Marriage, friendship, parenting and living at peace with others.
Your disagreement with your neighbors must now end. It is enough. Your spouse has known they were wrong, it is enough. Your worker now knows what should be done, it is enough. We now know you are the boss, it is enough. You have proved that you have power and authority, it is now enough. Your child or parent or friend has learned the lesson. It is enough!
The future is real. The future doesn’t just require money and a good education. The future doesn’t just require great relationships and perfect health. The future also needs God who steps in to cover our deficiencies. As you plan for the future, God should be in the picture. Store up something for your relationship with God. What are you storing up for yourself?
Are you cautious in your love life? Are you cautious in how you use money? Are you cautious in your friendship? Are you cautious as you open up to people who seem friendly but could be spies for those who are seeking an opportunity to destroy you? Are you cautious in your dealings with people? If Jesus was cautious what about you and me?
Many of us live in relationships that ended long ago but are waiting for a reason to actually end officially. We could be living in denial. It is important to always evaluate your relevance and work to improve it or move on. Mark timing and forward marching are all parade activities but know the difference. You could be busy mark timing or moving forward.
Naturally we would not pray. Naturally we would not study the Bible. Naturally we would not want to attend worship. Naturally we would prefer the forbidden pleasures. If we just depend on our natural pull, we would drift away from God never to return. It is not natural, you must resolve to do it!
If people under you complain, do you get defensive and offended? Learn from God, who without protesting or showing anger He responded to Habakkuk. Complaining is human, it is not irreligious. We don’t have to go around with resentment and declaring that “I am not complaining.” Complain if you must, God can handle it pretty well…How we treat and handle those who complain determines to all and sundry whether you are really tolerant or your tolerance is baseless claims. God allows complaints and responds to them without an issue, so should we.
Nahum declares that though Nineveh is thriving it is not. Though Nineveh is doing well it is not. Though it seems these are the best days for Nineveh they are not. Though it seems the future is bright for Nineveh it is not. Nahum explains what is happening to the thriving Nineveh by comparing it to a leaking pool. A draining pool.
The Bible tells us today that there are people who would at night craft evil plans that harm others. They would craft this plan at night and wake up to implement it. They did this because they had the power to do it. They did it not because there was a need or reason but because they had the power to do it. God took note that they acted in this manner because they had the power to do it. They were exercising their powers. They were doing it because they could. You can but don’t do it!
In our kingdom, good things and bad things happen. Some we regret. Some hurt us. Some are good and some are bad. All things happen so that the kingdom belongs to God. Until when God owns the kingdom, we are not yet there where He wants us to be!