Rev. Foster Clark
FAITH, ACTION & EXPECTATION!!!
As Men of God and leaders in our homes and communities we must understand the absolute importance of Faith, Action & Expectation. First you must understand that expectation is not just a catchy word that Christians say. Secondly expectation is not an overnight thing that you just get. Expectation is a way of praying, thinking and acting. Expectation is a mindset that each person must pursue and develop. Faith, Action, & Expectation go together like peanut butter and jelly - Abbott and Costello - Football and Sunday afternoon - Men and Women.
1 Cor 2: 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 16 - For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
John 11:
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
In 1rst Corinthians we see that we have received God's spirit so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. One of those things is, His Mind. However, that mind, those thoughts, ways of thinking, acting and living must be developed. (stay with me people - gonna make it clear in a minute) In John we see the story of Lazarus; after his death and Martha's comments Jesus makes a profound statement as He is talking to the Father. He says in 42: "I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people." His faith did not waiver and he took action fully expecting the Father to answer. You might say, "But that was Jesus".. True! But we have the mind of Christ and the Spirit of Christ in us. Jesus himself had to grow. Luke 2:52 - And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
There are four basic characteristics that everyone in the bible who ever achieved anything for the Kingdom of God had. These are the characteristics that we as men must pray about and begin to exercise mentally, spiritually, and physically:
1. Men of Action (not simply prayer warriors who put no action with there
praying)
2. Men of Passion (Passionate about everything in life)
3. Men willing to Change
4. Men who refuse to settle for the status-quo (business as usual, this is
just the way it is, or this is as good as it gets)
Concerning Lazarus, look at Jesus displaying the four basic characteristics that we as men are to have:
Passion: Verse 38 "Jesus was deeply moved"
Action: Verse 39 "Take Away The Stone"
Willing to Change: Verse 41 & 42 "Father I know you have heard me, You always hear me - I say this for their benefit" (short version)
Refuse to Settle For the status-quo: Verse 39 & 40 "Take away the stone (even though dead 4 days) - You will see the glory of God"
We as men must pray to develop our Faith, Action & Expectation!! Speak it to your hearing (faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word. - The word that you speak that your ears hear builds your faith and develops your expectation, which cause you to act. Speak the changes that you want to see.) Expectation is developed by actions. You want something changed? Pray and Act.... Faith and expectation are developed by prayer and action that brings forth manifestation and change in one's heart, circumstances and situations.
"BLESSED IS HE WHO EXPECTS NOTHING, FOR HE SHALL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED." - Ben Franklin
"True faith and expectation demands and commands a person to act on that expectation." - Foster Clark
