Watch for God
The sermon emphasizes the importance of watchful expectation in receiving strength and defense from God, and encourages listeners to be more business-like in their prayer.
Charles E. Cowman emphasizes the importance of watchful expectation on our part in receiving help from God. He highlights the need to be alert and on the lookout for God's provision and strength, as many blessings may pass us by if we are not actively seeking them. Cowman urges believers to watch for God in the events of their lives, comparing it to putting out water-jars to catch rain. He encourages a business-like approach in prayer, where we earnestly present our requests to God and expect real answers, not just engaging in superficial or trivial prayers.
Text
"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me" (Hab. 2: 1).
There is no waiting on God for help, and there is no help from God, without watchful expectation on our part. If we ever fail to receive strength and defense from Him, it is because we are not on the outlook for it. Many a proffered succour from heaven goes past us, because we are not standing on our watch-tower to catch the far-off indications of its approach, and to fling open the gates of our heart for its entrance. He whose expectation does not lead him to be on the alert for its coming will get but little. Watch for God in the events of your life.
The old homely proverb says: "They that watch for Providence will never want a providence to watch for," and you may turn it the other way and say, "They that do not watch for providences will never have a providence to watch for." Unless you put out your water-jars when it rains you will catch no water.
We want to be more business-like and use common sense with God in pleading promises. If you were to go to one of the banks, and see a man go in and out and lay a piece of paper on the table, and take it up again and nothing more--if he did that several times a day, I think there would soon be orders to keep the man out.
Those men who come to the bank in earnest present their checks, they wait until they receive their gold, and then they go; but not without having transacted real business.
They do not put the paper down, speak about the excellent signature, and discuss the excellent document; but they want their money for it, and they are not content without it. These are the people who are always welcome at the bank, and not triflers. Alas, a great many people play at praying. They do not expect God to give them an answer, and thus they are mere triflers. Our Heavenly Father would have us do real business with Him in our praying. --C. H. Spurgeon
"Thine expectation shall not be cut off."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Watchful Expectation
- A. Waiting on God requires watchful expectation
- B. Failure to receive strength and defense from God is due to lack of watchful expectation
- II. The Consequences of Not Watching for God
- A. Those who do not watch for God will not have a providence to watch for
- B. Lack of watchful expectation leads to missed opportunities
- III. Being Business-Like in Prayer
- A. Using common sense with God in pleading promises
- B. Expecting real results from prayer
- IV. The Welcome of the Bank
- A. Those who come to the bank in earnest are welcome
- B. Triflers are not welcome
Key Quotes
“They that watch for Providence will never want a providence to watch for.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Thine expectation shall not be cut off.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Unless you put out your water-jars when it rains you will catch no water.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We must be attentive and ready for God's help and guidance in our lives.
- We should approach prayer with a sense of expectation and anticipation of real results.
- We must be willing to take action and put out our 'water-jars' when it rains, or we will miss out on opportunities for growth and guidance.