Habakkuk 1 - Gentler Lives

Habakkuk appears to be a gentler prophet - less accusing than many others. He (like many shepherds/pastors/prayer warriors/etc. today) implores of the LORD:

"How long, Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice is perverted." (Hab 1:1-4 NIV)

How long, LORD, must the people suffer at the hands of one another? We would like immediate help from the LORD; but, the truth is God has given us free-will in many areas of our lives and we choose to hurt one another. We choose to put our own wills before the will of God. We choose to put what we want before the good of the whole.

God will answer our prayers. But, beware; the answer may not be what we're hoping for. May God help us to lead gentler lives; lives that do not inflict violence or injustice upon others. May He lead us in His way so that we are not the wicked that others are praying for deliverance from.

May God grant us mercy and give us His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 39 - Deliverance

God has promised deliverance. He has promised Israel deliverance from Gog and Magog. He will cause so much carnage to the invaders that the remains are declared a great feast for the birds and wild animals.

Through Jesus Christ, God has promised all who would believe in His Son deliverance from the hand of the enemy. Indeed it has already been accomplished for us, as His Son died on the cross and overcame the power of sin, death, and the devil. There are no enemies greater than these. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)

God has promised deliverance. He has freed you so that you can freely love and serve Him and your neighbor as yourself.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Esther 9 - Deliverance!

Purim is to be celebrated annually in remembrance of the Jews deliverance from their enemies, from Haman and those like him who wanted the Jews exterminated.

Every Sunday (and hopefully more often) we gather to celebrate our own deliverance - deliverance from the power of sin, death, and the devil.  Do you remember your deliverance?  Do you celebrate the gift of deliverance, given you through the death of our LORD, Jesus the Christ, every Sunday - even every day? 

May God help each of us to more fully comprehend this precious gift of life through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S.  See you tomorrow at Worship!

Judges 3 - Deliverance

Joshua is gone.  Their leader is gone and the Israelites do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.  How quickly we forget what it is that the LORD desires of us. Seems to me that this is a prime example why we need to attend worship regularly - regularly like every Sunday.  We need to hear the word, the will of God, given to us in the scriptures, lest we forget what He calls us to, lest we forget the good things He desires for us and turn our backs on Him.

The Israelites turn their backs on God.  They suffer.  They call to Him for help.  He raises up a deliverer for them.  They are delivered.  They are saved.  They turn their backs on God.  They call to Him for help.  The cyle repeats itself.  Even to this day, it repeats itself.  We turn our backs on God 'till we can no longer stand the heat we've gotten ourselves in, then we call to Him for help. 

In these latter days, God has sent one deliverer - one for all time.  God has sent His only begotten Son to deliver from our own sinful ways, to deliver us from our propensity to turn our backs on Him.  He is with us always.  We should not wait until we are wallowing in the consequences of our negative attitudes and behaviors.  We should not wait until we are dying to call upon the LORD for help.  We need His help every minute of every day to walk in the good way that He has prepared for us. 

Joshua is gone.  Those judges (leaders and deliverers) of Israel are gone.  Jesus is not!  He is with you even now.  Follow Him as he leads you through the valley of the shadow of death.