The prophet Habakkuk cried out to God and spread his complaint and great burden at the feet of the Lord. Then, when he was done, he stayed right where he was until he heard the Lord’s answer:

“I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the Lord will say to me and how He will answer my complaint.”  (Habakkuk 2:1 NLT)

That’s what we need to do after we’ve prayed. Trusting the Lord while waiting. Let’s begin to anticipate God’s reply and earnestly listen for what He has to say to us and how He will direct us.

Do we really expect God to speak to us? After Habakkuk purposed to wait, the very next verse says: “Then the Lord answered me and said….” (Habakkuk 2:2).  Satan hates it when we wait on the Lord for His direction, counsel and help. He doesn’t want us to see our God as the Provider or as the All-Powerful-One. Our enemy would rather us be defeated than see us waiting and listening for God’s voice.

Nothing will prepare us for the challenging situations of life like being on our knees every day. Let’s make prayer and listening to God a priority in our lives.

“Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in His prophets and you will succeed.” (2 Chronicles 20:20)

Could there have been some that morning who weren’t standing firm? Were there some who had begun to doubt the prophet’s bold words of faith? Possibly there were. Even so, they got up early in the morning and set off anyway. They were obedient to the voice of the Lord.

It’s a fact: God functions in the midst of obedience. If you want God to work in your life, just begin to DO what He has said. I believe when men and women step forward in faith and begin to do what they know and believe, they set the power of heaven in motion. Noah built an ark. Abraham went to a land he’d never seen.  Joshua stepped into the Jordan at flood tide.

God is looking for people who not only hear what He says, but those who will step out in faith and DO what He says.

“And when he (Jehoshaphat) had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army and were saying: ‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’ ” (2 Chron. 20:21)

When you face overwhelming odds, what do you say? His mercy endures forever! That’s what the singers sang as they walked out ahead of the army into the face of the enemy. No matter what — victory or defeat, sunlight or storm, health or illness, life or death — His mercies will last forever. His compassions never fail.

Mercy and compassion remind us that God keeps on loving, giving and forgiving. He never runs out of grace. He never comes up short. You can’t exhaust His love. Through every dark and difficult day, let me encourage you to say with David: “My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31:15).

Our God is merciful. He is in complete control of every detail of your life. When David says: “My times are in Your hands,” he’s really saying: “Lord, You rule our life. Circumstances don’t.”

The servant of the Lord is indestructible
     until God is finished with him or her.

What happens when the Lord is finished with us here on earth? He takes us immediately into His presence where we’ll be surrounded by joy and radiance and singing and inexpressible peace and life everlasting. That’s His mercy! It will outlast everything you and I will ever face.

“Make sure you don’t forget God” (Deuteronomy 8:11).

One of Israel’s most recurring problems was forgetfulness. They would forget who they were and they often forgot about God. We find quite often in the Old Testament the Lord needing to remind them of who they were.

Often, we find the Israelites building stone altars in the wilderness signifying a spot where God had done something great, either a miracle of provision or one of victory. It was a way God tried to remind them of who they were and what they were supposed to be   doing here.

Directly after a miracle would occur, God would order them to build an altar of stones so that “in the years to come when your sons would ask you: ‘Who are we and what are we doing here?’ you shall tell them” (Deuteronomy 6:20).

May we never forget why God has saved us. God has given us an identity and a purpose for living. We are full-time citizens of heaven with a commission and an assignment to accomplish during our stay here on earth. We are all ambassadors.  He “salts” the earth with all of us. We are differently gifted and placed in various positions so we can share Christ. He gives us gifts with which to influence our friends, families, neighbors and co-workers.

Don’t lose your savor and don’t forget who you are!

Sunday Bulletin

Can you imagine with me one person saying to another: “Have you heard about the God Who answers when you call upon Him? He’s more than just a Creator, He cares and responds to our needs. He actually feels what we’re feeling.”

“What are you talking about? God does whatever He pleases; people can’t influence Him one way or the other!” “Oh, no, you’re wrong! When you call out to Him, He hears! He listens! He responds! He acts!”

The literal meaning of the Hebrew word used countless times in the Old Testament for “calling upon God” means to “cry out”, “to implore His aid”. This is the essence of the true prayer that touches God’s heart.

Prayer is a “core value” of the Dover Foursquare Church. God invites us throughout the Bible, “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

God is not aloof. He is not disconnected. He says continually: “I’ll help you! I really will! Turn to Me! When you’re ready to throw up your hands….throw them up to Me. Put your voice behind them, too and I’ll come and help you. Yes…. PRAYER WORKS!