Come Expecting

Matthew 21:22 When you pray expectantly, you are praying in faith. This means you believe God will answer before you ask.
Have you ever been on YouTube or been watching or listening a previously taped sermon and just feel the presence of God so thick it knocks you to your knees?  I know I'm not the only one.  His spirit is living!  Which is why the Bible still speaks so many generations later.  But I also believe it has to do with the receiver, you. 

In a single service there will be many different interpretations to how the spirit moves.  Where your heart is will make a great difference to the work that God is able to do in your heart.  Do you enter into His presence expectantly?  Do you have faith and know that He will answer your thirsty soul? 

ex·pect (k-spkt)

v. ex·pect·ed, ex·pect·ing, ex·pects  
a. To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of: expecting a telephone call; expects rain on Sunday.
b. To consider likely or certain: expect to see them soon. See Usage Note at anticipate.
2. To consider reasonable or due: We expect an apology.
3. To consider obligatory; require: The school expects its pupils to be on time.
4. Informal To presume; suppose.
v.intr.
1. To look forward to the birth of one's child. Used in progressive tenses: His sister is expecting in May.
2. To be pregnant. Used in progressive tenses: My wife is expecting again.


Synonyms: expect, anticipate, hope, await
 
Expectantly?  I put the meaning above; to look forward to the appearance or occurrence, to consider it likely.  Do you come before Christ expecting to receive His spirit, do you expect to see Him move?  Do you consider it likely?  This makes a huge difference on how you will see the works of God manifest in your life and how you see Him using you.  When I enter into worship knowing that He is going to show up, move me, knowing that I will feel His love, I can barley keep my feet on the ground.  There is an unspeakable joy in the anticipation in our Maker.  This is the thing I live for, communion with the Ruler of the Universe! 

Philippians 1:6  For I am confident of this very thing, whoever began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Confidence–adjective

1. having strong belief or full assurance; sure: confident of fulfillment.

Do you have the assurance that God will do what He says?  He keeps his promises, His promise is "yes" and "amen".  You have to say yes first for the Amen to come.  You have to be an obedient, expectant, and willing vessel for Him to complete the work that He has begun, and amazing revelation and joy (the Amen) will come!

2 Corinthians 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Confidence and Expect have a common synonym, trust.  Trust that God will show His face and perfect the work He has started in you.  Expect Him to finish the good work.  For it is not for our glory, but for God's. 

Trust 1a : assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something b : one in which confidence is placed


I am assured of the Character of God, His strength, and his ability.  I know He can, He will, I expect, trust, and have all my confidence in Him.

Am I Really Willing?

As Christmas is coming upon us, I've been thinking about what a sacrifice it must have been for Jesus to leave his home in heaven.  Think about it, he was living in heaven with his father and adoring angels.  I can't wait to be there with all its glory, don't ask me to leave once I get there.  It was all he ever knew, and he left it all behind because his father asked him too. 

Two things strike me about this.  Would I be able to suffer as much if God asked me?  I would quickly reply "yes."  But then if I think about it, leave heaven?  Leave Heaven and go to a place where there is pain, where there is heartache, where there is evil, for me?  Would I be able to give as much to my father, or anyone else for that matter, if He asks?  Would I be willing to leave my life of comfort and go where He calls?  Its easy to be obedient to God when its comfortable or fits easily into our life, but what about when its not?  He calls us to be in the world, not of it.  The world tells us to stay safe, "don't rock the boat", this is false comfort and fleeting, but if we are willing to have the courage, to "capsize the boat",  to move with our Lord's leading we will have eternal comfort and rewards.

The second thing is, I believe Jesus wanted to leave heaven in pursuit for us.  God made us as a gift to Jesus,  his heart yearns for us.  To be here on this earth with those he loved, those he fought for, those he could save, was the only way we would be able to be with Him forever in Heaven.  He was willing to do anything for us to be with Him. 

If Jesus is to be my example, I need to be willing and I need to want to sacrifice everything I have.  I need to have courage.  Courage is being willing to loose your life in an attempt at finding it.  I need to be willing to loose everything I have on this earth to find life with Christ. 

That is a lot to take in and I know there are still things I hold to in fear.  I still want control over certain things.  Its hard when you know this world has evil and bad things happen to even us who are protected by the blood of Jesus.  Just look at Job.  But we need to give our fears over to the Lord and know he is fighting for us, his heart is good, and he works all things for good and for his glory.

I pray God that I have the courage I need to follow you.  Strengthen my soul, prepare my heart for your call.  Go before me and make the way.  I pray, Lord, that I do not go until you ask, I do not try to make my own way, but that I search for your true heart.  That my life would be yours, that I would be your instrument.  Take the fear of the unknown, let it instead be an adventure with the King of this Universe.

For Where the Battle Lies, There Your Heart Begins

Life gets tough.  There are forces working against us.  As it says in Ephesians 6:12

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We are at war from the day we are born, weather we ask for it or not.  There is a force of evil, you may have heard of him.  Satan is trying to disable you.   You live in a world where evil exists, and in which God allows.  But you are not made to just roll over and take it.  God allows trouble into your life for one purpose.  He wants you to fight.  Christianity is not a passive religion!  God wants you to learn how to grow strong in Him, how to stand firm in your faith, Isaiah 7:9 says "stand firm in your faith or you will not stand at all."  When you are facing trials, this is a chance for you to learn to war in the spirit.  Its a chance to stand up and fight, to take back what God has given you, to allow Jesus to push back the devourer, and to grow deep roots of faith.  This makes us stronger and able to wield the weapons on others behalf, and take up the roles He created us to play. 

Where is your battle?  The battle is often in the strengths that God has given you.  These may, for now, be your weakness because the devil too knows your strengths and weaknesses.  If Satan can disable your strength, you will be disarmed and no longer a threat to him.  Look deep, is it relational, emotional, situational?  Don't just chalk it up to bad luck, depression, or your personality.  

For me, I had always been hesitant to speak, and when I did, I'd replay the conversation for days afterward thinking of how I could have said things differently.  This caused me to rarely speak, in fear of not saying the right thing.  I didn't think I had anything to offer.  God has opened my heart and has shown me I have much to offer, He created me with purpose.  The devil had my tongue, and now my tongue is free to speak of the goodness of God.  I am able to work in and through God's purpose for my life.  I now pray that I have wisdom to share His heart and to bless others.  It's not always easy being obedient, opening up my heart to the unknown and being vulnerable, but I know whose I am, and I know who I am in Christ.  I have no fear that God is there, fighting each battle before I even begin. 

The Body of Christ

Last Wednesday my church had a Thanksgiving dinner.  We all gathered in the sanctuary around tables filled with food, conversation, and thankful testimonies and praise.  As they were sharing one of the ladies in our church shared how she felt such a presence of love and union like she had never before felt.  And as she said that, my heart began to swell with love.  I just wanted to walk around and love on every single one of them.  Now, I have 3 kids, and that wasn't quite possible to hit everyone of them, but God has been giving me opportunities to love and encourage my church family. 

Ever since that event, my heart has been swollen with love, and a burning fire of passion for these people.  I have been praying Philippians 2:2 over my family at home and church.  "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose".  This verse is coming to fruition in this church body!  If we are united in mind, love, spirit, and purpose, God will be able to use us to touch and reach the world.  Weather collectively or individually. 

This takes me back to the picture of the tree I painted  a few weeks ago.  If our roots, abiding in Christ's love, wrap around the "Church" and hold us together, binding us in the unity of Philippians 2:2 then we are whole, able to love and support a growing fruitful tree that will abound in fruitfulness and love.  This is what God has planned for his church.  To be the life-giving service for His people.  To help us stand firm in trouble, to encourage us in need, to rejoice in goodness. 

Now, this also goes beyond Crosswalk.  I have friends in other church bodies that I feel united with.  This is a "body of Christ", not just the "body of Crosswalk".  God is uniting His people to do His work.  Lets not overlook this, lets run with this.  Jesus, bring us back to your feet, to your alter, to your heart.

Alterations at the Alter

alter:

1. To change or make different; modify: altered my will.

2. To adjust (a garment) for a better fit.

To change or become different.

1. The act, process, or result of altering or modifying: a change in facial expression.

2. The replacing of one thing for another; substitution: a change of atmosphere; a change of ownership.

3. A transformation or transition from one state, condition, or phase to another: the change of seasons.

4. Something different; variety: ate early for a change.

5. A different or fresh set of clothing.

Have you ever taken something to the tailor so it would fit you better?  I love my tailor.  She takes my clothes that don't quite fit and makes them flatter me.  She takes the clothes and alters them.  Do you realize that is what Christ does for you?  God has been showing me that the "alter" is not only a noun.  Its a verb!  And its so much more powerful as a verb.  An alter is a place to bring your heart to God, a place to war on behalf of others, a place to be filled with His spirit, but what takes place there is an alteration, an action.  You shouldn't take your garment of praise there and leave without if fitting better.  When you leave the alter, God should "fit" you better.  And you can't wear Him the way you used to.

 Once you alter a piece of clothing its hard to put it back the way it was.  This is how we should be, once we allow Christ to alter our hearts, we shouldn't allow ourselves to go back, we can't put on the old clothes because they no longer fit us.  Once we allow Him to replace our pain and sorrow with freedom and love, we shouldn't react to painful situations the way we used to.  After the alter, we transition from "old" to "new".  We put on our new clothes in Christ.  So, if my life is an alter, my life is changed, I am new in Christ.  I will not allow myself to hide behind the walls of pain.  I will take chances, because I know I'm the same person God created, just a better "fit."  God now "fits" on me, because He has altered me.

Hoarded Hearts

Have any of you ever been channel surfing and seen any one of the numerous shows on hoarders?  Even the previews are enough to haunt a person.  Piles and stacks of stuff, garbage, filth, and in some cases completely in-livable conditions.  No, this is not a blog on house keeping....per say.  But as I was laying in bed,  praying for a friend, God showed me a wonderful analogy.

Have you ever seen one of the hoarders living in their house?  They are stumbling, climbing over clutter, bombarded by things they think they are safe behind.  But really it is only causing chaos, and hindering any healing. 

A few weeks ago in the Captivating study one of the questions was, "What do you fear?"  There were several answers ranging from "the loss or hurt of my children" to "not be what God desires".  The question lead to the fact that if we gave those fears over to Christ, it would free our hearts to be open for more of Him.  To be able to love, and move more in His power. 

If our hearts are full of anything that is not from Christ, weather pain from past hurts, fears, or confusion from the enemy, then we are living in a "hoarded" heart.  Even if it a "safe" place for you.  Sometimes our "safety" is a wall that we have put up to protect ourselves from future hurts, because of past ones.

If this is the case we will not have the clarity to rightly discern what God is speaking to us.  We will be stumbling around in chaos and clouded judgment and mostly unable to truly feel Christ's love for us. This is not the life Jesus has offered for us.  This is not what our hope is in.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 

 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When we take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, things must align with Heaven!  Ask God to do some "house cleaning."  Empty what has been cluttering, whether its fear, pain, mistrust, or false safety, allow HIM to clean it.  He has already offered, just allow Jesus to begin the work in you.

Heart Pictures

I don't know what it is latley, but God has been giving me very vivid word pictures in my spirit.  Today as I was worshiping with God, soaking in his glorious splendor, I was praying that I would soak him up.  I saw a sponge.  First it was sponge bob, hey, I have 3 kids under 7 and under.  But then I saw a kitchen sponge, soaked.  What does a sponge do after it has reached capacity?  It drips, and leaves its print wherever it lands.  I then began to pray that I would be a sponge filled with his anointing spirit,filled so full that everywhere I go I would leave God's print, every one I touch would be left driping with His spirit. 

A few months ago I saw a local comercial for a paint store.  It was in black and white and whereever this guy, who was carring a paint can, went or whatever he touched turned to color.  I immediatle began to pray that I would be Him.  That where ever I went, whatever I touched would be lit with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I've seen a woman, almost drowning in liquid, suspended, hair flowing, beautifully dancing, like a sycronized swimmer.  Completley immersed in the love of God,  lost in the Holy Spirit. 

I want to be a vessle that will carry the Lord's anointing everywhere I go.  I want God to use me to bring color to grey, beauty to dullness, that will nourish the thirsty, that will water the dry.  I want to allow my spirit to enjoy his presence, to dwell there, to soak in him, to let go, lean back on him, hear his heartbeat.  I want to be so close to Him that I can feel His breath whisper my value in my hear. 

Let go, jump in deep, loose yourself in Him, be the vessel the Lord can use.  You have value, you have beauty that others need.  The Lord wants and needs to use you.  Soak in His Holy Spirit, and take it with you.  He is portable beyond the church doors.  Don't let it drop off at the property line.

Healing Roots of Faith

Ephesians 3:17 ¹ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

This week I was praying about the questions in the study I'm leading and I saw a tree above, with deep strong roots in the soil.  Entangled in the roots was a heart.  The heart had been cracked and broken, but the roots had grown around it and had bound the breaks so tight it was now repaired.  There were still seems where the damage had been, but it was no longer broken.  This image has stayed in my head all week.  I have been thinking back all week as to what this picture means.

I feel God is showing me our broken hearts will be healed with the roots we grow in and out of the trust of Jesus.  As our roots become stronger and more plentiful, our hearts will heal more.  Our roots become strong when we focus on God, and put our trust in Him.  When we put our hearts under His authority, then He can bind it, heal it.  Restore, Refresh, Revive, us and Remove all that does not line up under the authority of Christ.