Bible Prep: Habakkuk 2
Are you frustrated with what you see happening in America today? Habakkuk was in the same situation when, in Habukkuk 1:2, he cried out, "Oh Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?" Does it seem like evil is being exposed more than ever before? In our media landscape, darkness lurks around every corner, from the news to movies to social media; even at the opening of the Olympics, spiritual darkness prevailed. Do you feel like Habakkuk felt in Hab. 1:1-4 when he said, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?" Reading through the chapter, you can feel his frustration. I love how Habakkuk trusted God BEFORE his prayers were answered.
"I will stand at my watch, set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me and what I will answer when I am corrected." Habakkuk 2:1
Like us today, Habakkuk felt the burden of the nation around him. He cried out to God, listened, and believed God before he saw results.
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3
Have you been "calling upon God" and standing in the gap for America, but it seems the waiting period is lasting FOREVER? Does it seem like things keep getting worse rather than better? When it appears from the earth that God is delaying answering, trust that God is puzzling the pieces together in ways you never thought of, all for His glory. He is engineering the circumstances so that His power and glory will be on display. His apparent delays are loving, purposeful, and deliberate. Our responsibility is to continuously "stand at my watch" and stay steadfast in "calling upon God," trusting that He is "working a work in our days which we would not believe." (Hab. 1:5)
"I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech." Psalm 17:6
Father God,
You have asked us to call to You, with the promise that You will answer when we do. We humbly seek Your guidance for our Nation. Give us wisdom so that we will be a people filled with Your presence guided by Your Spirit. Help us. O Lord, to honor You in word and deed, that we as a people will have Your blessing and favor. In Jesus Name. Amen. (Pg.7, "If My People")
"We cannot read the history of our rise and development at the Nation without reckoning with the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic... Where we have been the truest of the most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity."
Franklin Roosevelt | 32th Present of the United States of America
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Thank you for joining me as we band together in one accord and pray for our country. Prayer is God's design for His children to participate in eternity here on earth. I must admit, so many times, I miss God's still, small voice when He calls me to pray. Busyness and my agenda tend to take over - drowning out God's voice. This summer, God has used the forest fire we went through to halt my agenda and stop the noise of busyness to hear Him. Praying for our country is constantly on my heart, mind, and soul. I praise the Lord God for His WAKE-UP call to pray for this Nation. Thank you for joining me on this prayer mission as we journey through "If My People."
From My Heart to Yours,
Carla McDougal