(The Just Shall Live By Faith)

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

(HABAKKUK 2:1-4)

VERSE 1- I WILL STAND UPON MY WATCH, AND SET ME UPON THE TOWER,

AND WILL WATCH TO SEE WHAT HE WILL SAY UNTO ME, AND WHAT I SHALL ANSWER WHEN I AM REPROVED

VERSE 2-AND THE LORD ANSWERED ME, AND SAID, WRITE THE VISION, AND MAKE IT PLAIN UPON TABLES, THAT HE MAY RUN THAT READETH IT

VERSE 3-FOR THE VISION IS YET FOR AN APPOINTED TIME, BUTAT THE END IT SHALL SPEAK, AND NOT LIE: THOUGH IT TARRY, WAIT FOR IT, BECAUSE IT WILL SURELY COME, IT WILL NOT TARRY

VERSE 4-BEHOLD, HIS SOUL WHICH IS LIFTED UP IS NOT UPRIGHT IN HIM: BUT THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH

VERY BRIEFLY WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD

AND THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

AND THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS

I WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ON A THOUGHT

(THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH)

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK IS ONLY 3 CHAPTERS LONG

IT'S MINOR IN SCOPE

BUT MAJOR IN ITS IMPLICATIONS

HABAKKUK WHOSE NAME MEANS EMBRACE

PROPHESIED TO JUDAH

CONCERNING THE IMPENDING INVASION

OF THE CHALDEANS

IN CHAPTER ONE HABAKKUK

ASKS CERTAIN QUESTIONS OF GOD

WHY DO THE WICKED SEEM TO PROSPER

AND THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER

WHY ARE THE RICH GETTING RICHER

AND THE POOR GETTING POORER

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

THEN IN VERSE 2 HE SAYS

O LORD HOW LONG SHALL I CRY

AND THOU WILT NOT HEAR

EVEN CRY OUT UNTO THEE

OF VIOLENCE

AND THOU WILT NOT SAVE

AND THIS MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

HABAKKUK BASIC MESSAGE TO GOD IS

(HOW LONG)

EVEN IN THE DAY AND TIME

WE ARE LIVING IN

SOMETIMES WE AS CHRISTIANS

CATCH THE HOW LONG SYNDROME

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO LISTEN

TO PEOPLE

WHO SAY THEY LOVE THE LORD

WITH ALL THEIR HEART

MIND

AND SOUL

BUT NEVER SHOW UP TO BIBLE STUDY

OR PRAYER MEETING

HOW LONG

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WATCH

PEOPLE LIFT UP HOLY HANDS

IN THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

(BUT WON'T LIFT A HAND TO HELP NOBODY)

HOW LONG

DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH MEMBERS

WHO COMES TO GODS HOUSE

AND RAISE $10,000

WORTH OF CONFUSION

AND WONT PUT A DOLLAR

IN THE COLLECTION PLATE

HOW LONG

HOW LONG

HOW LONG

DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP

EXPERIENCE STANDOUTS

BUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT

BIBLE CLASS DROP OUTS

SOMETIME WE AS CHRISTIANS

CATCH A CASE OF THE

HOW LONG SYNDROME

AND EACH TIME THE QUESTION IS RAISED

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH

IT IS LEFT UNANSWERED

BUT I NEED TO REMIND YOU

THAT REVEREND DOCTOR PREACH BROTHER PAUL

HAD A THORN IN HIS FLESH

AND NOT ONLY DID HE PRAY

ONCE

TWICE

BUT THE BIBLE SAYS HE PRAYED 3 TIMES

AND PAUL REVEALS THAT GOD ANSWERS

OUR PRAYERS IN SEVERAL WAYS

HE SAYS

YES

NO

AND WAIT

BUT I HEAR PAUL SAYING

THERE IS A 4TH WAY

THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS

AND THAT IS HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

AND I WONDER IS THERE ANYBODY HERE

THIS MORNING

KNOWS THAT GODS GRACE IS STILL SUFFICIENT

AND GODS GRACE IS ALL YOU NEED

HABAKKUK

HABAKKUK

TAKES HIS PROBLEM

AND PUT THEM

IN THE HAND OF A PROBLEM SOLVER

AND WHEN HE WENT BEFORE GOD IN PRAYER

(IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND)

THAT HE DIDN'T GO BEFORE GOD IN ANGER

OR ANXIOUSNESS

BUT HE PRAYED TO GOD IN ANGUISH

CAN I BORROW A SKINNY MINUTE

AND TELL YOU WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT

WHEN YOU GO TO LUKE 22:42-44

LUKE REVEALS THAT JESUS PRAYED IN ANGUISH

IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

VERSE 42-SAYING FATHER IF THOU BE WILLING

REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME

NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL

BUT THINE, BE DONE

VERSE 43-AND THERE APPEARED AN ANGEL UNTO HIM FROM HEAVEN

STRENGTHENING HIM

VERSE 44-AND BEING IN AN AGONY HE PRAYED MORE EARNESTLY AND HIS SWEAT WAS AS IT WERE GREAT DROPS OF BLOOD FALLING DOWN TO THE GROUND

BUT IN THE TEXT

BEFORE GOD ANSWERS HABAKKUK PRAYER

BY TELLING HIM

THAT HE WAS GOING TO USE THERE ENEMY

TO DESTROY JUDAH

FOR THEIR BACK SLIDING

HABAKKUK DIDNT UNDERSTAND GODS PERMISSION

OF THE EVIL IN JUDAH

AND WHY GOD WOULD USE BABYLON

AS A ROD OF CORRECTION

AND THAT THE DILEMMA IN PRAYER

THE ANSWER

BECAUSE SOMETIME THE ANSWER

MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR

JONAH GO TO NINEVEH

HOSEA MARRY THE PROSTITUTE OF GOMER

GIDEON YOUR ARMY TOO BIG

CUT IT DOWN FROM 32,000 TO 300

RICH YOUNG RULER IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME

GO SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE

AND GIVE TO THE POOR

AND TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME

SOMETIME THE ANSWER

MAY NOT COME

WHEN YOU WANT IT TO

BUT THIS MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

IS WHERE FAITH KICKS IN