Oct 30th “Expectations Pt5”

Matt 17:25 Jesus asks Peter, “Who do the kings of the earth take tribute from, their children or strangers?”

Jesus had asked this because Peter, caught in a trap by those who received the tribute money, had asked Peter if his Master paid the tribute.

But Peter didn’t ask Jesus. He responded with what he thought should be the answer.

Don’t we do the same thing all the time? Answer what we think Jesus OUGHT to say.

Expectations are tricky because they put us in a spot to be disappointed. And we put that disappointment on God. But is it really God’s fault? No!

High expectations are not to be discouraged, on the contrary they are to be (ahem) expected! Listen to Jesus talking about how we are to treat, not our brothers and sisters in Christ, but our enemies.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”

Sounds like an unreasonable ask doesn’t it?” C’mon man”, as our president likes to say. It seems not only a hard thing to ask but, most likely, an unfruitful one.

But consider this—if we follow the Lord’s commands on this, we realize that it is truly not us that is living, but Christ. And isn’t that the goal of our lives?

Here’s to unrealistic (but Godly) expectations,

Pastor Brent

Oct 23rd "Expectations Pt4"

Peter declared boldly, “you are the Christ!” He didn't really know the fullness of what that was or what he was truly saying.

Then, in the next few hours Peter rebuked Jesus for telling the apostles what He was required to do as Christ.

Jesus kept telling His disciples plainly what was required of Him in His role as Messiah. But their expectations were different.

Jeremiah was a warrior and prophet for God. But his battlefield was not one of a charging general on the battlefield but one of prayer—even prayer from a mud pit up to his armpits.

Are my expectations interfering with my journey! Jesus repeated over and over what His outcome was going to be but those around Him were blinded by pride.

The winning side to God looks much different than the winning side to us humans. But it shouldn't be to us as Christians.

This has been a year of frustration for me personally as I realized that others have more control over my life than I ever thought possible.

Now onto the positive. If I can realize that God has ALL the control over outcomes and the future I should be okay with Him having that kind of power over my own future.

And that should cause great blessing, gratitude and peace in my heart.

May it be so.
Pastor Brent

Oct 9th "Expectations Pt3"

Does God expect 100% obedience? Do we think that God expects 100% obedience? Do we expect 100% obedience from ourselves?

What happens when that doesn’t happen? Because the only thing that is for sure is that there will almost certainly not be a 100% anything.

Dread can be an expectation, fear can be an expectation, certainty can be an expectation—-but all of these are only false apparitions of what might happen.

We are going to look at two examples of false expectations where God intervened and expected outcomes didn’t happen.

In the midst of troubles what is our go to, or fall back position? Is it faith? Is it blame? Is it trust? Is it something that breaks the connection with God that we have?

In our walk with God, we need, desperately, to define who He is and what He is able to do. Sounds weird, right? God can do anything and everything. So what’s the problem? Expecting Him to do it. That’s the problem.

When we wait on God, we must wait expectantly, knowing that God is not only capable, but willing to help us in our time of need.

Waiting expectantly,

Pastor Brent

Oct 2nd "Expectations Pt2

Ps 5:3 In the morning, you hear my voice, in the morning. I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

When we get up. Where is our head, where is our heart?

If, like David, we come to the Lord and make our requests known, we can absolutely go about our day having taken care of what we need in order to have our mind free.

When we ask the Lord for something, will we be okay if He gives us something better? What about just different or in a different way? Or what if He simply says, “N0!”?

My expectations should not be set by me, but by the Word of God. How many of us are truly setting our expectations on what God wants, or our desires on what God is giving us?

If not, why not?

The answer may lie in what has happened in our past, or what we think has happened in our past. I don’t know about you but, a lot of times our recollection as to how things have gone is somewhat cloudy.

What are you expecting this morning? The same old thing or a new fresh touch of the Father with a new outlook and a new conscience, and a renewing of our mind?

Be expectatious

(I’m sure it’s a word) 

Pastor Brent

September 25, 2022 Expectations

Are expectations good, bad or inconsequential? Should we have expectations about outcomes, situations and other matters in our life?

Yes! Proverbs 16:9 says A man makes plans but God directs his steps.

In other words, God wants us to stay engaged with our lives, but know that He is the one who will actually bring about the results.

If we, as children of God, understand that God is in control, then our planning comes with the understanding that it has a “but if” clause.

But if God changes those plans, not only are we fine with it, but we are rooting for God to do this at any time.

When Jesus said, “Not my will but yours, God,” or when Paul said, “For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain,” they were both walking in what they knew to be the plan of God but ready for Him to change it at any time.

Most of us will try to push through our agenda at any cost. Thinking, foolishly, that this time we really have a great plan and God must be on board with this one.

But, in reality, God simply wants us to be able to give up even our most important plans to walk in His.

Expectantly,

Pastor Brent

September 18th “Follower, Questioner, Mocker?” Pt3

The word follower is translated from several different words in the NIV version of the Bible.

It can mean the road you’re on which leads to the goal of the person you are associated with.

It can mean a devout believer with emphasis on the devout, meaning to Him alone am I hanging on to the belief.

Or, and this is most interesting, it can mean to cleave, or glue oneself together with the person or belief.

When Paul is speaking to the Corinthians, He asks them to be a follower of Him as He, also is of Christ.

We need to ask ourselves this. Am I a follower? Over and above everything in this world, will I follow Christ?

Jesus said plainly, “I did not come to send peace on the earth but a sword.” He goes on to say He is setting people at variance, Man against father, daughter, against mother, etc. If our family were to turn against Christ we will follow Him?

It’s a necessary question, because the world is doing its best to make the profane seem normal.

Most of the problems we see today were not problems even 20 years ago. It has ramped up and will continue until God has enough.

Will we be part of the problem or the solution?

Pastor Brent

September 11th “Follower, Questioner, Mocker?” Pt2

In this second sermon of who we might be as a devotee of Jesus we need to ask ourselves, “Do I question everything that Jesus asks or says?”

The disciples were continually asking Jesus questions about his statements.

How can we provide, what does this mean, why would you say that, don’t you know who they are, what are you doing, who, then, can be saved?

And, of course, there are more examples. But, doesn’t it show a lack of maturity? Those who are mature should have answers, or experiences, or simply the trust that Jesus knows what He is doing without having to ask.

What should our response be? Can we make ourselves something we are or not, yet? The answer, of course, is, no. You can never be something that you are not, but, we can pray or ask for wisdom. God gives this liberally and without regret to those who ask.

But, do we ask? Or do we complain? These are questions we need to ask ourselves, our friends, and Jesus. It is through honest reflection that we can obtain this wisdom that God so freely gives.

Let’s grow up in God together

Pastor Brent

September 4th 2022 "Follower, Questioner, Mocker?" Pt1

Jesus dealt with all kinds of people, and His response as well as His non-response is a lesson we can well use as we live this Christian life.

As we look at these three categories—Follower, Questioner, or Mocker—you might be surprised to find how close you might be to one of the categories you don’t want to find yourself in.

Some of our questions about Jesus and what He is like or what His response might be are good. But when we question other things, like His motive, or if He really loves us, or even why He would let me go through certain things; it crosses a boundary. We begin to ask ourselves if God really did say—exactly what Satan said to Eve in the garden.

And we may not think we are mockers, but what about those who have a different idea of faith or what worship might look like? Are we tolerant or simply dismiss them as “simple minded folk” or high-minded snooty people more interested in this or that than the Gospel.

I guess, what I am saying is, “The gospel is about you, it’s your growth and maturity that Jesus is interested in. His walks reveal how we are to treat people—all people.

Let’s learn.

Pastor Brent

August 21st “Miracles”

The last two categories of miracles I want to look at are

these: life-changing and resurrecting the dead.

We have the opportunity to look and see what happens

when people have been a certain way all their life (or a good

portion of it) and then, transformation happens and they have

to change how they think of themselves.

The last miracles we will talk about is Jesus’ mastery

over death.

He needed to show that there is not a limitation on the

Father’s reach into this realm. Soon dead, or long dead,

people can be raised to life.

Long saved or recently saved you can be raised to the

life God has for you. This is not a game or a show in which

You get to cheat or change the rules, this is eternal life which

Jesus demonstrated by extending the life of those physically

dead.

Allow Jesus to change you. But then don’t continue to

identify yourself as what you were before.

Don’t dwell on the deadness of your trespasses and

sins, but define yourself as possessing a life indestructible.

Everlasting. Powerful.

Let Miracles Happen

Pastor Brent

July 31st "Miracles of Jesus"

A tree that withers, a storm that calms, water that turns to wine, fresh fish that are caught, dead fish that multiply, is there anything the Lord cannot do?

Of course the answer is no, but we couch our answers in circumstances that are more outlandish that the miracles He did.

I’ve heard so many times, “I wish the Lord knew what I was going through.” Or if only God could d o something!

Why do we think He put the miracles of nature in the Scripture? Because we need to know He is Lord over all. Nothing is out of His reach or domain and any problem we have has a solution that He can bring.

Why don’t we simply trust that God not only knows stuff, but can do stuff as well, while we look at the circumstances of this morning’s miracles? What do you say?

Pastor Brent