Laurie Hopkins

This is a season that will require great courage to move out into what God has for us.  

In such a season we need to be fearless. 

How can one be fearless in an age of such unrest and uncertainty?  

We have a God who tells us not to fear and not to be dismayed, because He is our God.  

He promises to strengthen us, help us and uphold us.  

In this season of great movement we can move out in courage and faith, as we depend on the One who will keep us courageous through the upholding of His righteous right hand.

You have been created by a loving God.  

He knew you before the foundations of the world.  

He thinks precious thoughts toward you; so many that they can’t be numbered.  

He has a plan for your life!  

He loved you when He created you, before you accomplished anything.  

You worth comes not from what you do, but simply because you are you! 

Having a relationship with God is not about doing or not doing. 

Having a relationship with God is about learning to have a real and meaningful relationship with the One who knew you before time began, and loved you even then.  

Stop striving.  

Start spending time.

The people saw the miracles and heard Jesus speak with authority and they believed.  

The Pharisees, however, felt that they were all being deceived. 

How can two groups of people see the same things and have such different interpretations and beliefs about it?  

It all comes down to your expectations.  

The people were open and willing to receive what they saw and heard as it was, in the moment, and without previous expectations about how it would look like.  

They believed.  

The Pharisees, however, had a very clear expectation of what the Messiah would look like and act like and how the whole process would unfold.  

Because it wasn’t what the expected, they did not believe and felt that everyone was being deceived.  The Pharisees were blinded by their own expectations.  

They couldn’t accept that God was doing a new thing, they were waiting for a continuation of the old thing: 

“Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

What are you expecting today?  

Has God given you a promise that you have all mapped out?  

Are you willing and able to be open to the fact that God may be doing a new thing and that thing you have mapped out may look very different from what you expected?   

We often miss the move of God because we are blinded by our expectations.  

We must not be like the Pharisees who couldn’t see the Messiah because there hadn’t been a prophet who came out of Galilee before.  

They missed the move of God because they weren’t open to God moving in a new way.  

Oh that our eyes would be open to the Hand of God moving in our lives and in the lives around us!