The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.   (Habakkuk 3:19)

The prayer recorded here is one of the Bible’s most encouraging passages.  God has promised Habakkuk that he will judge Judah with the Chaldeans.  That God would allow such an idolatrous nation to conquer Judah greatly perplexes Habakkuk.  (Habakkuk 1:12,13) However, at the conclusion, the prophet’s faith triumphs over circumstances, and he submissively rejoices (Habakkuk 3:17,18) solely in the Lord.  Habakkuk thus anticipates three treasures from God.

The Lord is my Strength.  This Divine strength is indispensable in aiding one in every phase of his life.  (Ephesians 3:20)  God provides the armor to withstand the temptation to sin.  God’s word calms the soul and strengthens in times of adversity.  He encourages us to be bold in sharing our faith, and zealous in our service to others.

He will make my feet like deer's feet.  The imagery here is of one who is as sure-footed as a deer traversing a forest or mountainside.  The one who rejoices in God will be assisted in avoiding or escaping those things that endanger his soul.  God will guide him to the path of safety.

He will make me walk on my high hills.  This represents a position of conquering and victory.  In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we are told that those who are redeemed by Jesus are made to “sit in the heavenly places”. (Ephesians 2:6)  This lofty position is offered on the basis of God’s grace.  Thus, the redeemed ones are given an exalted posture of safety, a high moral ethic to follow, and a promise of higher things in glory.

Fellowship with God provides a place far above the despairs and doubts of the world.  “Faith is the victory, Faith is the victory.  Oh, glorious victory that overcomes the world.”  John H. Yates 

By George Slover
 

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
 
It is impossible for one to claim fellowship with God and to pattern their life after the world.  John repeats this theme throughout this letter.  He informs us that we must (I John 1:7)  “walk in the light” and that we cannot simultaneously walk in the light and walk in darkness.   “Don’t love the world’s ways or the world’s goods”, John says.  To John, the “world” represents everything that is contrary to keeping the faith.
 
Indeed, the world has a different view of how we should live.  Our postmodern culture believes that all ideas are valid.  We are free to believe and practice whatever we desire, in the name of diversity and tolerance.  In our broadminded world more and more folks have gravitated toward the hedonistic view – “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die”.  It is easy for the Christian, in this environment, to have a Playboy view of the world rather than a biblical view.
 
Before his departure, Jesus told his disciples, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)   James said, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”(James 4:4-5)  Looking, dressing, acting, and talking like the world are not the marks of followers of Christ.
 
If I intend to be all that God wants me to be, I must hear and do what he says day by day, and moment by moment.  So determine to stop that affair you’ve been having with sin.  Get busy enjoying the rewards of living for God.
 
by George Slover

You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:32)

In this context respect for the elderly is enjoined in connection with the fear of God.  To revere is to defer or to yield.  One can picture one who is older walking into a room and all others rising in honor, or offering them the best seat.  Our society has lost that sense of propriety and has certainly lost its fear of God.

To whom shall we give such honor?  It belongs first, to those who carry the weight of years, who have walked the roads and fought the battles.  Second, it should be given to those who by reason of experience have greater wisdom.  It behooves us to listen carefully to them and consider.  Third such honor belongs to those who have unselfishly served others.  (I Timothy 5:10)  To these, we owe a great debt.  Finally, it belongs to those with whom we have a special relationship (like mothers and fathers).  “Thanks mom and dad for your example of love and devotion to God and others.”

Find that special one this week and tell them how much you admire them.  Take time to listen to their stories and give heed to their advice.  Show them the respect and dignity they deserve.

By George Slover

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Psalms 103:12-14)

There is no God like Jehovah!  There is no deed that reaches the heart of a man like Jesus’ death on the cross.  Here Jehovah is reaching out to mankind with pity and forgiveness.  The verse above gives us a poetic description of God’s forgiveness and mercy.

The imagery of verse 12 beautifully describes God’s boundless forgiveness.  Unlike the distance from north to south, the distance from east to west is not measured.  To “cast sin behind the back” means it is “out of sight, and out of mind”.  When something is cast into the sea, it is irretrievable.  In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve. (Jeremiah 50:20)  When God forgives sin he removes it entirely.

Coupled with God’s limitless forgiveness is his pity (verse 13).  There is nothing like the pity of a parent for their child.  A father’s pity would include shelter from the elements, sympathy in times of distress, strength when times get tough, encouragement to persevere, instruction in how to live, and correction when in the wrong.  Like any good father, God will do everything within his will to help his children.

For what reason did God bestow such sympathy?  The Psalmist says:  He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (vs. 14)  Man is weak in body and mind.  "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41)  At times a man is feeble in his power of conviction, poor in his power of will, and woefully ignorant of God’s way.

Even though our service to God is imperfect, if one will fear Him, if our devotion is rooted in faith and sincerity, if it is motivated by love, and purified by prayer, it is accepted by God!

By George Slover

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 20,21)

The book of Jude begins with an exhortation to stand for “the faith“. The author recognizes the dangerous influence of false teachers that were turning the grace of God into “lewdness”.  (vs. 4) Jude follows with a vivid description of these apostates. (vs. 5-19)  From these corruptor’s who have occupied his pen, Jude now directs his readers toward final words of encouragement.

First, Jude’s readers are exhorted to “keep themselves” in God’s circle of love. The soul’s primary retreat is the love of God. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35-38). 

Second, “the faith” which was mentioned in verse three is the objective standard they must cling to. Jude personalizes “the faith” (“your most holy faith”) because it had been delivered to them. The faith delivered by God, the gospel of Christ, is the only sure and solid foundation for our soul’s salvation. For this reason, Jude encourages them to build on this foundation. A better and more complete understanding of God‘s will is the best preventative against the false doctrine that was plaguing these disciples.

Next, this must be coupled with praying in the Holy Spirit. The spirit instructs us and helps us to ask according to God‘s will. The spirit suggest the manner of a prayer of sincerity and fervency. It is by this kind of prayer that the saint can become empowered to overcome the evil.


Finally, Jude’s words are linked to an expectation of God‘s mercy, and its ultimate end, eternal life. This inspired writer encourages his disciples to keep their hearts focused on the goal. It was through God‘s mercy that the people were called into a relationship with him. The final manifestation of mercy will be enjoying God‘s presence forever.


Dear reader where do you stand with God? The message of Jude is to persevere! One day you will enjoy the reward.


George Slover