Where is God?

"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." - Habakkuk 1:5

When the LORD spoke this to Habakkuk it wasn't good news. If you are like me I guarantee you have been in Habakkuk's shoes. When the circumstances looked hopeless, when violence and destruction was running rampant and God seemed to be nowhere in sight he cried out with the words,

"O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?
Or cry to you Violence! and you will not save?" - Habakkuk 1:2

Have you ever been disappointed when God doesn't seem to be answering prayers? Are you ever frustrated at God when it seems that sin is going unpunished and there is no justice for the oppressed? This is how Habakkuk felt and in the verses 2-4 of chapter 1 he lets God know how he feels. God's response comes in verse 5.

The LORD responds by saying I am working, actually I am going to use a more wicked nation to punish a less wicked one. Habakkuk cannot understand why God would do this and often times we can't understand why God works the way he does. In our lives circumstances and situations often leave us questioning God which is ok as long as we are ok with God's response to us. Habakkuk learned some very important lessons and truths that changed him and strengthened his faith. God is just and merciful and will punish all the wicked at the right time. His timing is perfect and no matter what the circumstances are he is working everything out for His glory and our betterment.

At the end of the book we see a radically changed Habakkuk. He began by informing God how to run his world and ended by trusting that God knows best and will bring about justice. Amid suffering and loss, Habakkuk has learned that he can trust God, and with that trust comes great joy, not in circumstances but in God himself.

"God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer's;
he makes me tread on high places."
Habakkuk 3:19

Just Smile

Seriously, just smile. Right now, do it! A big cheesy smile. How does that make you feel? What emotions are associated with your smile?

I tend to be a driven person so when God really grabbed a hold of my heart I have had this intense desire to be God's boy. I also tend to be a mind person more than a heart person so I often have spiritual battles in my head. Recently Satan has been hammering me with feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and confusion. Today I was getting frustrated with everything going on in my head and just had to get out of the house. I went to the track and decided sprints would help. With my Ipod on I began sprinting as fast as I could around the track. As I was running (and eventually walking) I was praying and just asking God to take this feelings and thoughts. I wanted to submit them to Him. After a few laps I just felt God say in a calm whisper, "just smile."

All those thoughts in my head disappeared and I had this big smile on my face as I kept running. I kept running for about 15 more minutes and the whole time I was smiling. As I continued on I was convicted about my lack of trust in God. All the thoughts and feelings in my head were flowing out of situations that I wanted to control. Since I didn't have the answers I wanted, Satan was using that to make a mess in my head. God had to bring me back to the simplicity of faith. I had to ask myself, "Do I trust God?" My answer out of my mouth was "yes" but the answer "yes" that I need is from my life. Am I living a life fearlessly? Is my trust in God evident in my decisions, choices and lifestyle? In those things I can't control can do I believe God is working it out for my good?

We are creatures of control. We want to control our circumstances, our future, and ourselves. If you are like me you want everything to be planned out. The enemy wants us to forget that God is in control and wants us to think that we are. The reason we need to "just smile" is understanding and knowing that we are not in control. Think about it. Doesn't that relieve a lot of pressure? YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL! Is that scary for you think about? Logically think about it. If you could pick anyone in the world to be in control of your life who would it be? Would you pick yourself or God who created you? The problem is God has created us to be submissive to His control yet we fight Him for it everyday. You ARE in God's hands, not your own hands. Isn't that a refreshing and comforting thought? How can that not make you smile?

Today I had to seek God and ask for forgiveness. I needed to turn and repent from a Travis centered life to a God centered life. Today let God be God and just smile knowing that God is in control, that He loves you unconditionally, and you are His!

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

Under the Wings of God

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

- Psalm 91:4

Have you ever pictured yourself under the wings of God? Have you come to take refuge under them? I love the picture of God covering us with his feathers and us taking refuge under his wings. It lets us know that God is ultimately in control. That we have security in Christ, that we can trust in him. The word refuge means a shelter or protection from danger or distress. In the hard times or in our struggles often times we run away from the wings of God. This could be for a number of reasons but many times we just don't trust God. We don't believe that he will protect us from danger or distress. It is in these times we need to run under the wings of God. We need to ask him to help us believe and trust in him and to know he is in control. John Piper in his book "Sweet & Bitter Providence" writes,

"When you believe in the sovereignty of God and that he loves to work mightily for those who trust him, it gives a freedom and courage that isn't abandoned in hard times."

Today I challenge you to picture yourself under the wings of an Almighty, Loving, Powerful God. A God who forgives sin and remembers them no more (Jeremiah 31:34). My prayer is that you will find refuge under the wings of God!

The Patience of Faith

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers is one of my favorite devotionals. If you don't have a copy of it you need to grab one. I want to share with you part of the devotional from May 8th.

"Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life; you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power."

Are you established on eternal truth?

Do you walk with reckless confidence on God?

This may seem like it describes a radical Christian. You may think I know only a few people with that type of radical trust and faith. The question is do you want that type of radical faith and trust in God? Are you willing to ask God for it because he wants to give it to you. It may be radical but it is also Biblical. Today ask God for a robust, vigorous confidence in Him!

But, Jesus...

I have been reading and thinking about Mark 6 recently. There is a lot in that chapter but what interests me is when the disciples present a problem to Jesus. The disciples are trying to get the crowds to leave and they come to Jesus and tell him to send them away so they can go to town to get some food. Well Jesus responds by saying, "You give them something to eat." Can you picture this scene? BUT JESUS! You want us to go buy the food? That would be 8 months wages! BUT JESUS, don't you understand how much work this will take? BUT JESUS, what you are asking us to do is impossible. I wonder if Jesus was thinking, BUT DISCIPLES, don't you trust me? BUT DISCIPLES, don't you believe I am big enough to provide?

Many times God calls us to do things. Sometimes they are little things and other times they are bigger. How many times do we say BUT JESUS and start coming up with excuses of why we can't do something for God. The great thing about God is that he is constantly giving us opportunities to trust him. Everyday we have an opportunity to test our faith. I want to encourage you to step out in faith and let God amaze you today!

Swine Flu

Isn't it crazy how a virus strikes fear in people all over the world? Texas has canceled all sporting events until May 11. Egypt slaughtered 300,000 pigs eventhough they didn't have one single case of swine flu in there country. Britian, which has had 5 cases of swine flu has ordered 32 million doctor's masks. President Obama has said over 132,000 schools have been closed for some period of time due to the virus.

The steps people and governments have taken out of their fear of Swine Flu are crazy. They have done radical things because this virus has the power to take their life. This begs the question, why don't they fear and respect the Author and Perfector of Life?

"The fear of the Lord is the beggining of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
-Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is a good thing. It is an understanding that God can give life and take it away. It is knowing that you are not in control, the one who is seated on the Heavenly Throne runs the show. Isn't it refreshing to know that our Father in Heaven is in total control and one day we will be in his presence. The Swine Flu has really got me thinking. If the fear of a Flu Virus (understanding its power to take life) causes people to do crazy radical things, why doesn't the fear of the Lord cause Christians to do crazy radical things for Jesus? Why do we worry about everything instead of being confident in our Creator? I challenge to trust in the Lord today, ask God to increase your faith so you may move on toward perfection.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6