Today is a Day of Expectation

Today is a Day of Expectation

This week is spring break for our state. The colleges and the public schools have learned to work together so that everyone is vacationing at the same time. Although the weather is hinting at chilly and rainy it’s got a lot of promise. Having an entire week off is great for both teachers and students. Parents have to juggle schedules and plan ahead to enjoy it but all in all it is a week everyone looks forward to. Great expectations are in a few days of having a different schedule than normal.

Not everyone will take beach trips or travel anywhere, but with a little planning the expectations of no school or work can be realized.  Imagine having to stay in town for the week. Many are doing just that. Not much expectation or excitement in same old same old. But just down the road, within 50 miles of us are several state parks, an Indian artifacts dig, a diamond mine, hiking trails, and more. Anyone can stay home and enjoy every single day. Kind of depends on your expectations. Plan to enjoy and you will. Plan to receive a great opportunity for fun and it will happen.  You can just stay home and enjoy your yard, your house, have the kids ride bikes, read books or tell family stories. Whatever you do, expect and plan to have a great time. It can happen – memories can be made that will take you into your future.

Our life in Christ is a lot like spring break. We look for something wonderful to happen but we don’t often plan on it. Preparation has a lot to do with enjoying our walk with God.  Reading the Bible is no ordinary read. Not a novel or a sonnet or a book of poetry. It’s God breathed. We can expect things to happen when we read the Word. We should expectantly prepare to be challenged in our walk, changed in our thinking and strengthened in our hearts. The believer who reads God’s Word is actually letting God breathe His Spirit written words into their inner man.

God speaks to my heart: You see your life as pretty ordinary. I see it as extraordinary. Every day I want you to live in expectation of something from Me.  I am ready, willing and able. In fact I have already taken great measures to ensure that your life is far from ordinary. Not just at spring break but every single day. When you wake up in the morning I AM there. When you lay your head on your pillow I AM there. When you feel the nausea of sorrow I AM with you. When you wonder what you are going to do today I AM already formulating a plan of expectation for your day that is beyond your wildest dreams. I wish to speak into your life. I wish to take you out of the ordinary and make your day extraordinary. I have plans for you – to live able the level of mundane. My plans are beyond your greatest vacation adventure. In fact where you go I AM there. Sometimes I AM cheering you on. Other times I AM interceding for you. In Christ, I have the greatest day of expectation for you and that day is today.

Oh beloved, you don’t have to wait for a better day. You don’t have to hope that you can get away someday. You don’t have to live locked into ordinary. Jesus has done too much for you to be unbelieving or to live below the level of all that He died to purchase for you. Expect great things! Expect today to be different . Yes, there are hardships, yes there are hurdles, yes, things do go wrong. But God is with you – to walk it out and overcome each and every thing you encounter. Expect Him to speak to your heart. Expect Him to call you to a higher level. Expect Him to take your weakest points and make them strong in His power. Today is your day to expect God to speak, Christ to help, The Spirit to encourage and the day to be beautiful in Him.

God loves you and He’s for you so expectation is your life breath. Ordinary to extraordinary without leaving your house when you open His Love Story, seek His face and change your heart attitude. Rejoice and see what God will do all for you, all for love as you live expecting and worship Him in Spirit and Truth every day of the week.

Psalm 119:131 I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.

I Peter 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation!

James 2:23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

Psalm 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship for they shall live in the Light of Your Presence, O Lord.

Ephesians 3:19-21 [That you may really come] to know [practically, [e]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!  Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— To Him be glory…

Need Light for Your Present Situation?

Early in the morning he posted a message on social media. “For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections.”

God speaks to my heart: I AM the Source of Light. You are in great need of the Light that only I have. So many times things are obscured by fog or the darkness of the situation. Those things don’t affect My light. But to receive light for any situation or circumstance you will have to come to Me. I shed light on every area of life. When you have a problem I will give you the truth about that situation. When you don’t know where to go I will light MY way for you. When you don’t understand what’s going on My Light will lift the fog from your eyes.

God speaks to my heart again: My Light is the light of healing. My Light is the light of reconciliation. My Light is also the light of impartation. I will send people to minister to you when it is needed. You will need discernment for not everyone who shines a light has My Light. The enemy of your soul disguises himself as an angel of light. Even believers can shine their own light. Look closely and watch carefully who you go to for light in any situation. I will lead you to the right people, the right place and the right outcomes. I may keep you secluded in Me until you can see My Light clearly. My desire is that even in your darkest hours you will see Me clearly and let Me lead you into all truth.

I must say that we all have multiple sources of light in our homes in our cars and at our jobs. Even church is fully lit. We are used to flipping a switch and having light for whatever we need, whenever we need it, wherever we are. But to live as beacons of God’s light, to be a reflection of His light, we must stay plugged into the Lord, who is the Source of light. We must keep our hearts pure towards Him, fully yielded to Him and walking in the Light of His presence.

Oh beloved, have things gone dim? Are you wandering around as though there is no light where you are? Have you been trying to find the light in friends, in entertainment, in hobbies or in habitual problems that keep cropping up in your life? Do you notice that none of those lights work for you anymore? Don’t be afraid. Don’t try to hide. It’s time to let God’s light shine on your heart, fill your mind and correct and order your steps. He has been trying to shed His light all around you but you’ve been busy trying to keep the darkness away. Step into His light and the darkness has to flee! You were not meant to wander but to abide. You weren’t meant to live in the dark but to thrive in the Light.  Let God do what only He can do. Other people might be stingy with their own light – through rejection, humiliation, and more. But God will give you liberally all the Light you will ever need. Sometimes the light of others is dimmed so that you will return to the Source of All Light with your whole heart. He will make your situation shine with His glory, He will make your heart sing with the Light of His praise.

He will give you the ministry of reconciliation to the Light and impartation of the Light. True believers always impart the Source of Light to others. Some may say they have the Light but they don’t share it. It’s okay, their rejection is not your reflection. Connect instead to the One Who brought you out of darkness into His marvelous Light. Live as a Light bearer, a reflector of all God has done for you, with you and to you. He has called you, saved you, given you a ministry, blessed you, protected you, watched over you, guided you and will keep growing you all the days of your life. He loves you and He’s for you and He shares His Light with you whenever you are humble enough to ask. Always, anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Rejoice in the Light and live brightly for Him.

I John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Daniel 2:22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the Light dwells with Him.

John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. Amplified

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light;

Psalm 89:15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the Light of Your countenance.

No Government Shut Down with Jesus Ever!

 

Danny cousin and her husband have wanted to visit the Grand Canyon for many years. They left home Saturday to head that way in their motorhome.  This morning he sent out word that the Grand Canyon has been “shut down”. They will not be able to visit it, at least not today. 

Many places across the country will be shut down today. Non-essential employees are staying home, on furlough, without pay, until something gives. Beautiful parks all across our nation will stand idle while decisions are made regarding the fate of our economy.

The Grand Canyon and other magnificent national parks could be viewed without man’s help.  But they’ll remain closed to the public.  Travelers all across the nation are at the doorway of their destination, wondering what they are going to do. They’ve spent their time, money and energy to make the trip but they’re stopped in their tracks this morning.

God speaks to my heart:  While the national government has shut down site seeing, our Lord has opened to us a vast world of spiritual living that no man can shut down.  We are most blessed indeed that neither government, nor weather, nor enemies, nor troubles can shut God out of our lives. We have free access, not assisted by another person on earth. We can live in the light of His Word, walk in the light of His precepts and enjoy the beauty of His holiness every single day. If we have given our hearts to Jesus and accepted His gift of salvation, we have a lifetime pass to everything God has for us. Not only do we have an open road to blessings, we have an open road to obedience. God made a way for us, permanently as a child of God, to live for Jesus!

Maybe you are looking at the miserable circumstances of our government this morning. Look away from the troubles and trials and worry and fear and look to Jesus! He has a plan for redemption, a plan for regeneration, a plan for renewal and every plan is thought out with you in mind.  Whatever your needs, His response to those needs is ever ready and always available.  Although the earthly government has shut down access to many things, God has given you free access to all of His promises and given you free choice to live in the light of those promises. You may have barriers today to some earthly things, but your access is free to all of God through Christ.   

Oh beloved, God wants to remind you this morning:  Don’t walk in defeat today, but walk in My precepts.  Turn your heart away from the world and turn your heart to Me. Don’t look at the circumstances of this day but look to Me. I am your Sustainer, I will give you everything you really need no matter what things look like. Don’t look at the value of the world, but look to Me. I AM your source of value and I have redeemed you. You are worth more than mere diamonds, silver and gold to Me. Don’t walk after man’s promises, for they will all fail. But look to My Promises for each and every one is meant for you and available to you. Don’t walk in the light of the world for it will not make you happy, will not give you joy and ultimately won’t save you from life’s troubles. Look to Me for I AM your Savior, Your Protector, Your Provider and more.  I AM that I AM and your rest and hope is found solely in Me.

Run to His Word this morning and open it freely. Read of it thoroughly. Ask God to enlighten your heart and mind to take it all in. Then ask Him to teach you how to live it out and walk in the most beautiful territory ever seen – God’s will. He will always allow you to walk humbly with Him because He loves you and He calls you beloved.   Drop the worries, the fears, the troubles and the trials and grab His hand in renewed dedication and He will guide you all the rest of your days. Oh what a Savior, Oh what a King, Oh what Agape Love and care!

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Jeremiah 31:33 "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the LORD. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Summer Vacation? Not From God...

Our pastor was talking Sunday about the drop in attendance at church which usually occurs in the summer with all the vacations and fun times people partake of during those couple of months, it gets easy after missing a Sunday to fall out of the habit. He encouraged us to call one another if someone misses, because it means more to get a call from a friend than to get a call from the pastor. The pastor is supposed to call. But if we do the calling it’s not something that’s generally expected of us. He encouraged all of us to keep in fellowship with one another.

It reminded me of our tendency in the good times, summer days if you will, to leave God’s presence.  We have hard times and we cling ever so closely to Him. But come a warm breeze and joyous occasions and we tend to drop the spiritual emphasis. Whether it’s Church or Bible Study or Christian fellowship, these things are important to our spiritual welfare. Yet these are generally the first to go when times are good.

Somehow we think we are safe to relax our relationship with God in the good times. We may have survived a storm where we called out to Him. Then He rescued us and made things right. Now it’s summer time and the living is easy. The only problem with this kind of thinking is that we don’t know when another storm of life may blow in suddenly, finding us out of fellowship and weakened from not having daily quiet time and Bible reading. As long as the lovely days of summer are in our lives everything looks rosy. You can’t really “see” a person’s spiritual relationship in the easy times. It’s when the storms come in that the strength or lack thereof in the person is found.

Oh beloved, summer’s arrived but winter will return. Won’t you take a few moments everyday just to thank the Lord for His benevolence. And then look into His wonderful Word and see how He has plans to take care of you, prepare you for hard times and bless you in good times? His amazing love will carry you through the seasons of life. His amazing care will keep you throughout all the changes that come your way. Even when you find yourself out in the storms, He will come after you and rescue you and return you to His loving arms. He knows your problems, He knows your history and He knows the weather ahead. Trust Him, for He is your everlasting God. He loves you and He’s for you and He will guide you always in His loving ways.

Psalm 27:4-5 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His temple.   For He will conceal me there when troubles come; He will hide me in His sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

Psalm 148:14 He has made His people strong, honoring His faithful ones— the people of Israel who are close to Him. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 25:4-5 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.