GREAT EXPECTATIONS: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 20TH NOVEMBER 2018

MEMORISE:
For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Psalm 9:18

READ: Mark 5:24-29

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

MESSAGE

It is amazing that some people go to the house of God without any expectation. Believe me sincerely, there are regular attendees of church services who for a very long time have conditioned themselves to be onlookers. 

They listen to fantastic testimonies and applaud the testifiers. They even help to spread the news of the great things God is doing in their churches, but they never experience any miracle themselves because they have no expectation at all, to talk less of great expectations. 

You will not be numbered among such people in Jesus' Name. As  the poor in spirit, God assures believers that their expectations will be realised. Psalm 9:18 says:

“For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.”

Nevertheless, only the poor who have expectations can have a better future, because their expectations will come to pass. The good news for you today is that your expected miracle is nearer to you than you can ever imagine.

Today's Bible reading narrates the story of a woman with great expectations. She had been plagued with the issue of blood for twelve years and had spent all that she had on medication to no avail. 

When she heard that the Great Physician was in her neighborhood, she pressed through the crowd to meet Him with great expectations of miraculous healing. 

She expected and believed that Jesus would do for her what the physicians could not do, and so she found her way to Jesus and touched the hem of His garment. Mark 5:29 tells us the result of her great expectations:

“And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

Beloved, what do you expect from the Lord today? How great is your expectation? Trust in the Lord like this woman did, and just as her expectation did not fail, your expectation will not perish. 

This was also the testimony of the lame man at the gate of the temple (Acts 3:1-8). The Bible says he had expectations, but as God would have it, he got  more than he bargained for. Indeed, his expectation was the foundation for the miracle he experienced. 

Acts 3:5 says:

“And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.”

Are you expecting something from the Lord today? In Proverbs 23:17-18, the Lord says to you:

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please don't let my great expectation be cut short in Jesus' Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 17-18, Luke 24:13-35

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!