expectations

What a crazy night. Prom, the once in a lifetime night everyone has been chatting about, getting excited for was today. To be completely honest, i wasn't excited and i dreaded it, the past two days, it got to the point where i felt like it was a chore, a tedious chore that needed to be completed. But surprisingly, once i put on my outfit for the first time, something came over me, and those prom jitterbugs came flocking. And after tonight, i must say that i did have a wonderful, amazing time. It was fun, I was content.

Many people had crazy expectations about it, how it was the perfect night, i know so many people were going crazy, and the news has reported that teenagers are spending hundreds of dollars on this simple night, on make up and dresses, and its just been so hyped and people have had such high expectations. Tonight, i felt like those with such expectations were disappointed. Sometimes we create these expectations for things in life, but they end up disappointing us, whether it may be an event, person, or relationship, we can get disappointed.

But, thankfully, there is something we can have great expectations of and i promise and know that it won't disappoint. That is heaven, eternal life, and our God. Heaven, streets of gold, rooms made with us in mind, eternal life, a life without pain, suffering or tears. We cannot even begin to imagine the love God has for us, and what he has in store for us when we get to heaven. Im excited, and i cannot what to see what he has prepared for me.

Are you expecting something great? 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;     my hope comes from him.

Psalm 62:5 

Protection.

It was just another day. Waking up, brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and down to breakfast. I thought it would be just another day. But once we got into the car and started driving on Bayview we realized that there was A WHOLE LOT of traffic. There was no way that I would be at school on time. For sure I would be late. As we traveled along Bayview we tried listening to the radio for news updates but nothing was said. It usually takes us around 7 minutes to get to school and today it took us a whole lot longer, it took us about 20 minutes to get to school.

Of course we weren’t expecting anything that would happen to us. Once we got to the intersection before my school we say 3 cars that had gotten into an accident. The middle car was DESTROYED. The hood was bent up and the truck was basically gone. The police, cars, and drivers / passengers were all pulled up on the loop that lead into my school.

As I saw the police writing down information I thought to myself, “What if that was me.” I realized that God’s protection plays such an important part in our lives. We would never expect a car accident to happen but, it does. We don’t know when or where but somehow one can happen.

His hand protects us every step that we take. From as simple as walking across the street, He is there to hold us close and protect us from the drivers. He guides us every step of the way and we have to be thankful for that. He keeps us safe 24/7.

Why Do I Ask?

As a kid, I always asked my parents for things. Things such as toys, new clothes, the latest electronics, and money. I always thought that once I ask, I’ll receive it right away. I thought that that was how God worked, ask and I’ll receive right away.

There are many Christians out there that ask but don’t receive. Why? Because they don’t have the right heart. I realized that most of my requests to God weren’t being answered. I kept questioning why He would do that.

I thought He listened then brushed it off. Then, I realized that I wasn’t asking because I needed those things. I asked because I wanted them.

Growing up in a Christian school I was very exposed to “The Lord’s Prayer”.

It’s located in Matthew 6:9-13 it says:

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

I always thought that it was just another thing to memorize until January 1, 2012. After all those years I soon realized that there was a deeper meaning to it. I’ve studied these verses but it was just a quick brief about what it was, I never really dug deep into what it really meant.

The first day of this year I entered the gym (where we have our youth service) not expecting anything. As I was listening to my pastor she focused on these verses and I realized that there was more to those words that came out of my mouth. I thought of it as a slap in the face. Something that I’ve been doing for so long and not knowing what it meant really hit me hard. She said this one line in her sermon, “God doesn’t answer because we’re doubtful.”

I think that this hit me hard because I wasn’t asking God for the right things. It was just for me, me, and me. She helped me realize that God only answers our prayers when we have the right heart. We don’t need to use big words or be in a certain place at a certain time. We just need to have the right mind and heart.

My pastor explained 3 reasons why God doesn't answer our prayers.

1. Because of the unconfessed sins in our lives.

Isaiah 59:1-2:

¹ Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ² But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

2. Because of our own doubt.

James 1:6-7:

⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

3. Because we have the wrong motives.

-

James 4:2-3:

² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

"The greatest prayer anyone can pray is, “They will be done.”"

-Lehman Strauss, Sense and Nonsense about Prayer

Prayer Granted: 1.25$

Expect God to Answer Your Prayers

Rick Warren

“If you want to know what God really wants you to do, ask him ... but if you don’t ask in faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.” (James 1:5-6 TLB)

God wants to direct you in life, but two things need to line up: You have to ask the right person, God, and you have to ask with the right attitude — in faith, expecting an answer.

Have you ever asked God for something and didn’t expect to get it? That’s why you didn’t get it. God works in our lives according to faith. So many times we say, “God, please guide me!” and we walk away not even waiting for guidance. We just immediately start to work. We say, “God, I want you to give me wisdom; help me make the right decision.” But we don’t really expect him to do that. We think it all depends on us.

God has promised to give us wisdom, if we will ask. Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view. Wisdom is the ability to make decisions the way God makes decisions.

Think about this: God never makes a bad decision. He never makes a mistake. He says if we trust him and listen to him, he will guide us. But we must ask in faith.

Just to start.. i had this problem with devos before... sometimes i feel like the message is super repetitive and that i already know this concept.. teach me something new kinda, that usually results in me stopping because i find it boring and useless. I've been told that maybe this is God trying to tell me something, to remind me something, but sometimes i dont know. We'll see :)

Expecting God to answer your prayers. God DOES answer prayers, and there are usually 3 answers. YES. NO. and WAIT. Like we've stated before, God knows best, and sometimes you may not understand what is going on, why certain things happen, but know that its for the better. You may not understand God's plan at this exact moment, but you will eventually. It may be tomorrow, it may be in weeks, or even in years.

Over the years i've also learnt that God is not a vending machine. Now that i think about it, i think i am using him like that recently, and sometimes not meaning it either. Its just ME ME ME, i want THIS THIS THIS, give me THAT THAT THAT. You cant just ask things from him. Like the structure i guess you can say for prayer, ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. We first praise our God and Saviour, confess our sins, a big reason God may not answer your prayer is because you have unconfessed sins. thank Christ for all he's blessed you with and then AT THE END you ask him for things.

Pray to God IN FAITH. He WILL answer your prayers if you pray humbly and wholeheartedly.

prayer is key!

Jason