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Sharon Jaynes asks us a good question: "Have you ever prayed about something, but didn’t really expect God to answer…I mean really expect it?
That happened to a bunch of Peter’s friends.
In the early years of the church, King Herod had many Christians murdered and many more put in prison.
James, the brother of John, was put to death with the sword, and Peter was thrown into prison.
The night before Peter was to be taken to trial, a group gathered at Mary’s (John’s mother’s) house to pray for him. While they were praying, there was a knock at the door. A servant girl named Rhoda answered it.
“Who is there?” she asked.
“It is Peter,” the freed apostle answered.
She knew it was Peter—she recognized his voice! God had answered their prayers! Rhoda was so excited, she didn’t even let Peter in, but ran back to tell the group that he was standing at the door.
“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. “Maybe it is his angel.”
Peter kept knocking. Finally they opened the door and were astonished to see Peter alive and well, standing right in front of them.
Why were they surprised? Why didn’t they believe Rhoda? While they were praying for Peter’s release, they didn’t really expect God to free him.
Do you see it? We can pray about a situation and miss the glory moment standing at the door because of unbelief and low expectations that God would actually answer.
Sometimes, I fear we have lowered our spiritual expectations to match the experiences of people we know, rather than what we read in the Bible.
We look around and see what has occurred in the lives of other believers, and that’s where we set the bar. As a result, we lead mediocre lives, forfeiting the abundant life Jesus came to give.
Here’s what I want you to do today. Pray and then expect God to answer!
I love what David wrote: "In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." Psalm 5:3, NIV
Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord, I am bringing my prayers before you today. Forgive me for praying and not expecting You to answer. Here is my prayer: (Fill in this spot with your own prayer.) I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. In Jesus’s name, amen.
If you don’t keep a prayer journal, consider getting one. This could be a simple notebook, or a cute bound blank book. The dollar store is a great place for cute little journals. Write down your prayer requests and then make a note as to how God answered and the date:
Yes. No. Wait.
My new book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is all about raising your expectations to experience the full, abundant life that Jesus came to give.
If you’ve settled for a ho-hum, so-so, Christian life, it is time to start enjoying the abundant life Jesus came to give.
God wants you to experience His presence every day through moments of sudden glory where He makes His presence known.
Ready to get started? Download a free sample chapter or watch the videos on my website! www.girlfriendsingod.com
Do You Expect God to Answer Your Prayers? by Sharon Jaynes Nov.19, 2012
"In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." - Psalm 5:3 NIV
Another post of interest: Tiny Mouth, Tiny Feet
Today’s quote: As seen on GodVine:
"Christmas in Heaven
I've had my first Christmas in Heaven
A Glorious, wonderful day.
I stood with the saints of the ages,
who found Christ the Truth and the Way.
I sang with the Heavenly Choir:
Just think: I who longed so to sing!
And oh, what celestial music
we brought to our Savior and King!
We sang the glad songs of redemption,
How Jesus to Bethlehem came,
And how they called His name Jesus,
That all might be saved through His name.
We sang once again with the angels,
The song that they sang that blest morn,
When shepherds first heard the glad story
That Jesus, the Savior, was born.
Oh, how I wish you had been there:
No Christmas on earth could compare
With all the rapture and glory
We witnessed in Heaven so fair.
You know how I always loved Christmas;
It seemed such a wonderful day,
With all of my loved ones around me
The children so happy and gay.
Yes, now I can see why I loved it:
And oh, what a joy it will be
When you and my loved ones are with me:
To share in the glories I see.
So dear ones on earth, here's my greeting:
Look up till the day dawn appears,
And oh, what a Christmas awaits us,
Beyond all our parting and tears."
A Glorious, wonderful day.
I stood with the saints of the ages,
who found Christ the Truth and the Way.
I sang with the Heavenly Choir:
Just think: I who longed so to sing!
And oh, what celestial music
we brought to our Savior and King!
We sang the glad songs of redemption,
How Jesus to Bethlehem came,
And how they called His name Jesus,
That all might be saved through His name.
We sang once again with the angels,
The song that they sang that blest morn,
When shepherds first heard the glad story
That Jesus, the Savior, was born.
Oh, how I wish you had been there:
No Christmas on earth could compare
With all the rapture and glory
We witnessed in Heaven so fair.
You know how I always loved Christmas;
It seemed such a wonderful day,
With all of my loved ones around me
The children so happy and gay.
Yes, now I can see why I loved it:
And oh, what a joy it will be
When you and my loved ones are with me:
To share in the glories I see.
So dear ones on earth, here's my greeting:
Look up till the day dawn appears,
And oh, what a Christmas awaits us,
Beyond all our parting and tears."
Our thought for today: God enables us to come through a crisis a better person.
Tomorrow’s post: A Boomerang Anointing: Action and Declaration: Prayer Note #102 Dutch Sheets
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