Harry Durgin, Kilauea Crater, 2 March 2021

In these very troubled times, we should learn from Habakkuk.

Like Habakkuk, many of us are crying out to God about the wickedness in our world. There is violence, iniquity, wickedness, destruction, strife, contention, perverted justice … and more. (Habakkuk 1:3-4)

When Yahweh told Habakkuk what He was going to do, Habakkuk wasn’t happy either, because Yahweh told Habakkuk He would judge Israel through the Chaldeans, a people even more wicked than they.

To swallow that news, Habakkuk reminded himself of who Yahweh is, and we must do that as well.

Yahweh is: Everlasting, Holy, Sovereign, Pure, Judge. (Habakkuk 1:12-13) We can and should add more. He is Savior. (For example, Isaiah 43:11, Luke 2:11) He is sovereign over the nations (Psalm 47:8) Everything He does is right. (For example, Deuteronomy 32:4, Daniel 4:37, Psalm 111:7) And still more.

We must trust Yahweh. The righteous will live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) But woe to the wicked. (Habakkuk 2:9-19)

As Habakkuk contemplated the horrible times to come, he prayed:

Yahweh, in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2)

And God is remembering mercy, and will continue to remember mercy, through these hard times, through His judgment. He is always who He is all the time. There are many accounts of people coming to saving faith in the midst of, and because of, hard times.

And, like Habakkuk, we must resolve right now to exult in Yahweh no matter what.

Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vies, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in Yahweh, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord Yahweh is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my highs places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

God–Father, Son, Holy Spirit–is always awesome and always worth of praise. Praise Him now, and determine to keep praising Him regardless.

MegRichardsPhotography.com

My dad and I went on a tour into a deep cave. At the deepest point, the guide had all the lights extinguished. And it was DARK! The dark pressed in and felt like a presence I could touch. The dark even extinguished noise. People whispered, and then fell silent. It was harder to keep my balance. People held on to each other. When the tour director struck a match, the small light changed everything. There was a collective sigh of relief. People started talking. That was many years ago and I can still feel the overwhelming realization of the oppression of darkness and light’s impact.

Darkness

I don’t need to talk about the darkness in our world right now. You see it too, I know.

Those who walk in darkness have rejected Jesus Christ. They didn’t comprehend the light (John 1:5) and they love darkness rather than light, for their deeds are evil (John 3:19). They don’t come to the light lest their deeds be exposed (John 3:20).

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

As we get closer and closer to the end, evil will increase. (2 Timothy 3:13)

Light

God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

Jesus again spoke to them, saving, “I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)

Light: A Gift

We* all once walked in darkness (Ephesians 2:1-3), but when we believed in Jesus Christ, we were transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)

I have come as Light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. (John 12:46)

Those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, have become light in the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8)

Light: A Responsibility

Now that we are light in the Lord, we are to walk as children of Light. (Ephesians 5:8)

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

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God–Father, Son, Holy Spirit–thank You for your unfathomable gift of rescuing us from darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Thank You that we are now light in the Lord. Help us to live in Your Light, shining out into the darkness, that people may come to know You and that You may be glorified.

*”We” means those who believe/trust in Jesus Christ and have received Him as Lord and Savior.

First Blooms on Wednesday/Snow cold on Friday!

Iwoke up feeling ill this morning. This was unexpected, especially since I felt so well yesterday. (I’m fine now.) I had been praying about what to post this week, so my unexpected, short-term ailment, was, I believe, an answer to prayer!

But life is like that: we may have an unexpected challenge, opportunity, tragedy, or joy coming, even this afternoon.

Some things we can plan for, just in case, like when to plant where we live. I came close to buying plants last week, even though, historically, we have a freeze late in May. Well.. the forecast today (Friday) and tonight is 6″ – 11″ of snow, and low temperatures in the 20s! And our first roses bloomed on Wednesday!

Spiritually, life is like that, and we must be prepared.

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15)

Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Be ready for every good deed. (Titus 3:1)

You must also be ready: for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. (Matthew 24:44)

How to be ready for the unexpected

Know God’s word. He tells us about Himself. He tells us what is coming. He tells us what to watch out for. He tells us how to live. In order to know God’s word, we must regularly and prayerfully study His word. We must meditate on His word, firmly planting His word in our hearts, which most likely means memorizing verses for meditation.

Be in fellowship with God. If you have saving faith, you are saved from the penalty of sin. But we still sin and must confess our sins to Almighty God. We must live in the attitude of gratitude and worship. We must pray without ceasing.

Be alert. Be alert to temptations. Be alert to the roaring lion who seeks to devour us. Be alert to opportunities.

Be ready. Be ready to defend the hope that is within us. Be ready for the Master’s return.

Be diligent. Be holy in your conduct. Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

God is on the side of those who believe in Him, who have placed their trust in Christ Jesus

If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)

Hallelujah!

MegRichardsPhotography.com

When is the new year for you?

The many, many years I was a student, autumn was the start of a new school year, and the mental start of beginning anew. Autumn was the start of my new year.

More recently, January 1 has been the symbolic date, and I usually think about goals for the coming year.

But a case can be made for Spring. Spring is sometimes called a time of new beginnings. Trees leafing out. Flowers. The lovely fresh scent.

Or how about Monday?

It doesn’t really matter, of course. The issues for us are to have clarity about our goals, the direction to get there, and begin.

The only way to finish is to start.

This is true for both secular and spiritual matters.

If you want to improve your health, for example, by increasing exercise or improving nutrition, the only way to do that is to begin. Exercise today. Change your diet, even a little, today.

If you want to read the entire Bible in one year (whenever the year starts!), begin today.

The only way to get there is to begin.

Begin! Get going! Today!

MegRichardsPhotography.com

If you believe in Jesus Christ, having received Him as Lord and Savior, He will love you to the end.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)

He loves us to the uttermost. He loves us to and into eternity. (Alternative translations of “the end.”)

No matter your circumstances, no matter what is going on in the world, no matter what is going on in your part of the world, Jesus Christ loves you.

And nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)

Don’t despair. Rejoice in God’s truth.

Harry Durgin Facebook

Three funerals in the past few days. I’m sad.

Death is separation from us who are still living. Death is final for the one passed on.

The Bible says we die once, and then the judgment.

It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

When someone I don’t know–famous or infamous–dies, I sometimes reflect that they are wherever they are for eternity.

Death is final. And judgment follows.

Jesus said that those who do not believe in Him will die in their sins. (John 8:24)

On the other hand:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” (John 11:25)

Believe in Jesus Christ and live!

Harry Durgin Facebook

They didn’t know it was Easter Eve

The time between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection was dark.

Jesus told His disciples He would rise on the third day, but they did not comprehend it.

Jesus was tortured, mocked, and died a horribly painful death. The centurion, who had seen many deaths, knew Jesus was dead, and declared that to Pilate. Jesus’ body was released and put in a tomb. Jesus was dead dead dead.

Jesus Christ’s disciples gathered in the upper room, and locked the door. Were they next?

We can guess some of their conversation amidst their tears. We thought … We hoped …

They believed it was all over.

In the meantime, Jesus Christ is proclaiming victory to those in prison!

They didn’t know they were waiting for Christ’s resurrection, but they were.

They didn’t know it was Easter Eve.

We are blessed

We are blessed, because we know what we are waiting for.

In the countdown to Christmas, sometimes I will say: “Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve.”

What we don’t know is how many “Eves” are left. Tomorrow, with one “Eve?” A week from now, with seven “Eves?” Or?

In any case, we know what is coming, even though we don’t know when.

We are blessed.

Rejoice! Christ is risen!

He was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:4)

This momentous event is the key to everything.

Because Christ lives, Christ lives in believers.*

Because Christ is eternal, we will live with Him for eternity.

God proved by Christ’s resurrection that those in Christ would also be resurrected, and receive glorified bodies.

All this is incomprehensible, but it is true.

Because He lives, we have His presence and help now, hope now, and unending bliss ahead.

Rejoice!

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*Don’t be left out! Almighty God created you and has the right to tell you how to live. Your sins (my sins, everyone’s sins) separated us from God and mean we can only expect God’s wrath. Repent of your sins and turn to God’s Son, Jesus Christ, in belief and trust. Receive Christ as Lord and Savior. And then, you will live because He lives.

Harry Durgin Facebook

We Underestimate God

This is not a rebuke. This is a fact.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)

We can’t even think of all God is able to do!

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power the works within us… (Ephesians 3:20)

Nothing is impossible for Him.

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

God’s Character

Since God is able to do anything, knowing His character is a key to peace.

God’s word tells us a lot:

The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin, yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations. (Exodus 34:6-7)

For Christians:

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

God is for us. (Romans 8:31)

[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

Joyfully Press On

Given God’s power, His character, and His great grace to those in Christ Jesus, let’s joyfully press on!