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Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201635A
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01:20 ♪♪ ♪♪ >> It has stood
01:32 the test of time -- God's Book, the Bible -- still relevant 01:39 in today's complex world. "It Is Written," 01:45 sharing messages of hope around the world. 01:50 ♪♪ ♪♪ >> On January the 15th, 2009, 02:05 an event unfolded that has been described even by the secular press as a miracle. 02:12 At 3:24 p.m., U.S. Airways flight 1549 was cleared for takeoff. 02:19 It was a routine flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Charlotte, 02:23 North Carolina. There were 150 passengers aboard, 02:27 along with five crew members. As the engines throttled up and the Airbus 320 lifted off, 02:35 everything seemed normal. But at 3:27 p.m., something very much out 02:41 of the ordinary happened. A flock of geese flew in the path of flight 1549, 02:48 and flight 1549 struck the geese. That strike caused not one 02:55 but both engines to fail. And now Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and 03:03 first officer Jeff Skiles were faced with a major dilemma. With their aircraft completely 03:10 impaired, how could they land the airplane and take their passengers 03:15 to safety? They followed the appointed parameters of the engine 03:19 checklist for engine restart. The plane was at 3,000 feet, and they could not restart 03:27 the engines. Sully called mayday and requested emergency 03:32 landing procedures. He was instructed to turn back toward LaGuardia, 03:37 but it became apparent that it would not be a good option. Then, he was called to 03:43 a secondary airport, Teterboro. But Sully waited, 03:48 and he calculated his situation, and in that very quick moment, he realized that either 03:53 of those options would lead to certain disaster. And so, following his years 04:00 of training and experience, he realized that their best chance of survival 04:05 would be a crash landing into the water of the Hudson River. 04:11 And so flight 1549, at approximately 3:31 p.m., crash landed into the 04:18 Hudson River, which was described both by passengers and crew as nothing more 04:25 than a hard landing, or so it felt like. Because Sully waited and 04:31 followed the training he had, all passengers and crew members were saved. 04:36 Not one life was lost. In the aftermath, investigators questioned 04:42 the decision of Sullenberger, but they found that his decision likely not only saved 04:48 the lives of 155 people on board flight 1549 but likely saved many 04:55 hundreds of others who would've been killed on the ground 04:58 had Sully attempted the return to LaGuardia or to go to Teterboro. 05:04 Could it be that this story of waiting, instead of going on the advice 05:10 of others or merely operating on gut reactions, could contain a lesson 05:17 for us today? As God's people, Israel, settled in the Promised Land, 05:25 a history that is recorded in the Book of Joshua and Judges, 05:29 something happened amongst God's people that he had not hoped for. 05:35 Israel was to be a light to the nations. They were to bring about 05:39 a transformation of the land. They were to operate against the grain of society 05:47 and be a light. However, instead of going against the grain, Israel, 05:52 for all practical purposes, began to become like the nations surrounding her. 05:57 The testimony of the scriptures is one of repeated apostasy and going against the very 06:03 commands of God. The conclusion of the Book of Judges 06:08 ends with these words. 06:16 Now, there would come a time of revival in Israel, and the prophet Samuel 06:21 would become judge over Israel. However, Israel wasn't content with the prophet 06:28 as judge over them. They desired something more. They desired to be 06:34 more like the nations that surrounded them, and the Bible records 06:38 what happens in 1 Samuel 8:1-5, and this is what the Bible says. 07:31 Now, this question was not a personal attack against the leadership of Samuel, 07:35 but rather it was a rejection of something far greater. God himself knew that this was 07:42 more than just the reaction of Samuel's leadership. In fact, verses 6 and 9 state 07:51 this. 08:39 The history of Israel is a testimony to God's favor and his appointed times. 08:46 But Israel was no longer interested in the theocracy of God's rule, 08:52 but they wanted to be like the nations around her. They desired to be led 08:57 by a human leader. So God allowed Israel to have her way and to have a king, 09:05 even after Samuel warned them of what would be brought about by that king's rule. 09:10 They still desired a king, but who would become the king? Who would be the human leader 09:18 over Israel? 1 Samuel 9:1-2 describe who would become the next leader of 09:28 Israel. 10:02 The Bible describes this candidate for king as a choice man, 10:06 literally translated as a young man from his beauty and form. 10:12 It's also translated as "the chosen one," "the one who has been examined 10:17 and tested." But it also carries with it the connotation of one 10:21 who has been divinely chosen. But not only was he a choice man, a young man, 10:28 but the Bible says he was a handsome man. The word in the original 10:33 has a variety of meanings -- good, merry, pleasant, desirable, happy, right, 10:40 precious, and righteous. Not only that, but the Bible says, beyond his choice nature, 10:47 beyond his handsome looks, he was taller than any of the people. 10:53 Now, the word here is frequently used to describe high and lofty hills. 10:59 But the word is also used in a qualitative sense of majesty and dignity. 11:06 However, there are some instances in the Bible that this word is also used to 11:10 describe someone of haughty or prideful nature. So it would seem that Israel 11:20 had their man. He looked the part -- tall, handsome, all the physical 11:25 characteristics you could ask for -- a man of seemingly good moral character. 11:30 Now, possibly he had some pride or arrogance, but I'm sure, one may wonder, 11:36 don't all good leaders have a little bit of arrogance? His name was Saul. 11:41 Literally, in the Bible, it means "to ask for." Israel asked for a king, 11:47 and it seemed that they had found him. A physical prowess and presence 11:52 that might help them forget what they were replacing God Almighty with -- a man. 11:59 The Bible records that Samuel anointed Saul as king, and as Samuel anointed Saul, 12:04 he had some specific instructions from the Lord. Now, those instructions 12:08 are recorded in 1 Samuel 10:1-8. 14:00 And so Saul obeyed the commands of the Lord, or at least it seems that he did. 14:06 He obeyed almost all of them. Samuel anointed Saul, and he was proclaimed king, 14:13 and the people rejoiced at their new king, and he went about 14:17 as a mighty king. First, he saved Jabesh-Gilead from the Ammonites, 14:22 and now he was gonna take on the mighty Philistines, so he blew the trumpets of war, 14:27 and the men of Israel joined him at Gilgal for the showdown with these heathen Philistines. 14:33 1 Samuel 13:5-7 tell us of this amazing showdown. 15:21 Saul had followed the instructions of the Lord, as given by Samuel. 15:25 He had followed all of those instructions, and now came the instructions 15:29 for when he came to Gilgal. The instructions of Samuel were clear -- 15:34 "Seven days you shall wait till I come to you and show you what you should do." 15:40 I want you to notice the instruction. It is key. 15:45 "First, you're to wait seven days. Second, you are to wait for me." 15:51 Samuel spoke to Saul and told him the third thing he was to do is that he would show 15:59 him what to do. The Philistines were there. They were there in mighty 16:06 numbers, and his men trembled. And so, what was Saul to do? The Bible records what the 16:13 almost obedient Saul did. 1 Samuel 13 continues on. 16:39 At first, it may seem that Saul was obedient. He waited the seven days 16:43 for the appointed time. However, while he did, in fact, wait for the appointed time, 16:48 he did not wait for the appointed way in which Samuel instructed him. 16:51 Now, there were challenges beyond just the waiting. Saul gave offerings which 16:55 he was unqualified to give. You see, he was almost obedient. But he took matters 17:01 into his own hands, and the sad story of Saul's continues in 1 Samuel 13. 18:17 Saul was unwilling to wait. He was unwilling to wait for God's appointed time 18:21 and God's appointed way. The instructions were clear. He was to wait for three 18:27 things -- God's appointed time, God's appointed prophet, and God's appointed instructions 18:32 from the prophet. The testimony of scripture is that Saul 18:37 only waited for one of those. Verse 12 tells us that Saul felt compelled, 18:43 literally, to hold fast. It was an emotional decision that drove Saul to act 18:48 and make the offering. It was not God's word. It was emotion. 18:55 And Samuel summarizes the extent of the nature of what Saul did when he simply said to him, 19:01 "You have done foolishly." The Hebrew word there is the opposite of wisdom. 19:10 Most often, it is a word used to describe those who lack moral 19:14 or spiritual principles. Saul acted as a fool when he ignored the Levitical 19:20 laws in offering sacrifices. He was more than just an intellectual fool. 19:26 Saul lacked the spiritual principles to make a decision on God's word 19:32 rather than his own emotions. And this one word describes the reality of moving apart 19:39 from God's principles. Foolishness. And the consequences of Saul's 19:44 one simple act of taking matters into his own hands had eternal consequences. 19:50 Samuel said that God was prepared to establish Saul's kingdom forever -- 19:56 literally for eternity -- but no longer. God had an appointed time, 20:03 but Saul was unwilling to wait for it. Why is it that we should wait 20:08 for God's appointed time? Noah waited for the waters to recede and sent out 20:13 a dove to test the land. Psalm 130 -- we are promised... 20:24 And in the midst of sorrow, Micah the prophet says this in Micah 7:7. 20:37 And in the ultimate waiting, Isaiah the prophet rejoices in his waiting for the day of 20:42 salvation. 21:02 So, what is it that we are to wait for? What is it that we can learn 21:05 from Saul's failure? Waiting upon God's appointed time can be challenging. 21:11 We don't always know what the future holds. We don't know what to expect 21:16 on the path. We don't know necessarily what the next steps are. 21:21 But what we do know is this. God has appointed times, and He is calling 21:26 upon us to wait upon Him. You'll remember the prophet Daniel experienced 21:31 this time and time again. In Daniel 2, he prayed and then waited for God to answer. 21:37 In Daniel 4, he waited as he prayed to receive the interpretation of 21:42 Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In Daniel 5, he waited upon God. In Daniel 6, he was thrown into 21:49 the lion's den, and he waited upon the Lord's salvation. In Daniel 7, he called upon God 21:55 and waited for the prophecy's explanation. And in Daniel 8, even when he 22:00 did not understand the vision and it made him sick and faint, he waited. 22:06 And then, in Daniel 10:1-3, he gives us even further insight into this waiting. 22:46 Three weeks. Daniel waited and he mourned. My dear friends, 22:51 sometimes waiting upon God can be difficult. Those moments 22:54 where we don't know. Maybe there are those moments where we feel like 22:58 we don't hear from God. Maybe there are those times where we don't see what God is 23:04 doing. Maybe there are those times where we feel helpless. 23:07 But the call of God is to wait even and maybe especially when we don't understand. 23:13 Samuel described what it looks like to wait upon God. He did that in his explanation 23:19 to Saul that Saul was losing his kingdom, and then he said to Saul, 23:24 "The Lord has sought for himself a man after His own heart." To wait upon God means 23:30 to be someone who is after God's own heart. Acts 13:22 describes exactly 23:37 what this is. 23:53 More modern versions will say, "Who will do everything I want him to do." 24:00 And there it is, friends. To wait upon the Lord is to surrender your will to God 24:05 and do whatever He asks. Jesus himself, in the experience of the garden of Gethsemane, 24:10 prayed and asked God to take the cup away there in the garden, as the weight of sin 24:15 was placed upon him. In his mortal flesh, he could not see through 24:21 to the resurrection. Jesus said, "If there be any other way, let this cup pass." 24:27 But he concluded that prayer in distinct words -- "Not my will, 24:32 but thy will be done." To be someone who is after God's own heart, to be someone 24:38 who waits upon the Lord means that we surrender everything to Jesus 24:45 and that we ask for God's will to be done in our life. The question that we face 24:50 in light of this story of Saul is this -- will we be like David and pray 24:56 the prayer of Psalm 25:1-5? "To you, oh, Lord, I lift up my soul. 25:02 Oh, my God, I trust in you. Let me know be ashamed. Let not my enemies 25:07 triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on you be ashamed. 25:12 Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me your ways, oh, Lord. 25:18 Teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, 25:21 for you are the God of my salvation. On you I wait all the day." 25:28 We must hear a word from the Lord. His word alone 25:32 must be our guide. His truth alone must be the foundation of our lives. 25:37 Are each of us willing? Are each of us willing to wait upon Him 25:41 for His appointed times? Are each of us willing to wait upon those appointed times 25:46 where God is intervening in our lives to prepare us for the appointed time? 25:52 God is calling you. Will you listen? God is calling each of us 25:57 to full obedience that we would wait upon the Lord for his appointed times, 26:02 to be prepared for the appointed time of His return. 26:07 God calls you today. Will you listen? Will you heed his voice? 26:13 Will you surrender your will to His will? Will you wait upon the Lord 26:18 and wait for His appointed times? Let us pray. 26:26 Our heavenly father, the story of Saul is one which teaches us that we need to wait upon you. 26:35 Oh, Lord, please forgive us of our impatience. Forgive us when we don't wait. 26:41 We ask that you would give us the power to wait, to listen, to hear your voice, 26:48 and then be obedient to you in all your ways. We pray this in Jesus' name. 26:55 Amen. 27:00 My dear friends, the story of Saul teaches us. It teaches us that we must 27:04 be satisfied in the Lord. Saul was not satisfied. He was only satisfied by being 27:10 driven by his own emotions. But God is calling upon us to wait upon Him, 27:17 find satisfaction in Him, listen to His word, and be obedient. 27:23 Today, I want to offer you the book "Satisfied," by a good friend of mine, 27:27 Mark Finley. In this book, you will find promises, 27:33 hopeful teachings, that will help you to be satisfied in the Lord. 27:38 In finding that satisfaction, you will be willing to wait upon the Lord. 27:43 And in waiting upon the Lord, you will hear His voice and be obedient to Him. 27:49 Here's the information you need to receive today's offer. 27:53 >> To request today's offer, just log on to 27:57 www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca -- that's 28:02 www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca -- and select the TV program tab. 28:08 For Canadian viewers, the offer will be sent free 28:11 and postage paid. For viewers outside of Canada, 28:15 shipping charges will apply. If you prefer, you may call, 28:19 toll-free, at 1-888-CALL-IIW. That's 1-888-CALL-IIW. 28:26 Call any time. Lines are open 24 hours, daily. 28:30 That's 1-888-CALL-IIW. Or if you wish, 28:34 you may write to us at It Is Written, Box 2010, Oshawa, 28:38 Ontario, L1H 7V4. And thank you for your prayer 28:43 requests and your generous financial support. 28:46 That's It Is Written, Box 2010, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7V4. >> My dear friends, 28:54 when we wait upon the Lord, we demonstrate that we have a heart after God. 29:01 God wants people who are willing to listen to Him, who are willing to wait upon 29:06 His appointed times, that He might prepare them for appointed time. 29:12 Jesus is coming soon, at the appointed time, to take his children home. 29:17 He wants you to be one of those children. He wants you to be a follower 29:23 of Jesus Christ. My dear friend, I'm so glad that you joined us today. 29:28 I hope you'll join us again next week. Until then, remember, 29:32 it is written. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that 29:37 proceeds from the mouth of God. ♪♪ ♪♪ 30:00 ♪♪ ♪♪ |
Revised 2017-12-16