Prayer: Pray with Expectation (#908)

We’ve been talking about prayer for the several sessions and we’ll continue to do that for a while.  And today we’re going to continue that discussion, and I think in a previous time we talked about prayer in general, then we talked about the importance of believing with prayer, then knowing what is available, and today we are going to go another step in that direction and talk about prayer with expectation.  This is a topic we talk about from time to time; that what are we expecting, because God wants us to expect Him to follow through on what he said, is an aspect of believing — to simply have expectation that  God will actually carry through on what He says.  Expectations are a big thing to a lot of people: in business and in sales, management are very careful to do what they call managing peoples’ expectations, because if what people expect in a business deal, a job, or a sale or something they are buying — if they expect expect a certain thing and then they only receive half of it, they get mad, they get discouraged, they may threaten all kinds of trouble; but if they only expect a little bit and you give them twice as much then they are all happy,  So expectations are a very, very big deal in all aspects of life.  And God talks a lot about expectations and what we should expect from Him and if we know what we can expect from God, and then we expect it, we not only will receive the things we ask in prayer, but we’ll be much more happy and content because we will have a better idea of what expectations are realistic and what expectation are simply not realistic.  So let’s start in Psalms 27….

Taught by Bruce Mahone 20161127

Verse Listing and Notes

Ps. 27:14    Wait (qawah – expect, look for) on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.
Ps. 37:1-9, 34-37    Vs. 5: Commit thy way – “roll thy way upon” the Lord (vss. 9, 34: qawah – wait with expectation)The end of the perfect man is peace
Ps. 40:1-5           I waited (qawah – vs. 1) patiently (intently – waiting I waited) for the Lord, and he heard
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit (vs. 2).
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted. (NRSV)
Ps. 62:5-8           My expectation is from him (God), vs. 5
(Ps. 130)    There is forgiveness with God (vs. 4), that he may be feared (revered).  I wait (with expectation) for the Lord (vs. 5).  Watch for the morning –  would include guards, keepers
Isa. 40:28-31      They that wait (with expectation) upon the LORD shall renew their strength
Lam 3:21-26       The Lord’s compassions and mercies (lovingkindness) are new every morning
portion (vs. 23: share, possession)
wait (vs 25: qawah – wait with eager expectation)
Teaching
Prayer: Pray with Expectation (#908)