If you can read this scripture and Matthew Henry's commentary please do!
I couldn't really say it better so this is a blog by others that help me.   

Habakkuk 2

 ¹ I will stand at my watch
       and station myself on the ramparts;
       I will look to see what he will say to me,
       and what answer I am to give to this complaint. ^[a]

The LORD's Answer

 ² Then the LORD replied:
       "Write down the revelation
       and make it plain on tablets
       so that a herald ^[b] may run with it.

 ³ For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
       it speaks of the end
       and will not prove false.
       Though it linger, wait for it;
       it ^[c] will certainly come and will not delay.

"When tossed and perplexed with doubts about the methods of Providence, we must watch against temptations to be impatient. When we have poured out complaints and requests before God, we must observe the answers God gives by his word, his Spirit, and providences; what the Lord will say to our case. God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them. All are concerned in the truths of God's word. Though the promised favour be deferred long, it will come at last, and abundantly recompense us for waiting. The humble, broken-hearted, repenting sinner, alone seeks to obtain an interest in this salvation. He will rest his soul on the promise, and on Christ, in and through whom it is given. Thus he walks and works, as well as lives by faith, perseveres to the end, and is exalted to glory; while those who distrust or despise God's all-sufficiency will not walk uprightly with him. The just shall live by faith in these precious promises, while the performance of them is deferred. Only those made just by faith, shall live, shall be happy here and for ever." - Matthew Henry

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:6-7

There are a couple things I get anxious about, okay a lot, CHANGE, my family, church, money, people's opinion's of me, future, past, mistakes, more mistakes, leaders, friends, preaching and the list goes on...

SO to be asked to not be anxious about anything seems a little crazy to me.

I am really passionate about the peace of God, I need it so so so much.

Paul gives us the answer in verse 4, ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
 
Because the Lord is near there really isn't anything we need to worry about.

It then comes down to us believing this and then our actions responding to this faith.

For example, you don't have enough money to pay your University fees and you could be kicked out of Uni...If you believe the Lord is near then respond in Faith by letting Him know your request with a heart of thanksgiving. 

Then whatever happens you know God is in control.  Peace comes as we know God is in control and He is near.

Don't be unwise by not showing up for work or perhaps getting a second job, you have to do what you have to do.  God is not a genie in a bottle.

Paul finishes this verse with he 'will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.'

The answer is, in Christ Jesus...

In Christ we find that peace, where he can put to rest the battle that occurs between our mind and our heart over the things of this world that worry us.

So today what are you worrying about???

Present it to God.

Go to faith because the Lord is near.

The answer is in Christ Jesus.

It all hangs on this

+jk

 Ecc 7:¹³ Take a good look at God's work.
   Who could simplify and reduce Creation's curves and angles
   To a plain straight line?

 ¹⁴ On a good day, enjoy yourself;
   On a bad day, examine your conscience.
   God arranges for both kinds of days
   So that we won't take anything for granted.

God to us is complicated.

But to Him everything is simple.

All of the commandments are fulfilled by one.

Love God and Love people as you love yourself.

Regardless of whether you have a good day or a bad day God is involved in all of it.

The bad could seem complicated but it really isn't, just examine yourself. It will become clear.

Really, I know exactly where I am at if I acknowledge it.

He is using it all to point us to Himself, our true destination, Christ.

The good could seem like a good time to take our eyes off God.

Yet let us enjoy life and simplify life by trusting God in the good and the bad.

Simplify life by not taking it for granted.

God arranged it, now lets make the most of what He has arranged.


+jk

Genesis 8:18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.

Just flew back from a great week off with Georgie in the sunny Byron Bay.

On the flight back the ticket lady for the airline for some reason separated Georgie and I into different rows on the plane. 

To add to this I was in the middle of a three seat row between two elderly ladies, around 45 years of age...just jokes they were a lot older.

My initial thought was put on the ipod and go into shutdown to cope with the short 1 hour flight without my wife, I know pathetic but I love her, but sure enough the ladies wanted to have a nice old yarn!

It ended up being a great chat, no one got saved or healed but I think they taught me something and I perhaps gave them something to think about beyond worrying about flying 25,000 feet in the air.

This is obviously not what you could call a real trial but I think the principle that God shows us through Genesis 8 is similar but a lot more powerful.

We can have 2 thoughts about the people that are around us right now.

One being an attitude of being stuck, trapped or pinned down by both those around us.

Or we can see those around us as a gift from God...even with all the stuff you don't like about them.

Noah and his family members I am sure had many thoughts during the 150 days of waiting for the flood to subside of jumping ship and would of been frustrated incredibly with the feeling of being trapped in that trial.  Can you imagine the family fights on that boat:)!?

Verse 18 reveals a beautiful moment in this story.

Even after this incredible trial, they all came out of the boat together!

Whatever you feel stuck in the middle of right now don't jump ship.

Don't leave town.

The grass isn't greener on the other side.

Let us change our mindset today through the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God and see those around us as a gift from God.

We are in this together, lets finish this race together.

+jk
I'm back at CHANGE this week, c u there!

WE NEED A NEW HEART...

If you have a chance read first 2 chapters of Romans.

But how do you know where your heart is at?  Here are some indicators...

Matthew 12:34 - SPEECH
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:19 - THOUGHT LIFE
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Proverbs 12:23 – LEVEL OF PRIDE
A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

Psalm 84 – YOUR DESIRE FOR GOD

2 My soul yearns, even faints,
       for the courts of the LORD;
       my heart and my flesh cry out
       for the living God.


Mark 7:18-20 – YOUR ACTIONS
18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")
 20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'

From here we can now understand the state of our heart and turn back to God through repentance.

Where is your heart at?

+jk