EXPECT GOD

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[Janet Easson Martin]

EXPECT GOD

How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are!

 If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand."

I know this time of year can be a struggle for some.  Christmas spirit can be lacking in us.  Expectations may seem unreachable.  Disappointment in circumstances, others, or ourselves can put a damper on the season.  

BUT GOD...

Meditating upon the verses above today gave me such secure assurance of especially God's thoughts toward me personally.  No matter what I think or do His feelings toward me remain steady, in accordance with my righteousness in Christ.  I envisioned in my heart how great His compassion was toward me.  How he delighted to do good to me, to help me, to heal me, and even restore long broken places.  As I imagined what goodness he might want to show me (especially in relationships) in various ways, I began to expect it, to BELIEVE it and LOOK FORWARD to it.  

God IS with us in this season.  He is HERE to help us, to HOLD us, and preciously SECURE us.  We may have been told False versions of God.  Of a God who is tapping his fingers until we get it right.  Who is somewhat disinterested in us unless we are performing evangelistic cartwheels.  We may even think God has given up and abandoned us.  But, these are not OUR God.  He is our FATHER who abounds in LOVE, MERCY and FAVOR.  He is our very compassionate SHEPHERD.  

EXPECT GOD...

Fathom the length of love and tenderness in those truths above.  Bask in them.  Believe them.  We may sometimes be disappointed with ourselves, others, or our circumstances.  But GOD's thoughts toward us are never disappointing or a let down.  He wants us to EXPECT him to work good just as he has preciously thought and planned according to Psalm 139.  This is his TENDER message to us in this and any season.

"Whoever believes in Him will NOT be disappointed"

[Janet Easson Martin]

Reading in Matthew 12 this morning, I see some of how God reveals himself through his words there.  The one thing I’m taking with me today is the mind-blowing Presence of the Kingdom of God.  I believe it is present when we truly invite him into our gathering times, such as Sunday or small groups, or in 2 or more gathering together in faith.  A unique unconditional love and acceptance occurs, and affirms our journey and our eternity.  God makes this mystery so accessible to his children.  After reading Matthew 12:28 I feel it is safe to conclude:

“Wherever the Spirit of God is invited,

there is the Kingdom of God!!”

[Janet Easson Martin]

Expect God to Strengthen and Settle You

The LORD gives strength to his people;
 
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

[Janet Easson Martin]

Expect God

Especially In The Darkness

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome [taken hold of*] it.

(John 1:5)

Sometimes we may feel directionless, or a wee bit depressed, or perhaps a little empty. It seems a small cloud is hanging over us, blocking the light. Our day has calmed and we are no longer occupied with activity. Maybe even doubts start to enter our mind. Even though there is no crisis, some unrest begins to chip away at our peace. Darkness has started to cast just a little of it’s gloomy shadow.

It’s then, that the match of God’s promise can be struck into a flame with our belief. We can count our cloudy understanding pure joy, because you lovingly use it to strengthen our faith; not to harm it (James 1:2). It’s there, that we can claim God’s Word in the shadows. It is a light to our way. We were never designed to completely understand and be adequately equipped for our path apart from God’s help. God’s light sure does seem to shine more miraculously in the darkness. When there seems no hope, He is the hope.

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28

So many truly inspiring stories are where the circumstances seem dark, and yet the light outshines it and the heroes are not overcome by it. One such story in history is that of Churchill leading the UK in World War II as portrayed in the movie, “Darkest Hour”. One review had this to say:

Churchill takes power and is faced with the almost impossible task of mounting a defensive operation. The darkness is almost overwhelming; this is indeed the nation's darkest hour. ...thrust into the spotlight at this impossible moment, and how he wrestles with his own flaws to somehow emerge as the great leader of legend. Despised by almost everyone except his family, Churchill must win over almost everyone, keeping his head as all around are losing theirs. ... For Churchill the man, this is the darkest hour of his leadership, and the loneliest.
(From: https://www.christiantoday.com/article/darkest-hour-review-joe-wrights-film-is-a-meditation-on-a-bible-verse/124006.htm


Today, as I was reading Matthew 24, verses 28-31** about the coming darkest hour of the world, I was reminded of the brilliance of Jesus’ appearing in the midst of that darkness. It’s darkness will be swallowed by the coming of Jesus, who is Light Himself. His brightness will illuminate the darkness. Jesus is faithful today while we are still in earthly bodies to illuminate our dark hours if we will believe him.

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.

Psalm 42:5

*Strong’s Greek for overcome in John 1:5 (Above)

2638 katalambánō (from 2596 /katá, "down, according to," which intensifies 2983 /lambánō, "aggressively take") – properly, take hold of exactly, with decisive initiative (eager self-interest); to grasp something in a forceful (firm) manner; (figuratively) to apprehend (comprehend), "making it one's own."


**For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

...  “Immediately after the distress of those days

“ ‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

[Janet Easson Martin]

How to Hear From God

EXPECT HIM

One of things that greatly increased my love for my time alone with God and His Word was believing and expecting Him to speak to me, not in an audible voice but through his Spirit in His Word. I began making a habit of asking him to, partly because I believed he wanted to. A Father wants to encourage and instruct his child. He desires to personally guide us. It’s his will to have his sheep listen to his voice above all others. He keeps us from false shepherds and harm that way. He wants us to direct our questions to Him, and seek answers from him more than men.

Our looking to him often and talking (praying) to him about our fears, our worries, our desires, our struggles, our gratefulness increases our faith, confidence, and joy. The most crucial truth we need to know in approaching God is that of our forgiven state. Our blameless new creation through his blood bought covenant. We need to know He is full of mercy so we can boldly approach his throne of Grace.

This encouragement from Priscilla Shirer (Tony Evans’ daughter) catches that spirit. She shares how the devil might make us think that just certain people have a hotline to God. (GCx seemed to imply this.) But actually, we don’t need to meet special requirements - only be his child. It is a short and motivating video. Enjoy.


Hearing the Voice of God - Part 1, Priscilla Shirer
https://youtu.be/4UbQbn_n814

[Janet Easson Martin]

Hearing From God

Hearing from God is an essential part of our relationship with Him. He most definitely listens to any communication we have in faith toward him. And he responds. He LOVES when we talk to him about even the most trivial concern, because we are trusting him for help. He is moved when we depend on Him. He created us to be “filled” through communion with Him. He would never want us to feel we are not good enough to hear from him. All we need is faith. Even that, we can ask Him to help us with. And he answers!

There is a good series called “FREQUENCY” by Robert Morris that looks at Hearing from God throughout the scriptures and is portioned into seven different messages which are available on video on YouTube or you can purchase them and a book through Amazon. Here is the link to a pretty short video on YouTube about this series and a link to the book on this series on Amazon.


Robert Morris - A Heart to Hear God’s Voice
https://youtu.be/hVpRuXqHwW4

“Frequency: Tune In. Hear God.”
https://www.amazon.com/Frequency-Robert-Morris-ebook/dp/B010R4B2QO/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Robert+Morris+frequency&qid=1625633105&sr=8-1

[Janet Easson Martin]

Faith is...

the assurance of things hoped for


the conviction of things not yet seen


how people of old received commendation


how we understand Creation by God’s Word (the visible from the invisible)


how we offer acceptable sacrifices to God


that in which we are commended as righteous


that in which God accepts our gifts




Contrary to GCx’s teaching and implication, pleasing God is not through “sacrificial” works alone, nor through obedience based on manipulation or false guilt. The individual’s own FAITH is responsible for prompting and carrying what is pleasing to God according to Hebrews 11. Without faith “pleasing God” is empty. There was a whole lot of empty “sacrificing” with much bragging perpetuated in GCx starting with the founder and subsequently too many of the leaders. Looking back it’s rather nauseating.

[Janet Easson Martin]

Faith is...

through which we draw near to God


through which he rewards our seeking Him


is how we are moved by God to action


is how we trust God in the unknown


is how we live in the promises


is how we live in a fallen world


is how we put our hope in a better “country” prepared for us

[Janet Easson Martin]

Faith is...

how we receive power to overcome through the gift of righteousness


how God performs miraculous works in and through us


the only way to produce divine fruit in The Vine


how we offer up things we hold dear


how we bless our children


how we worship even in our dying


how we still speak into the lives of others even after we are gone