10/19 Compass Guide Comments By Dr. Daniel Daves

19-Oct Jeremiah 37-38, Mark 15-16, Psalms 106-110, Proverbs 19

Psalm 106:11-14 The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness, they put God to the test.

The Word of God teaches us to discover, dream, plan, and work out the will of God in our lives. We learn to speak to the mountains to move, and to bring Heaven into the earth through prayer and confession. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can build the dream of God.

However, there is one thing that we must learn. That is "divine timing". There are times and seasons that God has set in stone. There are larger, heavenly purposes that we might not be aware of as we live and build for Him. And sometimes, we find ourselves at a PAUSE moment where God says, "Hold".

Times of "divine hold" can be frustrating to say the least. You're marching and advancing along, and suddenly you find yourself in a holding pattern. Just like an airline pilot, you may be told to hold and circle until further notice. You don't know why for sure, but maybe the weather conditions need to improve. Maybe there's an obstruction on the runway. Maybe a military or Presidential aircraft is set to land, and you must stand aside until the path is clear. In the same way, sometimes we are told to pause, and wait upon the Lord. We continue doing what we know to do. But until further instruction comes, we are not allowed to advance.

I remember feeling this way from time to time. And I've helped alot of friends who've entered into that time of "divine hold". Many of us are like racehorses. We're used to running. We practice every day, we run the track, and we are happy. But then suddenly we are restricted. There's a door in front of us that's closed, with walls around us. The gate behind us is also closed. There is no way out. It's a small, crammed space and it's very uncomfortable. It's hard to breathe, and it's hard to see through that gate. What in the world is going on? Then to add to the anxiety, someone back behind hits you in the butt with an electric shocker that sends a jolt of energy through your body. You feel like running!!

Suddenly, the door opens in front of you and you jolt out of that gate, entering a new race. You're on a big track with lots of other horses. The crowds are cheering and you suddenly realize that everything you trained for is here, and it's now. It's a new day. You will not miss jumping out of that shoot when the door opens because you are ready to go!

This is how I have felt before, just before the gate opened for my new assignment to build God's kingdom.

Look at the key scripture today. Israel forgot what God had done to bring them out of Egypt and open up the Red Sea. And they did not wait for His plan to unfold. Yikes! Jumping over the gate too early disqualifies you from the race. Unwillingness to wait for the bigger plan will get you (and others) into a lot of trouble. It's better to wait patiently upon the Lord and let Him set up the next move. You will be happy, grateful, and empowered when you see the Master Plan unfold.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Those who wait upon the Lord are not still. They continue to serve him unwaveringly. Like a waiter at a restaurant, we serve God with all that we know to do. Until the gate in front of us opens and the season of "divine hold" is over, we continue steadfastly serving, helping people, feeding the poor, preaching the gospel, healing the sick, etc.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Patience . . .

Tomorrow's Reading:
20-Oct Jeremiah 39-40, Luke 1-2, Psalms 111-115, Proverbs 20