Sometimes in the quiet hours of early morning the Lord blesses me in the most unexpected ways.
Every morning of late Jackson, my three-year-old son, has been getting up incredibly early and I find myself grumbling from the struggles of the day before or worse even dreading the struggles of the day to come.
But not Jackson. The very FIRST thing he does each morning is find the light. Sometimes the light gets in through the expected places and sometimes it gets in through the unexpected places.
Regardless, he goes to it, he squats down and he basks in it. After he rests in this light, he then goes and get his “friends for the day” and he holds them up in the light too. He share this light with those closest to him.
What a beautiful picture of the grace God gives us each day. Grace that enables us to give grace to others. A picture of how His mercies are new each morning. This morning I stopped and rested in the light with Jackson. We prayed and I paused, humbly accepting that I once again have began to rely on myself more than Jesus to get through the hard. I grabbed my Bible and spent some time in the light. I found rest at the feet of Jesus, I found rest soaking in HIS word.
Children are a blessing from God in profound ways.
Jackson has a way of reminding me what is important when I forget. For a season I found myself sitting with him (still do) for long hours through the night – often beside the bathtub trying to soothe him. During that season the Lord impressed on my heart, “If you cannot even be still for your son, how than can you be still for me?”.
This season the Lord is using Jackson to remind me that life is found in the light of the world. In the life and grace of Jesus.
Lord forgive me, and help me to not resent these moments and days and months of intense pressure. Help me to recognize the gifts of these moments to help me to strive to enter the rest that is coming. Help me to do all things in the strength that YOU Lord provide.
“Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” Matthew 18:2-5 NLT
Studying in Joshua this morning and it gave me a great opportunity to reflect on how we (society) define leadership and success in the world, versus how we define these two things Biblically as Christians.
God gave success to the Israelites when they obeyed His plan and not their own.
Victory came when they trusted in the Lord; not in their own military or material wealth.
Just this week I had the opportunity to present for a speaking engagement as the Executive Director of the non-profit I work for. The group we were speaking for had chosen three non-profits to present and one of those would be awarded a nice donation to their program.
Leading up to this event I found myself asking the Lord to use this as an opportunity to glorify Himself in some way. I asked the Lord to help me lead with grace and humility and for His Will to be done EVEN IF that meant my program not being chosen.
In the past, I had the tendency to only consider an opportunity successful based on the accolades gained. I would burn myself out from exhaustion and the pressure to perform perfectly to a standard that no human is capable of. Thankfully, Christ has freed me from all of that. It is not through I but in Him that all things are accomplished.
I did lead with grace, the Lord blessed me with wisdom, and my program DID NOT get chosen for the award but the program who had the greatest need DID. After the presentations and awarding I was able to genuinely congratulate and celebrate the winner, something that I noticed not every leader did. As I was packing to leave several individuals came up with personal donations of their own to my program and while this amount was less than what the award would have been, the hearts behind the giving was MORE.
Isn’t that just like God to double the blessing, to take what little we have to give and to fill our cups until they are overflowing.
It is key that we pursue God’s standard for success rather than the world’s. Worldly success is subjective and never satisfied, success in the Lord is true and never changing.
D.L. Moody wisely said, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.”
Success equates obedience! Success is not controlling others but it is allowing yourself to be controlled by God! Our examples of success comes from God’s word. Biblical success is evidenced by humility, grace, wisdom, and patience.
This mornings passage also gave me some reflection on leadership. Joshua is an example of an excellent leader. Joshua was confident in God’s strength and this made him courageous in the face of opposition and kept him seeking God’s advice!!
Strong leaders are led by God.
Joshua taking over as leader following Moses’s death had to be difficult for the people; as it is for any of us when we go through leadership changes. As a society we have seen the difficulties of leadership changes nationally – and locally. With this we have seen how those of the world have responded and the contrast of how those who are in Christ have responded. Christians have the hope that is stored up in Christ, Christians have the cross.
A few Biblical principles that we can remember when we are struggling with what the world is calling “leadership” and “success”.
1. God’s leadership can always be trusted. (Isaiah 48:17-18).
2.Whomever He appoints over us, we are called to pray for them. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
3. We are called to submit to God’s Word as the ultimate authority, be subject to our governing authorities, (Romans 13:1) and follow godly leaders as they follow Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Act today on what you know God has said, and He will assure your success in carrying out His purposes!
Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”.
Joshua 9:1-18, “7The Israelites replied to these Hivites, “How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.” 8They replied, “We are your servants.” “But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?…14So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. 15Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath. 16Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby!
Reading through this passage in Joshua made me consider the amount of times that I am caught up with myself and what I think is best or right – that I FAIL TO CONSULT THE LORD!
There is a ton going on in this passage. We have a group of Kings joining together to come against Joshua and the Israelites, then there is the people who are in the land afraid, and then we have Joshua who is now leading the Israelites and constantly assessing their state of affairs and their next moves, both militarily and practically.
When the Gibeonites came proclaiming to be from a distant land, the Israelites sampled the provisions BUT did NOT consult the Lord (Joshua 9:14). Because they failed to consult the Lord they were unable to see through the deception. Israel’s leaders were deceived. Despite the fact that God had already specifically instructed them not to enter into any treaties with the inhabitants of Canaan (Ex. 23:32; Deut. 7:2; 20:17-18).
Joshua knew enough as a strategist to consult the Lord before going into battle – but the peace treaty (covenant) seemed innocent. However, by failing to go to God for guidance they ended up dealing with a lot of angry people and an awkward alliance.
Joshua failed to consult the Lord.
How often do you do the same?
For me personally, I struggle in new situations or changing situations to take the time to slow down and consult with the Lord. So much so, that sometimes I do not even realize the situation at hand is the vehicle God is using to answer my prayers. I forget about the promises God has already given me. I start hustling and depending on my self before I even realize it.
I do not intentionally not consult the Lord.
However, I can fail to be Intentional in consulting Him.
Therefore, I must be intentional with my attention, and actively look for, wait on, and be still for the Lord.
In the example we see here in Joshua, God uses this situation for good even still! Just like He has done for me and probably you too so many times! Such a merciful God!
Romans 8:28-29, ” And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn.
Joshua reminds us that even the best human leaders are fallible and fall short. God was setting the foundation for His Son Jesus, whom would come to be the perfect Prophet, King, and Priest.
Because of the treaty entered into between the Gibeonites and Israelites, the Gibeonites had
The opportunity to come to know God.
The Gibeonites got to experience God’s grace by the security and protection they now had from the Israelite nation.
Because of this covenant the Gibeonites turned from their false gods and came to know the God of Israel.
We share something with the Gibeonites in that we too experience God’s mercy and grace – through our salvation found in Jesus Christ. While we were still sinners He sent Jesus for us (Romans 5:8).
We have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as our Savior. (see John 3:16)
We get to experience God’s grace when we accept His Son, Jesus, as Lord of our life. This grace is sufficient in all things. (see John 1:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Because of the fulfilling of the law, through the death of Jesus on the cross, completed in His resurrection, we are no longer slaves to sin and death but have been born again through the Spirit (see Romans 6:11).
While Israel needed to be made right with God again and again (Jos. 24), Jesus died for all who would trust in Him to be made right with God forever (Jn. 3:16).
The work has been finished (Jn. 19:30); when life gets busy or your mind is overwhelmed by the chaos, in ALL things, go to the ONE who holds ALL things together.
When we consult with the Lord, we find peace. In His word we find life and wisdom. When you intentionally seek Him – He will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in UNFAILING love… this is your God who brought you out of Egypt.
Just a few days ago I found myself in the book of Nehemiah. This is not a book that I am familiar with and I was struck by the people’s prayer and confession of their sins in chapter 9. Their confession comes AFTER reading God’s law, for three hours they read and for three hours they confessed. Then they prayed! It was during their prayer that I felt tears well up in my eyes. My tears began to fall as I read the history of Israel and of the works God had done, this was an efficient way to remind the people of their great heritage and God’s promises. Isn’t it just like US to forget?
I was humbled by the reality of God’s goodness, ready to pardon our sins, when we appropriately come to Him in humility and repentance. I was taken back in my memory to the times God has pardoned me; taken back to times before I knew Him personally and I was relying on my SELF. The Israelites were no stranger to periods of intense rebellion and sin, yet they also were no stranger to God’s unfailing love, goodness, and mercy either! The same for me. Perhaps, this is true for you too?
Nehemiah 9:33, “Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved. Wow! Feeling convicted? I know I was! I unknowingly often forget the amount of times God has forgiven me, and how reckless I can be with that forgiveness.
Ruth Schwenk puts it this way, “Yes, sometimes my experience of God doesn’t match my expectation of God, but that is not evidence of the absence of God.
I have a deep history of trauma that includes sexual abuse, trafficking, drug addiction, and self harm. I have been clean and sober for 14 years now thanks to the GOODNESS OF GOD! But the journey to get here, like the journey of Israelites, could have been so much shorter had I been obedient and faithful; had I been trusting the Lord FULLY. It took me a long time to understand why when I prayed to be free from drug addiction I did not receive a radical transformation; yet, when I prayed for deliverance from my self-harm I did receive a radical deliverance. I received FREEDOM. This is by no means a blanket statement on the greatness of God’s sovereignty, I share as a caution. A caution to reflect on yourself and posture before the Lord. Are you wanting deliverance in order to step more fully into God’s design for you or are you seeking deliverance so your life can be easier.
For me, drug addiction was a nuance and a complication, I could see it hurting others around me in a practical way. I could also hide it and excuse it away. For self harm, my posture was very different. I was afraid I would loose my life, I was afraid of the scars and marks it was leaving all over my body. I was afraid that the act of self harm was more offensive to the Lord because of the work He done on the cross to PARDON ME! I prayed consistently for a year solid, I offered the Lord all I had at the time and that was humble, raw, and honest prayer. I lamented, I yelled, I pleaded, and I BOWED down. I remember very clearly when the Lord gave me a message, dropped right into my heart.
I have come to learn that this is called a Rhema word, in Greek this literally means an “utterance” or “thing said”. He gave me a word and after, in His sovereignty, it was confirmed even more when a stranger gave me a verse.
He spoke into my heart, in the firmest but gentlest voice, “Were my wounds not enough for you?” What seemed like the next day someone handed me a folded piece of paper with 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That day my soil became more fertile, the seeds of the yester-years sprouted forth. I never self harmed again. I would continue to struggle with drug addiction and relapses after that, but I can now see how my choices put me in the wilderness and how the Lord worked those things for my good. I grew in grace, I learned to trust in Him more fully, I learned WHO my Heavenly Father was. And let me tell you, He is so much more than I realized! I also learned that the Lord truly will provide all we NEED. Notice I said “NEED” not want.
Like the Israelites, it serves us well to remember our personal history. This will help us to avoid making the same mistakes of our past and equally important, I think it serves as a reminder to our spiritual growth and can help us identify patterns, recognition of these things will help us to become the kind of person God wants us to be.
God puts no limits on the amount of times we can come to Him to obtain His mercy – BUT – WE must Come, in order to receive it.
Psalm 40:1-3, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
We serve a gracious and merciful God – this should cause you to take a look at your own life, sometimes we take for granted today’s provisions and today’s grace.
If you have something in your life, a addiction like me or a reoccurring difficulty continue to to ask God for help AND be prepared to make changes! Changes in BOTH attitude and behavior. God will meet us where we are BUT He does not expect us to stay there… your hurt or your trauma may not have been your fault but it is your responsibility to go to God for healing, to receive the grace, mercy, and most importantly the freedom He has for you.
I like the way Matthew Henry puts it in his commentary on Nehemiah 9, he says, “Let all remember that pride and obstinacy are sins which ruin the soul. But it is often as hard to persuade the brokenhearted to hope, as formerly it was to bring them fear…”
Jesus paid it all on the cross. Your sins have been paid for in full. Approach His throne today and receive the grace and the healing – THE LIFE – He has for you!
We have a God who is ready to pardon, the ransom has been paid, do not let your sense of unworthiness keep you away.
Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
As I have been watching events unfold these last few years on both a national and local scale, I have found the book of Judges impressed upon my heart. In particular I have been drawn to the events that unfold in Judges 19. My heart aches as I read this tragic story. I feel grief for both Israel historically and for the people (You and I) today.
Judges 19 documents an horrific account of a Levite’s concubine, who is abused and battered to the point of death, because of the Levite’s choice.
This woman should have been safe in a city full of Israelites. Instead, she is the victim of a group of perverse and wicked men who prove themselves to be no better than the Canaanites. Judges 19 reminds us of a similar story and time in Biblical History, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.
Similar to the sinful men in Judges 19 (V22-25) who demand for the Levite to be sent out to them to have sex with (the Levite instead offers his concubine), Genesis 19 (V4-8) documents Abraham’s nephew Lot in a similar set of circumstances. Evil men of the town came to Lot’s door demanding to have sex with the two male guests inside of Lot’s house (Lot offers his two virgin daughters instead). These two stories are not exactly alike in detail and outcome but they do highlight just how easily man can fall into the bondage of sin and rebellion against God.
Small acts of disobedience turn into larger acts of evil.
What drastic consequences can result when social protocol carries more authority than moral convictions…
“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6). This is a key verse and phrase in the book of Judges;
This phrase, "in those days Israel had no king..." is repeated several times: In the epilogue indicating the main theme of the book and this phrase is used to close the book as well.
The period of the Judges, while bloody and horrendous at times, exemplifies the magnitude of God’s loving mercy and His heart for His people. Judges is a historical book documenting the history of Israel from a theological viewpoint. The repeated failures and Israel’s unfaithfulness to God is on full display! BUT… so is God’s character! You get to see a just God allowing a nation to fully reap the consequences of their actions; You see a God who REPEATEDLY proves to be faithful and merciful, and with testing HE provides deliverance. Through many cycles of disobedience we get to see God’s love for us in HIS patient discipline.
The people had clear direction from the Lord on what they were to do going forward now that they were in the Promised Land of Canaan.
However, true to theme the people decided that they knew better and chose for themselves what they would do, oftentimes ignoring very clear directions from the Lord such as:
Failing to obtain all of the Promised Land; they did not drive out the inhabitants of the Land, disobeying the covenant from Deut. 12:9. This unfaithfulness necessitated judges needing to be raised up to lead them.
The failure of the generations after Joshua to teach God’s covenant to their children had devastating impacts spiritually, politically, socially, and economically. “After that a whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who new neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel”, Judges 2:10.
A few practical takeaways from the book, broadly speaking:
When we allow seemingly harmless habits to go unchecked before the Lord, they grow and can become dominating forces that rule us. And without God – there is no stopping the depravity and the deeds which follow.
Unity of the Church is important, holding each other accountable to God’s laws is essential. Obedience will lead to blessings.
When the Israelites faith disintegrated, their unity as a nation disintegrated. They could have taken complete possession of the land had they obeyed and trusted God. At this time they had been in the promised land around 300 years.
The nation failed to establish a government based upon God’s moral principles. Laws were not enforced, crime was ignored, and the magnitude of these crimes grew. It took a terrible tragedy to wake the people up and even then, instead of the matter being dealt with swiftly, many lives were lost unnecessarily.
To prevent our unresolved problems from turning into major conflicts, we should take action to deal with them swiftly.
We find our direction through God’s word, prayer, and obedience.
The most important takeaway from the period of the Judges is a warning! A firm warning against synchronizing your behavior with the behavior of the world. In Christ we are called to be set apart and holy, not conforming to this world. (Romans 12:2) (John 17:15-18) (Ephesians 2:10).
This book provides for us the groundwork laid for the people’s needs of a righteous king, ONE who will save the people and change their hearts, ONE who will lead them to faithfulness to God. Judges shows us the imperfection of fallen man and gives a stark contrast to who the Christ will be and our need for a perfect Savior.
I encourage you to pray and search the scriptures to test what is true, I encourage you to pray and ask God to reveal to you anything in your life that you may be giving authority to over the authority of God’s word; for His word is the light to guide our path (Psalm 119:105).
Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
How often do we overlook God’s current provisions because we are looking to the right or to the left? How often are we looking around to see what others have that we want, or conversely, do we look back to what we once had? This my friends is a sure way to stay distracted from all the Lord is blessing you with TODAY!
“The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”” Numbers 11:4-6 NIV
In Numbers 11:4 the term rabble refers to, “The mixt multitude – The word in the original resembles our “riff-raff,” and denotes a mob of people scraped together. It refers here to the multitude of strangers (see Exodus 12:38) who had followed the Israelites from Egypt.”
In Matthew Poole’s commentary he describes it as this, “The mixt multitude, consisting of Egyptians or other people, which being affected with God’s miraculous works in Egypt, and thereupon believing the promise of God to carry them to a land of milk and honey, for their own advantage joined themselves to the Israelites, Exodus 12:38, an now, finding themselves sadly disappointed, they discover their evil minds.”
Corrie ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, once said: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” God’s character never changes and his promises never fail. It stands out to me that even though the Israelites had just witnessed and directly benefited from God’s deliverance and continued provisions, they complained as if they still didn’t know HIM. The Israelites were taking their eyes off of a faithful God and in turn began to act faithless.
You must be faithfully focused in order to guard your heart, mind, and soul. In these times when we are surrounded by so much uncertainty we have the tendency to start to wander in the wilderness like the Israelites, looking back and questioning the Lord – BUT – we MUST cling to what is certain.
While we may be in this world right now – we are pilgrims on our way to our forever home with our Father. Do not give in to thief of comparison. The devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy- our Joy belongs to the Lord so do not let the enemy steal it!
““As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be COMPLETE.” John 15:9-11 NIV
While we are called to love one another, we also need to be discerning and careful not to take on the beliefs of the world or others around us. This gave me some pause for thought this morning when I began to think about those who believed for their own advantage… not for the glory of the Lord, not because their heart needed to change, but for their own advantage… how often do we fall into this trap of having a one sided relationship with the Lord?
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:31-33
Our relationship with the Lord should never be contingent. Our God has taken the initiative to come down to us and pay the price for our sins – while we were still sinners and so undeserving! He deserves all of our hearts, minds, and yes 🙌 Lord’s.
HIS past faithfulness demands our present FAITH and TRUST…
““I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:13-17 NIV
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” Romans 5:8-9 NIV
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” Mark 12:30 NIV
Christians, we have every reason and hope to be hilariously-joyful!! We are blessed beyond measure by the saving grace of our Lord Jesus. Be intentional to stay faithfully focused today, holding fast to what is true!
Today matters for eternity. Let us not be so arrogant to think that we will joyously run to our Father in heaven, when we can’t or don’t spend time with HIM while we are here.
“Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.” Psalms 90:1-2 NLT
Today matters for eternity is a statement that should remind us that we are pilgrims passing though, that our days are numbered, and that we should be sharing the good news with as many people as possible due to how quickly this life and world will fade away.
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” Romans 1:16 NLT
Today matters for eternity should give us the perspective needed to finish well and to know that Jesus is coming back! This should fill us both with a strong HOPE and a sense of WARNING.
“Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalms 90:11-12 NLT
“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT
“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” Habakkuk 2:4
It has only been this year, that I have begun to read through some of the smaller, often overlooked books of the Bible. Habakkuk has been a blessing and an opportunity to learn so much more about God and His relationships with His people. This book also highlights something we can all be guilty of, and that is, reasoning from the position of God when we are not content in our circumstances. Faithfully, God responds with great mercy and patience to Habakkuk – God walks with the Prophet through his doubts and confusion. The Lord wants us to take our questions to Him; our questions can often serve as the very vehicles needed to gain a better understanding of God’s character, growing in faith, and trusting more fully in the Lord. Practically, this gives us permission to ask God questions with faith that He will provide answers.
This book is unique in that it is a book where the Prophet Habakkuk makes an appeal to the Lord on behalf of the suffering people. Whereas typically we see God use the prophets to deliver His messages/will to the people. Habakkuk had no small task in crying out to God or in pleading for God to bring justice to His people. Everywhere Habakkuk looked he was seeing immorality prevail: theft, deception, violence, pride, greed, corruption and so forth. I do not know about you, but I have certainly cried out to the Lord asking, “How long Lord?”, as the events of the last few years have played out in the news and in our daily lives.
A simple outline of this brief book:
Faith tested (1:1-17)
Faith taught (2:1-20)
Faith triumphant (3:1-19)
God responds to Habakkuk by giving him a vision of five woes that could be outlined as follows:
Habakkuk 2:6-8, Greed and oppressive financial practices.
Habakkuk 2:9-11, Prospering through dishonest means.
Habakkuk 2:12-14, The use of violence and slavery to build cities.
Habakkuk 2:15-17, Indulgence in drunkeness and lewdness.
Habakkuk 2:18-29, Practicing idolatry.
At the end of these woes, Habakkuk responds by acknowledging God is HOLY. By the end of the book, Habakkuk offers up a final prayer to God and resolves that his strength is from God.
Some of the things we can learn from this book: YOU can Trust God’s justice in the midst of injustice. YOU should Hope in God when life feels hopeless. YOU can Find joy in God’s salvation when we feel stuck in our pain. YOU can and should keep running to God even when we don’t get the answer we expect. YOU should Wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled even when our suffering feels endless.
These are important reminders in a time such as the one we are living in. Habakkuk’s conversation, seen here with the Lord, is a good reminder that our faith walk often involves lament, complaint, and raw emotions poured out to God. Questioning God and/or His ways, when done with the right heart posture and attitude, can often lead to a deeper faith, a greater understanding of God, and a more fuller relationship with HIM.
True faith leads to boldness before God – but we must also remember to come humbly before Him and in submission to His sovereignty, even when we do not fully understand.
How it started: Fourteen years ago, TODAY I was lost in addiction, self-harm, living a sin-soaked life and daily wondering will this get better? I now know I was asking spiritual questions but was looking to the world and man’s answers trying to find the cure. Fourteen years ago, today was the last time I used.
How it’s going: TODAY I am walking with the cure! And His name is Jesus!
The greatest physician, counselor, father, all sufficient God who sees me, created me, & loves me.
Today I am not seeking the next fix – I am seeking Him! A closer relationship to Him and getting to know Him more all the while learning to DENY myself. I am learning that in obedience to Him, I have ALL I need; He is sufficient!
Are you asking yourself the same spiritual questions?
– When will this get better?
– Will my marriage continue to fall apart?
– When will the world no longer be broken?
Ask Jesus – Ask Him to show Himself to you, invite Him into your heart, & admit how much you need Him. In your rock bottom, you can rebuild with a stronger foundation, and Jesus is that foundation, the cornerstone on which ALL stands & is held together. He loves you; He will receive you and deliver you!
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NLT
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 NLT
This is HOPE, this is REDEMPTION, this is the GOSPEL.
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (NIV)
Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (NIV)
The Meek Momma 