Hillsong Church - Seat Edges and Garden Rocks

good morning Hillsong Church come on three stop this morning by Stanley Jaffe giving God a massive shout of praise clapping her hands come on can we lift them some plays in his house this morning this is his house where his knee [Applause] [Music] let's think together [Music] there's no hiding from your I can't deny [Music] love to go we say in Chile laughs knock exposed to UV [Music] goodnight we now [Music] night hi is golden to [Music] Oh [Music] No so [Music] we might let go let go [Music] [Music] [Music] we see - I live in a live show me like like is supposed to be canned away here awaits we not [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] here in the south and I love to hear the sound of the savings more Zeebo to do where people pay [Music] [Music] there was a sound loser I love you see Rosie what's she do when people pay where we you worship we stop [Music] human believers see sing his praise sing his praise [Music] see his razor see his face [Music] [Music] [Music] no changes [Music] Oh [Music] just [Music] [Music] see Oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] tickets right to his face [Music] then when he moves and when [Music] now stands where every promise we believe this stuff tomorrow [Music] the bowels of hell vegans [Music] but I know promises you waiting for declare the same thing [Music] master [Music] [Music] [Applause] they come [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] my is baby sneeze pray [Music] Thank You chief thank you long thank you [Music] help me I need you [Music] my best art is [Music] boy you make of me so help me three them [Music] mr. Vela [Music] to make my own you [Music] me I [Music] speak [Music] this will be done so help me [Music] assume V live Jesus [Music] the world is yours to make my [Music] Oh [Music] be strong [Music] breathe on my s4 to be like Jesus and I have but what I have is yours too [Music] pick my hole you are [Music] [Music] so if you're comfortable deal if chance was heaven or God we commit this morning to you we pray that this gathering this meeting this building would become an upper room where you can pour your spirit out where you can reveal yourself to us where you can challenge us and mold us and encourage us and lift our head where you can heal the sick bring dead things to life look on God that we would open our hearts to you this morning that we would put you right in the center and right at the top of all that's about to happen not just in this meeting but in our lives we need you we need you Jesus we're dependent on your holy spirit move like only you [Music] thank you Jesus amen we all sing this from the top together missing people people strange [Music] children [Music] make this out friend so don't let your heart be trouble hold your head fear no evil fix your eyes on misfortune this many you see cabbage hold on be strong no matter where I handle [Music] [Music] [Music] see Jesus [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] sweet wine you can't [Music] everything what is [Music] his name is there is no other name like the name of Jesus can we sing this out for place we won yes [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] well I hear a huge big welcome to Hillsong Church maybe you're in the room here at Hills or you're joining us through the screens we're so thankful that you're here and especially if it's your first time with us please please just make yourself at home you're very very welcome but I love that his name is come on through the screens and it Hills his name is Jesus Jesus I love that you know those two Jesus on you up there I didn't get too excited about that but when I met him in 1991 I have to tell you I couldn't stop talking about Jesus he saved me he made me whole he took what was broken and he fixed it it was dark and there was light can anyone say him into that anyone know what I'm talking about and you know he is the reason we gathered together and here's the reason we have great hope you know in my hand I'm holding a whole lot of prayer requests there people believe in for healing for breakthrough you know we've got these fires that are right through of the east coast of Australia we desperately need rain people need great hope and the reason that this morning we can pray with confidence is not because we're good but because he is good and Jesus has made a way for us he's made a way for us to come on when we reach out our hands can we believe together father I thank you in Jesus name father you know the condition of our country we desperately need rain we desperately need weather conditions to be favourable father for these fires to be put out we desperately need for you to intervene father right across this land and Lord for every prayer need every person everywhere where we're joined father I lift them up and I thank you that the name of Jesus is above every name that you are able and you will have the last say in Jesus name so come on together one more time let's declare here let the praise go up as the walls come down okay a shed children his name is Jesus Jesus [Music] ah [Music] busy [Music] [Applause] [Music] Gina Tommy what happened we praise him Jesus Jesus so beautiful here got some praise applaud who likes a good report hey please please please you're so diligent in your prayer requests and keep putting in your prayer requests but we'd love to know we'd love to hear when God answers prayer when God's done a breakthrough and something wonderful in your life can you let us know through the praise reports at the front someone hears praising God for it says his brothers been healed from cancer so praise God for that someone praising God for the rain and we desperately need more rain in more areas but we praise God for that praising God from healing from a virus which is awesome praising God for a full-time job which is fantastic I love this one and I'll actually this is from Annie so if your wife is Annie this could be you thanking God for her incredible husband so my wife's now called Annie so anyone else just want to join in there every other America we're all got any any that's right hey when you say hire the person xD crabbers seeds [Music] so just as you do that grab your seats we are a very friendly church hey were you one we give pastor Bobby a welcome as she comes to the platform join me join me to come up there know am I doing this amen look at me I'm so submissive how are you judge good morning good morning honey you look amazing so just want to just personally say thank you to all the women in the house yes more than women in the house no that's pathetic oh there no woman in the house for coming out Tuesday evening to our sister United night and this place was packed to the rafters the atmosphere was so incredible and now it's rolling out around the world and I'm hearing such amazing feedback because what we do is we take that instance of what happened in here and that's what everybody watches right around the world in all the locations and it's actually pretty exciting and so they've lent into your faith and your inspiration and your presence and it's incredible but one thing is so um we handed out this it's our kind of traditional pre-launch season color invitation and so on every seed every second see there's another one and if you happen to miss Tuesday evening this is your personal invitation it's a really cool calendar seven months that captures literally the whole season right up to May so that we can carry one another carry our sisters around the world amen so it's yours to have have a look at and enjoy it and as always guys listen to me I give this we do a lot it we get a lot of trouble to give this it's tangible tactile we'd give it to you so you can be blessed llenan understand and we always hope that it will pass through you to someone else who needs to hear the good news is that okay so give me a wave if you understand and second amen Sam beautiful thanks for coming guys and don't forget there's a handful of spots still available here at the hills campus next you for color conference too so make sure you register today and for the first time there's an online experience as well so we're really really excited about that and Bobby you know we need to give honor where honor to you and I love it when we have guests that stand up here and really thank you and Brian but I'm but I think I really believe that for us you know what we should never become familiar with the blessing that Brian or Bobby are you guys have been faithful in and out of every season you let us do great integrity and character and we want to just say thank you so much pastor Brian's in Phoenix so let's keep praying for our pastors hey is that cool well we're about to receive our giving now and we have our very own in charge of everything to do with Bible College labor and Sedley were you coming in couragous thank you Sam how are you you look amazing let me yeah encourage us around our giving today those of you the part of our church will know that you can give by using one of the ways behind me on the screen but a couple of weeks ago I shared about a an experience that I had out in country Victoria hanging out with a few farmers quite a number of years ago and just want to illustrate a passage of Scripture from that experience today the Bible says here in 2nd Corinthians 9 verse 10 says now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase say that with me Church supply and increase supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness notice that supply and increase when I was out on the farms in Victoria this time I was at a church gathering of different leaders and speaking into that and I got to sit with a group of farmers and I was having lunch with them and I said to them house how's everything going on the farms and one of the young guys sitting next to me said well we're up to our third year of drought and some of us are really on the edge of you know losing our livelihood and I said oh man that's that's a big deal and I said how many of you would be like that and a lot of the guys around the table kind of year me me me me and then the young guy next to me said I'll except for said for Dave and I looked across and Dave was kind of this gentleman in his 60s and and I said Dave what why would you not be on the edge of losing your livelihood and he said I just stay consistent every year he said I consistently put the same amount of grain in and I have done and my father taught me that and my grandfather taught me that he said I put the same amount in and he said whether in drought or whether in flood over the 60 years God has never let me down and I said so what does that mean and he said well I'm gonna put put it down this year and he said I've also had three years of lost he said but this year when I put the grain in I'm gonna believe for a bumper crop and I said what's a bumper crop he said a bumper crop is when the heart work when the crop yields an unusually productive harvest and I said that's amazing tomorrow when I come out on the farm I'm gonna lay hands on the grain and and believe for the grain to produce an unbelievable amount he looks back at me and he says Lee our faith is not in the green our faith is in God and he quotes this who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food I'm sitting there thinking well you can lay hands on me that I'll supply bumper wisdom from my mouth in future amen I gotta say this Hillsong Church as we continue to stay consistent in our giving I know what your week look like your month or your year but I know this is we can stay consistent in sowing that will he will see to it that he continues to supply seed to the sower and bread for food and even yield an unusually productive harvest in your own life amen amen hold your offering in your hand this morning let me pray for you father we thank you for the honor it is always to sow into your kingdom father I pray Lord that as a result of our sowing today that Lord you'll continue to see that you'll supply seed to the sower bread for food father I pray for supply and increase and not only the lives of individuals but in the life of our church not only locally but globally in Jesus mighty name amen amen host you may possibly Pena's as I do that Hillsong Church check out the screens and find out how we could continue to sow into the lives of those that maybe don't know Jesus this Christmas but we'll come to know him as a result of our generosity check out this kilo of Christmas I had had a baby boy two and a half years ago and then made a promise to him that I'll change my old life when he was born my whole life was a train wreck I was abused as young age and from then I just built you know hatred towards towards the world I couldn't deal with life so I just turned to drugs and crime and that was my life for years my family with with with my son and my partner was was broken I thought I thought I was never going to see him ever again I realized you know I needed to get help so I ring one ATTC [Music] it was coming up to Christmas and I was on LAIV and I had nothing I was broke I was gonna go up a Christmas song say my son have nothing Hillsong gave me that Christmas hamper and I was blind why just just what was in there what Evan gave me toys for him and it's not just me they gave it to like 40 50 guys over here and I went up to see my boy and I brought the present someone from the life it was to seeing there with my son up in the up his presence and to share soften my heart just to know that he has a loving dad and that I'm here for him in my heart 8 because of how much I let my family down but now it is um it's totally different and I see my son Millie every weekend and it's just a miracle that's beautiful and you know as Hillsong and when I say he'll say I'm not talking about this I'm talking about us we get to make a massive difference at Christmastime Christian Christmas time for Christian is it for Christians is full of opportunity and it starts with an opportunity to give and that's what kilo of Christmas is all about and we just saw a great story of when you take one of these bags and you fill it up the best you can and and grab some you know some toys and you bring them in or whether you get online and do kilo of Christmas online together we're making a massive massive difference in helping people bring the joy of Christmas and making it a reality the other great opportunity we have is the opportunity to pray and this year we have these baubles and on them the idea is that at the end of the service you would go out to where all that Christmas trees are on all our fires and you can just write the first name of the person that you want us to pray for and believe God for that they will come to know Jesus and so I've already done mine and did my dad you know epi I'm gonna do my brothers in this foil I'm going to spread bite around right and but you know what we're serious about this but also it's a great opportunity not just to give and to pray but to bring and that starts this Sunday next Sunday night next Sunday night with our huge big Christmas light launch and bring family bring friends bring your neighbors as we light up this whole property here it's going to be amazing and other locations we've got special things on and then also don't forget our Christmas spec Acrisius spec will be absolutely spectacular and so do everything you can make sure you get the sessions you want we've added a new session Saturday 1:00 p.m. so you can get online it's never been easier to get your tickets for that so make sure you do that we're gonna have an amazing Christmas as we give as we pray and as we bring amen amen hey check out the screen sooo everything else coming [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] huh who wanted that to keep going longer well you can make sure you grab your Christmas spectacles it's gonna be amazing hey come on everyone every what are you stand your feet in a moment we're gonna hear the preaching of the word and we're blessed this morning because Nathaniel who oversees New South Wales is a great blessing to Brian and Bobby and also to all of us campus pastors gonna bring the word so we're so excited about that but before he comes hey one more time can we invade heaven can we lift up his name sir come on Dave why do you lead us one more time what's in the first and last [Music] the [Music] and is to come [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you can be seated what I appreciate the worship team that's gonna take for granted they week in and week out of our creative worship team that I hear many many hours before we get here so thank you so much big welcome to everyone joining in other places as well the message title this morning is seat edges and garden rocks seat edges and garden rocks it's a message about faith mindsets and divine expectations faith mindsets and divine expectations how awesome is it to be a part of a church that has so much expectation yeah arrived in any service and you can sense the expectation in the atmosphere and let's never remember I guess coming to a service and it happens every now and then I guess but when we asked them if we could come into every service with a clear expectation of what we believe God can do and will do in each and every service for that we find ourselves yeah God to move people to get saved for the Holy Spirit to transform lives let's have their expectation that in every service or a part of that we believe that God will move that people will get saved so my prayer this morning that at the end of this message that your confident expectation would be strengthened but your confident expectation would be strengthened and I guess my plan is not just to preach a positive message or just preach a feel-good message or just preach a message that inspires us maybe to reach for the skies I pray that your heart would be open to know that we can live with an expectation the we can live with a hope and a confident expectation that is based on God's Word and maybe this morning the Holy Spirit might want to just remind you how important expectation is maybe the Holy Spirit wants to challenge you to maybe change your expectation maybe in all the areas of your life you have great godly expectation but maybe that one Road area maybe the Holy Spirit wants to bring it back into line and give you an expectation that it's framed by the Word of God maybe the Holy Spirit wants to encourage you to be more intentional with your expectations maybe on a daily basis a weekly basis we're coming into a new year and we've got some expectation as a church for the Christmas season but as we approach 2020 let's have a intentional approach to what we expect God to do in and through our lives in 2020 in the new year but maybe the Holy Spirit wants to encourage you to frame your expectation around God's Word see they say that change is inevitable and you've heard that it said that there's two things that are certain in life and as believers we would definitely add to that but they said there's two things that are certain in life death and taxes so if change is inevitable and death and taxes are certain beyond that what do you expect beyond that what do you expect in wrote in Psalm chapter 5 verse 3 it says in the morning Lord you hear my voice in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly anyone love waiting anyone love waiting like you just can't wait to be in a queue just waiting waiting doesn't come naturally to many people but I love this because it gives you that picture in the morning your prayer life you lay your requests before God maybe for that day for that week for that month or whatever it is you lay your requests before him and then you wait expectantly in Romans chapter 15 verse 13 Romans what is it Romans 15 verse 13 it says this may the god of Hope that would hope is confident expectation may the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope overflow with confident expectation by the power of the Holy Spirit so we can overflow with confident expectation not in our own strength but we can overflow in confident expectation by the power of the Holy Spirit so are you overflowing this morning with confident expectation with this season that you're in with what's coming up with the things that you're going through and navigating the things that you are at this stage working through do allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with a confident expectation as you approach whatever you are approaching mark chapter 9 verse 32 32 says they left the place and passed through Galilee Jesus did not want anyone to know that they were there because he was teaching his disciples he said to them the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men they will kill him he's obviously talking about himself they will kill him and notice he tells the disciples after three days he will rise but they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it Jesus tells the disciples that the Son of Man would be killed and then it's three days he would rise again that's what he told the disciples can we just Park mark chapter nine just over there for a moment and we'll come back to it see the scripture says wait expectantly so my question is where do you find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat where do you find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat now you might go to the movies all the time and watch action movies or thrillers or whatever it is that you like and it gets you to sit on the edge of your seat who's the the character in Mission Impossible no it's Tom Cruise but whatever his name is I mean it doesn't matter how many times you've watched that movie he almost dies in every one every I mean James Bond's been going for like a hundred and thirty years and everyone you watch you think is he gonna die and you're sitting on the edge of your seat maybe it's your sporting team in the playoffs and they're like two points away from the the lead and and there's three minutes to go in the game and they need to get the two points in order to get in to the playoffs and you're on the edge of your seat as you're watching your sporting team maybe it's in the waiting room at the maternity ward and your son or daughter-in-law for the very first time is gonna give you a grandchild and you're there just waiting for the news and you're on the edge of your seat just waiting for the news that you're becoming a grandparent for the very first time maybe it's just taking the kids to a theme park just so exciting sit on the edge of your seat as you ride the rides and I don't know what it is but all those things we can sit on the edge of our seat but what about in life what about figuratively speaking in life what about that posture can't everyone just sit on the edge of your seat for a moment this sit on the edge of your seat I mean that's I mean that's how you normally listen to preaching at Hillsong Church anyway on the edge of your seat better you just you're just so engaged you'd like any anything could happen and probably will you're sitting on the edge of your seat you know what I believe I believe in do I live this each and every day no I don't but I definitely have the expectation that I can each and every day get up in the morning and sit on the edge of my seat and think what is God going to do today what prayers that I may have prayed for months or years that he could potentially answer today just that posture of sitting on the edge of your seat I think life's a whole lot more exciting on the edge of your seat than slouched in the back just thinking oh let's just see what life will on the edge of your seat like what's what's about to happen what's what what is just about to take place where's God going to move who's going I mean sitting on the edge of your seat we want a family holiday a number of years ago and in the lead-up to it bit was trying to book in accommodation and for whatever reason we're going to the Gold Coast and I mean there's so much accommodation up there we had never had a problem before but for whatever reason everything was booked out except for some places in the back blocks of nowhere and Beck's trying to book it and I'm saying I don't want to be in the back blocks of nowhere I want to be right where the action is and I want to have water views so she goes well that's all that's available I said well it's just wait let's just expect something to come up so they said look again the next day say the same thing we really need a book and I go no let's just wait she do the next day in the next day one week next week next week until we were on the eve of the holiday and we still didn't have any accommodation booked so we wake up in the morning and we get in the car we're still no accommodation booked and she's on a phone trying to find accommodation I'm just thinking about something's going to come up for sure I mean one expectation is all things work together for good [Music] so I remember literally look like the hallway we got two cops Harbor and still no accommodation and we live cos Harbor and she's still looking and I remember driving into the Gold Coast seeing that sign welcome to the Gold Coast and I look I've got four kids in the backseat I've got a wife is on the phone let's just say keeping a pleasant spirit and over getting to Berlin we were spent literally in there where the water is just apartment after apartment just ringing the number on the side of the wall and we and I'm telling you right now I'm on the edge of my seat I mean Beck is off the seat and their kids are constantly there yet are we there yet so we keep calling and then all of a sudden I hear her voice have sort of a little bit of positivity about it and it turned out that as we were driving into the Gold Coast there was a family who are having to cancel their holiday right at that point so we had an apartment right in the middle of things right on with beautiful water views and a really good rate so for me I'm not talking about necessarily living your life as presumptive as that but I am talking about living your life on the edge of your seat with a confident expectation that is based on God's Word and the truth of God's Word so the definition of expectation is this the act or state of looking forward everybody say looking forward looking forward to some occurrence another definition is this a strong belief that something will happen or be the case notice it's a strong belief that something will happen or be the case a strong belief do you know each and every one of us have a belief system each and every one of us have a belief for many people our belief system is basically shaped by our upbringing whether it's the family that we grew up with whether it's the church that we grew up with see religion will I guess religious mindsets will very much sometimes tell you to expect very little from God God's too busy trying to solve third-world problems to actually answer your individual prayer see religion religious mindsets will try and basically form a belief system that if you don't shake off or correct or challenge or change then you can grow you can spend the rest of your life we're still a very small belief system and what you can expect from God so whether it's your upbringing maybe it's a bad experience you've had a bad experience and you got disappointed something you prayed for didn't come to pass and that one thing left an indelible mark on what you expect just that one bad experience maybe it's a number of bad experiences that are actually forming and shaping your belief system so yes you're a believer but sadly you don't always believe so you've got your upbringing you've got a bad experience what about popular culture popular culture will try and shape and mold what you believe and you can believe this but definitely don't believe that because that's just politically incorrect so culture will subtly try and mold or shape a belief system and if we're not alert or vigilant about that then we will have a belief system that is half based in God's Word and another base in everything else so popular culture what about an ad-hoc belief system in other words you love that part about the Bible but you love that apart about the magazine that you subscribe to and you love that about the people at work that say this is how we should live our life and you take a little bit of this and a little bit of that bit of this a bit of that and before you know it you've got an ad hoc hybrid type belief system where basically you wonder why you conflict because this thing conflicts with this this thing contradicts this and that's not God's will for anyone to live their life with a conflicted contradictory belief system but a lot of believers sadly live that way and it does determine what they expect so I was 26 and we were sent from here to start the church on the Northern Beaches and many of you know or some of you would know that story at the age of 26 I such idealistic expectations some would say unrealistic some would say unrealistic but definitely idealistic and it's amazing how at the age of 26 having these expectations that over time get challenged and disappointment comes and things don't go the way that you thought but you know what I think about that journey and I think at the age of 26 to me at the moment 44 and you know what when in regards to expectations I hope based on that journey I haven't lowered my expectations I just hope my expectations have matured in Christ I don't know what life that is lower my expectation one disappointment after one thing going wrong after one prayer not being answered after one discouragement one disillusionment one delay and all of a sudden I find myself at 44 with expectations that are just actually based on a journey where God took me on a journey not to actually lower my expectations but to actually form my expectations to shape my expectations and Dermott or my expectations so I wonder about you where you are right now in regards to what you expect God to do or what you expect God to do in and through you so I wonder what type of person are you are you the half are you the glass half full or the glass half empty now before you feel like I'm totally in your grill and your defensive well I'm it's it is half a glass being realistic I'm being real about the glass is half-full or it is half-empty have you heard about the story about the twins I think about a table story before but these twins twin brothers and the parents were just fed up because one of the brothers was an absolute optimist and the other brother was an absolute pessimist an absolute pessimist so the parents got together and thought I know what we'll do let's set it up so that the optimist will be a little bit more pessimistic and the pessimist will just be a little bit more optimistic so they conspired that on their birthday that they would fill the pessimist room filled with gifts big boxes small boxes bright colors ribbons it would be an absolute sight to see sight to behold as he opens the door and then for the optimist what they thought they would do is just fill his room filled with horse manure just fill it full of horse manure this horse manure so the kids get home the twins get home and they walk into the house and the parents are looking at each other like oh this is gonna work they take the pessimists to the room and they open the door and there's all these boxes and Gibson bright colors and and he looks at the room and look to these parents and he looks at the room looks at all the gifts looks at his parents and then he says to the parents I bet you you didn't get me what I wanted I bet you didn't get me what I wanted and the parents are just like shaking their head I mean how can you how can it help a pessimist just be a little bit more optimistic so they take the optimist son down the hallway and as they go down the hall the stench of horse manure I mean the stench of horse manure and they get to the door and they actually have to like almost like push it open because it's just it's just filled with horse manure and the optimist sunny looks in the room sort of a blank face looks at his parents and all of a sudden smiles and starts to dig through the horse manure and as he's digging through the horse manure he looks at his and he says there's got to be a pony in here somewhere it's got to be a pony in here somewhere see we go through a whole lot of manure we go through a whole lot but let's keep that expectation that there is in the midst of what we're going through that there's something good that's going to come out of it there's something that God's going to use just as he did with Joseph taking what was meant for evil and turning it around for his good see that's looking with a faith filled expectation despite the reality of the season despite the reality of the doctor's report despite the reality of where the business is that fiscally it does not matter what you need to have an expectation a confident expert and overflow of hope and overflow of hope that God can do something in the midst of a season that is unplanned and unforeseen see how would you describe your daily expectations do you expect everything to go wrong do you expect not much to happen do you expect everything to work out do you expect open doors of opportunity and I believe that we can live on the edge of our seat knowing that God can do what He wills to do in its real life each and every day and I think life is a whole lot more better with a positive confident expectation then the alternative what belief system frames your expectations in life how faith-filled is your expectation and has the level of your expectation changed over time can you imagine if your expectation just elevated just a little bit can you imagine collectively as a church if our expectation just raised just a little bit can you imagine what that would set in motion that the expectation that a prayer would be answered an expectation that God would use you an expectation that doors would open can you imagine that type of life see Jove had the opposite view in John 3 verse 25 it says what I feared has come upon me what I dreaded has happened to me and I think for a lot of people their life is filled with fears their life is filled with anxiety and their expectation is anything other than confident and I just don't believe that it's God's will for us to live that way let's expect God to be true to his word let's expect God to be with us let's expect God's very best for us let's expect God to bless the work of our hand and sadly for a lot of people their expectations they just don't have any see it says blessed is he who expects nothing that he shall never be disappointed and maybe you resonate with that but he used to expect be just don't expect anymore because she just can't handle the disappointment you just can't handle it someone else said I find my life is a lot easier the lower I keep my expectations so maybe you've been let down by people or even you think you've been let down by God but I just don't believe that that's how God intends us to live Shakespeare said this expectation is the root of all heartache expectation is a root how does somebody get to that place I guess life just happens and you wake up one morning and you just don't have the expectation that you used to have a noticing a low expectation or no expectation is just people trying to immune immunize themselves against disappointment if I have no no expectation or a lower expectation then I won't need to deal with the disappointment seeing Luke chapter 21 Luke chapter 21 let me just say people will let you down leadership will let you down family friends will let you down but when your faith and trust is in him he will never he will never let you down he will never let you down Luke 21 and the context is the second coming this is but beyond God don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping and some of you are thinking I've just done that last 24 hours don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dull and I know the context is the second coming but I thought to myself I just wonder my expectation is just a little dull and my expectations for God to do what I once thought he could do have they just grown a little dull see proverbs 13 verse 12 says that Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life and I think for a lot of people they contend with a hook deferred the prayer that hasn't been answered the prophecy that hasn't come to pass the principles of God's Word but seemingly haven't worked as yet the promises of God that are yes and amen they just don't seem to be working in my life and Hope deferred makes the heart sick or disappointed but thank God Hebrews 6 verse 19 talking about Christ it says we have this hope confident expectation as an anchor for our soul which is firm and secure so let's make the choice not to allow our hope to be deferred but let's put our hope our faith our trust in Christ and in him that's firm and secure so you think that Abraham and Sarah Abraham and Sarah God promises them a child he imagined promised the child no timeframe may be in the first month that would destroy it's going to be this month for sure it's going to be this month and they're as excited they'd like but it wasn't that baby it's next month's then that month goes and three months have gone and that six months have gone and then 12 months is gone and 18 months have gone and the promise is just not it's just not a reality three years has gone four years ago five years of God six years have gone nine years of God and put the promise still is not a reality and I think we can all identify with that because I think a lot of us have promises and prayers that we prayed and things that we believe God spoken to us directly and it just hasn't happened yet and maybe the Holy Spirit wants to know Easter faith on the inside to just not let that go maybe the holy spirit wants to stir on the inside that you're just not going to let go of what God has said for a lot of us especially this generation when I say generation I mean everyone drawing breath at this time we live in a time where things happen immediately and if they don't happen straight away we're out of there if they don't have been straight away we're complaining and whinging and whining because that's just we're used to instantaneous but God said he was going to come back and that was over 2,000 years ago he promised the Messiah a whole lot whole lot of years before Jesus came see if you look at Scripture God's not he does things quickly but it takes a long time it just takes a long time to do something quickly and I just I just wonder whether we as a church could individually and collectively not be impatient with the will of God or not being patient with the prayers that we have stopped praying because it hasn't happened yet or the principles that we used to live by that haven't don't seem to be working let's not be impatient with that let's wait expectantly for God to do something in our lives see expectations influence how we think and how we behave and generally speaking sadly our biases towards negativity we expect bad things a lot of people expect bad things but how awesome is a positive expectation something to look forward to and I believe that that's God's will for our life that we can look forward with a confident expectation that he's going to do something significant in and through our life see expectations have an impact and maybe you can identify with some these things maybe just one but let me run through them number one our expectations have an impact on our emotional well-being the realm of the soul the role of the soul worry and anxiety affects our emotions but a positive confident expectation that God is working God is moving and God is doing something here's the ways and means it changes our emotional well-being number two our expectations have an impact on our overall outlook on life our approach to things change when our expectations are found in him number three our expectations have an impact on the spirit of our conversation have you been a part of a conversation and you're like I just can't wait to get out of this conversation it's just so it's defeated and they're like I'm just being real yeah you're being real cynical I'm just being really be real judgemental you know I'm just being real yeah you know I mean like you can be real but you're real everything that you shouldn't be but see the thing is our expectations have a way of changing the spirit of our conversation faith and confidence will change the spirit of a conversation if you connect group is actually having conversations that are going in this direction then maybe we need to change expectations where faith and confidence can take it in a whole different direction number four our expectations have an impact on the tenor of our prayers in other words Victoria stones we stand with authority that we have in Christ and we pray we come boldly into the throne room and if Grace and obtain what we need let's do it with confidence in boldness and authority see expectations change the tenor of our prayers and number five our expectations have an impact on the state of our mind and I'm talking about what's conscious and subconscious and that's why Philippians 4 tells us to focus on all good things all noble things all praiseworthy things because what you focus on actually will start to frame your expectations and let's be the type of people that frame our expectations around those things number six our expectations have an impact on the level of confidence or boldness we possess see if you dis expect God to come through and you do it with the right heart with wisdom and good counsel it's amazing how expectation can change the level of confidence you do step out in the business again with wisdom and good counsel and the peace of the holy spirit and all those things but you can expect God's going to provide God's going to go with me God's going to show God's going to give me the wisdom it's amazing how expectations can change the level of confidence that we have in number seven our expectations have an impact on our willingness to step out so Peter obviously had a confident expectation in Jesus when he stepped out of the boat Nonna's not talking about a foundationless expectation just pie in the sky hope for the best see expectation is based on understanding one's character see if God is good then you can expect God to do good if God is just then you can expect God to vindicate if God is supernatural then you can expect God to be miraculous if God is gracious then you can expect God to forgive if God is faithful then you can expect God to come through and sometimes we don't know what to expect but we definitely know who to expect we say one more time you might not know what to expect but you definitely know who to expect because you know his character you know his faithfulness and you know I don't know what this season holds I just don't know I just don't know what's ahead but I tell you what I do know is I know that God is faithful I know that he is just I know he is gracious so I don't know what to expect but I definitely know know who to expect see according to the bylaws so many things that faith mindsets and divine expectations like in expect God to be true to his word and I don't have time to give all the scriptures Isaiah 55 expect God for a personal of us of what you've sown 2 Corinthians 9 expect God to be a present help expect God to be a present help some 46 these are other things that you can have a faith mindset and the divine expectation is all in the Word of God you can expect God to provide all your need you can expect God to uphold you Isaiah 41 says I will uphold you with my righteous right hand you can expect God to vindicate you you can expect God's wisdom in your life which is interesting in James because it says if you doubt let not that person expect anything from God so let's look to God with great faith and confident expectation but as we pray for wisdom he will give wisdom you can expect God to answer you you can expect your sins to be forgiven you can expect God to give you the desires of your heart I think you understand where I'm coming from you can expect God to give you the desires of your heart expect God to bring peace into your life can you see how this can change your every single day but the thing is what I find is if I'm not in the Word of God it's so easy to have expectations that are based on everything other than the truth of God's Word you can expect all things to work together for good see I read our part chapter 9 where Jesus said he's going to be killed and raised in three days I just I often wonder just if the disciples have just been a little bit more curious but on the third day they just didn't wander down to the tomb and just sit on the garden rock and wait expectantly just wait Jesus said he's going to die and he died and on the third day just sitting on the garden rock just like wait expectedly for all of us I think for all of us we at many times are like the disciples we are discouraged disillusioned disappointed off over here instead of sitting on the garden rock just waiting for that prayer that you prayed for two decades to actually be answered or that prophecy that's been spoken over you to come to pass or the principles of God's Word to be outworked in your life over time or the promises of God that are yes and amen if we just sit on the edge of our seat every single day it could be today but I would much rather sit on the edge of my seat or on the god and rock just waiting expectantly for God to do what he can do with the ways and means to do what he can do then be basically off in disillusionment and discouragement and disappointment land and as everybody stands on a prayer prayer over you and as you stand Psalm 27 in the passing translation says this I think it's coming up on the screen here's what I've learned through it all don't give up don't be impatient being twined as one with the Lord be brave and courageous and never lose hope yes keep on waiting for he will never disappoint you I want you to receive this prayer this morning I pray that we would live with confident expectation I pray that we would live our life on the edge of our seat and us in our spirit sit on the garden rock as we wait expectantly for God to watch over his word answer our prayers fulfill his promises and out work his plan and purposes for our life I pray that we with great anticipation and a steadfast hope look forward to God's supernaturally working all things together for good I pray that we will not allow culture an unbelieving world and those close to us to shape our expectations that insult a supernatural God I pray that we would hold on to Scripture and for as long as it takes that we would believe again hope again and expect again in Jesus name in Jesus name as the team comes would you raise both hands to the Lord this morning I pray the Holy Spirit does shift some things on the inside to strengthen your expectation maybe to pick it up again maybe to recenter it reposition [Music] I don't want to pray this morning I'm gonna pray one prayer for a number of different things you can put your hands down just keep your eyes closed though between you and the Holy Spirit I want to pray for those that have just been disappointed just one too many times and it actually has had an impact on what you expect and you recognize this morning that you don't need to live that way and I'm going to pray that the Holy Spirit does something on the inside of you to help bring healing to those disappointing times but you can hope again believe again and expect again on to pray for people this morning that have been holding on and you view it staying in faith standing on God's Word and you have done for weeks months even years and you still remain in faith standing on God's Word and the answer hasn't come yet the door hasn't opened yet I want to pray that this morning that the Holy Spirit would strengthen your resolve to wait expectantly to strengthen your resolve to continue to wait I love the word weight because it talks about basically the word picture is as you wait you're strengthened in the process almost like a rope being braided the longer it takes this more stronger you should become don't allow that don't let allow the enemy to turn what should strengthen you into a weakening process so if that's you this morning well you just you know Nathaniel I need to be more intentional with my expectations and I want to approach 2020 with a very intentional way that God can do supernatural things in and through me and enter through our church so if that's you would you raise both hands to the Lord this morning on a pray one prayer and I'm going to be the Holy Spirit to do something significant I believe there are other people this morning it's a great majority of hands are up but I believe that there are people here this morning but this is going to be a life defining moment a significant experience where years and years of disappointment is going to be healed and whole and for the first time for a long time you're gonna have our hope that's overflowing a hope that's overflowing so father I pray in Jesus name mother by your spirit you would answer every single person with their hands raised you know where they're at you know what they've been through so far though I ask in Jesus name whether you would strengthen their resolve blood I pray father for those that have been disappointed one too many times laugther by your spirit you would heal them and that for the very first time they would start to sense and overflow of hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and for those that are fearing 20:20 and all that it represents father I pray Lord that you would give them a confident expectation but no matter what the season is no matter what awaits them that you are with them that you are for them but your word is working in them so father I thank you for all that you're going to do individually and collectively as a church we thank you for it in Jesus name come on church let's sing this song together [Music] the promise of you [Music] and this hope is negative god [Music] there is whole is for you give me I'm gonna secret bite this morning in this [Music] ah [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] could we just really thank Nathaniel for mr. a life-giving message [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] understands everyone a stop still everywhere everywhere we're joined here [Music] 2,000 years ago God sent his son Jesus with a confident expectation that today in this moment that those of you who are joining in or maybe here in this room would respond and say yes to him see God loves you you're not an accident but there's something missing in your life and it's like a jigsaw puzzle with one piece that's missing there's a brokenness is just there's a limp on the inside and and the reality is it's there because it's God who's missing and the reason he's missing the Bible says that we have all sinned you have sinned I have sinned we're in the same boat together but it's a boat that has separated us from God and it's a boat that can't get back to him in our own efforts but God made a way back to him the Bible says that God so loved the world he gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish perish being in that boat separated from him but could have eternal life and I want to pray a prayer this morning and I'm gonna ask you to all join but if you know you need to get your life right with God you don't maybe understand it all but in your heart you know that this moment is your moment or maybe you once walk with God and you're far from God and if you're identify with someone it would probably be the protocole son but you hear you're listening which means you've come to your senses all you have to do is say yes to Jesus and you can know forgiveness of sin and rather than being separated from God you can no not thus to God up here but God on the other end of receiving Jesus becomes real he brings forgiveness he removes the shame he gives the brand you start and he gives himself the Bible says he comes and lives in us so let us get rid of close your eyes and bow their heads if that's you and you know you need to get your life right with God you know you need to say yes to Jesus then we're all going to pray this prayer out loud together and in you praying this with us you're saying yes to Jesus so come on everyone everywhere if you're joined us through the screens maybe you're at home or maybe you're in a workplace wherever you are you join us as well why don't we pray this prayer together dear Jesus I thank you that you died on the cross for my sin and that you rose again please forgive me come into my life be my Lord and Savior thank you I'm now forgiven I now have a new star and I am a child of God in Jesus name Amen amen come on everyone everywhere let's really let's join all of heaven as we celebrate have made that decision and this is what we want to do if you prayed that prayer maybe the first time or you've prayed it again all our exits and there'll be something coming up online as well where you can get one of these Bibles go to the people waving the Bibles okay and we want to give you this as a free gift in it you'll discover more about Jesus who God really is the plan and purpose he has for your life so please come and grab one of these Bibles off us we'd love to give it to you as a gift so that is awesome I'm still trying to get my head around the disciples knew the day he was going to rise again and yet no one went and sat at that to anyone else get messed with that thought that was unbelievable that was so good so hey one more timeless then you'll thank you thank you can everyone say tonight come on can everyone say with confident expectation to night to night tonight Robert Ferguson is going to be preaching the word we're so so excited and I just worked out there's a hundred and sixty-four hours in a week and if you come to church twice it's only three hours out of the hundred and sixty four I reckon that's a that's probably the best three hours of your week so look if maybe you don't normally come Sunday not come tonight it's going to be absolutely brilliant but five o'clock next door six o'clock here but I want to pray with confident expectation for the week that's ahead for you amen so come on posture search won't you come and pray for everyone and let's believe God for the week that's ahead let's pray father thank you first and foremost thank you for the word that was shared with us today and we give you thanks that what you can do in us if we make those decisions and choices to have an expectation that's far beyond our natural thoughts patterns and mindsets and so father as we go out today just be with us direct us encourage us build us up Lord you're wonderful Holy Spirit the enabling of your Holy Spirit just absolutely pulsating our being so that we can do great exploits for the kingdom of God and we ask this in Jesus name Amen amen santa night church [Applause] [Music] when I sing is really all right smile [Music] my PA no long [Music] now Jesus was dead but to see the line [Music] whoa [Music] this is is long there's no hole [Music] somewhere Oh [Music] now Jesus [Music] to see [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] till the skin turns one last time Church yes next weekend [Music]

Channel: Hillsong Church

Views: 11,692

Rating: 4.9259257 out of 5

Keywords: jesus, hillsong, praise, worship, Nathanael Wood

Id: ULxJ2uATl0E

Length: 92min 50sec (5570 seconds)

Published: Sat Nov 23 2019