Sermons on Lack Of Expectation:

Don't Walk Away From An Answered Prayer

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Jul 12, 2022

We tend to pray for the salvation of someone we know, or for a job, or for the return of the LORD, or some other issue, and He answers it in a way that either we don't expect or like. Let's not forget that God is in charge. His will overrides our ideals.

I want to share with you an insight that the LORD impressed upon me pertaining to prayer and how the LORD graciously answers our petitions and requests presented before Him. You are probably familiar with the saying that He answers our prayers three ways: Either "Yes", "No", ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4, Psalm 91:15, Isaiah 65:24, Jeremiah 33:3, Luke 11:9, John 14:14, 1 John 3:22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Our Agenda Vs God's Agenda

Contributed by Revd Dr Ruwan Palapathwala on Dec 29, 2024

Jesus has a vision for his ministry and the people have another, a different vision. The people’s own expectations have deafened them to the fulfillment of the scriptures. They are so caught up in their own agenda they cannot hear, let alone participate in, God’s agenda.

“What’s your plan for the day?” It’s a question I often ask my wife; usually on the weekend. But sometimes in the evenings after work I’ll say, “What’s your plan for this evening?” What’s your plan for the weekend? They seem like innocent enough questions and often they are. I’m really interested ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:21-30

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Living A Questionable Life - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Jeffrey Dillinger on Jan 22, 2024

When people look at me, do they see what they expect, or someone that is "odd?" When I am so close to Jesus that my life reflects his actions and attitudes it causes people to ask, "Why are you like this?"

Living Questionable Lives – Pt 1 (Acts 16:29-34) Intro: A. I grew up with some great tools like the Jule Miller filmstrips, Open Bible Study, and teachings about Friendship Evangelism. All them had a great place in the ministry of reconciliation, but they didn’t all work for me. Maybe it was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Keeping Focused In Ordinary Days

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Jan 10, 2019

What do you expect to accomplish in your ministry now? What will capture your attention as you begin this new year? How will you carry out what has God called you to do? How will you maintain your focus in the face of discouragement?

Subject: "Keeping Focused in Ordinary Days" Text: John 21:1-23 Introduction: What do you expect to accomplish in your ministry now? What will capture your attention as you begin this new year? How will you carry out what has God called you to do? How will you maintain your focus in the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-23

Denomination: Methodist

The Sunday After Christmas Sermon Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 20, 2015

How did Christmas 2014 feel to you? Maybe your Christmas wasn’t all you expected. Now that Christmas is over, maybe the excitement has passed and life is already returning to some kind of normal. Whatever normal might be in your life!

The Sunday after Christmas sermon How was your Christmas? Yesterday I went to buy some petrol and as I was queuing up to pay I heard another driver ask the cashier: “How was your Christmas?” Her response was “I am SO HAPPY that Christmas is over!” - I find that a little ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23

Denomination: Pentecostal

Say It Again

Contributed by Larry Grant on Oct 23, 2022

Paul calls on Titus to “put them in mind” remind them about these things. He wants Titus to remind them who they are in Jesus; what they have in Jesus; what God has done in them through Jesus; and what God expects of them because of Jesus.

Titus 3:1-8 (NKJV) SAY IT AGAIN October 23, 2022 Paul is writing to Titus, his son in the ministry, a young Pastor on the island of Crete. We last hear of Titus as Paul tells Timothy in the last chapter of his second letter (verse 10), that he is heading for Dalmatia, which is ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Get Right Or Get Left: A Modern Take On John The Baptist's Message Series

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Dec 1, 2025

You ever notice how God doesn't always send what we expect? When Israel was looking for deliverance, God didn't send a politician in a suit. He didn't send a smooth-talking preacher with a megachurch

INTRODUCTION You ever notice how God doesn't always send what we expect? When Israel was looking for deliverance, God didn't send a politician in a suit. He didn't send a smooth-talking preacher with a megachurch. He sent a wild man from the wilderness wearing camel hair and eating ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

We're Still Here, What Now? Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jan 2, 2013

As I’m sure most of us expected, the world did not come to an end before Christmas, and Jesus didn’t come back for the second coming at Christmas. Does that mean we should just keep on going about our business as usual? The question I want to ask us this

If he had come back, everything would be changed, but I want to submit to you that things can still be changed in the way we live for Christ. Will we make a new or stronger commitment to follow Jesus in this New Year ahead of us? Because the fact still remains that we could be gone, at any ...read more

Am I Seeking Human Approval? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 20, 2007

First message in revival series at Emmaus Baptist Church, Quinton, VA: We may so need human approval that we forget to seek God’s approval. Either we look backward too much, returning to old habits, or we look forward too much, expecting some "magic" wor

There are certain questions all of us need to ask ourselves. There are certain ways in which we need to probe our own minds and figure out just what we are doing. It never hurts to look inside and be honest and dig out our own motives. For example, since I am now in that wonderful status of ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-12

Denomination: Baptist

Redeeming Broken And Reclaiming The Least

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

All of us have fallen short of God’s expectations but that does not prevent us from being used by God in His work because all of us are justified freely by God’s grace through Jesus Christ when we repent and act. Grace is receiving from God what we can’t

Redeeming Broken and Reclaiming the Least Nehemiah 3: 12-14 John Wesley was the founder of the people called Methodists. Throughout his more than 50 years of ministry, he traveled more than 225,000 miles on horseback, wrote thousands of letters and preached more than 40,000 sermons. He was an ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:12-14

Denomination: Methodist

Basic Training For Families

Contributed by Chris Smith on Jun 17, 2003

The Word of God ought to be on display in your homes, in every area of your life. It ought to be hung up in your living room, your kitchen, your laundry room, and if you really expect your children to follow the Lord, the Word of God had better be hung u

Note to readers: Although I have re-written this text extenstively, most of the main points, illustrations, and quotes of this sermon are from a sermon originally preached by Dr. James Merritt at the Pastor’s Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention held at Orlando Florida in June of 2000. ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

Let It Pour Lord In 2004

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 30, 2004

We need to pray to the Lord to let it pour in 2004. Then we need to expect more of His presence, His oracles, His understanding and His revelations. When He pours out more of His presence in our lives then His oracles come alive with divine understanding

Let It Pour In 2004 Thesis: We need to pray to the Lord to let it pour in 2004. Then we need to expect more of His presence, His oracles, His understanding and His revelations. When He pours out more of His presence in our lives then His oracles come alive with divine understanding which then in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 62:8, Joel 2:28-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus: Leader, Lord & Ladder Series

Contributed by Mike Cleveland on Jan 2, 2008

Jesus Christ is our Leader. He said to Philip “follow Me.” He expects all who believe to give up their lives and follow Him into service and ministry to others. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is Deity and Majesty. He reigns on high. He is the sovereign Ruler

Let’s open our Bibles this morning to John chapter 1, where we have been studying for the past 3 months now. We have come to the end of the chapter today. As you are turning, let me tell you about a rock band that came on the scene in the early 1970’s, a band by the name of Led Zeppelin. They ...read more

Scripture: John 1:43-51

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Good Work Of Jesus Christ

Contributed by Nche Takoh on May 2, 2006

The fact that Jesus "gave himself for us" describes the beauty of His good work of love for His people (John 15:13) and the benefit that they can expect from it (Rom.8: 1-4). The words "gave him" also emphasize that even though Jesus Died as a man, to be

Theme: The good work of Jesus Christ. Scripture: Titus 2:14 The term "good works" has several dimensions. One is a word used in the phrase "good works" found in Titus 2:7,14,3:8,14 meaning good in the sense of perfect or pure in itself, while "good works as found in Titus 1:16,2:5,10 means not ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:14

Denomination: Baptist

Purity

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Sep 25, 2011

God says we’re to keep ourselves pure. To be pure means to be unmixed with any other matter, to be free anything that taints. God expects us to be holy – separated from anything that defiles. We’re to be like Him. We need pure minds, hands, and hearts.

Purity 1 Timothy 5:22 God says we are to keep ourselves pure. To be pure means to be unmixed with any other matter, to be free anything that would taint. God expects us to be holy – separated from anything that would defile us. We are to be like Him. We are to have pure minds, pure hands, and pure ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:22

Denomination: Baptist