Bible 2017

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Zephaniah 1:18 The Day Of The Lord’s Wrath

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth. Zephaniah 1:18

Zephaniah opens his book talking about the great day of the Lord. It is the day that Jesus returns with vengeance upon all those on the earth who have chosen not to follow Him. God pours out His wrath upon those who have rejected Him. As this occurs, there is nothing that can save any person on the earth from His wrath.

People are always talking about great disasters that could occur upon the earth. Talk about global warming, a meteor striking the earth, flooding, great earthquakes, and other disasters. As they talk about this, most look at it as the fault of men. They also work on doing things that will keep them alive in such an event.

Large bank accounts have been built up and huge safety homes have been built to protect people from all harm. Yet, despite how much money a person has or how secure his home is, it will not protect him from God’s wrath in the end.

When God chooses to destroy the earth, because of sin, it means that everything on this earth will be destroyed. All life on this earth will be destroyed. All the money in the world will not buy salvation from His wrath. Only those who have trusted in Jesus can escape His punishment. Those who have put their trust in Jesus will be removed from this earth and escape the punishment.

Knowing this truth now, should cause you to want to know Jesus more and more, and to put your trust in Him alone. Do not trust in yourself or the things of this world. Follow Jesus to serve and honor Him so that you will be saved from God’s wrath.

Along with your own salvation, tell others about Jesus. Let them know what is coming and how they can be saved from it. Nothing in this world can save any person from God’s wrath except trust in Jesus.

Who or what are you trusting in to save you today?

Are you letting others know this also?

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your savior; that you will not trust the things of this world to save you; that you will tell others about Jesus; and that you will be ready for the day of God’s return.

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Habakkuk 3:27-18 Joyful In God No Matter What Is Happening

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

After Habakkuk has several questions of complaint to God and he hears God’s answers, he comes to the conclusion to rejoice in God. Despite the fact that the nation is being overrun, people are dying, crops and cattle are being destroyed, he finds joy in God.

Life as a human being can be very challenging at times. There are times when it seems that everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. It also appears for some that the time of going wrong never seems to come to an end. Multiple problems keep rising faster than any are being solved.

During these times, some believers may feel as though God has left them. They become depressed and frustrated that God is allowing all those “bad” things to happen. They feel as if there is no hope left in this life.

While many may feel this way, it is not the truth. God is still in control and is orchestrating everything that is occurring for a reason.

Just as Habakkuk turned his eyes towards the Lord, so you must turn your eyes upon Jesus. You must look to Him for strength in the hard times. In light of eternity and the salvation Jesus will provide, having no food, no job, and no way to provide for yourself is very minor problem. Food for your soul is more important than food for your body. Having a great job and security is not as important as having your soul made right with God.

It is great to have things in this life, but they can also get in the way between you and God. Find your joy in God. He is the only one who will last for all eternity and will never leave you. When things are going bad, find joy in the hope Jesus provides.

Rejoice in the salvation Jesus is giving you. Rejoice in the love God has shown you. Let your heart sing for joy in the Lord as the world tries to tear you down.

I pray today that you will know the joy of the Lord in your life; that you will know the joy of the salvation God provides; that you will rejoice in God’s provision for your life; and that you will only look to God for your joy and provision.

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Habakkuk 2:9 Building A House

“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!” Habakkuk 2:9

Habakkuk had noticed all the people who refused to follow God were appearing to be prosperous and making it. He could not understand how the pagans could be wealthy, while the believers suffered, so he questions God about what He is seeing. God answers him. God points out that there will be trouble for the person who builds his house by evil ways.

A house is where a person lives, eats, and sleeps in. It is a representation of a part of their life. For some people it is a major portion of their life, while with others it is only a small part of their life. It depends on how much they work or travel.

Lives and homes are built all the time with money that is worked for. Most people will state that they have legally earned the money that they have to build their life the way that they want to. The real challenge is what a person means by work.

Some people when they do go to work, they cut corners all the time at work, not fully working, and still get a paycheck. Others do work hard all the time, but are doing things that are illegal or sinful to get their money. These are people building their house on something that is unjust gain.

Even though they appear to be successful, God is watching them and their time will come. Their house is not built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. It is built upon things of this world and it will come crashing down in the end.

If you are believer, you must work at things that will honor God. Gaining money to build your life will do no good if it is gained by measures that does not honor God in any way or goes against God’s commands. If you sell something that promotes sin, you are building your house by unjust gain. If you do not give all of yourself to your work, when you are working, then you are building your house by unjust gain.

Take a look at your life and how you are building your house. What is the foundation? What are the materials you are using? Does it honor God? Or is it being done in the ways of this world?

I pray today that Jesus will be the foundation of your life; that you will build your life in God’s ways; that the work you do will show honor to God; and that you will be a witness of God wherever you work.

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Habakkuk 1:2 Do Not Judge God In Complaining To Him

How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Habakkuk 1:2

Habakkuk starts out his book crying out to God with a complaint. He had been crying out to God about all the violence that was occurring and God did not seem to care. The violence continued. God did not seem to mind his questions or complaints. Looking just a few verses further, God tells him that He is doing something that no one would believe. He was raising up the Babylonians to strike Israel for their sins. God was using the enemy to correct His own people.

As a person is going through life, there will be times when things occur that seem as though God has completely left them and is out of control. It may appear as though the enemy is in complete control and God had left the picture. The person then starts to cry out to God. When God does not always answer immediately, many will then start complaining to God.

As things like this continue to happen, many people begin to judge God as being cruel and unjust. Many walk away from God, condemning Him and refusing to hear what He has to say or realize what He is doing.

As Habakkuk was crying out to God and complaining, He did not judge God as being wrong. He just did not understand why God was doing what He was doing and asked God about it. He knew God’s holiness and could not see why God was using the pagan nation.

God did not condemn him for asking those hard questions, but gave him an answer. God revealed that He was still in control, despite what it looked like.

In your life there will be times when it appears that the enemy is in complete control. You may be wondering what God is doing. It is acceptable to question God in asking Him what He is doing. However, as you do that, do not question His authority to do what He is doing. Trust that God really does know what is best for the situation.

In the end all sin will be destroyed. All those who do not follow Jesus will be destroyed. And all those who follow Jesus will have eternal life. Trust God, that He knows how to make that all happen, in His time.

I pray today that you will accept all of God’s actions in your life; that you will understand the purpose for God’s actions; that you will trust God with all He does; and that you will never condemn God for doing or allowing something to occur.

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Nahum 2:2 The Lord Will Restore What Was Lost

The LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. Nahum 2:2

Although Nineveh had crushed Israel for a time, God was striking back at them. He was going to destroy Nineveh. In the process of doing so, God would restore all the splendor that Israel had lost with being taken over. Even though the enemy had destroyed all their crops and laid everything to waste, God would restore it back to Israel.

When Adam and Eve walked on the earth, they had a perfect life. They had the perfect living place, eternal life, and direct walking with God. Nothing could have been more perfect for them. After they were deceived by the enemy, Satan, they lost all of the glory and splendor. As a result people today live in a fallen, non-perfect world.

The fall of Israel to Nineveh is the same way Adam and Eve fell from grace with God. Yet, God immediately set up a plan to restore them. That restoration would take place through the work of Jesus upon the cross. It is a restoration process that is still in progress to this day.

Although you may have never had someone destroy all of your belongings and physically put you into captivity, you have been in captivity and lost the best. You were born into a sinful world, in a sinful state of being. You lost the direct line with God and all the splendor and glory He has for you.

Once you have repented of your sins and began to follow Jesus, the process of restoration has begun. God is in the process of restoring the life and things you had lost. These are the important, eternal things, not the temporary things of this life. Some of these things you may have never realized that you did not have them and that they were available for you.

As a follower of Jesus, you can now have real joy, real peace, real hope, and a real life that is eternal. You can know that someday you will have a home in heaven with God for all eternity. In Christ you are a new creation. You are being restored to what God intended you to be and have, not what the world has made you to be and says.

I pray today that you will know what God has for you; that you will know the glory of God; that God will restore to you the life He wanted you to have; and that you will know the true life in Jesus.