“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.” (Hab. 2:3 ESV)

Wait on the Lord to inherit the land

“For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:9)

“Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.” (Psalm 37:34)

Wait on the Lord to receive goodness

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lam. 3:25-26 ESV)

Wait on the Lord to renew strength

“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.” (Isa. 49:31 ESV) 

Wait on the Lord to receive courage

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

 Therefore…

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Eccles. 3:1)

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7 ESV)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28 ESV)

Quotes:

“To wait on God means to pause and soberly consider our own inadequacy and the Lord’s all-sufficiency, and to seek counsel and help from the Lord, and to hope in Him (Psm. 33:20-22; Isa. 8:17)… The folly of not waiting for God is that we forfeit the blessing of having God work for us. The evil of not waiting on God is that we oppose God’s will to exalt Himself in mercy.” - John Piper

“If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6 ESV)

No matter which side wins

When national elections occur, many will become anxious at the results. Our country is divided right down the middle. I have brothers and sisters on each side of the political aisle and both sides don’t understand how the others could vote as they do. And, when the election is finally over, some are very disappointed, even anxious and depressed about it. But, God’s instructions in the above passage makes it absolutely clear that you must NOT allow yourself to anxious about “anything”, which does include elections, if your candidate doesn’t win! Why is doing what God says so important? Because it is the ultimate answer to anxiety in all situations and it works! Something miraculous happens when the simple instruction in this passage are followed; taking things to God by “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,” instead of allowing yourself to be anxious, brings you “the peace of God, which “surpasses all understanding,” and “guards your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.” 

Rest assured that God is in charge of the future

He will make all things work out according His purpose, and that will end up okay! 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28 ESV)

God plans a positive future and a hope for you 

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

Therefore..

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV)

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

Quotes:

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." - George Mueller

“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." - Charles Spurgeon

“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient." - Hudson Taylor

“Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.” (Eccles.10:12 NIV)

A good man speaks from good things stored up in his heart 

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45 NIV)

Think before you speak 

“Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive.” (Prov. 16:23 GNT)

“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.” (Prov. 15:28 BSB)

Speak to benefit those who listen 

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Eph. 4:29 NIV)

Therefore…

“Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3 NIV)

“A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! (Prov. 15:23 NIV)

 Quote:

“We have all felt the brazenness of words without emotion, the hollowness, the unaccountable unpersuasiveness of eloquence behind which lies no love.” - Henry Drummond

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalms 34:17-19)

Everyone experiences some kind of an emergency from time to time

Emergencies happen to everyone. Emergencies usually happen suddenly, when you least expect them. When they do arrive, know that God will take care of you. 

When an emergency happens 

• Seek God first about it –

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8 NIV)

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matt. 6:33 NLT). 

• Give thanks for it – 

 “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18 NLT)

• Claim God’s promises about it – 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:18)

• Watch for God’s provision for it – 

“…I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matt. 7:11)

 Therefore…

“I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matt. 6:31-32)

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7)

Quote:

“God is able to accomplish, provide, help, save, keep, subdue… He is able to do what you can’t. He already has a plan. God’s not bewildered. Go to Him.” Max Lucado

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Prov. 23:18 ESV)

When things look dark

Sometimes, fearful and disappointing things happen making the future appear very dark and foreboding. During times like these it’s important to look at the big picture and understand that what we see is only temporary! It’s also important to understand who we belong to. As God’s children our future is actually very bright no matter how things may look here, or no matter what may happen around us or to us. During a national crisis, someone asked Billy Graham what his thoughts were and he said, “I’m not worried, I have read the last page of the Bible and we win!” Someone else has said, “I stopped worrying about what the future holds when I put my trust in the One who holds the future.”

We are God’s children

“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3 ESV)

God is in control

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28 ESV)

Therefore…

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:11-12 ESV)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13 ESV)

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12 ESV)

 Quotes:

“Where there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present.” – John Maxwell

 “Hope itself is like a star – not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“I am not really alone, because the Father is with me.” (John 16:32 GNT)

You are never alone

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5 ESV)

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zeph. 3:17 ESV)

God’s steadfast love is with you

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isa. 54:10 ESV)

Therefore…

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 ESV)

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38-39 ESV)

Quote: 

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – Jesus Christ  (John 10:27)

“But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Cor. 6:17)

God is Spirit

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 ESV)

The Spirit is alive and dwells in you

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” (Rom. 8:9)

“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” (Rom. 8:10)

The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…” (Rom. 8:6)

“…the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Gal. 6:8)

Strength and power through His Spirit

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.” (Eph. 3:16-17 NIV) 

Therefore…

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” (1 John 4:13 NIV)

“…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:29)

Quote:

”It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” - Jesus Christ (John 6:63 ESV)

The six verses of Psalms 150 is a doxology that closes the entire Book of Psalms and it is a general exhortation to praise God. The psalmist urges the congregation to praise God with music and dancing, naming nine types of musical instruments. For this reason it is also called "the musicians' psalm. 

“1  Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

2  Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3  Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,

4  praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and strings and pipe,

5  praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

6  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” (Psalms 150:1-6 NIV)

Therefore…

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Psalm 145:3 NIV)

 Quote:

“Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song. By grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue to sing. What will some of you do when you get to heaven, if you go on grumbling all the way? Do not hope to get to heaven in that style. But now begin to bless the name of the Lord.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” (Prov. 22:29 NKJV)

Excellence: The state, quality, or condition of excelling; superiority; to take the lead; to be the best; possessing good qualities in high degree.  

Christians must always strive for excellence 

What you do represents who you are and who you’re connected to. God is your father, Jesus is your Savior and Lord. Why would you want to settle for less?

Excellence examples in the Bible 

• Daniel’s excellent spirit

“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” (Dan. 6:3 KJV)

• Joseph’s excellent work 

“You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you. Pharaoh also told Joseph, "I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt." (Gen. 40-41)

• Mordecai’s excellent behavior 

“For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.” (Est. 10:3)

Therefore…

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Phil. 1:9-11)

“And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (1 Thes. 3:12-13)

Quotes:

“The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” - Vince Lombardi

 “The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it's a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.” - Charles R. Swindoll