August 15 – Desire and Do

“...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13 (NASB)

Each day that we wake up we have the opportunity to remember what a wonderful God we have.  He loves us and cares for us and wants the very best for us.  He does have plans for each of us.  There are certain things that are expected of us and we need to know how we are going to meet those expectations.  The answer to that question is given to us in today's verse.  God Himself is the one who is at work in each of us.  He it is who is helping us to be willing and to work for His good pleasure.  This is a good thing from our good and perfect God.  You can understand that God is working in us to make us want to please Him.  He gives us the desires to do what He expects of us – what He has created us to do.  Then, God works in us to help us do what He wants.  We do not have to do this on our own and on our own, we never could.  We need and have God enabling us to desire and do what pleases Him and we can trust Him for this promise today, right now, this very moment.   

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April 17 – Expectations Fulfilled

“I, the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10 (NASB)

Our selected verse today includes an interesting invitation and promise from God. We recognize, of course,that these words when written applied to the children of Israel a long time ago.  But we believe that God gives the same invitation to us and the same promise that He will fill our needs according to our faith.  A child will open wide its mouth as it expects its mother or father to fill it. We are God's children and God promises to meet our needs as we look to Him. The more we trust God to do for us the more he will do. He is a great God and able to do far beyond our expectation.  Some have had situations that God has brought us up from and we have experienced His grace, mercy and love. Now, He asks us to continue in the same way expecting continued care and provision for our needs.  So what do you want God to do for you today? He is waiting for you to open wide your expectations as He says He will fill it. 

January 23

“Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” Isaiah 49:23b (NIV)

The prophet Isaiah is writing what the Lord told him to write. The Lord can make a statement like this because He intends to fulfill every promise He makes and He knows that he can do just that. You may be aware that when the Lord speaks about the attitude of hope he means something different than what some people think. For some, hoping is like wishful thinking. But were we read the word hope in the Bible it means expectations. So what God promises in our verse is that when we fully expect Him to act in our behalf He will not disappoint us. So let us be sure that we are not merely wishing that He would act for us. Let us expect Him to do so. When He does, this will prove to us who He is as He promised in our verse, we will know that He is the Lord. 

November 8

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

It is critically important on this election day in the United States that we who follow Christ affirm that the Christian life is a life of faith. We remember that the 11th chapter of Hebrews is called the “faith chapter.” The Christian life is not based on wishful thinking. Actually that is what many people mean when they say, “Well, I hope everything will be alright.” When they say the hope for something they are really just wishing that it might be so. In the Christian life, however, hope is an expectation based on God’s promises. And as we look forward we know that God has promised many things and, we can be sure that He will keep His word. We may not see it now but we can be certain about it. That’s what faith is.

September 9

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10 (NIV)

This was a challenge from God to His people to depend more upon Him. It is a challenge to His people today, too, and an invitation with a wonderful promise. When God says open wide your mouth He is encouraging us to expect great things from Him. And when He says He will fill the opens mouths, He reminds us that He will fulfill our expectations. What He means is that the more we expect, the more we will receive. God does respond to our faith. He is an infinite God – unlimited in His power to help. The limits are on our side. Let us not limit God’s working in our lives. Take advantage of the challenge.