BEHOLD, I THOUGHT II

MEMORY VERSE: But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 2 Kings 5:11

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 28-31

Naaman had everything money can buy except for one thing, a good health (2 Kings 5:1). He traveled to see Elisha for healing from leprosy. On arrival, Elisha sent his servant to tell him to wash seven times in the River Jordan. 2 Kings 5:11 says: ‘But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.’ Naaman had an expectation of who should minister to him. He expected Elisha, not his servant, to physically minister to him. God can use any of His children to minister to you or your needs. Many, today, come to the church with an expectation of who the Lord should speak through. As a result, they only listen when the pastor preaches.

Secondly, Naaman came with an expectation how he should be healed. He expected Elisha to come out to him, call on the name of the Lord, and lay hands on him. Don’t come to God with an expectation of how He should solve your problems. The way you expect God to work can rob you of your miracle. Lastly, Naaman came with an expectation of where his healing should take place. He expected Elisha to pray for him in the front of his house and get healed; however, God wanted him to bathe in River Jordan. Not all difficult problems require a difficult solution. The solution to some difficult problems is very simple. Not all big problems require big solutions. Naaman struggled with the instruction he received from the prophet because it was too basic and too simple to be a solution.

NOTE: Big problems don't always require big solutions. The simplest thing to do when you face challenges is pray.

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Samuel Oluwatoki

EXPECT SOMETHING GOOD

MEMORIZE: And he gave heed to unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Acts 3:5

BIBLE STUDIES: Acts 3:1-10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelations 9-10, Proverbs 19

One day, Peter and John were going to church when a lame man asked for alms. The bible did not tell us if that was the first time of him asking alms from them or not, but on that day he asked as he would normally do - expecting something. Peter said to him, “look on us”. Acts 3:5 says, “And he gave heed to unto them, expecting to receive something of them.” As he was looking, expecting to receive something, a word of the Lord came through the mouth of Peter and that was it. While he was still trying to process what he had just heard, Peter grabbed him by the hand , lifted him up and he began to walk. When you search through the scriptures, you will find that everyone who received a miracle from Jesus came to Him expecting a miracle. None of them got it by chance. Even, the mad man of Gadara approached Jesus expecting deliverance. This man, although a lunatic, knew within himself that he needed deliverance. He knew that no one – herbalist, voodoo man, false prophets, could deliver him from the forces that had possessed him. The moment he saw Jesus, Lord of Hosts, he ran to Him expecting something good i.e. deliverance. Mark 5:6 says, “but when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him.” After worshipping Jesus, he received his expectation. Also, everyone who was healed during the ministry of Paul, Peter and other apostles came expecting a miracle. Acts 5:15 says this: “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” Those that laid their sick on the street when Peter was passing by did it expecting something good to happen. Guess what, they received what they expected. Lastly, those that were bitten by snakes in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9), looked at the bronze snake on the pole with an expectation to be healed –as instructed by Moses - and they received their expectation.

Proverbs 23:18 says, “for surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut short.” Friend, what are your expectations in life ? Are you expecting things , situations and circumstances, to work in your favour? I always expect the best in life. I do not expect sickness. The reason why many come to God’s presence and leave without any thing is because they come expecting nothing. Expect that storm affecting your marriage to stop. Expect that things should work for your good. Stop expecting to fail every time you write that exam. Stop expecting untimely death. The Lord has promised that you shall be the head not the tail. As such , expect to be the head. As a single lady, expect to meet a God fearing man. As a single brother, expect to meet a virtuous woman. As parents, expect to give birth to healthy children. Expect peace to reign in your land. Stop expecting bad things to happen to people or to you. Stop expecting your husband to elope with another woman. Stop expecting your doctor to get the diagnosis wrong. Expect God to fight for you. Expect God to give you victory. As we go into the new year, expect expansion, expect great things in the next year. Expect to end this year in good health. Remember the word of the Lord which says, “your expectation shall not be cut short.”

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: One of the things that worked against Job was his expectation. This old man expected something terrible to happen to him. Job 3:25 says, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” Stop expecting negative things to happen to you. Stop expecting those that have promised to help you to disappoint you. Stop expecting to receive sad news. Stop expecting to fail that exam. Stop expecting your project supervisor to fail your project. If you expect evil , you will not be disappointed. So also, if you expect something good.

CONFESSION: I expect things to work in my favour. I expect to prosper beyond human comprehension.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

EXPECTATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS

For surely there is a future hope; and your expectation shall not be cut off- Proverbs 23:18

When you search through the scriptures,no one got a miracle by chance or luck , they all expected it.The lame man in In Acts 3:1-8 ,expected money from Peter and John.Before He could receive his healing , Peter and John had to change his expectation. They told him look at us and the bible records in Acts 3:5 that he gave them his attention expecting to receive something from them.

In John 4:5-26, is the story of Jesus and the Samaritan women. The woman expected Jesus to ignore her or to give her a cold shoulder especially Jesus been a Jew and she a Samaritan .Jesus changed her expectation so that she will not missed her opportunity to be saved. He told her that if He knew who she was talking to she would asked for Living water and the woman replied in verse 15, Sir please give me this water , that i may not thirst .

Someone might wondering , is it possible for an individual to want a positive results but expect a negative result?oh yes,There are many men who wants to start a project and expects it to be difficult although they would have preferred it to be easy.There are many who expect their husband to cheat ,not because they want that but because they believe men always cheat.There are many who expects life to be tough and difficult .

Our expectation says a lot about us . Proverbs 11:23 says The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
Are you expecting a particular business to fail so that your business can make profits?

Action point: Expect a good thing to happen you

IDOLS FRUSTRATE EXPECTATIONS

Monday 27 August                         Bible in one year : Obadiah 1, John 1-4

Memorise: The hope of the righteous shall be gladness:but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.Proverbs 10:28

Read: Isaiah 44:10-18

Before you receive a prophetic declaration, check out the the fruit of the vessel-the prophet,pastor,or servant of God, whether the fellow is still in league with God. Some people say, “thus says the Lord, “but the Lord did not say anything to them. Some of them heard from themselves and spoke. Be careful of what you accept as being from God. In Jeremiah 28:1-4, Hananiah  a prophet prophesied that in two years God was going to set Israel free from the yoke of the King of Babylon, but it was all a lie! Imagine  the joy of the people when they heard that. But after two years, and the prophecy did not come to pass,all the expectations of the people failed.Instead of two years, they spent 70 years . In other words, the prophetic lies of prophets cannot change what God wants to do or alter its timing.Stick with genuine men of God and particularly the Word of God i.e. the Bible.

Apart from lies,expectations that are based on the support of an idol , another power or spirit will definitely be disappointed. Sincere Idol worshipers and cultist know that there are severe manipulations and falsehood regarding the predictions of their idols or deities.They also know that promises of fame, power and wealth made to them are actually in return for long life,health,the lives of their loved ones,etc.being taken from them. Satan does not offer any free gift but at the time of offer, he will make everything appear as if it’s free. The recipient of such offers would have been trapped before there is a realisation of what the devil would have in return ( Isaiah 40:19-20,24). The expectations of the wicked including idol worshipers shall fail (Proverbs 10:28). This involves confidence in local deities,charms,amulets,magic rings,love portions,anything and anyone you love to a point of taking the place of God in your hear. According to Psalms 92:7 and Isaiah 45:16, Idol worshippers with their hopes shall be dissapointed because they to share what God cannot with anyone - His glory. The prophets of Ball who contested with Elijah on Mount Carmel were disappointed and lost their lives (1 Kings 18:17-40). Are you using evil powers or contesting with a bona fide child of God? Your expectations shall fail and you may even lose your life. Repent today, and apologise to the child of God you are fighting before the Lord faces you.

ACTION POINT: Make this confession: Every idol taking God’s place in my hear, i tear you down and enthrone the Lord Jesus Christ at the centre of my life.

Excerpts from open Heavens by Pastor E.A Adeboye.

Expecting from lies?

Monday 12 August                                       Bible in one year : Joshua 22-24

Memorise: Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth , and a foot out of joint. Proverbs 25:19


Read: Proverbs 25:14-19

Beauty is a blessing but it easily attracts pride which invariably turns into a curse.Before Lucifer who was created perfect in beauty could fall , his beauty deceived him (Ezekiel 28:11-17). Are you beautiful or handsome? Never use your qualities as basis for your expectations because they will surely fail you. Humble yourself before God. He gave you what you so subordinate your physical look under His control and follow the direction  He leads you, so that your beauty can work in your favor. If you are beautiful or handsome,you have no right to reject , speak against , laugh at or discriminate against those who are not as physically endowed as you because they did not create themselves nor did you. Every beautiful trait God has given to you will not undo you  in Jesus name.
Apart from basing expectations on physical qualities, another reason for failure of expectations is when they are based on lies .Jeremiah 7: says ,

Behold ,Ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

If the person who is making a promise to you has no track record of honouring his word,you are just wasting your time. The liar has no sincere intention of making good his or her promise and may even lack the wherewithal to do so.Unfortunately , some people love lies. If you like lies, you will keep hearing lies.Some leaders do not want to hear the true state of affairs concerning those under them  thence they end up hearing lies. If you love lies, you will have bad advises. Some people cannot stand the truth so they go to places of worship where they will be told they can marry three wives, where the resident pastor is also a polygamist. Romans 1:25-26 says if you hate the truth, you will be sold into lies.Some sisters love lies of men. They love to hear a man who says he has what he has not, or he can do what he cannot. They love the men who flatter them and tell them sweet stories and make empty promises. Sometimes , these ladies know the man is lying but they continue with them because they love the fantasies. The expectations of such ladies shall be dashed. Have you put your mind on the promise of someone who lies has made ? Immediately take off your mind from it and put it on the Lord who never lies. On the other hand, if you observe people are very untruthful with you, check yourself and see if you have not been lying often yourself.

KEY POINT: The intergrity of the person whose words your expectations are built on will determine if your expectations are met or not

Daily Devotional from Open Heavens by Pastor E.A Adeboye.