“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Micah 7:17

God will forgive anything and he doesn’t hold a grudge like we do. He delights to do that. Isn’t that good to know.

“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.” Habakkuk 1:1-2

It is so easy to say why? We don’t like pain or trials but God has told us to expect them. People say they cannot trust a God who would allow evil. But God always has a reason even if we may never know it. The worst injustice I know of was sending an innocent, loving person, who did so much good, to die on a cross. Even Jesus didn’t want to do it if it wasn’t necessary, but he only cared for what God wanted. Where would we be without that unjust act? It was harder on God than anything and he feels our pain too.

“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20

The Lord is in control of everything. Whatever will be, will be. Worrying and complaining will not change anything. The Lord will use everything, whether good or bad, for his purposes. There is nothing the enemy can throw at him that will change that. This should bring comfort if you are on his team.

“…yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:18

My team is, the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. I have an awesome team, what should I fear. My team wins. They give me the strength to rise above anything.

“Not by might or by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6

Nothing can we do on our own or should we try. We don’t have to face anything alone either. People who trust themselves to do everything don’t normally succeed at least not very long and they will never know abundant life. When we allow God to be our strength, realizing that it is through him that we are strong we will be happy.

“Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.” Zechariah 10:1

God takes care of everyone. The sun rises every day and we all get a brand new start. A beautiful sunset. A clean fresh snow storm. A beautiful hillside of flowers. But not everyone appreciates his goodness and blessings. I don’t take things for granted anymore because you never know when they might be taken away.

“I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, they are my people , and they will say, the Lord is our God.” Zechariah 13

We will have trials, but if we let them, they can make us better, stronger and more like Jesus. To be purified metals need to be heated. The hotter the better to get rid of impurities.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” Malachi 3:10

This is a simple principle but people like to complicate it. A tithe is 10% or $1.00 for every $100.00 you make. The more you make the easier it should be to pay. But actually the less you make, the more reason you have to give. Because God blesses you for everything you give. If we all tithed there would be no needs, because there would be a vast supply to share. I have found that giving of my little tithe has given me riches beyond my understanding and I always have more to give.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

I have known many people who did not believe there was a God. People who were blind to all the beautiful creation around them. They tell God to prove it. If you are God?, do something amazing that will show me that you are who you say you are. Well I wouldn’t think he would do something like that. But maybe he sees more than I do. Maybe they do want him to prove them wrong. This life is totally meaningless if there is no God. We all seek in our own ways. He does say seek and you will find. And he means it. I’ve seen it.

“Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord” did we not prophecy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you, away from me, you evildoers.” Matthew 7:22-23

I cannot imagine doing these things and not being saved but I also know people who are the image of holy but, do not act out of love and compassion but for what’s in it for them. I make sure I always act out of love. First for God and then for others.

“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say.” Matthew 10:19

I trust God to give me words of wisdom in all circumstances. I am continually asking him to show me his ways and truths. I tend to be quiet because I realize it’s not about me or what I think and I best keep quiet unless I feel him leading me to speak.

“All things have been committed to me by my father. No one knows the Son but the Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27

God totally left everything up to his son. He could have chosen to do his will but God also knew that he would do his Father’s will. Thank you Jesus that you have also chosen to reveal this to me.

“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Matthew 15:11

That which comes out of your mouth comes from your heart. Either your heart is right with God and you seek to honor God or your heart is not right.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. “. Matthew 18:20

Boy I missed being at church while Covid was going on. I was forced to stay in my room and watch church online. I missed all of my friends and the fellowship I had been used to. The biggest thing was being in the presence of corporate worship. I did worship alone in my room but there is nothing like being in the presence of everyone in one room.

“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

The greatest commandment is to really love the Lord. To put him very first above everything else. I believe if you have done that, then all the other commandments will follow because of that. My greatest desire is to do God’s will for me.