Sermon notes from Thursday, October 16. One of the greatest expressions of faith comes from the book of Habakkuk. Most prophets spoke to the people for God. Habakkuk spoke to God for the people. He lived in times when it was hard to walk in faith. He saw the righteous suffering and the wicked prospering. He asked God the two questions we always ask: Why? and How long? Why are these things happening? How long will it be before they are resolved? God revealed to Habakkuk that the Babylonians, the epitome of everything Habakkuk detested, would become Gods instrument of judgment on Judah. Habakkuk did not understand. He could not explain it. How could God let evil win over righteousness? How could God let bad things happen to good people? Why would Gods hand not move? Why would His face not be seen? God reminded Habakkuk in Chapter 2 Verse 4, of correct living: The righteous will live by his faith. Habakkuk realized that even though he did not understand Gods ways or timing, he could not doubt Gods wisdom, love, or reliability. My ways are higher than your ways! Habakkuk 3:16: I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. When Habakkuk wrote these words, King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon was about to surround the city and besiege it for two years, starving the people into submission. Eventually the Babylonian army will enter the city: looting, murdering, plundering and destroying everything in their pathway. Habakkuk sees God as a consuming fire, pure and holy. He sees the size of the coming punishment – the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. And he trembles. Then he writes: Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. If Habakkuk were speaking today, he would say, Though the stock market crashes, the company goes bankrupt, and the economy heads south, if everything I rely on falters - still I will trust in the Lord. My confidence in God will not waver. How did it all begin? Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, had led the people back into idolatry. Everything begins by and with and through sin! Habakkuk says that his SOVEREIGN Lord will be his strength. What is sovereignty? It means that God, the ruler of the Kingdoms in Heaven and on Earth, has the right to do whatever he wants, whenever He wants. Do you understand?! Even when we don’t like what God is doing, He can do whatever He wants! We don’t get to JUDGE God! Our circumstances change. God never does. Hold onto what NEVER CHANGES. Don’t hold onto the changing part!!! You won’t be able to keep up! We are a part of the large plan of God. But we are NOT the WHOLE of His plans. But His plans DO make room for our lives to be abundant IN HIM. Habakkuk 3:18: Yet I will Rejoice!- Why??? Once we receive salvation, God’s plan and our future sync. It cannot become UNDONE unless we CHOOSE to undo it. 1. Salvation rests solely on the grace and power of God! The word “salvation” means “deliverance and rescue”. 2. Salvation does not depend on things going well. Life is uncertain at best. One phone call or doctor’s visit can change everything. 3. Salvation is eternal in nature. It is bigger than we are! Life’s circumstances cannot take away our salvation. BUT..our response to circumstances can cause us to choose to give it up. But Habakkuk gives us the example: 1. Habakkuk does NOT lash out at God in anger. 2. Habakkuk does NOT pretend that the evil won’t happen. 3. Habakkuk does not even say, “Despite all this, I will endure! (I think I can, I think I can.) He says: “I will EXALT in the Lord, I will REJOICE in the God of my salvation!” His salvation is greater than what he will experience here on earth!! Having God in his life is better than NOT having God in his life!! We must make up our minds to believe that: 1. God is the only one we can trust in troublesome times. 2. God is the only one we can depend on in desperate times. 3. God is the only one we can believe during unbelievable times. 4. God is the only one we can call on at all times! I hear people say all the time, “I don’t know how people go through rough times without God.” Four statements of belief we must embrace: 1. We may not always know what God is doing, but we can always trust Him to do what is right. 2. We may not always understand what God is doing as His plan unfolds, but we can trust Him to have the best plan IN THE END. 3. No matter how things may appear, God is still in control. 4. God knows what is best, and He always does what is right for us. Habakkuk 3:19 For God Led Me Here! - God’s strength never collapses. Our strength does not lie within us. 1. When we are unable to stand, He enables us. 2. When we can’t go on, He helps us. 3. When we are in the deep valley; He leads us to higher ground. Living by faith means loving God, NOT His favor on us! We must understand two things: 1. Because of God, we have nothing to fear in this life. 2. Trusting God in every situation demonstrates our lack of fear! Trust him without explanation, logic and reasoning. Trust him because you know that HE knows “ the why.” Trust him because he is God.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 15:26:58 +0000