Sunday Words of Encouragment January 1, 2023 - God's Expectations

My granddaughter and I arrived home safely on Saturday. All appeared fine with the house until I turned the well pump/water fuse back on. Then my granddaughter said, “Grandmom, there is water spraying from the pump house!” So, I had to call the well/pump repair man. He is supposed to come this morning.

I missed attending our first church service that opened with church breakfast. :-(  But I am thankful I could attend the service online.

Pastor reminded us that the church will go into a 21-day time of fasting starting next Sunday. His message was on God’s Expectations for Us.

We don’t always know what others expect, even our spouses and family members. And often we don’t communicate our expectations well, if at all. Do we even think about God’s expectations?

God says, ”When you pray…When you give…When you Fast.” These are not “if you” situations. God expects these as part of our worship.

Most Christians pray – to greater or lesser extent.
Only 5% of professed Christians tithe to their church. And the average giving is $17.00 per month. (That is barely the cost of a fast-food meal or fancy coffees for two.)
Malachi 3:10 says, “10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

How many of us fast?
Why do we fast? We are fasting to grow closer to God, to get to know Him better, and to see His presence manifest in our lives. We want to see His peace, His joy, His love radiating from each of us. We fast to seek God, not to impress others. Matthew 6:5-6, 16-18.

The fast does not expect us to eat no food for 40 days or 21 days. There are a variety of fasting plans we can participate in.
Many of us will do a “Daniel fast” where we forego certain foods. We are to plan to give up some food, a meal or something else that God calls us to give up. Then we are to be mindful and spend that time with God.

Pastor believes God is calling our church to be more than a “status quo” church. We are seeking the supernatural kingdom of God.

Supernatural power and anointing to flow in our lives. Goal to have more powerful prayer life, more anointing of God. More evidence from your life of God in your life.
God rewards with favor and forgiveness, release from addictions, peace.

We fast not as a hunger strike to get God to move but replacing our hunger for things of this life with the things of God.

James 4:2b-3 tells us “You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

If we seek to focus on God, we seek to have the Kingdom of God manifest more in our lives.

I didn’t pick a “New Year” song because this song spoke to me instead.
I had a little struggle with my first Christmas, birthday and New Years in 37 years without my Bob.
This song reminds me that God still Reigns and He is God.

Verses for Today:
Matthew 6:16-18.
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you..

Lord, I pray that you will help me seek and be true to Your expectations of me.