God sees a much bigger picture of our faith than we do as we have established in this series, faith isn’t the absence of fear, doubts, or ifs…
Mark 9:21-24 MSG
21-22 He asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been going on?” “Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!” 23 Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.” 24 No sooner were the words out of His mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”
I. Faith is believing that God cares enough to respond…
A. If you want to measure your faith,
B. We cannot measure God’s faithfulness by our
C. Habakkuk is a prime example of this…
Habakkuk 1:12-17 MSG
12-13 GOD, You’re from eternity, aren’t You? Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we? GOD, You chose Babylonians for Your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, You gave them the job of discipline? But You can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t You do something about this? Why are You silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and You stand around and watch! 14-16 You’re treating men and women as so many fish in the ocean, swimming without direction, swimming but not getting anywhere. Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing. He pulls in a good catch. He catches his limit and fills his bucket—a good day of fishing! He’s happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It’s made his day, and he’s going to eat well tonight! 17 Are you going to let this go on and on? Will you let this Babylonian fisherman fish like a weekend angler,killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?
D. Some observations here:
1. Habakkuk wasn’t
2. He accepted that
Great vision requires a rear-view mirror of all that God has done for us…
- Balanced vision trusts that God will bring something glorious
from the
Habakkuk 3:1-7 MSG
1-2 A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, with orchestra: GOD, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about You, and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees. Do among us what You did among them. Work among us as You worked among them. And as You bring judgment, as You surely must, remember mercy. 3-7 God’s on His way again, retracing the old salvation route, coming up from the south through Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Skies are blazing with His splendor, His praises sounding through the earth, His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading,forked-lightning shooting from His hand—what power hidden in that fist! Plague marches before Him, pestilence at His heels! He stops. He shakes Earth. He looks around. Nations tremble. The age-old mountains fall to pieces; ancient hills collapse like a spent balloon. The paths God takes are older than the oldest mountains and hills. I saw everyone worried, in a panic: Old wilderness adversaries, Cushan and Midian, were terrified, hoping He wouldn’t notice them.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 MSG
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to GOD. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!
E. Habakkuk has a rear-view mirror of God that assures Him of these realities…
1. Even though it’s going to get
2. Faith is
3. These paths require Habakkuk’s prayer: “I take
Habakkuk 3:19 AMPC
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
II. I’m convinced that so often we go through these times when we kick and scream and fight God, and all He’s really trying to do is hold us and guide us through the storm…
A. We want to ask
B. To wrestle and embrace, both at the
II Kings 2:1-9 MSG
1-2 Just before GOD took Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on a walk out of Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. GOD has sent me on an errand to Bethel.” Elisha said, “Not on your life! I’m not letting you out of my sight!” So they both went to Bethel. 3 The guild of prophets at Bethel met Elisha and said, “Did you know that GOD is going to take your master away from you today?” “Yes,” he said, “I know it. But keep it quiet.” 4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. GOD has sent me on an errand to Jericho.” Elisha said, “Not on your life! I’m not letting you out of my sight!” So they both went to Jericho. 5 The guild of prophets at Jericho came to Elisha and said, “Did you know that GOD is going to take your master away from you today?” “Yes,” he said, “I know it. But keep it quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. GOD has sent me on an errand to the Jordan.” Elisha said, “Not on your life! I’m not letting you out of my sight!” And so the two of them went their way together. 7 Meanwhile, fifty men from the guild of prophets gathered some distance away while the two of them stood at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with it. The river divided and the two men walked through on dry land. 9 When they reached the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you before I’m taken from you? Ask anything.” Elisha said, “Your life repeated in my life. I want to be a holy man just like you.”
Daniel 7:9 NKJV
I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire.
Word Nugget: God is given the name “Ancient of Days” in Daniel’s vision of Heaven. This name translates as “before days were” in the Hebrew text.