Not When But What

Not When But What

Acts 1: ⁴ And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

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Looking at the clock I dreaded the displayed time. “Will we ever get out of school?” I said to myself. I looked back at the clock and only two minutes had passed. Another time, I glanced at a timeclock. “Will I ever get off work?” I said to myself. The smoke filled bowling alley had gotten on my nerves and I wanted to be home.

• Many times I have been impatient.
• Many times I wanted everything to be corrected right then and there.
• Many times I wanted to be delivered from a circumstance because the situation had gone on for years, with no end in sight.

JESUS explains “what” will happen, but the people wanted to know “when.” HE then says ““It is not for you to know times or seasons which the FATHER has put in HIS own authority.” He then gives them more of a glimpse into “what” they should be focused on.

• GOD wants me to focus on what HE wants me to do.
• GOD wants me to be prepared to speak about HIM at all times.
• GOD wants me to be a witness to HIM wherever HE sends me.

“Wait for the Promise of the FATHER” are words that are sometimes hard to grasp. BUT GOD gives me something else to focus on. HE sends me to HIS harvest, which is plentiful, and gives me plenty to do. Since many of HIS promises can take several human lifetimes, HE wants me to focus on “what” HE wants me to do with HIS kingdom.

GOD guides me to those HE seeks and only I can reach. HE sends many to do the same. “Wait on the LORD” are words I accept and while I’m waiting, I will praise HIM.

• Are you waiting on GOD?
• Have you been waiting on HIM for years or even decades?”
• Will you focus your attention on “what” HE wants you to do so you can take your mind off of “when” HE will deliver you or those you have been praying for?