Saturday, December 17, 2011

December 18, 2011

Has your “expecter” expired? Have you have been disappointed by God? Are you got tired of praying and believing without seeing an answer? Are you tired of expecting little – and getting it? Would you like to expect big things?

“Expecters” are powerful because expectations are powerful. Expectation and faith are “kissin’ cousins” and faith is powerful. Faith is expecting God to be Who He says He is and to do what He says He will do.

The challenge of faith is to keep your “expecter” expecting.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is an example of someone who had a good “expecter”. What if Mary would have had the same mindset that Leah and Lydia had? But she didn’t! She believed God!

Even though nothing had happened in Bethlehem it didn’t keep Mary from believing it could! Rather than believe what she had seen she chose to believe what God said, “Nothing is impossible with God!”

Here’s the story:

“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.” Luke 1:26-38

So, what can you do if your “expecter” is expired? How do you inspire your expired expector?

What you have to do is develop a “Mary mindset”. You need to have the same expectations of God that she had.

We have two very different mind-sets on display here! One mind-set says:

“NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE”

The other mind-set says:

“NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD”

Could it be possible that nothing ever happens here (where you are) is because nothing is happening here (in your head) or here (pointing to heart)?

Last week I talked about a “Joseph Heart” – being willing to do whatever God asks you to do, be willing to not do want you want to do and be willing to get no credit.

When you develop a “Joseph Heart” that is one of the things that must happen here (your heart). This morning I want to talk about what needs to happen here (point to head) and that is a “Mary mind-set”.

How do I inspire my “expired expecter”? How do I get a “Mary mind-set”? How can I get to where I believe that something CAN happen where you are?

LEARN FROM MARY:

1) MARY EXPECTED GOD TO BE BIG AND POWERFUL

2) MARY EXPECTED GO TO DO BIG AND POWERFUL THINGS

3) MARY EXPECTED GOD TO USE HER IN BIG AND POWERFUL WAYS

4) GOD EXPECTED MARY TO BE USABLE

BIG THINGS HAPPENED IN BETHLEHEM BECAUSE THINGS HAPPENED HERE (POINT TO HEART) AND HERE (POINT TO HEAD) FOR MARY AND JOSEPH.
WHEN YOU HAVE A JOSEPH HEART AND A MARY MIND-SET YOU WILL SEE SOME MIRACLE MOMENTS HAPPEN WHERE YOU ARE.

IS YOUR “EXPECTER EXPIRED”?

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN YOUR HEART?

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN YOUR MIND?