Unexpected with Hannah Love That Sounds Fun Network

I just wanted to pop on today because I feel like something that can be so comforting in this world is that God knows the desires of our hearts. And that could be scary because sometimes we don't even know the desires of our hearts, but let me just tell you the secret to tapping into what those desires are and what the future looks like when we pray this prayer. 

So years ago I started praying this prayer, God, I want your will for my life. I just want, I want what you want. Whatever that is. I didn't know, the desire of my own heart. I didn’t know my dreams. I didn't know what was deep-seated in me. I'd had hints and clues through the years, but no sure direction. And I knew that the Bible made these promises and I know that the bible referred to the desires of our hearts and that God would meet those. And, I used to struggle because I thought to myself, what even are the desires in my own heart? I don't even know if that is. But in Psalms 37, this is the encouragement given. 

I knew that was a promise. I KNEW that it was in the Bible, but I didn't know what the desires of my heart were until God revealed them to me. And the way that He reveals the desires of your own heart is to pray that prayer, God, Your will for my life. It says here, it says, Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure. Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life. See guys, when your eyes, when your gaze is fixed up, when asking for God to guide and direct and lead your steps, there is no failing. 
There is security there. He created you. He formed you before the creations of the world. 

Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it. So we, are preordained for a plan that God wrote. Before we we're born He knew us. He formed us He shaped us He chose the family we would be born into. He chose the time and country we were born in. He knew it all, and he had a plan. So when you submit and surrender, you ask God to lead and direct you, to guide your steps, to align your heart’s will with his own. 

When your heart longs for the will of God be done, it will be so. And let me tell you the neat thing about asking God to align your heart with his own will. See when you do that he will answer prayers for you that you've prayed. 
In the past he doesn't forget anything that we've asked and even if we didn't have the words, even we didn' t know what we were asking for, he knows the heart motive behind it. He knows that thing that we have longed for even, if can't put it into words for ourselves. 

Jessi Green is a passionate revivalist and preaches the Gospel with power, shaking religious systems, casting out demons, and equipping the Saints to be full of fire and making disciples of Jesus. Alongside her husband Parker Green, they lead Saturate Global, a grassroots revival movement baptizing thousands and awakening the nations to the resurrection power in Jesus! She believes that everyone is qualified to share the Good News and challenges status quo Christianity in her most recent book "Wildfires".

I was chatting with my friend Alex the other day and felt like we had to continue this conversation on the podcast to share with you guys! If you are single, newly dating or seeing some "flags" (red or green) - you're going to want to tune into this one!

I feel like culture today fixates on the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Its the thing that makes a headline a headline. Something tragic. Or something feel-good. Rarely, are we given the whole of it. It’s polarizing, really, when you don’t see the whole picture. It’s a trap that grabs attention and brands our thoughts with a narrative; good or bad. 



I would even hazard to say it’s not much different from the versions of Jesus the world proclaims. Over the last few months I keep considering the picture of the Lion and the Lamb. Scripture is full of references to both. Jesus, of course, is both. His nature is complex, intricate, and deeper than human minds can comprehend.



This is what got me thinking about the days of Jesus. Despite being depicted in countless movies and cartoons and shows.. we forget: He was an actual person in history with real stories and encounters. These are canonized forever in what we now call the Bible. 



But here’s the thing; the Jesus that people knew and experienced in Bible times is different than how we perceive Him today. And to be fair, those people really only had half of the story. The Jesus we so often hear about today is the gentle lamb. He is mercy and peace and grace and love. All of this is true… But this is NOT what the people of Jesus’ time were expecting. It’s actually fascinating to me because the people of Jesus’ time were actually expecting Him to come as a conqueror. A reigning king. A roaring Lion. 



At the time, there was only (what we know as) the Old Testament. In fact, the life and death of Jesus ushers in what we now call the New Testament! It was even prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31 .And this prophecy was fulfilled with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The New Testament makes it clear in Matthew 26:28.



When you think of it in this way, about how the culture of that day was familiar with the prophecies it makes sense. It makes sense that they missed it. They were expecting the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10 prophecied.  Right from the start, we get a picture of The Messiah who comes to reign! Later on we see in 2 Samuel 7:12-13.



I feel like today’s culture has it totally flip flopped. Today’s culture (and I hate to say it but sometimes even the Church) prefers to talk about the Lamb version of Christ. It’s true. It’s part of his character and nature. But guys, there’s a whole other piece. It’s the part the Jews were looking for thousands of years ago. And indeed, when Jesus returns, it will be as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He will come with eyes of fire and feet of bronze. He will come with a double edge sword meant to CORRECT us as well as bless us.



The fact is, Jesus the Messiah will return for His bride. He will return to cleanse the earth and make it new. He will return to reign. He won’t be returning to affirm how we feel about truth and morality. Those things have already been defined. He will be returning to establish His kingdom in the manner God always intended. It will be restored, redeemed, and made perfect. 

Jesus is coming back as the Lion. He already came as the Lamb. His life and death met every promise and will meet the ones left unfulfilled upon His return. 



Don’t make the mistake of thinking He loves us and tolerates all that we feel like doing. Sin separates us from God. And Jesus will return to destroy that which separates us from our Father. Don’t live in fear of this but instead, understand we serve a God who loves us enough to correct and rebuke. One who loves us enough to convict and purify the things in us that keep us from deeper intimacy. Let’s not be like the people of Biblical times who Missed it. Let’s see God for who He is in the whole picture. Lion and Lamb. Sacrifice and Savior. Servant King who laid it down for us to return again, and restore what Satan stole. Rejoice as we continue ahead, knowing the battle is won, and we have only to be

Over the last year or so, I have noticed more and more the ease with which we roll into cultural “norms”. With that in mind, there are a few topics I thought it could be interesting to dip into. After all, as Christians, we should be be looking at culture with a Biblical world view. That’s not to say we should be judgy. I simply assert that we SHOULD be applying Biblical principles and a Biblical mindset to the culture we are so deeply entrenched in.



So. Here we are opening up this conversation with a bang. I’m back with my incredible friend and sister-in-law to discuss…. Yoga.



After pulling out some research and sharing some amazing testimonies, we are excited to share what we found about the origins of yoga. Our goal today is to shed light and provide some context around our own convictions! We hope to share a Biblical perspective for what is easily considered a cultural norm.



Join us today as we dive in to yoga and even a few other bonus topics (free of charge, ha)!

There are a million things I would go back and tell my younger self. But here is one I wish I had an understanding of WAY sooner than I did. Standards and expectations are two very different things. Expectations in a relationship may mean compromise, in order to grow together as a couple. Standards, on the other hand, are fundamental and unchanging. Your standards are your core beliefs. They align with who you are, (and hopefully who God says you are). They align with what you want for your life, and what you are unwilling to settle for. Never adjust your standards because a man is unable or unwilling to meet them. Expectations are negotiable. Standards aren’t. Once you are able to make the distinction between the two, then you will be setting yourself up for a happier and healthier life.



As I got to thinking about this encouragement, I decided to take it a step further and delve into the Biblical principle behind it. After all, God gave us standards for a reason. And THEN I got to thinking about how people in the Bible were also full of expectations! It’s the whole reason I even have this podcast… God loves to work outside of our expectations. Working in the unexpected. Working according to HIS standards, not our expectations of Him or how we think He should operate.



Standard: An approved model.


serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.
of recognized excellence or established authority:

Expectation: The act of anticipating something

I’m afraid however, that culture today has pushed this idea of holding high expectations rather than high standards. The wording is close but its a few degrees off and I personally feel like can be slippery slope to use the two terms interchangably.. see, I believe expectations really boil down to putting self desires over a true standard. Of course, we don’t want to view it that way, but at the root of it… thats pretty much it.



Here’s the truth: God’s word IS the standard by which we ought to live! Maybe that sounds presumptuous but let me explain why this is the only infallible practice. This quote sums it up beautifully: “the standard of right and wrong can only come from one who is perfect — our creator, the almighty God” (bible tools.org) SO if our personal standards are aligned with God, with who He is, what He says about us, what He wants for His children, there can be no error in holding on to them. They are perfect.



I also think it’s no coincidence that John chapter 1 begins the story of creation with this: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. See, this was Jesus. He was the Word made flesh. He is the manifested Word of God in human form! He was the ultimate standard.



I’m not saying its wrong to have your own opinions or desires. Not at all! God created us with imaginations, creativity, ideas, and most importantly, free-will. It is what we choose to align our will with, however that matters.

Expectations are something people have. We set them, we create them… and we get mad if others don’t meet that personal idea.



Ask yourself if you were to write out what your standards are in a relationship, if those are the things that are core to your beliefs and what God says about you? Then ask yourself what your expectations are. I’m not saying its wrong to have them. Of course we do! We are human! But what my hope is today, is that you’ll stop long enough to hold firmly to the standard God gives us as a guide to live by. That standard will protect you from mess and mistakes. Not all of them… but certainly ones God specifically identifies in His word. Expectations are negotiable and can allow space for compromise. After all, healthy relationships must do so to grow together! However, if you’ve looked made your list of STANDARD core values and someone is unable or unwilling to meet them… it may be time to reevaluate that relationship.