Faithful Waiting: Right Place, Right Reasons

Now, what has God's sovereignty got to say about that though? Were you in the right place at the right time when God was getting to do the right thing? Is it more of God's sovereignty that put you in the right place at the right time? Or did you make certain choices that had you in the right place at the right time? Some of you, you would know probably the disappointment of being in the wrong place at the right time. [00:36:27] (26 seconds)  #ChoicesMatterToo

And could it ultimately be the combination is being in the right place at the right time, doing the right things for the right reasons? And could doing the right things for the right reasons be the consistent pattern of our life no matter how this other side works itself out? So that yes, when the role of sovereignty is certainly ordained many things in our life, but my free will, I've got to cooperate with that. And that what I want to do, what I can control, is making sure I do the right things for the right reasons so that when the right thing happens, I'm in the right place at the right time. [00:38:48] (49 seconds)  #CooperateWithSovereignty

What part of this whole thing do we control? And what does God control? And is it, is the best formula of all to be in the right place at the right time doing the right things for the right reason? And the answer to that is yes, because you could be doing the right things for the right reason and still not be in the right place. And that's what religion or the religiosity of the Pharisees would do. [00:40:35] (27 seconds)  #HumilityOverReligiosity

God, and the offering that you bring is two pigeons, two pigeons, okay? And that's the key here is sincerity of heart is probably the single most important thing, okay? Because you can be in the right place at the right time doing the right things for the wrong reasons. And when you pull this together, two pigeons, whoo, God's like, praise the Lord, somebody gets it. And we get to control that. [00:50:18] (36 seconds)  #SincerityOfHeart

Just because we're waiting doesn't mean we can't wait well. Just because we're waiting on anything in life, that should not dictate us stopping doing, you know what the right thing to do is, and you know the right reason to do it. You know the disciplines of the faith. In fact, generally, for most of you in Glasgow and Morgantown this morning, it's really making sure you're not doing the wrong things. Like, what are those things that we tend to do that keep us from doing the right things, because the right things, for the right reason, put us in the right place at the right time, right? [00:54:53] (38 seconds)  #WaitWellKeepDoingRight

Sometimes it's not all out immorality. It could be, you know, put down the Instagram. Put your mind in the right place. Stop watching reel after reel after reel after reel after reel after reel after reel. Put yourself in the right mindset. Put yourself in the right frame of mind. Look at all of your activities, and they don't have to be epically immoral in order for them to get you dislocated from what God's longing to do in your life. [00:55:31] (35 seconds)  #PutDownTheScroll

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. See that doing the right things for the right reasons, and guess what that did for him? Led him to being in the right place at the right time. You can't deny it. And that, Luke isn't trying to get you and me impressed with Simeon. He's trying to impress upon us the principle that there is value. There is huge value in waiting well, in doing the right things for the right reasons, because you'll find yourself in the right place at the right time. [00:56:07] (45 seconds)  #WaitWellActRight

Sovereign Lord, the combination of free will and making the right choices for the right reasons and the sovereignty of God. This is the intersection of life. Sure, there's so many things that only God can do, but there's so many things that only we can do. And while we wait, we trust God's sovereignty, and we take that opportunity to do what we're capable of doing, the right things for the right reasons, because we trust God. That'll put us in the right place at the right time. See the intersection? It's not either or, it's both and. [00:57:04] (43 seconds)  #SovereigntyAndFreeWill

And I can wipe until Jesus comes back and that reality is not leaving. Even doing the right things for the right reason, put you in the right place at the right time, doesn't protect us from the painful situations and circumstances that life has. And because we know God is sovereign, doesn't protect us from extraordinarily painful situations that create terrible suffering. [00:59:41] (49 seconds)  #FaithDoesntPreventSuffering

So Mary will be at the foot of the cross, watching her 33-year-old son be beaten to death for the sins of the world. But three days later, she'll be at the tomb. And how'd she end up at the tomb? Because she already had a pattern of doing the right things for the right reasons. And what put her and the other ladies at the tomb? Wanting to do the right things for the right reasons. [01:00:31] (34 seconds)  #PatternOfFaith

Because you want to be a person who's doing the right thing for the right reasons when the tragedy comes. Because then you are already way ahead of the curve. And you know why you're doing the right things for the right reasons. It's because you know the one who requires it. You're in a relationship with the one who requires it. [01:01:44] (24 seconds)  #RootedInRelationship

``And Luke, he's just being as honest as he can with us about the reality of being one who follows the Christ. So with Simeon, we should not be waiting to die so we can see. We should be waiting to see so that we might finally live. See, we're on the other side of the crucifixion now. And once we see, we get to live. [01:02:08] (26 seconds)  #WaitToSeeLive

If you want to make sure that you have some, if you will, comfort in retirement, then you've got to do the right things for the right reasons. You've got to save well. You've got to save well. You've got to project. You've got to think. I've got to make sure that I'm doing the right things for the right reasons. Yes, and in that, you've got to be generous towards God. Because you don't want to be the guy who kept storing it in his barns, in his barns, in his barns, in his barns, until he decided, I'm going to make bigger, I'm going to tear down the ones I have. I'm going to make even bigger ones. Which is the most nonsensical thing I've ever heard. [01:09:24] (33 seconds)  #SaveAndGiveWisely

It's that when Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And in essence, they went back the same way they came. They went back to the same life they were living. And they were still the same people they were before they came. And what's so profoundly significant for us to understand is that it's possible for somebody to do everything required by the law and still not be saved. They still needed Christ to die for their sins. They were still sinners in need of a Savior. [01:13:56] (48 seconds)  #LawIsNotEnough