EXPECTING SOMETHING

Genesis 15:5-7
5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."

Luke 12:40
You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him."

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

John 11:40
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you [Martha] that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

Luke 1:44-46
[Elizabeth speaking] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Mary's Song
And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord...

Philippians 1:19-21
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [all Scripture emphasis added]

For Christmas this past year, my oldest daughter gave me a special silver chain link bracelet with the words [twice]: EXPECT MIRACLES. I have worn it almost every day since.

Today I visited a new Thrift Shop in our area and came out with 3 large shopping bags of great items that I needed for very little money. When I got home and put everything away - I was folding up the last bag and - yep - you guessed it - I read the words on the bag. That's the photo that you are seeing in this post - it's a shopping bag. Can you read it?

I ask you, as you follow Christ today, what things are you expecting in your journey with Christ? Mark Batterson in his book In a Pit with a LION on a Snowy Day, puts it something like this [I'm paraphrasing]:

Are you going through life always wanting to see the 3-act play - neatly packaged when the final curtain comes down? OR - do you follow the Jesus who walked on the earth where he took the disciples to the IMPROV daily? Do you and I expect the unexpected?

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Are we looking for all the miracles that God does each and every day in our lives - the UNEXPECTED - I mean real miracles - like that of His Presence in your life when He shows you His glory- or when He whispers to your heart something [through the Spirit] that only you and God know about? Are we willing to follow - when Christ takes us down a path that may not make sense to everyone else around us?

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And then - how do you respond - even before it comes? Are you like Mary [Jesus' mother] who praised God before the promise was ever fulfilled? Does your Praise and Thanksgiving come first?

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Are you looking UPWARD and living at the Improv? The Jesus who walked this earth - walked an adventure of the unknown path.

We don't know the way - but HE does! Are you willing to go there with Him?

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Looking UPward and Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[Time to FLY]
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In A Pit With a LION On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
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