [47:28]
2. Maintaining Vision and Hope: Vision helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack. Bartimaeus, despite his blindness, had a clear vision of what he wanted from Jesus. Maintaining hope and vision during waiting periods prevents us from losing sight of God's promises. [55:46]
3. Passion Fueled by Vision: Passion comes from having a clear vision. When we know where we are heading and understand our purpose, we wake up with a drive to push back against the enemy. Passion is not about hype; it's about a deep sense of calling and purpose. [81:36]
4. God's Perfect Timing: God's timing is always perfect, even if it feels slow to us. When Bartimaeus received his sight, it happened immediately, but it was right on God's schedule. We must trust that God's greatest blessings require patience and preparation. [89:57]
5. Celebrating Progress: While waiting, we should celebrate the progress we've made and trust that God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us. This involves staying in the process and not rushing out prematurely. God's work in us is worth the wait. [01:39:50]
### [99:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[43:43] - Honoring Team Shiloh
[44:45] - Harvest Season
[45:14] - Scripture Reading: Mark 10
[46:16] - Bartimaeus' Cry for Mercy
[47:28] - God is at Work, Wait
[48:08] - Vision Season at Shiloh
[49:06] - Preparation Season
[50:34] - Preparing for Miracles
[52:11] - Bartimaeus' Isolation
[53:53] - Do Not Lose Hope
[55:46] - Maintaining Vision
[57:11] - Hope in God
[58:49] - Renewed Strength
[59:45] - Worth the Wait
[61:02] - Position Yourself Correctly
[62:39] - Celebrating in the Process
[65:47] - Active Waiting
[69:02] - Trusting God with the Outcome
[73:38] - Waiting for a Miracle
[75:20] - Pray While You Wait
[78:22] - Relentless Pursuit of Jesus
[79:55] - Using What You Have
[81:36] - Passion from Vision
[84:45] - Hot but Not Ready
[89:57] - God's Greatest Blessings
[91:47] - Throwing Off the Cloak
[93:29] - Articulating Your Needs
[95:01] - Persistence in Prayer
[99:50] - Following Jesus
[101:27] - Communion
[106:08] - Salvation Prayer
[106:48] - Closing and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was Bartimaeus' reaction when he heard that Jesus was passing by? ([45:46])
How did the crowd respond to Bartimaeus' cries for mercy, and what was his reaction to their response? ([45:46])
What did Bartimaeus do when Jesus called him, and what did he ask Jesus for? ([46:16])
What was the immediate result of Bartimaeus' interaction with Jesus? ([46:48])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Bartimaeus continued to cry out for Jesus despite being rebuked by the crowd? ([45:46])
What does Bartimaeus' persistence and faith teach us about how we should approach Jesus with our needs? ([46:16])
How does the story of Bartimaeus illustrate the concept of "active waiting" on God? ([47:28])
In what ways does Bartimaeus' story show the importance of maintaining vision and hope even in difficult circumstances? ([55:46])

Application Questions

Bartimaeus did not let the crowd's rebuke stop him from calling out to Jesus. Have you ever faced discouragement from others when seeking God? How did you respond? ([45:46])
Bartimaeus threw off his cloak and sprang up to meet Jesus. Is there something in your life that you need to "throw off" to fully pursue Jesus? ([46:16])
The sermon emphasized the importance of "active waiting." What are some practical ways you can actively wait on God in your current season of life? ([47:28])
Vision helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack. How can you shift your focus from what you are missing to what God has already provided? ([55:46])
Passion is fueled by vision. What is one area in your life where you need to rekindle your passion by renewing your vision? ([01:21:36])
God's timing is perfect, even if it feels slow to us. Can you recall a time when you had to wait on God's timing? How did it impact your faith? ([01:29:57])
While waiting, we should celebrate the progress we've made. What progress can you celebrate in your spiritual journey right now? ([01:39:50])

Sermon Clips

1. "I believe with my whole heart in this season, in this hour here, as we're in the 24, 25 school year, God wants to accelerate his vision in your life. He wants to accelerate his vision in our church, and he gives us his vision in our church, and he gives us vision, but the pace at which we get there is really determined on us. And I believe God has incredible things in store for us. Tell your neighbor, God's got incredible things in store for you. I see it. I see big things. And God is preparing us for what he's prepared for us. I want you to hear that again. God is preparing us for what he's already prepared for us." [49:06] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The question today is, if you believe that God is at work, how do you wait? What do you do? I love the story we see in Mark 10 about blind Bartimaeus. Maybe you've heard it before if you've been around church for a while, but it speaks to what we do while we wait. While God is at work, how do we wait? Well, one way we do it is we don't lose vision while you wait. There's so much in this story to unpack, but I want to focus on some truths here that are relevant to, I believe, what God is speaking to us individually and as a church." [51:34] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick. And some of you know exactly what it feels like. You've been waiting long, you've been hoping, but it hasn't happened yet. You've been praying for that child. You've been desiring that move of God. You've been believing healing for yourself. And it's not happened yet. And Bartimaeus went through the same thing. He knew what it was like to long for something that hadn't come to pass. What people don't tell you is that hope can be heavy. Holding on to hope and waiting, it's a burden. But here's the key. We aren't meant to carry hope on our own." [57:11] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Waiting on God means doing everything you can, getting the tallest shoes you can, and surrendering everything else you can't. I do all I can, and whatever I can't, I surrender it to Jesus. Waiting on God is not passive. It's an active thing. It doesn't mean sitting in a corner. It doesn't mean isolated you. It means actively praising God, actively serving God, actively giving, actively connecting with others, and doing even in the waiting. What are you doing in the waiting?" [01:07:25] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If you're believing for healing, you should do everything. You should come up to the front every Sunday for prayer. You should tell the oil elders of the house to anoint you with oil. You should go to the doctor. You should change your diet. You should get some exercise routines in your life. Then you wait on God. Then you do not wait in fear. You let go. Fear. You put your trust in Jesus and you refuse to hold on to bitterness, anger, fear, worry, and you refuse to hold on to a victim mentality." [01:09:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "If what God is calling you to do is not causing you to follow Jesus, it is not God, because the Bible said he threw off his cloak, and he followed God. He threw it all aside. He said, I'm passionate. I'm excited. I've got a good gratitude. I'm fully devoted to you. That's passion and devotion. It's not about excitement or emotion, but it's about being fully committed to Jesus. See, Bartimaeus didn't just want healing. He wanted transformation. He wanted a new cloak. He wanted beauty for ashes." [01:31:47] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "When Jesus called the fishermen, what did they do? The Bible says they laid down their nets, and they followed Jesus. If what God is calling you to do is not causing you to follow Jesus, it is not God, because the Bible said he threw off his cloak, and he followed God. He threw it all aside. He said, I'm passionate. I'm excited. I've got a good gratitude. I'm fully devoted to you. That's passion and devotion. It's not about excitement or emotion, but it's about being fully committed to Jesus." [01:31:47] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "When God shows up, it feels like things happen instantly. People might say, wow, that was overnight miracle. But we know the truth. We know the truth, what it'd take us as a people to get here 59 years later. Right? What looks like overnight success is years and even decades in the making. God's speed is quick, but His clock feels slow. God is never late, but let's be real, He's rarely early, but He's always, always on time." [01:38:15] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "If we gain vision, then we need to follow the one who gives it to us. We have to choose to, walk in His direction. Shiloh Church, everything we do, everything we give, every prayer we prove, every act of service we do, is so that others may come and see Jesus and follow Him. That's our mission. It's our vision, that people in our city would gain vision, receive their healing, and become followers of Jesus Christ." [01:39:50] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Don't let waiting make you throw your hope away. Put your trust in God, not just in the result, not just in the outcome, but put your trust in Jesus Himself. Don't let your hope or trust be bigger in the thing. Put it all in God. He is your miracle. And while you wait, celebrate. Remember, you may not be there yet, but you're further along than you were yesterday. Be prepared. Stay in the fire. Don't get the quick fix. You want full healing. You want restoration. You want a solid foundation that'll last." [01:39:50] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?