Today is my birthday, and I have reached the milestone of my thirties. Somehow though it doesn't seem important, how long you live, what age you have reached; it doesn't really matter. What matters are the lives that you impact.
Today, one my high school English teachers died. Mrs. Schmuck was known for her smile the most. I can remember people complaining about having her first hour because she was so cheerful, and people complaining about having her seventh hour because she was so cheerful! The poems that she taught us stick with me still today. At random moments, a poem that I learned with Mrs. Schmuck will pop into my head. The things she taught were not just academic lesson; with her life she taught many spiritual lessons.
Over the past several days her facebook page has been inundated with people posting how Mrs. Schmuck influenced their lives. It wasn't the grammar, literature, or spelling words she taught that made the greatest impact, her influence went much farther than that. It was her Christian life that made the greatest impact, she truly lived a life that exemplified the joy of the Lord.
Yesterday, Steve Jobs died; today facebook, has been filled with people discussing his life. He made a great impact on the world, even on my world, since Apple is Nick's employer at the moment. I can't help but see a stark contrast between the two. Mrs. Schmuck was a high school English teacher, Steve Jobs an innovator. Steve Jobs made millions, Mrs. Schmuck not so much. Steve Jobs became a household name, Mrs. Schmuck not so much. But the impact that Mrs. Schmuck made was so much greater. The treasure Steve Jobs accumulated won't last. The treasure Mrs. Schmuck accumulated will last forever. The headlines won't ever report about Mrs. Schmuck's, but her life and influence has greatly touched many lives.
So you see, age doesn't matter, it's not important. The people that we influence, the love of Christ that we show, that is what truly matters.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Lord is Good
This past January when Nick left his job at church it was a terrifying time. We had a bit of money in the bank, we had figured out how long we could survive with out an income, and it was very clear that we would have to learn how to trust the Lord.
Through the past seven months we have seen the Lord's faithfulness. We are still able to pay for our groceries with cash, we still have money in the bank several months past the point that we thought it would be gone, all our bills have been paid on time, and the only new debt we have incurred is Nick's schooling. All those things have not happened because of anything we have done, but because the Lord has been faithful to us. In January, I told Nick that it seemed like a huge storm as brewing in the distance and that thought of it was overwhelming. It's almost the middle of August and that storm still hasn't shown up!
We so often want to be in control of our situation; we try everything possible to try to get the results that we want. We struggle and worry, all the while forgetting that our future is not in our hands. The Lord is the one guiding and directing our steps. If we just walk one day at a time trusting Him, those things that seem so overwhelming suddenly are not.
The Matthew 6:25-34 suddenly has a whole new meaning. It is no longer something that you have just read and heard sermons on, it is a way of living that is not always easy, but it is full of blessing!
Through the past seven months we have seen the Lord's faithfulness. We are still able to pay for our groceries with cash, we still have money in the bank several months past the point that we thought it would be gone, all our bills have been paid on time, and the only new debt we have incurred is Nick's schooling. All those things have not happened because of anything we have done, but because the Lord has been faithful to us. In January, I told Nick that it seemed like a huge storm as brewing in the distance and that thought of it was overwhelming. It's almost the middle of August and that storm still hasn't shown up!
We so often want to be in control of our situation; we try everything possible to try to get the results that we want. We struggle and worry, all the while forgetting that our future is not in our hands. The Lord is the one guiding and directing our steps. If we just walk one day at a time trusting Him, those things that seem so overwhelming suddenly are not.
The Matthew 6:25-34 suddenly has a whole new meaning. It is no longer something that you have just read and heard sermons on, it is a way of living that is not always easy, but it is full of blessing!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Hebrews 10:1-25
I have been reading through the epistles for the past several weeks and have been thoroughly enjoying it. I really enjoyed reading through the book of Hebrews and one passage that stood out to me was Hebrews 10.
Heb 10:1-4 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Heb 10:1-4 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
The law and the sacrifices that were set up back when the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness were simply a shadow of things to come and simply a glimpse of what Christ would do. The yearly sacrifices could not ever take away sin-it was not possible.
Heb 10:5-10 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
When Christ came into the world He came to do the will of the Father. When He died on the cross He did what the blood of the animals could not do-so took away our sin. The sacrifice did not have to be made yearly-the sacrifice was complete "once for all," because Christ was able to take away our sins.
Heb 10:11-14 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Here is the comparison between the sacrifice that the priest did daily which could not take away sin, and the sacrifice for sin that Christ completed. The price for sin was completely and totally paid by Christ's sacrifice, while the daily sacrifices could never take the sin away.
Heb 10:15-18 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
What a comfort to know that our sins will be remembered no more. The sacrifice has been made and there is no need any more for offerings for sin. What a great comfort that is!
Heb 10:19-22 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Because of what Christ did we now can boldly enter into the presence of the Lord. We have a new and living way to live, because of what He did for us.
Heb 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Because of what Christ did for us we can hold onto our faith without wavering because He is faithful. We don't have assurance of our faith because of ourselves, but because Christ is faithful! Because of that there are some things we should do. We should encourage love and good works, we should assemble with other Christians and encourage one another.
What a great Savior we have! He paid the price for our sins that no one else could pay. That assurance should prompt us to love one another, to service others, encourage others and live in the joy that our sins are remembered no more!
Monday, July 25, 2011
It's been a while!
The past several weeks have been absolutely crazy, so I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and do much study. The passage I am looking at today is 1 Samuel 8.
1Sa 8:1-5 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
This first part of the chapter talks about Samuel's sons. It is very sad to see that even though Samuel was the man of God and that he was used mightily of God, his sons did not follow the leadership of their father.
1Sa 8:5-9 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
The children of Israel wanted a king; they wanted to be like everyone else. The Lord told Samuel to tell the people exactly what they would get with a king, but He was going to allow the children of Israel to have a king.
1Sa 8:10-18 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
Samuel tells the people exactly what would happen if they got a king. He lays out very clearly what the consequences of having a king would be.
1Sa 8:19-20 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Samuel's instructions didn't even register in the people's mind. They had made up their minds that no matter what, they wanted a king!
1Sa 8:21-22 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
In the end, the Lord told Samuel to give the people what they wanted.
Looking at this story from the perspective of a parent/child relationship it is interesting that the Lord allowed the children of Israel to have exactly what they wanted. He warned them that it would lead to great problems, and that it would have serious consequences. He knew that it was not the best thing for the people, but He allowed them to make a foolish decision. He could have refused them, but he didn't!
Have we considered that there may be times when we just have to let our children make their own decisions. We must let them know what the consequences of their actions will be, but sometimes they have to make their own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions.
1Sa 8:1-5 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
This first part of the chapter talks about Samuel's sons. It is very sad to see that even though Samuel was the man of God and that he was used mightily of God, his sons did not follow the leadership of their father.
1Sa 8:5-9 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
The children of Israel wanted a king; they wanted to be like everyone else. The Lord told Samuel to tell the people exactly what they would get with a king, but He was going to allow the children of Israel to have a king.
1Sa 8:10-18 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
Samuel tells the people exactly what would happen if they got a king. He lays out very clearly what the consequences of having a king would be.
1Sa 8:19-20 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Samuel's instructions didn't even register in the people's mind. They had made up their minds that no matter what, they wanted a king!
1Sa 8:21-22 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
In the end, the Lord told Samuel to give the people what they wanted.
Looking at this story from the perspective of a parent/child relationship it is interesting that the Lord allowed the children of Israel to have exactly what they wanted. He warned them that it would lead to great problems, and that it would have serious consequences. He knew that it was not the best thing for the people, but He allowed them to make a foolish decision. He could have refused them, but he didn't!
Have we considered that there may be times when we just have to let our children make their own decisions. We must let them know what the consequences of their actions will be, but sometimes they have to make their own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
A challenge from Teen Extreme
Last week we took our teens from church to Teen Extreme Camp at PCC. We had a great week, and we were able to see the Lord working in many of our teens' lives. The preacher was Kenny Baldwin and we thoroughly enjoyed the preaching. One of the messages that really challenged me was about adding to our faith.
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
These verses remind us of the salvation that we have received and gives a blueprint for walking with God. To our faith (salvation) we should be adding things. It doesn't mean that we are working for our salvation-Christ completed that work, but we should be working to add to our faith. The illustration that Kenny Baldwin used was a Christmas tree. When we get saved it's like we get a Christmas tree, we are saved but there is nothing on the tree. The things we add are what make the Christmas tree more interesting.
To our faith we need to be adding virtue (doing right), knowledge (knowing what the Bible has to say), temperance (self-control), patience (waiting), godliness (being more like Christ), brotherly kindness (love for other Christians), charity (love for others). It is not a once in a lifetime adding though; daily we need to be adding these things to our lives. Peter says that those that lack these things forget how they were cleansed from sin. If we do add to our faith then verse 10 says that we will not fall.
So often in our Christian life we are content with where we are. We have learned lots of Bible in Sunday school, church, Christian home, Christian school, and Christian college. We often imagine we have arrived spiritually were we should be, but if we take a long hard look at our lives are we really? Our goal should be being more like Christ, until we reach heaven we will not be able to be completely like Him, but we must work everyday to be more like Him. We can't be content at the spiritual level that we are currently at. We must add to our faith!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Our great God
Often there are days in our living by faith that the flesh gets in the way. We start to look ahead at the future and we have no idea how the Lord is going to provide for us in a few months when the savings run out. We start to worry and fret, fortunately we have a great God that brings us gentle reminders that He is in control and that He is taking care of us today! I read these verses in my devotions yesterday and they were a great encouragement, mainly because we have been seeing the Lord's faithful.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Monday, Hannah and I went thrift store shopping to find her some clothes for camp. I was praying all morning that the Lord would provide and that we would be able to find the things that she needed. The Lord answered my prayer! We were able to find 3 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, and 1 dress for under $15! This verse "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him," we saw in action! The Lord knew long before Monday morning that we would need clothes for Hannah. When we went to the thrift store the clothes that we bought did not magically appear on the rack, they were already there. Some one donated them, some one tagged them, some one put them on the rack, just so that when we walked in Monday they would be there for us to buy! The Lord was working through others long before I realized there was a need so that my prayer would be answered!
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Monday, Hannah and I went thrift store shopping to find her some clothes for camp. I was praying all morning that the Lord would provide and that we would be able to find the things that she needed. The Lord answered my prayer! We were able to find 3 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, and 1 dress for under $15! This verse "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him," we saw in action! The Lord knew long before Monday morning that we would need clothes for Hannah. When we went to the thrift store the clothes that we bought did not magically appear on the rack, they were already there. Some one donated them, some one tagged them, some one put them on the rack, just so that when we walked in Monday they would be there for us to buy! The Lord was working through others long before I realized there was a need so that my prayer would be answered!
Mat 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
These verses tend to be a struggle for us, mostly the part that says, "take no thought..." So it is good for us to consider how the Lord has taken care of us. In the past couple weeks, the Lord has provide some students for me to teach, several computer jobs for Nick, a job helping a friend with some repairs that Nick got paid for, and a couple dresses for Bethany costing only $3! Each one of those things are the testimony that the Lord is taking care of our daily needs!
Several mornings each week we go to the park near our home to go running. When we are there we usually see the same people. One of those people is lady that that stops and talks to us occasionally. Yesterday,.she stopped to talk to us and asked us if we like cucumbers. Apparently, her husband enjoys gardening and was harvesting more cucumbers than they needed. She told us that this morning she would bring us a bag of cucumbers. After we finished talking to her I was ready to have a praise service! Every year I plant cucumbers in my garden, and every year we get a good enough harvest to be able to put up cucumbers. This year because it has been so dry and we are too cheap to water, I did not even get one cucumber. What a huge blessing that a lady, that we only know because we see her at a park, has offered us cucumbers!
The Lord has been so good to us, and He is providing for our daily needs. That is just the encouragement we need to keep on in this journey of daily living by faith!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
What to do when everything is going wrong.
I have been reading through the minor prophets which are full of a lot of destruction and also the great promise of redemption, and complete restoration of Israel. As I was reading these verses jumped out at me-so to speak.
Hab 3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
By all accounts everything is falling apart! The fig tree isn't blossoming, the vines are not producing, the olives are worthless, the fields are not producing anything, the animals are doing horribly. To sum to up: things are awful!! But even the midst of it all there is hope!
Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
When life is falling apart at the seams we need to do what Habakkuk was doing-rejoicing in the Lord. The Lord is our salvation and strength; and He will help us when life's troubles come our way!
Does our joy come from the things we have, or the things we do? Without even a slight warning our world can turn completely upside down! One day we are going about our regular routine, the next thing we know our house is destroyed in a fire! If our joy is in those things-the joy has been destroyed. If our hope and joy is in our Savior it doesn't matter what happens. When anything and everything is going completely wrong we have an unchanging hope that can't be destroyed! Let's make the Lord our joy and strength, and not rely on anything else-He will never fail us!
Hab 3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
By all accounts everything is falling apart! The fig tree isn't blossoming, the vines are not producing, the olives are worthless, the fields are not producing anything, the animals are doing horribly. To sum to up: things are awful!! But even the midst of it all there is hope!
Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
When life is falling apart at the seams we need to do what Habakkuk was doing-rejoicing in the Lord. The Lord is our salvation and strength; and He will help us when life's troubles come our way!
Does our joy come from the things we have, or the things we do? Without even a slight warning our world can turn completely upside down! One day we are going about our regular routine, the next thing we know our house is destroyed in a fire! If our joy is in those things-the joy has been destroyed. If our hope and joy is in our Savior it doesn't matter what happens. When anything and everything is going completely wrong we have an unchanging hope that can't be destroyed! Let's make the Lord our joy and strength, and not rely on anything else-He will never fail us!
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