today's meditation (Zeph.1) Being Encouraged

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Zephaniah 1:1-18) The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:

2   “I will completely remove all things 
     From the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
3   “I will remove human and animal life;
     I will remove the birds of the sky 
     And the fish of the sea,
     And the ruins along with the wicked;
     And I will eliminate mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
4   “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah 
     And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
     And I will eliminate the remnant of Baal from this place,
     And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the other priests.
5   And those who bow down on the housetops to the heavenly lights,
     And those who bow down and swear to the Lord, but also swear by Milcom,
6   And those who have turned back from following the Lord,
     And those who have not sought the Lord nor inquired of Him.”

7   Be silent before the Lord God!
     For the day of the Lord is near,
     Because the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
     He has consecrated His guests.
8   “Then it will come about on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice 
     That I will punish the princes, the king’s sons,
     And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.
9   And on that day I will punish all who leap on the temple threshold,
     Who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.
10 And on that day,” declares the Lord,
     “There will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate,
     Wailing from the Second Quarter,
     And a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail, you inhabitants of the Mortar,
     Because all the people of Canaan will be destroyed;
     All who weigh out silver will be eliminated.
12 And it will come about at that time 
     That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
     And I will punish the people 
     Who are stagnant in spirit,
     Who say in their hearts,
     ‘The Lord will not do good nor harm!’
13 Their wealth will become plunder,
     And their houses desolate;
     Yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them,
     And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”

14 The great day of the Lord is near,
     Near and coming very quickly;
     Listen, the day of the Lord!
     In it the warrior cries out bitterly.
15 That day is a day of anger,
     A day of trouble and distress,
     A day of destruction and desolation,
     A day of darkness and gloom,
     A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of trumpet and battle cry 
     Against the fortified cities 
     And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring distress on mankind 
     So that they will walk like those who are blind,
     Because they have sinned against the Lord;
     And their blood will be poured out like dust,
     And their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold 
     Will be able to save them 
     On the day of the Lord’s anger;
     And all the earth will be devoured 
     By the fire of His jealousy,
     For He will make a complete end,
     Indeed a horrifying one,
     Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Here is a warning that the Tribulation is coming and there will be an end to all evil.  It might be a stern warning for someone to open their eyes and see their need for Jesus' forgiveness and salvation.  Believers will not be part of those seven years of judgment and punishment upon the earth.  From reading this chapter, it is very clear that we can be encouraged and confident about this!  The God of love and purpose knows exactly what He is doing and promises to protect and look after us!

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-11) Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.

today's meditation (Hab.3) Triumphing

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Habakkuk 3:1-19) A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

2   Lord, I have heard the report about You, and I was afraid.
     Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
     In the midst of the years make it known.
     In anger remember mercy.

3   God comes from Teman,
     And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah 
     His splendor covers the heavens,
     And the earth is full of His praise.
4   His radiance is like the sunlight;
     He has rays flashing from His hand,
     And the hiding of His might is there.
5   Before Him goes plague,
     And plague comes forth after Him.
6   He stood and caused the earth to shudder;
     He looked and caused the nations to jump.
     Yes, the everlasting mountains were shattered,
     The ancient hills collapsed.
     His paths are everlasting.
7   I saw the tents of Cushan under distress,
     The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

8   Did the Lord rage against the rivers,
     Or was Your anger against the rivers,
     Or was Your rage against the sea,
     That You rode on Your horses,
     On Your chariots of salvation?
9   You removed Your bow from its holder,
     The arrows of Your word were sworn. Selah 
     You divided the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and quaked;
     The downpour of waters swept by.
     The deep raised its voice,
     It lifted high its hands.
11 Sun and moon stood in their lofty places;
     They went away at the light of Your arrows,
     At the radiance of Your flashing spear.
12 In indignation You marched through the earth;
     In anger You trampled the nations.
13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people,
     For the salvation of Your anointed.
     You smashed the head of the house of evil 
     To uncover him from foot to neck. Selah 
14 You pierced with his own arrows 
     The head of his leaders.
     They stormed in to scatter us;
     Their arrogance was like those 
     Who devour the oppressed in secret.
15 You trampled on the sea with Your horses,
     On the foam of many waters.

16 I heard, and my inner parts trembled;
     At the sound, my lips quivered.
     Decay enters my bones,
     And in my place I tremble;
     Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
     For the people to arise who will attack us.
17 Even if the fig tree does not blossom,
     And there is no fruit on the vines,
     If the yield of the olive fails,
     And the fields produce no food,
     Even if the flock disappears from the fold,
     And there are no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will triumph in the Lord,
     I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength,
     And He has made my feet like deer’s feet,
     And has me walk on my high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It is interesting how people question how God can be loving when there is so much evil in the world.  Well, because He is love, He has given everyone a free will to choose if they want to love God back.  For those who choose salvation through Jesus, the Lord fights for those who are His children.  

For those who say they hate evil and that something needs to be done - why do they avoid putting their faith and trust in the Lord?  No matter what is happening around us or to us, we can triumph in the Lord.  We can rejoice in our salvation.  God is our strength, and it is He that wants to help us with and in all things, to His glory!

today's meditation (Hab.2) Being Prepared and Ready

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Habakkuk 2:1-20) 

1   I will stand at my guard post 
     And station myself on the watchtower;
     And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,
     And how I may reply when I am reprimanded.
2   Then the Lord answered me and said,
     “Write down the vision 
     And inscribe it clearly on tablets,
     So that one who reads it may run.
3   For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
     It hurries toward the goal and it will not fail.
     Though it delays, wait for it;
     For it will certainly come, it will not delay long.

4   “Behold, as for the impudent one,
     His soul is not right within him;
     But the righteous one will live by his faith.
5   Furthermore, wine betrays an arrogant man,
     So that he does not achieve his objective.
     He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
     And he is like death, never satisfied.
     He also gathers to himself all the nations 
     And collects to himself all the peoples.

6   “Will all of these not take up a song of ridicule against him,
     Even a saying and insinuations against him 
     And say, ‘Woe to him who increases what is not his—
     For how long—
     And makes himself rich with debts!’
7   Will your creditors not rise up suddenly,
     And those who collect from you awaken?
     Indeed, you will become plunder for them.
8   Since you have looted many nations,
     All the rest of the peoples will loot you—
     Because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land,
     To the town and all its inhabitants.

9   “Woe to him who makes evil profit for his household,
     To put his nest on high,
     To be saved from the hand of catastrophe!
10 You have planned a shameful thing for your house 
     By bringing many peoples to an end;
     So you are sinning against yourself.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall,
     And the rafter will answer it from the framework.

12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed,
     And founds a town with violence!
13 Is it not indeed from the Lord of armies 
     That peoples labor merely for fire,
     And nations become weary for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled 
     With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
     As the waters cover the sea.

15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbor drink;
     To you who mix in your venom even to make your neighbors drunk,
     So as to look at their genitalia!
16 You will be filled with disgrace rather than honor.
     Drink, you yourself, and expose your own foreskin!
     The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you,
     And utter disgrace will come upon your glory.
17 For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
     And the devastation of its animals by which you terrified them,
     Because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land,
     To the town and all its inhabitants.

18 “What benefit is a carved image when its maker has carved it,
     Or a cast metal image, a teacher of falsehood?
     For its maker trusts in his own handiwork 
     When he fashions speechless idols.
19 Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
     To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
     That is your teacher?
     Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
     Yet there is no breath at all inside it.
20 But the Lord is in His holy temple.
     Let all the earth be silent before Him.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

What is it that we need to wait and watch for?  Well, no matter who we are, and no matter which era we live in, we all have an inevitable end.  To be prepared, in order to be saved from death, we need to find and embrace Jesus and His salvation.  We cannot save or guide ourselves.  If we think we can, or whenever we think we know better, that is self-righteousness.  Jesus is righteous, and by following Him and His word imparts to us His righteousness - Jesus living through us.

Therefore, we should consider how vigilant are we in knowing God's words which will help us get through each day in His will, as well as praying and asking the Lord to continue working in and through us.  Sometimes it is seeing what needs to be addressed in our lives.  If and when God reprimands us - what is our reply?  This was Habakkuk's question.  And when the Lord spoke to him, Habakkuk was given a directive.  

As believers, we are not expected "to pay" for any sin.  Jesus has done that for all of us, in full.  His desire for us is that we keep relying on Him in joy and thankfulness, and continue serving Him with the gifts that He has given us, in His strength and guidance.  In the way we live our lives, we will be a living testimony to those around us, so that they too might see their need for Jesus and His salvation, and the benefits that He brings to our lives right now.  This is what it means to wait on the Lord and keep watch.  This is the only way to be prepared and ready!

today's meditation (Hab.1) Being a Light

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Habakkuk 1:1-17) The pronouncement which Habakkuk the prophet saw:

2   How long, Lord, have I called for help,
     And You do not hear?
     I cry out to You, “Violence!”
     Yet You do not save.
3   Why do You make me see disaster,
     And make me look at destitution?
     Yes, devastation and violence are before me;
     Strife exists and contention arises.
4   Therefore the Law is ignored,
     And justice is never upheld.
     For the wicked surround the righteous;
     Therefore justice comes out confused.

5   “Look among the nations! Watch!
     Be horrified! Be frightened speechless!
     For I am accomplishing a work in your days—
     You would not believe it even if you were told!
6   For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
     That grim and impetuous people
     Who march throughout the earth,
     To take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs.
7   They are terrifying and feared;
     Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
8   Their horses are faster than leopards,
     And quicker than wolves in the evening.
     Their horsemen charge along,
     Their horsemen come from afar;
     They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.
9   All of them come for violence.
     Their horde of faces moves forward.
     They gather captives like sand.
10 They make fun of kings,
     And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them.
     They laugh at every fortress,
     Then heap up dirt and capture it.
11 Then they fly along like the wind and pass on.
     But they will be held guilty,
     They whose strength is their god.”

12 Are You not from time everlasting,
     Lord, my God, my Holy One?
     We will not die.
     You, Lord, have appointed them to deliver judgment;
     And You, O Rock, have destined them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look at evil,
     And You cannot look at harm favorably.
     Why do You look favorably 
     At those who deal treacherously?
     Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up
     Those more righteous than they?
14 Why have You made people like the fish of the sea,
     Like crawling things that have no ruler over them?
15 The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,
     Drag them away with their net,
     And gather them together in their fishing net.
     Therefore they rejoice and are joyful.
16 Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net
     And burn incense to their fishing net,
     Because through these things their catch is large,
     And their food is plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net,
     And continually slay nations without sparing?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Seeing the horrors in life, one might wonder why God allows this.  He is loving and righteous, so He will not force people to believe in Him or live in His will.  Yet He is also sovereign, so the spiritual realm and people can only do as much as God will allow.  And because God is fair and just, one day all unbelievers will be held accountable.  Yet, it is in the darkness that people will realize their need for salvation and desire to seek, find and live in the light, putting their faith and trust in the Lord.  

Part of trusting in the Lord is to wait on Him to accomplish whatever it is He has in store for each time period.  Another aspect of trusting and waiting on the Lord is to rely on Him to get us through each day in His strength, wisdom and grace.  For believers, seeing the darkness is a good reminder to continue praying and sharing the good news!  But there isn't any need to seek out the darkness, it is all around us wherever we are, and that should not be our focus anyway.  Our purpose isn't to stamp out darkness, but to pursue God's light as well ask Him to help us be that light to the rest of the world.  

today's meditation (Nah.3) Living Right

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Nahum 3:1-19)
1   Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;
     Her prey does not leave.
2   The sound of the whip,
     The sound of the roar of the wheel,
     Galloping horses
     And bounding chariots!
3   Horsemen charging,
     Swords flashing, spears gleaming,
     Many killed, a mass of corpses,
     And there is no end to the dead bodies—
     They stumble over the dead bodies!
4   All because of the many sexual acts of the prostitute,
     The charming one, the mistress of sorceries,
     Who sells nations by her sexual acts,
     And families by her sorceries.
5   “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies;
     “And I will lift up your skirts over your face,
     And show the nations your nakedness,
     And the kingdoms your shame.
6   I will throw filth on you 
     And declare you worthless,
     And set you up as a spectacle.
7   And it will come about that all who see you 
     Will shrink from you and say,
     ‘Nineveh is devastated!
     Who will have sympathy for her?’
     Where shall I seek comforters for you?”

8   Are you better than No-amon,
     Which was situated by the canals of the Nile,
     With water surrounding her,
     Whose rampart was the sea,
     Whose wall consisted of the sea?
9   Ethiopia was her might,
     Egypt too, without limits.
     Put and Lubim were among her helpers.
10 Yet she became an exile,
     She went into captivity;
     Also her small children were smashed to pieces
     At the head of every street;
     They cast lots for her honorable men,
     And all her great men were bound with shackles.
11 You too will become drunk,
     You will be hidden.
     You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortifications are fig trees with ripe fruit—
     When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.
13 Behold, your people are women in your midst!
     The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies;
     Fire consumes your gate bars.
14 Draw for yourself water for a siege!
     Strengthen your fortifications!
     Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
     Take hold of the brick mold!
15 There fire will consume you,
     The sword will cut you down;
     It will consume you as the creeping locust consumes a crop.
     Multiply yourself like the creeping locust,
     Multiply yourself like the migratory locust.
16 You have made your traders more numerous than the stars of heaven—
     The creeping locust sheds its skin and flies away.
17 Your courtiers are like the migratory locust.
     Your officials are like a swarm of locusts
     Settling in the stone shelters on a cold day.
     The sun rises and they flee,
     And the place where they are is not known.
18 Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria;
     Your officers are lying down.
     Your people are scattered on the mountains
     And there is no one to gather them.
19 There is no relief for your collapse,
     Your wound is incurable.
     All who hear about you
     Will clap their hands over you,
     For upon whom has your evil not come continually?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I always find it interesting but not surprising that criminals will turn on each other when someone is no longer a benefit to them.  As well, people strive to look good in order to cover up their sins, so if and when anyone's depravity is exposed, most people will no one want to associate with them to preserve their own "reputation" - whatever that is.

As for God, He sees and knows everything, so nothing is hidden from His sight.  As well, it doesn't matter what sins have been committed, sin is sin and requires punishment.  At some point, everyone must face Him, and the enemies of the Lord do not stand a chance, as they cannot justify any of their actions.  

The only way to escape eternal punishment is to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  To accept Him as our Lord and Savior is to accept Him as our Advocate.  He alone can defend us, because when He forgives our sins, He covers us with His righteousness.  So when believers stand before the Lord to be judged, we will be rewarded for the good deeds we have done with right motives...which is to say that as strive to live in God's will, we ask the Lord to do it for us, all in His strength, wisdom and in His righteousness, all to His glory.

today's meditation (Nah.2) Being Restored

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Nahum 2:1-13)
1   The one who scatters has come up against you.
     Keep watch over the fortress, watch the road;
     Bind up your waist, summon all your strength.
2   For the Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob 
     Like the splendor of Israel,
     Even though destroyers have laid waste to them 
     And ruined their vines.

3   The shields of his warriors are dyed red,
     The warriors are dressed in scarlet,
     The chariots are fitted with flashing steel
     When he is prepared to march,
     And the juniper spears are brandished.
4   The chariots drive wildly in the streets,
     They rush around in the public squares;
     Their appearance is like torches,
     They drive back and forth like lightning flashes.
5   He remembers his officers;
     They stumble in their advance,
     They hurry to her wall,
     And the mantelet is set up.
6   The gates of the rivers are opened
     And the palace sways back and forth.
7   It is set:
     She is stripped, she is led away,
     And her slave women are sobbing like the sound of doves,
     Beating their breasts.

8   Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
     Yet they are fleeing;
     “Stop, stop,”
     But no one turns back.
9   Plunder the silver,
     Plunder the gold!
     For there is no end to the treasure—
     Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
     Hearts are melting and knees wobbling!
     Also trembling is in the entire body,
     And all their faces have become pale!
11 Where is the den of the lions
     And the feeding place of the young lions,
     Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub went
     With nothing to disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
     Killed enough prey for his lionesses,
     And filled his lairs with prey
     And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; I will eliminate your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

In God's perfect timing, He will completely do away with all evil and all enemies.  Whoever is not a believer, is against the Lord.  To be "sitting on the fence" is to be on the side of evil.  The only protection from God's wrath is to seek God's loving and everlasting protection - which is salvation through Jesus Christ.  

Understand that evil divides and destroys, while the Lord reconciles, restores and builds.  Understand that God doesn't want to punish anyone, but desires that all come to Him personally.  Understand that He came in flesh in order to pay the price for all sin so that anyone who chooses to believe in Him will have eternal life. 

The benefits of turning away from evil and turning to the Lord are so much more.  As believers, we can walk with the Lord, according to His will, all in His strength and wisdom, which provides a life of purpose and fulfillment.  As believers, we have a certain hope, sealed with His Holy Spirit of promise, so we can experience His peace, joy, contentment and courage.  

today's meditation (Nah.1) Taking Refuge

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Nahum 1:1-15) The pronouncement of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:

2   A jealous and avenging God is the Lord;
     The Lord is avenging and wrathful.
     The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries,
     And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
3   The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
     And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.
     In the gale and the storm is His way,
     And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4   He rebukes the sea and dries it up;
     He dries up all the rivers.
     Bashan and Carmel wither,
     The blossoms of Lebanon wither.
5   Mountains quake because of Him,
     And the hills come apart;
     Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence,
     The world and all the inhabitants in it.
6   Who can stand before His indignation?
     Who can endure the burning of His anger?
     His wrath gushes forth like fire,
     And the rocks are broken up by Him.
7   The Lord is good,
     A stronghold in the day of trouble,
     And He knows those who take refuge in Him.
8   But with an overflowing flood 
     He will make a complete end of its site,
     And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

9   Whatever you devise against the Lord,
     He will make a complete end of it.
     Distress will not rise up twice.
10 Like tangled thorns,
     And like those who are drunken with their drink,
     They are consumed 
     Like stubble completely dried up.
11 From you has gone out 
     One who plotted evil against the Lord,
     A wicked counselor.

12 This is what the Lord says:

     “Though they are at full strength and so they are many,
     So also they will be cut off and pass away.
     Though I have afflicted you,
     I will afflict you no longer.
13 So now, I will break his yoke from upon you,
     And I will tear your shackles to pieces.”

14 The Lord has issued a command concerning you:
     “Your name will no longer be perpetuated.
     I will eliminate the carved image and the cast metal image 
     From the house of your gods.
     I will prepare your grave,
     For you are contemptible.”

15 Behold, on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news,
     Who announces peace!
     Celebrate your feasts, Judah,
     Pay your vows.
     For never again will the wicked one pass through you;
     He is eliminated completely.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

About a hundred years before this, Jonah had gone to Nineveh to warn them that God was going to destroy the city.  They all repented and believed in the Lord, and so the Lord spared them.  Sadly, the next generations, even though they "knew better", didn't have any interest in the newfound faith and went right back to their evil practices.  

Given that the Lord is jealous, avenging and wrathful, we should be so very thankful that the Lord is also slow to anger. good and great in power!  So it is never too late, but why wait.  The good news of peace is that we can take refuge in Him by accepting His free gift of salvation, and He is faithful to protect us for all eternity.  For those who take refuge in Him, He is a stronghold.