Joyful Expectancy

Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain! Habakkuk 3:17-19 The Message

Faith lays hold of things unseen. It rejoices in the face of lack and hard times. Faith lays claim to God's promises. A person of faith will believe the Lord for great things, even when the fields are barren and the earth is void of rain.

We must act on our faith. James said faith without works is dead. So if we believe that God is going to bless the work of our hands, we must work diligently. If we believe God's promises concerning victory over sin, we must exert every effort to resist temptation, while we trust the Lord for His grace. If we ask the Lord to heal us of sickness or disease, we must thank Him and praise Him for our healing.

Let's be men and woman of faith. As we spend time meditating on God's word, our faith will rise, and as we stand upon the promises of God, our Lord will be faithful to answer our petitions.
He requires that we live our lives sold out to Him. As we seek Him first and strive to live upright, He will see to it that all our needs our met. We cannot earn His blessings, they are freely given by His generous hand as we walk by faith, but God requires that we put Him first in our lives.

The Lord would say to us, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). Let's believe the Lord for great things – for ourselves and for the kingdom of God. After we've made our requests to God, there may be a delay before the answer comes, but we can stand and sing as we look to the Lord with joyful expectancy.

Dear Father God,

Thank you for your precious promises to me. I choose to believe Your word. I will rejoice, even when it looks as though You have not answered me. I will act like Your word is true. I believe I will receive what I ask of You for You are a faithful God. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.