Expectation Series

Expectation

Sunday Sermon / Getting Ahead Sermon Series

May 6th, 2007

Intro: Getting Ahead: Week One / Satisfaction,

Here’s the bottom line issue: Without drawing your deepest level satisfaction from God, you will never be truly satisfied with anything in life.

Week Two / Control

Isaiah 55:8 "8 …my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

Therefore, not every thought in your head is a good one!

(Consider that one, you just may be wrong! Some people never even consider that!)

• Not every emotion is based in God’s reality

• Not every one of your plans is Godly

• Not every one of your “ways” of doing life is godly or from God.

You must cooperate with God’s Holy Spirit to filter every thought

Today we’re going to see how our expectations are vital to the outcome of our lives.

Text:

Isaiah 55:10-11

10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

I. Want God’s best

“10 …water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout…”

You will eventually get what you expect to get.

You will also get more than you expect:

The Greek siege of Troy had lasted for ten years. Legend has it; the Greeks devised a new ruse: a giant hollow wooden horse. It was built and then Greek warriors. The rest of the Greek army appeared to leave, but actually hid. Meanwhile, a Greek spy convinced the Trojans that the horse was a gift despite the warnings of a few. The horse was even investigated but in the end, the Trojans accepted the gift. In ancient times it was customary for a defeated general to surrender his horse to the victorious general in a sign of respect.

The Trojans hugely celebrated the end of the siege, so that, when the Greeks emerged from the horse, the city was in a drunken stupor. The Greek warriors opened the city gates to allow the rest of the army to enter, and the city was pillaged ruthlessly, all the men were killed, and all the women and children were taken into slavery.

This is the how the devil operates. He promises much and delivers little and in the end his ways will cost you dearly.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NASB) “9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

But God does things much differently,

Hebrews 11:6 “… anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

a. God is already ahead.

i. So if you want to get ahead in life, get in behind God and follow Him.

Isaiah 22:22 "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open.

ii. His path leads to success, fulfillment and everlasting life.

iii. God will not fail, He cannot fail and no one will ever truly succeed with Him.

Look, “11…it shall accomplish… (it) shall succeed…”

b. The World is driven by a whole other set of ideals

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NASB) 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

II. Know God’s best

Have you ever seen the message, “Notice: Urgent message inside” on your mail? Now most of us realize that usually this is a “scam”, but this Book contains letters that are urgent and do have messages in it that will change your life.

“11 so shall my word be…”

• To teach and train

• To save and to sanctify

Ray C. Stedman, “The great tragedy of the church today is the neglect of the Scriptures. People no longer know what the Bible teaches. They no longer think biblically, to think the thoughts of God after him.”