"Ignoring God's Timing: The Consequences and Lessons Learned"

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Hello, hello, and welcome back, my beautiful people, to the Diary of a Black

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Woman's Podcast. I'm so happy for your support.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm glad that you are returning for another

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one of our powerful episodes in our series, The Games We Play With God.

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Today's episode is called Ignoring God's Timing. One of the most challenging

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aspects of our walk with God is waiting on his perfect timing.

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It's always tempting, you know, to rush ahead, to kind of have a plan B, right?

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When we think God is moving way too slow or delaying us or maybe he didn't hear

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us when his timing feels inconvenient.

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But ignoring God's timing can lead to missed blessings and unnecessary struggles.

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So today we're going to explore the story of Sarah and Abraham as they waited for the promised child.

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We'll discuss the consequences of stepping outside of God's timeline.

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You know, I always talk about, you know, God is going to bless you.

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But guess what? He is going to also have you take care of some consequences

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for not listening than the first time.

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You know how when you're a child, you know, yeah, I love you, baby girl, baby boy.

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But because you didn't obey, you still got that punishment.

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It won't be as long, but you still got to understand when I say no, it means no.

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Right. Like, so like I said, we're going to explore the story of Abraham and

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Sarah as they waited for their promised child.

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You know, that was Isaac. And we'll discuss the consequences of stepping outside of God's timeline.

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If you ever struggle with impatience.

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Or fear of waiting for God's promises, this episode is for you.

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So we're going to discuss Sarah and Abraham's impatience.

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I think it was more Sarah's impatience, but let's see.

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Let's go to Genesis 16, chapter 16, verses 1 through 4, and let's read.

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It says, Now Sarai, Abraham, Abraham's wife, had borne no children,

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but she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar.

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So she said to Abraham, The Lord has kept me from having children. Go sleep with my slave.

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Perhaps I can build a family through her.

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Abraham agreed to what Sarai said.

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So after Abraham had been living in Canaan for 10 years, Sarai,

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his wife, took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.

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Now we listen to that story, we go like, well, that sounds like Sarai grew impatient with God.

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And Sarai thought of a shortcut to get what she wanted from God.

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I said, you know, maybe this is how God wanted it.

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And then we have Abraham says, okay, let's try it this way.

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It sounds like the story of the garden of Adam and Eve.

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Remember, you know, remember Adam knew what the story was.

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Eve probably knew too, because, you know, if you're hanging out with Adam,

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he'd probably say, you know, the Lord said, don't touch any of those trees.

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Don't, you know, we're not supposed to do this.

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And who gave in? Adam gave in too, right?

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And so, you know, Abraham knew what the story was, and he and Eve still gave in to Sarai, his wife.

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So we always ask, you know, as a police officer, retired police officer at that,

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asking, you know, when you see something that's unbelievable,

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because everything that we experience as police officers don't really make the news.

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Some things are just kind of unbelievable. Like, who thought of this idea and

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how did you think that was going to work? That's kind of those plans.

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Like, how, Sarah, how did you think that was going to work out in the eyes of God?

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Abraham, I mean, what was no? Can you say, no, this is not going to work?

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Could we wait on God? So in our own eyes, we can be critical,

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right? We can say, dang, really, Sarai?

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But what have we done, right? What have we done to kind of fast forward a promise

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from God or shortcut a plan for God?

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Let's just not get all in their case. Let's talk about our business.

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So we see here that God has promised Abraham descendants as numerous as stars.

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So Abraham knew that he was going to have some descendants.

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So he figured like still, as the years passed without a child,

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Sarah took manners into her own hands.

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She gave her servant Hagar to Abraham, leading to jealousy, conflict, and heartache.

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Can I just say, what did you expect?

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If we go out of the will of God, we can expect to have jealousy,

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conflict, and heartache. Why?

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Because it's not God's perfect plan.

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You sleeping with your slave, how do you think that was going to work out?

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Ignoring God's timing often leads to solutions that bring temporary relief,

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but long-term complications.

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Can I get a shout out on that one?

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I want to say that again. Ignoring God's timing often leads to solutions.

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I didn't say it didn't solve the problem. It gives you a solution,

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but it brings temporary relief.

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But long-term complications. So are you trying to force a solution instead of

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waiting on God's perfect timing?

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What's the cost of ignoring God's timing?

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Sarah and Abraham's impatience came with significant consequences.

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Number one, a conflict in relationships. Whenever your man sleeps with another

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woman, you know that's going to be conflict.

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So I don't know Sarah had a bright idea, but then she got a little jealous.

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Did she get a little jealous?

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It was a little conflict and she had a little heartache.

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So you read the story, that was just a lot of drama that could have been avoided.

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The decision to involve Hagar in that marriage relationship led to division

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and strife within their household.

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Number two, it delayed the promises of God. It delayed God's promise.

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God did not speak to Abraham and Sarah for 14 years.

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Think how it felt to not hear God's voice for that long when God was always speaking to Abram.

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Abram knew he messed up, so their action didn't cancel God's promise,

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but delayed their ability to experience the fulfillment of his blessings.

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You know when you messed up when God's not talking to you.

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Number three, generational impact.

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We know the story of Ishmael, the son of Hagar, became the ancestor of a nation

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that will often be at odds with Israel.

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So we started a long-term fight.

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What did I say earlier?

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It says ignoring God's timing often leads to a solution that brings temporary

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relief but long-term complications.

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Psalms 27, 14 tells us to wait for the Lord.

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Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

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So that strong and take heart is that part of waiting for the Lord.

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Waiting on God requires faith and patience, but His timing is always worth it.

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Some modern examples of ignoring God's timing.

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So that's all. We've got the Bible example. So how does it look today when we ignore God's timing?

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We may not be giving our servants to our spouses, but often we often ignore

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God's timing in other ways.

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How do we do that? Number one, rushing into decisions, whether it's a career

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move, a relationship, or a significant purchase, moving ahead of God often leads to regret.

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I mean, if you can say, yep, that's true, just rushing into a decision.

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Many times we have a decision waiting on our desk or even in our family situation.

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And if we do it now, it's always, if we do it now, we'll get this.

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But if we wait, we might miss this. Always this rush. It reminds me of shopping online.

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And they always say, this is the last one. And you're like, well,

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I don't need it right now.

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But you feel forced to buy it because it says it's running out or quantity is low.

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But what happens if you just turn it, turn off that online shopping and just,

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if it's there tomorrow, I'll get it.

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If it's not, I won't. And instead of feeling pressured to purchase something

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that you really maybe not need,

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especially if you're doubting about getting it in the first place or rushing

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to buy a new car when your car is still running pretty good,

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you know, or rushing to buy a house because your neighbor or your friend bought one,

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resting to have a baby because everybody in the office is pregnant.

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Did I say that? Come on now. Rushing to get married.

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It's always a rush, a rush, a rush. Whenever you feel that rush,

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that means that's not God because God is the one that will have you waiting patiently.

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So whenever you find yourself waiting patiently, you know that's the Lord at work in your life.

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And so that's how you know when you're ignoring God's timing,

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when you feel like you're being rushed.

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Even if you wait 24 hours, just wait because the Lord might have something better.

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Number two, forcing outcomes, trying to control situations instead of trusting

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God to work them out in his time.

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Many times you want to do something, but maybe your friends aren't ready,

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or maybe you're not ready and your friends are trying to get you to do something.

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You just want to wait, right? Forcing outcomes. What are you trying to force?

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You know, just sit and you wait. I'm not going to rush it. I'm going to be patient.

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I'm going to wait for this to happen. I'm not going to force it.

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Whenever you feel the rush or you feel a force, you automatically say that's

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not God because God is not going to force you to do anything,

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and he's definitely not going to rush you to do anything.

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Another thing here is number three, it says delaying when God says to move.

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Okay, sometimes ignoring God's timing means hesitating when he calls us to act.

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Now, sometimes God has an urgent, it's in your spirit, he'll say, go now.

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And then you're too busy waiting when he's telling you to go.

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And you know when it's urgent because it doesn't release it.

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It doesn't, it's not the force that you feel like compelled to.

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It's a different kind, it's a different feeling.

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You're like, I need you to do it now.

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Turn now, stop now, go now. If you know how God works, you'll know that's him.

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But sometimes, many times we ignore God's timing and then we miss the appointment, right?

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So how do you ignore God's timing? when you rush, when you're forced,

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and even sometimes you are delayed.

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You delay it. So you're so protected that you're always waiting,

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that you don't know when to move.

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So you have to find a balance here. So sometimes hesitation,

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you just can't be so nervous. When God tells you to go, go. If he tells you to stop, stop.

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If you trust God, he's going to not let you make a mistake If you just listen

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to him, get used to following his direction, right?

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So don't rush it, don't force it, and don't delay it.

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Ecclesiastes 3.1 reads, There's a time for everything and a season for every

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action under the heavens.

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God's timing is perfect even when it doesn't align with our plans. So good.

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How do we stop playing games and line ourselves with God's timing?

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Here are three steps to do that. So we already understand...

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How not to, how not, how, how when we ignore God's timing, how can we learn to trust God's timing?

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How can we do that? So surrender, number one, you want to surrender your timeline. We have a plan.

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We know we set a time and we got this clock and we like, I want it to happen by Wednesday at noon.

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And when it doesn't, what happens to us?

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We pretty much lose faith because our deadline did not meet God's deadline.

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Isaiah 55.8 says it clearly. He says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts,

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neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

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So we have to trust that God's timing is better than yours, even when it's hard to wait.

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And then number two, seek God's guidance daily.

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Spend time in prayer in the word and stay in tune to his timing.

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The steps of a good man are order. And number three, be willing to wait or move.

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So be patient when God says to wait and obedient when he says to move.

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So number one, surrender your timeline. Seek God's guidance daily. That's a key.

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Just knowing how he flows will help you stay right, connected with him.

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And number three will be easy. Be willing to wait or to move.

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And I think what they call that, the fear of missing out. Like,

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I don't want to miss him. I don't want to miss him.

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What's yours is yours, I always believe. Like, he's not going to let you miss it.

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Because when he tells you to go, he's going to say, this is it.

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You know, he has a way of kind of nudging you forward so you don't miss it.

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But you will have to be in tune with him in prayer.

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Always meeting that appointment in the morning or in the evening,

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whenever you spend time with God.

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Then you will say, yep, it's time for me to go. And no one else is moving,

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but you know that you know that you know that you know that it's your time.

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You know, that it's your time to go.

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It's your time to move. Yeah. I was going to say something else, but I'm going to move on.

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It says, let's align our words with our mind.

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It's what our voice put our word on, some decrees here, so we can declare the

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truth that aligns with God's timing. It says, I decree that I will trust God's

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timing, knowing that it's perfect and purposeful.

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I want to say that again. I decree that I would trust God's timing,

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knowing it's perfect and purposeful.

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Remember, we want it to be perfect and purposeful.

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And when it happens, it's always perfect and it's purposeful.

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We couldn't even figure it out.

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It's just so perfect. So you decree that you want his timing and you want it

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to be perfect and purposeful.

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That's so when you move, when God move, you move, right? I love that. When God move, you move.

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Number one, I decree that I will wait on the Lord with faith and patience,

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surrendering my timeline to him.

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We live by a clock, right? But God doesn't.

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He knows what time it is down on earth, but he knows also what time it is in

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the spirit realm. So you have to be spiritually aware and spiritually alert. And how do you do that?

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Through faith and through patience.

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And let's do a last decree. I decree that I will act with obedience and courage

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when God calls me to move.

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So I won't be afraid. I will just go.

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I will just do it. So you said these decrees, I will trust in His timing.

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I will wait with faith and patience. and I will act in obedience.

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So what I want you to take away here is that you want to reflect on areas where

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you might be ignoring God's timing.

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You know, what I realized too, if you're a person that's always late,

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I have friends that were always late.

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They're late all the time to the point where I'd rather drive and meet them

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there than me arriving late with them.

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I mean, it started when we were teenagers and then it went on into Doha.

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So nothing really changed. And to the point where, you know what? I'll meet you there.

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You know, I don't. And so it's like I'll meet you there.

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So when I get ready to go, I can just leave because usually they're late to the party.

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They're late to everything, but they want to stay later. And I usually when

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it's time for me to go, I'm ready to go.

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So we kind of worked it out. I'll meet you there. We'll have fun while we're there.

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They want to stay. I can go. And you kind of you really learn independence that way.

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Right. And so but if you always have a tendency to be late.

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To everything, and then you wonder why God's timing is off, try showing up on

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time every now and then, just saying, just saying, and get the feeling of what that feels like.

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And then you can see how God works, because God does work in the timing arena.

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His timing is always, always perfect.

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But here this week, I want you to, first of all, if you're always running late, try to be on time.

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Just try a couple of times this week and see how that works.

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Leave early, prepare, and try to work on your timing.

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Number two, am I rushing ahead of God or am I hesitant when he's calling me

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to act? Like, find out what's that about?

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Why am I so nervous that God won't show up or why am I hesitating when he tells me to do something?

00:19:02.115 --> 00:19:04.315
Find out, like, what does that fall into?

00:19:04.635 --> 00:19:09.555
Why am I rushing ahead or why am I falling back?

00:19:09.935 --> 00:19:13.535
I mean, that's a question that you and God I can have that discussion on and

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you go to him with some direct questions. He will give you a direct answer and

00:19:18.335 --> 00:19:22.915
he can even pinpoint it like where it started and why, you know.

00:19:23.825 --> 00:19:27.005
And it's probably like fear and unbelief can play into that.

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You know, I'm so afraid you're not going to show up, so I go ahead of you.

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Or I'm afraid of being embarrassed because I brag on you a lot,

00:19:34.585 --> 00:19:38.645
God. So I kind of hesitate on putting your name out there first, right?

00:19:38.945 --> 00:19:44.845
And so maybe those are some things that, you know, that you might kind of show up.

00:19:45.225 --> 00:19:49.405
Or you will do something and say, God did it, and really he didn't, right?

00:19:49.705 --> 00:19:53.465
So how can I trust his plan and timing more fully this week?

00:19:53.825 --> 00:19:57.085
So, like I said, if you're always late, show up on time. Number two,

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find out why you do the things you do, you know, and say, Lord,

00:20:02.285 --> 00:20:04.125
I want to work on this part.

00:20:04.345 --> 00:20:06.345
I want to fix this part.

00:20:06.705 --> 00:20:10.565
I just wrote a couple of three-part devotionals coming later.

00:20:10.805 --> 00:20:15.145
I don't know when it's coming out, but in the public realm, but it's called

00:20:15.145 --> 00:20:17.365
Interference Detected.

00:20:17.365 --> 00:20:21.745
But finding out why, and those are some of the things that Satan can interfere

00:20:21.745 --> 00:20:25.805
in your life in different ways to make you not trust God.

00:20:26.325 --> 00:20:31.705
And if he's already have you late, and so he can kind of get into your mind

00:20:31.705 --> 00:20:35.805
and play more games with you because of everything else off kilter.

00:20:36.125 --> 00:20:38.425
God is a God of excellence and integrity.

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Check those areas too. Right. And so another challenge I want to challenge you

00:20:43.605 --> 00:20:50.525
with is identify one decision or situation where you've been struggling to trust God's timing.

00:20:51.325 --> 00:20:55.985
Write it down, pray over it daily and commit to surrender to him.

00:20:56.085 --> 00:21:00.985
So you've already did a self check, finding out, you know, why I'm always rushing

00:21:00.985 --> 00:21:03.865
ahead or why I'm always delayed. Why I'm always late anyway.

00:21:04.205 --> 00:21:08.465
What is that about me? But then you want to just set one.

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What's that one thing that I'm struggling with in trusting God's time?

00:21:13.105 --> 00:21:17.865
You having that one practical challenge that you want to work with,

00:21:18.165 --> 00:21:22.545
you know, go to God with a hundred, you're going to feel defeated.

00:21:22.925 --> 00:21:27.145
Just pick one, maybe write down your a hundred or your 10 or your five or your

00:21:27.145 --> 00:21:31.565
three, whatever that is, but then just pick one and say, Lord,

00:21:31.645 --> 00:21:33.205
I want to work on this one.

00:21:33.685 --> 00:21:39.205
I want to work on this one. And then once you are successful in that one area.

00:21:40.047 --> 00:21:42.887
Then you'll be like, okay, then I work on that too.

00:21:43.047 --> 00:21:49.067
Because we're talking about playing games with God and God is in this zone of

00:21:49.067 --> 00:21:55.527
getting us to align with what he has because he has more for us than what you see, right?

00:21:55.547 --> 00:22:00.587
If you can see it, then that's not where he wants you.

00:22:00.687 --> 00:22:04.847
You want you to be in faith and believe in the things you can't see beyond what

00:22:04.847 --> 00:22:11.207
you can ask or imagine, that zone, that faith zone. walking in that faith zone.

00:22:11.627 --> 00:22:15.187
And a lot of it's going to require you moving without seeing.

00:22:15.447 --> 00:22:20.187
And so that hesitation or that delay is going to prevent you from getting there.

00:22:20.447 --> 00:22:26.827
And so this week or just today after you hear this, go ahead and write down

00:22:26.827 --> 00:22:31.207
that one decision or situation that you've been struggling with God's timing.

00:22:31.827 --> 00:22:38.207
Write it down, pray over it, surrender to God, and just work it out.

00:22:38.207 --> 00:22:42.187
Don't say, Lord, this is what I want to work out. I want to begin to trust you more.

00:22:42.587 --> 00:22:45.887
Find a scripture, make a decree about it.

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Use the decrees I've already mentioned. I'll say it again.

00:22:49.707 --> 00:22:53.167
I'll say it, repeat them. I decree that with trust in God's timing,

00:22:53.547 --> 00:22:55.687
knowing that it's perfect and purposeful.

00:22:55.987 --> 00:22:59.447
So, Lord, I know you told me to do this. I know it's purpose.

00:22:59.667 --> 00:23:03.027
I know it's purposeful. So help me, Lord, to do this.

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I'm going to start today, right now. I decree that I wait on the Lord with faith

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and patience, surrendering my timeline to him.

00:23:10.287 --> 00:23:13.687
So if you're in a rush to do something and you don't know when,

00:23:13.787 --> 00:23:19.047
say, Lord, I'm going to surrender this thing to you, work on your perfect timeline.

00:23:20.152 --> 00:23:25.552
And then when you tell me to do it, I'm going to act in obedience and courage.

00:23:26.192 --> 00:23:31.752
When you tell me to go, I'm going to go. I'm not going to hesitate no more because

00:23:31.752 --> 00:23:34.192
I'm going to just do it and it'll all work out.

00:23:34.592 --> 00:23:39.692
I know when the Lord told me to start a podcast, I bought all the equipment.

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And I don't really like the sound of my voice on the microphone.

00:23:43.972 --> 00:23:48.332
But isn't that the thing that God wants to use, the thing you don't like about yourself the most?

00:23:48.892 --> 00:23:52.332
Come on, y'all, right? I don't like the way I look in the mirror and he wants

00:23:52.332 --> 00:23:56.452
you to take a picture and post it. You're like, oh my gosh, I got to take a picture.

00:23:57.272 --> 00:24:00.412
I kind of want to use your voice. I'm like, I hate my voice.

00:24:01.132 --> 00:24:07.172
So those are things that he wants to use in your life that you don't like, right?

00:24:07.452 --> 00:24:10.892
And I thought I wasn't a writer, but I'm writing.

00:24:11.132 --> 00:24:17.212
So it's things that you don't like about yourself that he wants to use. I'm on that topic.

00:24:18.072 --> 00:24:24.252
So God wants us to get serious about that. And so that's why he says, just trust in me, right?

00:24:24.712 --> 00:24:27.952
Just trust in me. Just move when I tell you to move.

00:24:28.532 --> 00:24:30.352
Trust in my timing and plans.

00:24:31.332 --> 00:24:34.952
Stop hesitating and just go, right?

00:24:35.832 --> 00:24:38.752
Surrender that one thing. I'm going to close this one out.

00:24:39.052 --> 00:24:43.992
I'm going to pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your perfect timing and your plans.

00:24:45.092 --> 00:24:51.652
Forgive us for the times we've rushed ahead or hesitated when you called us to act.

00:24:52.012 --> 00:24:58.072
Teach us to trust you completely, knowing that your ways are always higher and better than ours.

00:24:58.532 --> 00:25:04.892
Help us to wait with patience and to act with courage when the timing is right.

00:25:05.292 --> 00:25:07.052
In Jesus' name, amen.

00:25:08.012 --> 00:25:12.712
All right. I want to thank you for joining me on this episode of The Games We Play With God.

00:25:12.712 --> 00:25:17.152
Today's message encourages you to share with a friend, subscribe so you won't

00:25:17.152 --> 00:25:25.212
miss the next episode where we will talk about the games, game number 12,

00:25:25.692 --> 00:25:28.092
rejecting God's correction.

00:25:28.432 --> 00:25:36.952
Until next time, stay on time, stay patient, stay faithful, and be blessed.