KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, September 25, 2016
Chapters: The Book of Habakkuk
Message: If Anyone Suffers As A Christian
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Habakkuk contains three chapters, the author is Habakkuk and it was written to the people of Judah. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 608BC and 590BC. The purpose of the book was to awaken Judah to their spiritual needs and warn them of the impending judgment from God. What we are to learn from the book is that the just shall live by faith alone. “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4.
Habakkuk prophesied in the latter years of Josiah, this is the time when Jerusalem is just about to be invaded by Babylon, and he is hearing all the judgments being placed on them. It was full of immorality, idolatry, violence, no justice, and the wicked out numbered the righteous. Sound a little like what is going on today? He wonders why God does not do anything to judge them, while His faithful are the ones being judged. Habakkuk asked God how much longer he had to suffer and keep praying for an end to it all when things keep getting worse.
“Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.” – Habakkuk 1:3-6,12.
“therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” I imagine every faithful Christian wonders sometimes why they are struggling to make ends meet, where God is through their circumstances when everyone around them lives the way they please and seems to be just fine. We pray every day for God to protect our family and nations, for Him to turn things around, we try to live our lives righteously when things only get worse for us instead of better. It may seem like God is no where to be found or that only we get judged, but the truth is, God does what He does to protect us, not them, from the worse that is to come.
“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” – I Peter 4:14-16.
I get it, I feel the same way sometimes, that no matter what I do I get punished when others who are living in sin get away with it. Habakkuk has more complaints, he just knows that God is going to reprimand him for it. God answers, reminding him that nothing gets pass Him, and they will not get away with what they have done.
“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!” – Habakkuk 2:2-6.
“but the just shall live by his faith.” God is reminding all us that no sin goes unpunished, we may not see things happening right now, but He is watching and listening to everything that is going on, and when the time is right, judgment will come for all the unjust. Who are the just? Those whom have received Jesus Christ as their Saviour. There was a time when I did not care what I did, having the mentality that I get punished no matter what I did so why bother. Then I realized something, I was comparing my life with Christ to religion, and it is not about that. Now, whenever I am tempted to do something sinful, I ask myself two questions. Will God be happy about my decision? What would happen if I did do it, even in secret? Being faithful to God is not about following a bunch of rules we cannot follow anyway, it is about doing what is right in His eyes, and in your own conscious.
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” – Romans 3:24-26.
This is what being faithful to God is all about, seeing Jesus face to face one day, knowing that we did not live immorally and uncorrupt for the sake of our salvation, but loved Him enough to keep ourselves out of trouble. Since we belong to God we can expect chastisement, even for things we did not do, but what is more important than now is what we will receive when all this is over. Habakkuk realized that his suffering was only temporary.
“O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” – Habakkuk 3:2,16-19.
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,” No matter what we go through, no matter what we put ourselves through, we belong to Christ, if we are saved, and He is our strength to endure it all. We are going to face famines, false prosecution, even chastisement for our own sins, rejoice anyway because it is only temporary, we will see an end to all suffering. Praise God!
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:15-17.
Today’s Prayer: God, I may not know what tomorrow brings, but I do know that You will be there and You will see me through everything that I go through. Lord, it’s not always easy to avoid the temptations of the world, ot the false prophets out to pull us away from Your truths, but with You by my side I know I will survive. Lead me and guide me, keep me looking to You, let me not turn to the right or left, just keep eyes straight on You. Give me Your power and strength to walk away from temptation and those who are trying to lead me away from You. I will rejoice in You for You are the God of my salvation, I am nothing without You, and I know that I can endure all things with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://imfollowingjesus.com/follow-Jesus.html
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2016 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.