Category Archives: Salvation

Accused, Bible, Forgiveness, Judgment, Safety, Salvation, Scripture, Security

BOW AND ARROWS

HABAKKUK 3:9

“You removed Your bow from its holder, the arrows of Your word were sworn. Selah. You divided the earth with rivers.”

I have a crossbow which I use to hunt. I have yet to claim a deer with it, but I am ready should the opportunity come. That bow is no good to me if I keep it in its case. It is also no good if I do not load it with a bolt (an arrow for a crossbow). But once I pull it out of its case and load it with a bolt, it is ready to be used.

God’s judgment is pictured here by Habakkuk as an unsheathed bow that has its arrows ready to shoot. God’s word of promise to execute judgment are true, just like His aim. We may not see it coming, much like an arrow shot from a distance. But it is coming, and God never misses His target. “But God will shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they will be wounded.” Psalm 64:7

APPLICATION

I do not fear God’s arrows of judgment because I have laid my sins at the foot of the cross. My sins have been paid for by my Savior and Lord. I can walk in victory each day, knowing that there is no need to look over my shoulder fearing God’s wrath. It has been satisfied by the blood of the Lamb.

The enemy will try to insinuate that I am not secure in Christ. He will try to get me to question the power of the cross. All those are lies, told to try to get me off my mission. My mission is to point others to Jesus. I want to see them walk in the same victory I am walking in each day.

How about you? Do you walk in fear or victory? Do you walk as if you are defeated? If you are a child of God, if you have placed your faith in Jesus, there is no need to walk that way. You have been promised a home with Him in eternity. Nothing can change that. You are safe and secure. Walk that way.

Thank You, Lord, for the knowledge that You do execute judgment where necessary, but I am free from judgment because of Christ.

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Accountability, Belief, Bible, Choices, Christ's Return, Darkness, Eternity, Kingdom, Kings, Majesty, Rescue, Salvation, Scripture

CHARIOTS OF SALVATION

HABAKKUK 3:8

“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?”

All throughout Scripture we see imagery of God with water. In creation, He separated the waters above and the waters below. Then He caused land to appear which further separated the waters on earth. We see Him part the Red Sea and the Jordan River. We see Him gush forth waters from a rock in the wilderness. Water and God have a presence in the Bible that cannot be ignored.

So, it is no wonder that Habakkuk uses that same imagery in his book. But we see something here that is unique. We see the “chariots of salvation.” I can just picture what Habakkuk is describing. God swoops down and rescues His people as if He is riding a chariot. The waters of the Red Sea parting and the flow of Jordan walled up reflect the presence of God moving through and saving His people.

APPLICATION

God is still rescuing us. This is done now through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ didn’t ride through Israel on a chariot. No, He walked and once rode a donkey’s colt. He didn’t come as a ruling king, but rather as a lowly baby in a manger. He lived in Nazareth, the lowliest of the villages in Galilee.

But one day He will return as Judge and King. He will come to reign supremely. And we will reign with Him as joint heirs of His kingdom. Won’t that be a glorious day? But you first have to acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. Even though you don’t see a chariot of salvation, you can be assured that He reigns.

As we come closer to Christmas day and prepare to celebrate, don’t forget the saving power of God is as strong today as it ever was. God is still rescuing us from a dark and somber world. He wants us to rejoice with Him that His Son paid the ultimate price. He has truly ridden that chariot of salvation for us.

Open my eyes that I may see Your salvation to the world more clearly. Use me to reach out to those who need to hear.

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Accountability, Bible, Confession, Forgiveness, Repentance, Salvation, Scripture, Sin

YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT

HABAKKUK 2:8

“‘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.’”

When I read today’s verse, I was reminded of Numbers 32:23. This was the story of Moses telling the tribes (Reuben, Gad and Manasseh) who wanted to live on the other side of the Jordan that they needed to keep their word to fight for the other tribes. He told them, “But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure that your sin will find you out.”

The Chaldeans were ruthless and unforgiving in their conquests of other nations. Their cruelty knew no bounds. So, God tells them here that they would suffer the same fate as all the nations they had conquered. They would face bloodshed and looting. Their chickens were about to come home to roost, as the old saying goes.

APPLICATION

I have committed many sins in my past. To the best of my knowledge, I have confessed those sins and made things right with my Lord and with others. If anyone reading this blog has been hurt by me in the past, please forgive me. I do not want any unconfessed sin to come between me and my heavenly Father.

How about you? Do you have a sin or sins you need to confess right now? They say confession is good for the soul. Indeed, it is. God’s Word will direct you in this confession. If you are a child of the King, all those sins are already forgiven, but He still wants you to clean the slate with Him. He wants to hear you confess those, to say the same thing about that sin that He does. That is what confession is.

I am so thankful the Lord forgives us. I am thankful He doesn’t hold any grudges. I wish more of His children were that way. I know of far too many Christians who struggle with confession and forgiveness. May you make things right with others and with the Lord today.

Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.

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Bible, Hope, Obedience, Salvation, Scripture, Testimony, Witnessing

WHAT I SAW

HABAKKUK 1:1

“The pronouncement which Habakkuk the prophet saw:”

Have you ever seen anything that you just had to tell someone about? I witnessed both my children being born. I had to tell someone about that. I saw an incredible catch in a football game recently that I immediately had to rewind and then call my wife to see. Some things you just have to tell others about.

Enter Habakkuk. He has seen some things which the Lord has shown him and now he is telling the people about them. He is prophesying the overthrow of Israel by the Chaldeans, a hated group of people. Habakkuk hates the vision, but he has to tell it. The vision is too incredible not to tell. Perhaps the people will repent, and the end result would be different. One could hope, right?

APPLICATION

What has God shown you that you need to tell? If you are a believer, He has shown you salvation. That is definitely something worth sharing. In fact, it is your responsibility to share that with others. You are, in a way, prophesying. You are “telling forth” the good news.

Now, I am not calling you a prophet. But we should do what Habakkuk is doing. We should warn people about the pending judgment by God. All will be judged one day. For the unbeliever, they will face a judgment that will doom them to hell. We should not desire that for anyone. So tell them!

My testimony has been told hundreds of times since I came to Christ back in 1977. It’s been over 45 years, but the story never gets old. God spoke and showed me the way to salvation. I have not lost sight of that path. Did I ever stray? Of course, I have, but He has tenderly and gently led me back to the path. And He tells me everyday to tell others. Let’s do that today.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.

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Belief, Bible, Fear, Hope, Salvation, Scripture, Strength, Victors

TO NO AVAIL

NAHUM 3:15

“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.”

I do not like being told there is no hope, so quit trying. But there are sometimes when we just know we can’t do it. A few years ago, I had to go through a physical challenge and score so many points to become a Reserve Officer with my local Sheriff’s Office. Due to a bad, left shoulder I could not complete the necessary pull-ups or push-ups. My other scores were okay, but not good enough to accomplish the score needed. I had to stop the challenge before I finished. I hated that.

Today’s verse may not be clear at first glance. But Nahum is continuing the prophecy against Nineveh. He ends this verse basically daring Nineveh to try to strengthen themselves against the hand of God. They could become as numerous as the locusts, but they would not prevail. It was all to no avail.

APPLICATION

Don’t listen to the naysayers. While we are in Christ, we never give up. There is always hope. He will never leave you or forsake you. We know that because He tells us that repeatedly in Scripture. I have not personally counted them, but I have been told that “do not fear” occurs 365 times in the Bible. That’s enough for every day of the year!

When the world says, “Just give in. Quit trying” you look them right in the eye and tell them you have a Conqueror on your side who cannot be defeated. Your life is in Him, not your circumstances. Do not give in!!! Do not!

There have been times in my life when I wanted to throw in the towel. I had believed the lies. I thought it was all to no avail. Why keep trying? But my precious Lord and Savior reminded me of what He had saved me to accomplish for Him. He didn’t so much save me from something as He saved me toward something. Life was worth it because of Him. Believe that today.

I will believe in You, my Lord, when all else seems to fail. You are my rock and my salvation.

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Bible, Death, Eternity, Heaven, Hell, Redemption, Salvation, Scripture

DEAD BODIES

NAHUM 3:3

“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!”

Pretty morbid title, huh? Hey, I’m just following the text. Blame Nahum, lol. I have had the privilege (yes, I said the privilege) to stand beside a lot of families as they ushered their loved ones into the hereafter. I have done my share of funerals. Some are easier than others. Those in which you know the dearly beloved were Christians were easy. Their dead body was just that – a dead body. They were not there.

Nahum continues his description of the vision God had shown him of the certain destruction of Nineveh. His statement “there is no end to the dead bodies-they stumble over the dead bodies” gives a very vivid picture of what was to come. Those who heard this message had to be disturbed.

APPLICATION

So, where will you spend eternity? We will all leave this body behind and will depart somewhere. We will either be with Jesus in heaven or will spend eternity in hell. Even though our bodies will be left behind, our spirits will live forever. The good news is we can determine where that will be.

As I write this blog, I am attending a Men’s Retreat on a mountain near Chattanooga. I witnessed this morning several men give their lives to Christ. Their eternal fate is set. They will live with Jesus. Many of them immediately followed that decision with baptism. They wanted all to know where they were going one day.

Paul tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I look forward to that day. I believe the Lord has much left for me to do for the kingdom, but I am ready for that day. If you ever hear that I have died, don’t mourn my dead body. Rejoice knowing where I am. Will I see you there?

Father, I cannot wait to see Your Glory and spend eternity worshipping You.

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Bible, Deceit, Deception, Lies, Salvation, Scripture, Truth

FULL OF LIES

NAHUM 3:1

“Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage; her prey does not leave.”

I have talked about lying before in one or two of my blogs, but this verse today brings us right back to it. Our world is so full of lies. It lies about what a family is. It lies about how a person should see themselves. It lies about what success really is. The world will not tell you the truth. Don’t look to it to guide you.

Albert Barnes says this about lying. “‘Lie’ includes all falsehood, in word or act, denial of God, hypocrisy; toward man, it speaks of treachery, treacherous dealing, in contrast with open violence or rapine. The whole being of the wicked is one lie, toward God and man; deceiving and deceived; leaving no place for God who is the Truth; seeking through falsehood things which fail.” That pretty much summarizes what Nahum was saying about Nineveh.

APPLICATION

You know it is so easy not to lie. You just tell the truth. But what do you do when everyone around you is not telling the truth by either what they say or how they live? You keep telling the truth. You keep living the truth. You keep pointing to The Truth – Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was the way, and the truth, and the life. If He called Himself the truth that means all other “ways” to God are lies. Don’t believe the lie that we all go to heaven. That’s not how it works. There is only one way – through Jesus.

I am sure you have people in your lives who deny that truth. They truly believe they are okay. They believe as long as they are good to others and really try hard, they will go to heaven when they die. If you care about them, do not let them get by with that. They may get upset if you keep pointing them to Jesus. That’s okay. Better mad and the possibility of them getting saved than not mad and headed straight to hell. Just tell the truth, my friends.

I am so glad that I can live in the truth rather than hide in the lies.

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Bible, God's Will, Gospel, Humility, Life, Pride, Salvation, Scripture, Testimony, Witnessing

THE KILL

NAHUM 2:12

“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.”

I was talking to a friend of mine recently who had been on a safari in Tanzania. He was describing all the wildlife he saw, but he was particularly descriptive of the lions. He said they saw a lion pride which has just recently made a kill. The carcass of their prey was very visible. He described this as a gruesome scene.

Nahum uses the same kind of descriptors to paint the picture of what Nineveh used to be. They seemed so sure of themselves. The lion “filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.” In other words, Nineveh feasted on the other countries it had defeated and gloated of their success.

APPLICATION

That is not to be our attitude. Humility is a key character of a believer who is walking with Christ. Just as Christ is described in Philippians 2.5-8, we are to live our lives. We have no right to be prideful of anything we have accomplished. We certainly shouldn’t be prideful at the expense of others.

Christians can be just as prideful as unbelievers. I have known pastors who were very prideful of their church numbers and even made their goals and achievements the measuring tool for their success. At the meetings with other pastors, numbers always seemed to come up, sometimes making the other pastors feel uncomfortable.

Unlike the lion who stalks his prey and kills it, we are to prayerfully approach others with the good news of the Gospel and offer them life. We are just the opposite of the lion. We seek others only to help. Is that your attitude today? Do you seek to give life or take life? It is really one or the other.

Thank You for giving me life, Lord. Lead me to others who need it also.

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Abiding, Advice, Affliction, Battles, Bible, Caregiver, Comfort, Dependence, Faith, Promises, Protection, Salvation, Scripture

IN TIMES LIKE THESE

NAHUM 2:10

“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!”

A couple of years ago, when I was going through treatment for my Amyloidosis, I got very weak. I was deathly ill. I had fainting spells and lost a lot of weight because I could not keep anything down I ate. My face was pale. My knees were wobbly. I felt as if my heart was melting. I guess you could say I could relate to the description in today’s verse.

Nahum, of course, is describing the condition of the Ninevites. Joel uses a similar description in Joel 2:6. “Before them the people are in anguish; all faces turn pale.” We find this description again in Jeremiah 30:6. “Ask now, and see if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale?”

APPLICATION

The application, to me, is clear. We are weak and frail without Jesus. He is the source of our strength. You may think you are strong, but let a trial come your way and you will see what you are made of. Our flesh, in itself, can only bear so much. But it is amazing what we can endure with the help of the Lord.

Perhaps you are going through a very trying time right now in your life. You may be sick or grieving. Whatever it is, Jesus is your strength. Your knees may be wobbly, and your heart may be faint, but Jesus has you. Quit trying to manage it on your own. You can’t, He never said you could. He can and He always said He would (to borrow a quote from a dear brother-in-law).

I am so thankful that both times I went through my stem cell transplants I knew who held me. It was not the doctors or their medical knowledge. It wasn’t the great treatment I received at the hospitals. It wasn’t my wife, as precious as she was through both of those events. It was Jesus. He carried me through. He can carry you, too.

In times like these you need a Savior. In times like these you need an anchor. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.

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Accountability, Accused, Bible, Confession, Forgiveness, Repentance, Salvation, Scripture, Sin, Surrender

HOPELESS

NAHUM 2:1

“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.

When you come up against a force that is greater than you, all your defenses are worthless. I played high school football many years ago. I remember vividly playing against a high school from Alabama that was far superior to our small, rural high school. We were overmatched from the start and despite our great efforts, we were trounced.

Nahum turns his attention fully now to Nineveh and its pending destruction. He almost jokingly tells how they can watch the road and bind up their waist. They can summon all their strength, but nothing will prevent God’s judgment falling upon them. They will not be able to resist His power.

APPLICATION

We read this prophecy against Nineveh and point our fingers at them. We think how could they even hope to defend themselves against God. But we do the same. We fight against God daily defending our own actions that we know are not what God desires. But because we think we have the right; we just do it.

There is nothing that gives us the right to do as we want. We are free in Christ to do as we should. That is a big difference. We are just like Nineveh in so many ways. We put up our defenses. These are useless against a holy God. The best thing we can do is surrender and agree with God about our sins.

Confession is just that – saying the same thing about our sin as God is saying. We agree with Him. The problem today in our society is nothing is sin. Sin is an outdated word. To say someone is sinful is being intolerant. God’s standards have not changed. Neither has the way He deals with sin. Confess your sins today and feel His mercy and grace.

Forgive me, Lord. I have sinned against You and Your principles.

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