Thursday, July 25, 2019

Morning by Morning, July 25 - "Expecting to Receive" - The Power of Expectant Faith
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are One with my Father, One with the Holy Spirit. Be One within me as I entrust my heart and my day to You (John 17:23). ...
 
"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, 'Look at us.' And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them" (Acts 3:1-5).
 
The lame man at the temple gate was "expecting to receive." And there's something about that spirit of expectation that Your Spirit is highlighting in my spirit today. ...
 
He asked them for alms, like I'm sure he asked people for alms every day. But along with his asking he was also expecting. Expecting what? Expecting that his asking would be answered.
 
What made this difference this time? What made the difference with these men he was asking of?
 
When he asked of Peter and John, they "looked intently at him" and invited him to "look" back at them. And that's when expectation arose in the lame man's heart.
 
Peter and John were filled with Your Spirit (Acts 2:4). And when their attention was drawn to the lame man, that was You drawing their attention to him. When they looked at him, that was You looking at him through their eyes. When they were speaking to him, that was You speaking to him through their words. As Peter would later say, under the inspiration of Your Spirit, "Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God ... so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever" (1 Peter 4:10-11).
 
Thank You, Lord, that You hear me ask for what I need. But not only do You hear, You also respond. You look at me. You see me. You see my every need. And You invite me to look to You. And what I hear You emphasizing in my spirit this morning is that I am to look to You expectantly -- "expecting to receive."
 
Many ask in prayer, but do they expect to receive? Many times I ask in prayer, but do I expect to receive? ...
 
Lord, take away any disappoint from the past. Take away anything that try to steal my hope or dampen my expectations or cripple my faith like a lame man full of doubt, unbelief, and mistrust to just settle for something far less than all You desire for me.
 
Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me afresh with expectant faith -- faith that's "expecting to receive" all the goodness of God my good God has for me in the abundant life You will for me according to Your Word to (John 10:10). Deliver me from disappoint and doubt, as I submit my heart and my faith to You to be infused with fresh faith, with expectant faith, to look and see that You are good and You hear and You respond (James 4:7).
 
That lame man received so much more than he was asking for that day! You did "exceedingly abundantly" more than he could ever ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20) And I believe You're inviting me to expect more, "exceedingly abundantly" more, with a heart full of expectant faith. 
 
Lord, fill my heart afresh with expectant faith today! Like that lame man You healed in the mighty name of Jesus (Acts 3:6-7), I'll go "walking and leaping and praising God" to shout Your praise everywhere I go! (Acts 3:9) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be delivered from disappointment and doubt and filled afresh with expectant faith today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
   


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Please share this word to encourage a friend!