He is 7 feet 4 inches and was born in 2004. Who is he? Victor Wembanyama was the NBA first pick, round one, and he will play for the San Antonio Spurs. He is expected to either change the game of basketball for the San Antonio Spurs, or the naysayers cite his youth and inexperience in the NBA as key factors of his ineffectiveness. People have either great expectations or no expectations for Victor’s impact on the Spurs’ win-loss record. Why did Pastor Brandon tell the congregation about Victor Wembanyama?
It is about expectations.
Have your expectations of God changed since this transitional time at Faith Chapel has occurred? Have you experienced difficulties at work, at home, at school, in relationships that have affected your expectations of God? Instead of lowering our expectations, Pastor Brandon encouraged us to have high expectations of God because of our LORD’s “unchanging love, unending presence, and unlimited peace.”
Pastor Brandon defined expectation as “a strong belief that something will happen.” Our expectations determine our reality, and our expectations affect others. Pastor Brandon’s foundational verse was Ephesians 3:20. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagined, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory…” (NIV) This verse answered the question “What should I expect from Him?”
These are some verses that show God’s power:
Daniel 3:17 “…Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace.” (KJV)
Daniel 6:20 He delivered Daniel from the lions’ den
Matthew 9:28-30 He restored sight to the blind men.
Jude 24 He is able to ”keep you from stumbling.” (NIV)
Hebrews 7:25 He is able to “save all those who come to Him and lives to intercede for them.” (NIV)
2 Corinthians 9:8 The LORD is able to “bless you abundantly,” “In all times,” and “in all things.”
Is this list too much for the Creator of the Universe to do? If not, then, LORD, please ignite our prayer lives.
How do we approach the throne? Pastor Brandon said,”Boldly.” He shared the A,B,C’s of prayer: access, boldness, confidence. In the trying times, we need to come to the throne with the confidence that He gives us and expect Him to show up. We have access to God because after Jesus died on the cross, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy place was torn in two from top to bottom. We do not need a person to approach the King for us because we are allowed to pray, talk, and listen to Him directly.
As children of the Creator of the Universe, we know in whom we can believe.
What should we expect from God? The first was “unchanging love.” Just because we are in transition as individuals or a church family doesn’t mean we are to expect less of the LORD. God’s love has not shrunk:
Psalm 36:7 “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refugee in the shadows of your wings” (NIV)
Psalm 109:26 “Help me, LORD my God;
save me according to your unfailing love.” (NIV)
Romans 5:5 “…God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who
has been given to us.”
Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Isaiah 54:10 “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be
removed….”(NIV)
“Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so.”
Second, we should expect his “unending presence.” Just because you do not feel His presence does not mean He is absent. Our feelings come and go like the wind, but the LORD is faithful. Pastor Brandon shared some of these verses with us:
Psalm 139:8 “If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (NIV)
Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the
LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Also His unending presence is there when we seek Him as in Proverbs 8:17 when he says,”I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” This verse captures both elements: love and presence. In Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” We are free to talk to the LORD and let Him know our heart’s desires. Also one of my life verses is Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Since time together is my primary love language, Jesus’ promise to always be with me says to me, ”You are loved.”
Finally, we see “unlimited peace.” What is peace? It means tranquility or freedom from disturbance. Pastor Brandon said that he had times when he felt the LORD was sick of hearing him. But the LORD tells us:
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)
Psalm 29:11 “The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.” (NIV)
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Romans 5:3-5”Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And
hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured
out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
(NIV)
Isaiah 54 Please read 1-17
Though we experience trouble, He will overcome the world. All we have to do is believe and trust Him.
Again how do we approach the throne?
Philippians 4:6”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do
not see.”
As children of the King, we can approach the LORD with thanksgiving, in prayer and in faith.
The song Pastor Brandon recommended we hear was “You Are More Than Able.”
“You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able.
Who am I to deny
What the LORD can do”
We have been washed in His Word; may the Word fill us with confidence in the living LORD and may we have faith in the God who sees. From the washing in the Word, we can be salt and light in this troubled world because we are children of the KING!
Written by Larry & Annette
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