16^th April 2012

‘People were waiting expectantly' - ‘on the tiptoe expectation' (NEB).

YOUR NEW YEAR EXPECTATIONS? Our part and God's? ‘Attempt great things for God and expect great things from God!' Ps.62.5 KJV ‘My expectation comes from Him'. Luke 3:15 - Was John the Christ? Note Paul in Phil 1:20-21 and I Tim 1:15. In Acts 3:3-5 a lame man hoped for ‘alms' but got legs! Charles Dickens' wrote a book ‘Great Expectations'. Live in Eph 3:20-21. John always pointed to Jesus, Luke 3:16; John 1:29-36; John 3:30. Paul too in II Cors 4:5.

I. AGREE ON THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE - God's! Christmas a Rescue Operation for lost people, Eph 2:1-10; II Cors 5:17-6:2. Politics, technology, education can be helpful. Christianity is Christ! II Cors 5:17-19. Why Jesus came - I Tim 1:15.

II. SEE THE RIGHT OBJECTIVE personally and as a church. Vision and Mission Statements of Churches, even businesses. But follow Biblical ones: growth in knowledge Col 1: 9-10; love Eph 4:16, Phil 1:9; holiness Eph 5:27. Our Church's objective? Bring people to Christ, Matt 28:18-20, then build them up in him to be salt and light to the world, Matt 5:13-16.

III. BE THE RIGHT CO-OPERATIVE, as ‘God's fellow-workers' II Cors 6:1, willing and available. A standby-er, not a by- stander, Phil 1:27. Lifestyle evangelism is Jesus living in and working through us. Ready this year? Live out Hymns TiS 572 and 599. A doctor at an accident: ‘If I had my instruments, I could have saved some!' Are we available to God's ability, on the tiptoe of expectation?
* Are you expecting God to work through you? Check Acts 14:27; 15:4 & 12; and 21:19 ‘All that God had done through us'. The source, secret, and success in all ministry is GOD indwelling, initiating, inspiring and working through us! Let's be restfully available, instantly obedient, constantly fruitful (John 15:1-8).
* We need to read and heed our Lord's Great Commission to each one of us personally and his Church corporately, in Matt 28: 18-20 to ‘GO, make disciples' + Luke 24 44-48 ‘Repentance and forgiveness will be preached' + John 17:18 and 20:21 - ‘send' is a New Testament, dynamic word, calling for a response!

Is your New Year Resolution? :

‘To serve the present age,
our calling to fulfil:
O may it all my powers engage
to do the Master's will'. (Charles Wesley, TiS 573)

Rev Perry Smith, Belmont, NSW.