What Did You Expect?

Deuteronomy 28:2-7 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

It's snack time (YAY!)

--and you decide to go to Dunking Donuts.

When you arrive what do you expect to buy?

I think we can agree that if you go expecting to buy tires, then you are in the wrong place. When I go, I expect to find at least a dozen donuts.

But I have to be honest, Krispy Kreme is the absolute gold standard! And when I go there, I expect the hot sign to be on and buy HOT, greasy, sticky, i-can-barely-pick-it-up-without-it-falling-apart donuts! And you have to eat at least 2 on the way to your destination.

It's the only way to eat them if you ask me. Judge away! LOL

The same goes for Dairy Queen. I expect there to be some type of dairy product on the menu. As far as I'm concerned, they could've just named it Blizzard because that's all I've ever gotten from there anyway. I've visited the one near my house so often, that they should expect me to always order the same thing - a medium Oreo Blizzard mixed with Turtle Pecan Cluster; and make it VERY CRUNCHY!

(My mouth is salivating just writing this LOL).

---can you tell I love snacks. Pray for me Saints!

We have all kinds of expectations as it pertains to names and descriptions.

When you hear the words Singer, hair stylist, dancer, etc, you expect the action that's described in the name of what someone is calling themselves. 

We should expect the same with God.

Although He has many names that have been transliterated from Biblical Hebrew, His name states what we should expect of Him.

For example,

• Yahweh / YHWH (Jehovah) combined with Jehovah-Rapha: (The Lord Who Heals) means we SHOULD expect His healing for us.

Now whether that healing is here in the land of the living or in the land of eternal life, that is in God's Hands and He should find us leaning into trusting Him more. But that's a hard pill to swallow when you want you loved one healed here in this world.

A few of His other names include:

• Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide = EXPECT HIM TO PROVIDE!

• Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord Our Peace = EXPECT HIM TO GIVE YOU PEACE!

• Jehovah-Rohi / Raah: The Lord Our Shepherd = EXPECT HIM TO LEAD AND GUIDE YOU!

• Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord Is There = EXPECT HIM TO GO AHEAD OF YOU!

• Jehovah-Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts (or Armies) = EXPECT HIM TO FIGHT FOR YOU!

• Emmanuel / Immanuel: God With Us = EXPECT HIM TO BE WITH YOU!

• Abba: Father = EXPECT HIM TO BE A FATHER TO YOU!

• Yeshua (Jesus): The Lord Saves = EXPECT HIM TO SAVE YOU!

God's many names say what we should expect from Him!

I've never met anyone with the government name liar, murderer, womanizer, robber or cheat.

But it would be most helpful to alert us as to who to avoid if they wore a name tag with is intro.

Although people don't have those name, it's sometimes what they're labeled and known as. When we see these titles, we expect these actions from them. 

Maya Angelou’s famous advice, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time," means you should trust a person's actions over their words or your own hope for their potential.

Yes - people can change with God's help but until then, expect them to do them while you pray for them to do better.

Our problem is we don't expect God to do what His name says. 

You both get what you expect, and what you don't. 

If you expect something from God, you'll get something. It may not always be EXACTLY to the letter what you asked or requested but you have to learn to be grateful for what He sent or did. God is not a Genie - giving what we WISH for.

He is God, giving what is best for us as we learn His Will, His Way and His Character.

The same goes for if you expect nothing, then that's what you get. 

You're expecting disappointment so you get disappointed. 

The term "Expectant parents" means they are expecting a child. 

Google says the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" by Heidi Murkoff, is a comprehensive, month-by-month guide covering pregnancy.

Now if these two expectant parents are expecting a tree, then there's definitely a disconnect.

Although both a tree and a Human bear seeds doesn't mean a human will have a tree or vice versa. 

Hey - tell someone you're expecting and see their reaction. LOL

Trust me, you can definitely expect a reaction!

It can be good or bad depending on your age and gender. 

Problem is, you're expecting people to be happy for you based on the relationship you thought you had. Sometimes we simply expect too much outta people.

Envision yourself going to an apple tree expecting oranges. 

Stop expecting something from someone (liar, murderer, womanizer, robber or cheat) who doesn't have the opposite ability.... Yet.

In Matthew 7:16-20, Jesus said:

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Now if you're expecting God to give you PRECISELY what you "ordered", then that's the problem. 

SPOILER ALERT: you don't order God to do anything...!

As Phillipians 4:6 states: do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your REQUESTS be made known to God.

Here's some notable expectations:

Abraham expected God to show him a place. 

Moses expected God to make Pharoah let the people go. 

They didn't expect God to do such great things through them, so be open to expect God to do it differently than you requested. 

God put it on someone's heart to give me a red VW Beetle Convertible many years ago, but then a few years back, it was wrecked!

I was expecting my beetle back but God still sent a car. 

Just because God didn't do it the way you expected doesn't mean it wasn't God!

And vice versa - beware - the enemy can pervert a gift so just because it came how you expect doesn't mean it was God too! That's why you have to stay close to God to hear what He's saying SO YOU CAN KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT! Oh it's a lifestyle change for sure. 

Here are some good expectations we should have according to God's Word: 

• Deuteronomy 28:2-7

  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

In other words -

you should expect to be blessed IF YOU obey God!

God is expecting from you too!

2 Chronicles 7:14 says :

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

He's expecting a return. 

His love is unconditional, so he'll still love you if you do what he expects or not - and he's knows if you're gonna do it or not - but He still expects it. 

- that's why He swore by Himself because He can't depend on us in our flesh alone. 

(Hebrews 6:13).

God wants you to expect of Him - He can handle it. 

Expect Him to hear you. 

Just expect Him to answer how He's gonna answer. 

Expect God to do what God does. 

Exceeding, abundantly above all you can ask or think so keep seeking, asking and knocking to expect an answer. 

(Ephesians 3:20, Luke 11:9-13).

Jesus is also expecting us, that's why He went to prepare a place!

We won't be waiting in a line for a place!

He left 2000+ years ago to prepare it!

And as far as I'm concerned, He's had plenty of time to get ready for us LOL!

Question is: are you ready for him?

He said he's coming back SOON - What do you expect?

(Revelation 22:20)

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!