Sermon Central
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A Song Of Confidence In The Midst Of Lifes Troubles
Contributed by Ronald Crandall on Jan 4, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Can we truely have a song in the midst of lifes challenges? Can we have a song of confidence in the middle of trials? Habakkuk has some beautiful insights, I believe that we can still draw stregth from today.
A Song of Confidence in the midst of life’s challenges!
By: Ron Crandall
Introduction:
In life we are always surrounded by challenges, circumstances or temptations.
Yet, how do we as Christians respond to Our heavenly Father when things just don’t go the way we think they should?
Do we become angry?
Do we become discontent?
Do we become disenchanted with a Holy God?
What is the response that flows from deep within our spirit man….
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words… if that were vise a versa it would read “ a thousand words show the summation of the picture of our lives.”
For the word says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh…
Do you really trust God?
I want to look this morning at a man who wrote a very small book in the bible, but it speaks loudly of his dependence in God
KING JAMES
Hab 3:17-19
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
NIV:
Hab 3:17-19
17 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. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
(NIV)
Habakkuk was not always the man of God who sang out a song of praise.
In Fact he was like many of us today.
When we wonder where is God?
Why doesn’t he do something about all the pain and suffering?
The wars, the injustice, oppression and diseases that are destroying humanity?
If he were so powerful why doesn’t he act?
If he is so loving why doesn’t he intervene?
Habakkuk shows us that these questions are as old as the seventh century B.C.
So are the answers.
While God may not explain everything to our satifaction, nor are we capable of understanding everything….
He has told us … He assures us , just as we are assured by Habakkuk that His ways are just and righteous, and furthermore, “The just shall live by faith!”
In questioning God:
Hab 1:2
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! (KJV)
But somewhere along the line Habakkuk got a hold of the fact that God was on his side.
The book of Habakkuk is filled with one man’s perplexing questions- and the Lord’s penetrating answers. God never seems to reproach His servant for raising fundamental issues.
Living by Faith:
Habakkuk probably had little idea of the explosive truth contained in God’s statement to us “the Just shall live by faith!” 2:4
Hab 2:4
4 Behold, his soul, which is lifted up, is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
(KJV)
Rom 1:17
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(KJV)
Heb 10:38-39
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
(NKJ)
This whole chapter #3 is noted by many as Habakkuk’s Psalm (Song)
Listen to David’s Psalm
Ps 16:1-11
1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."
(David made a distinction here in four words, “You are my Lord”)
We need to come to an understanding that without God we have no good thing…. Modern day language without God our lives are empty and void.
3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
