I EXPECT...Week 3

Joshua 3:5 commends the people of God:
..."Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

We are now entering week three of this year's Lenten Season.  Can you believe it?  It feels like we just started.  So, let's pause for this moment and review our progress:

Week ONE:  we began to intentionally seek out ways to block ourselves from blocking ourselves in order to experience amazing things.

Week TWO:  we realized that if we want amazing, we must be amazing.  In order to be amazing, we must consecrate!

Those are not easy ventures.  I mean truthfully, every single day of this Lenten season God could reveal to us another way we must block ourselves from blocking ourselves.  But, don't be too hard on yourself.  We must remember that Jesus was tempted three times in three different ways when He was in the wilderness...and He is our Savior!  So, surely mere humans will be tempted each and everyday to block ourselves from amazing things.  Fight the urge to give in-every day block yourself from blocking yourself by consecrating yourself from yourself.  That's right...those two work hand in hand!  As we work towards this goal, we move forward in our focus scripture:

..."Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

This week's focus is:  I EXPECT!  

The challenges of this world...well, staying "saved" while dealing with the challenges of this world sometimes causes us to have low or no expectations.  Some of us stop believing in ourselves.  We don't look like it or even act like it in public, but secretly we have stopped believing in ourselves.

Maybe I've waited too late to have THAT
or
God is tired of ME
or
IT didn't work before, so why would it now

I believe that this Lenten journey is designed for us to dream again... believe again... EXPECT again!  The foundation for receiving amazing from God is consecration and expectation.  Without consecration, God cannot provoke our spirits to EXPECT.  If you are wondering why you have lost your zeal or desire for amazing, perhaps your time of consecration is missing.  It is with consecration that we separate ourself from our emotions and insecurities so that the Holy Spirit triggers that contagious urge to EXPECT something from God.  

So, on this third week in the wilderness, I challenge us to actually expect God to move.  I mean really...expect a change!  Expect greater!  Expect increase!  Expect breakthrough!  Expect!
  

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS:

In what area(s) of my life do I block myself from God's promise?
How can I benefit from removing myself out of my own way?

How can I consecrate myself for God's service?
How can I benefit from consecrating myself from myself?
Within what areas of my life do I expect God to move?
How do I block myself from expecting from God?

CONSECRATION PRAYER:

Most Holy God, we thank you for the opportunity to walk with Jesus before the cross.  We must admit that we have experienced things that have caused us to lack expectation.  We do not want to remain stagnant in our walk with You.  Help us to see the areas that we have blocked You out of by not expecting You to move.  As You reveal those areas to us, please give us the strength to EXPECT AGAIN!  In Jesus' name, Amen.