I think it’s interesting how sometimes people mess up the meaning of love.

You can love your enemy
You can love your neighbor
You can love what you do
You can love a certain food
You can love a certain person
You can be in love
You can fall in love
You can love Jesus
You can love an idol
You can love a class
You can love a feeling
You can love yourself

Each example carries a different connotation to love. Just don’t get them mixed and love an idol like you love Jesus. Don’t love someone that is a neighbor like you would someone that you are falling in love with. Don’t “fall in love” with what you do, because then you fall in love with an idol and the meaning of love is lost in a new ideal of the meaning of the word.

I have many Bible heroes. At the top of the list, of course, if Jesus- the man who lived the life that I can’t live and died the death that I deserve. Next in line are God-fearing men like Enoch- a man who walked with God and ascended to heaven; Moses- a man who led God’s people out of Egypt, through the red sea, across the desert, and to the promised land; Joshua- the man who made the sun stop and the man who led God’s people into the promised land; Elijah- the second of three men mentioned in the Bible to ascend to heaven; Peter- a man who dared to take a step of faith out of a boat; Paul- the man who wrote most of the New Testament; Job- the man who had it all, lost it all, and all was given back to him through faith; Jeremiah- the man who preached to thousands in faith and never saw a life change; Timothy- the man who served God at a young age; and (the person that I will continue on about) Habakkuk- the man who lost it all and rejoiced anyway.

Habakkuk is a man that I need to be a whole lot more like. Habakkuk begins with a short complaint (1:1-4) where he complains about the wicked and perverted justice. God answers him back (1:5-11) and then Habakkuk complains again (1:12-2:1) asking God when His promises will be revealed in Habakkuk’s life. God replies again (2:2-20)and says that “The vision awaits its appointed time…wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (2:3)

What’s crazy is that after the second complaint, Habakkuk got the idea. Chapter three is Habakkuk’s prayer to God. (3:1-16) And then finally verses 17-19 of chapter 3 are the three verses that get me every time:

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

THIS IS AMAZING!

While he has nothing- no figs on the trees, no fruit, no olives, no food, no flock, and no herd, he still REJOICES in the Lord!

I wonder how much greater my life will be once I chose to rejoice when I have nothing instead of complain time and time again about the nothingness that I have.

Time to rejoice, sleep, and wake up to a joyful tomorrow.

Your best days are ahead now that the past is behind. 

Don’t worry, God has a plan for you.

Jeremiah 29:11. 

Rejoice always.

Worship often. 

Live humbly.

Walk justly.

Act mercifully. 

Think about a toolbox that your dad keeps out in his storage room. 

There are saws, hammers, nails, screws, screwdrivers, drills, wrenches, and all kinds of other odds and ends. 

Each tool is designed to perform a certain task.
The screw holds something up.
The hammer drives in a nail. 
The saw cuts off unnecessary lengths of wood.
The wrench tightens what is already in place.

You get the idea.

When it relates to scripture, God’s word says, “Put on the full armor of God that you will be able to stand against the schemes of evil” (Eph. 6:11)

God wants us to be prepared with the right tools. We need the full armor of God to fight evil. 

When we need to be prepared for any situation, no matter how big the battle, or how small the war. 

If Noah didn’t have the right tools, his ark wouldn’t have floated. 
If Moses didn’t have his staff, the Red Sea wouldn’t have parted. 
If God didn’t sent a shark to get Jonah, Nineveh would have been lost.
If David fought Goliath with a pocket knife, he would have never been king. 
If Jesus never died on a cross, our sins wouldn’t be redeemed.

Each of us has a toolbox with everything we need to build a sacred temple within ourselves. God calls us seek him, and we all have the tools to do it. 

• Some of us have communication skills. Used for good, they can be uplifting. Used for bad, they can bring somebody to their lowest point. 
• Some of us have a musical gift. Used for good, we can write and sing songs of praise. Used for bad, we can rap and sing about worldly pleasures. 
• Some of us have the gift of business. Used for good, we can tithe and give. Used for bad, we can waste what we have earned on things that do not matter. 
• Some of us have the ability to write well. Used for good, we can write in a way that is glorifying to God. Used for bad, we can drive others away from Christ. 

No toolbox is the same. There is more than one way to drive a nail in. 
Everyone is different. There are multiple ways to reach others for Christ.

Make sure that you use what is in your toolbox to reach others for Christ. Trying to use another person’s tools will never provide the personal touch that you can give. 

Take your toolbox with you and out into the world.

Go and make disciples of all nations!