"Living Expectantly (And acting like it!)"
Living Expectantly is a way of life!
It is essential to experience the “meaningful life Christ intends!”
Living Expectantly put’s God in the driver’s seat and not my expectations!
This way of life is incredibly practical—we actually live it.
The Expectant Life is trusting God and acting like it!
Luke 1
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace!
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
The Expectant Life—
- takes practice because it does not come naturally. Do the different thing!
- is God’s tool for growing us up (step by step)!
- reveals the Deep Beauty of God!
We get to celebrate and share it!
ENJOY!
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Luke 1:57-66
Tuesday: Luke 1:67-75
Wednesday: Luke 1:76-80
Thursday: Matthew 1:18-25
Friday: Galatians 4:4-7
Saturday: Luke 2:1-20
"Joy Released!"
46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
What all has Mary experienced?
She is released to joyfully:
- Magnify
- Rejoice
- in God my Savior!
God has looked on
Monday: Luke 1:46-55
Tuesday: Luke 6:20-22
Wednesday: Psalm 34:1-6
Thursday: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Friday: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Saturday: Psalm 66:1-5
"Encouragement to Live Expectantly"
Living Expectantly is a way of life!
It is essential to experiencing the “meaningful life Christ intends!”
Living Expectantly puts God in the driver’s seat and not my expectations!
This way of life is challenging! I can so easily forget “God is for me—I am not alone!”
Luke 1
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And be-hold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Notice God’s role as:
Leader
Inviter
Provider
Encourager
Notice Mary’s role as:
Follower (as she is)
Trust-er (“expectantly”)
Encourager (she has things to do!)
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Luke 1:26-33
Tuesday: Luke 1:34-45
Wednesday: Philippians 4:11-13
Thursday: James 1:2-7
Friday: Ephesians 2:8-10
Saturday: Psalm 108:1-5
"Losing Expectations Frees Us to Live Expectantly"
Advent
· The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.
· The first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.
· The coming or second coming of Christ.
The Advent begins…
Luke 1
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
What is the back drop to today’s passage? The nation of Israel had lost their expectations about the Messiah after not hearing from God for 400 years. Zechariah and Elizabeth had lost all expectations for both a child and performing his ultimate priestly duty.
Expectation does not require me to act. Only the other person has to act in order to live up to the expectation. This is not a relationship. This is a dictatorship. (This is what I deserve.)
Expectancy requires that now I become an active part of the solution. No judgments, just faith and excited anticipation of what will happen next.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Expectancy can turn back into expectation.
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And the kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
Luke 1:24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Expectations can paint God into a box of our making. Living expectantly frees us to have faith and allows God to surprise us and surpass our imaginations!
Eph. 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
The Message Version - God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Ephesians 3:14-21
Tuesday: Isaiah 55:6-9
Wednesday: Daniel 3:16-18
Thursday: Proverbs 3:5-6
Friday: Matthew 6:25-27
Saturday: Philippians 4:19
"Holding the Heart in Unanswered Prayer!"
Holding the Heart in Unanswered Prayer!
What should we make of “unanswered prayer” or “no-answered” prayer?
It is in these times we are most vulnerable to drawing false conclusions about prayer, about God and about ourselves!
Luke 22 39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
How does Jesus help us?
2 Corinthians 12 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hard-ships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
How does Paul’s encounter help us?
When struggling with anxiety, disappointment, struggle with unanswered or no-answered prayer we must be very careful with our own hearts, hold onto a true view of our Father in Heaven while giving thanks in all circumstances!
1 Thessalonians 5 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.
There are some helpful prayer resources at:
· the Connection’s Center in the commons and
· www.ransomedheart.com under “Prayers that Work”
· Use the Ransomed Heart app-Prayers, Podcasts and Daily Readings
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Tuesday: Luke 22:39-46
Wednesday: Philippians 4:6-7
Thursday: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Friday: Philippians 1:3-8
Saturday: Psalm 107:1-9
"Prayer for Inner Healing!"
Prayer for Inner Healing!
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
Our hearts (souls) are damaged, wounded, broken and LOVED!
Jesus came to heal and comes to heal our hearts!
Prayer is an incredible tool for inner heart healing!
Mark 7 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
Galatians 5 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
Psalm 51 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Ephesians 3 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The essence of prayer for inner heart healing is inviting Jesus to bring His presence, healing and love!
Helpful prayer approach: (Moving Mountains p.194)
· Invite the presence of Jesus into the wound or broken-ness (Ask for His help! Sometimes it is helpful to “follow the pain”)
· Forgive those involved in the wounding (self and others)
· Renounce the message, the lie, breaking any agreement with it as well as any sin involved!
· Invite the presence and healing love of God into the wound or brokenness!
Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul.
There are some helpful prayer resources at:
· the Connection’s Center in the commons and
· www.ransomedheart.com under “Prayers that Work”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Isaiah 61:1-4
Tuesday: Ephesians 3:16-19
Wednesday: Psalm 23:1-3
Thursday: Galatians 5:19-23
Friday: Romans 5:1-5
Saturday: Psalm 51:1-8
"Warfare Prayer!"
Warfare Prayer!
John 10 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Ephesians 6 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and re-quests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Colossians 1 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins……2 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
James 4 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Significant Realities to Embrace
1. Evil is real and significantly affects me and my family!
2. Jesus was and is victorious over Evil!
3. In Jesus and in His Name I can bring His victory to bear in my life and domain! Prayer is a significant weapon to use in the battle.
· I can use prayer to put on the armor, “submit to God”, “stand firm in the faith”!
· I can use prayer to shut down evil’s access through my own brokenness and the broken people that affect me!
· I can use prayer to take the offensive, to “resist the devil”, “bind”, “banish”, “renounce” and “come against” the forces of evil in Jesus name!
There are some helpful prayer resources at:
· the Connection’s Center in the commons and
· www.ransomedheart.com under “Prayers that Work”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Luke 10:1-3, 17-20
Tuesday: Ephesians 6:10-13
Wednesday: Ephesians 6:14-18
Thursday: Luke 8:27-33
Friday: Matthew 4:1-11
Saturday: Psalm 18:37-40