Welcome to part II in this series. I have heard many a good message but it was absent of encouraging believers to read and study God’s Word for themselves. Without that instruction/ encouragement the message in my opinion falls short. Preaching is only once a week, two if you attend a midweek Bible study, but it cannot and should not replace a daily reading of God’s Word. There is something meaningful and empowering when we give our time to prayer and study of God’s Word. It’s one on one with the Lord and it brings lasting change. And it is through that, coupled with preaching and fellowship the Christian character is formed in us ( “as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens the countenance of his friend” Prov. 27:17 ).
A very important part of our maturing is simply finding joy in the Lord. Just knowing Him should be more than enough to “float our boat.” The structure that God has set up should be more than enough. If not, then it is only because we are still needing to mature in our relationship with the Lord, and that’s okay, as long as our goal and PRAYER is to mature. We see Habakkuk finding joy in the Lord despite extreme circumstances along with Isaiah, and King David who had everything but his joy and pleasure was in knowing the Lord, and Paul who had nothing, felt he was rich “lacked nothing” found the same internal joy and strength. These are the writers of the verses we will be studying in this series, however there are many more that have found their joy in just Christ alone. And to be clear I am not down playing the effective and meaningful relationships we can have and NEED in the Christian body, we are not “Lone Rangers” and he had Tonto. We look to Christ first for our needs and then allow Him to bring the brother or sister that maybe has just gone through something similar to help and encourage us, or just the right message we hear in church or on the radio.
Let’s start with Habakkuk.
Habakkuk 3:18-19
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds feet,
he makes me tread on my high places.
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;”
The word “Yet” is an interesting word. It is a transition word between what was just said to what the next statement will be and normally the two statements are contrary or opposed to each other. In context the prior verses to 18 &19 speak of famine and devastation, all the affects of war which was coming to Israel for their idolatry.
The Habakkuk 3:17
“Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls…, Yet I will rejoice…”
You could argue that given his response Habakkuk fell off his camel and hit his head. Who rejoices in times like these?
What he is depicting in vs. 17 is the coming invasion of the Babylonians who are going to decimate the land. When God first told Habakkuk of this invasion Habakkuk shuttered.
Habakkuk 3:16
When I heard, my body trembled;
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered my bones;
And I trembled in myself,
That I might rest ( be dead prior) in the day of trouble.
When he comes up to the people,
He will invade them with his troops.
However in chapter two a most precious verse is recorded, as if God was preparing him to be able to receive such news.
Habakkuk 2:4
“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright (or right) in him;
But the just (us) shall live by his faith. Woe to the Wicked
Therefore upon receiving this revelation from the Lord Habakkuk was able to pen 3:17, just the exact opposite of what one would expect. The words“yet I will” represents a choice, a decision he made, a decision we have to make as well when faced with bad news. In layman’s terms the underlining question is, who is bigger, the problem that faces us, be it our health or the health of a love one, finances, struggles in our marriage or with our kids, or it could be work related or The Lord?
Next, I think we all agree that God is bigger than any problem. And though we acknowledge this we struggle with our emotions; stress, worry, fear, anxiety, temptation, depression etc. We desperately need to grow our faith to defeat these common struggles. Immersing ourselves in His Word, in prayer and memorizing specific promises that address our concerns and praying these promises back to Him builds solid faith. The Sovereign Lord who loves us will take these acts of obedience and will grow our faith through them. Also we must continue to seek Him. At times after the problems have been resolved we become lackadaisical in seeking Him. I recognized that in myself and repented of it. God is not our genie who comes running only when we need Him, He’s our Lord and Savior and deserves our best. He will give us the strength we need to live life victoriously, to live as His sons and daughters which is His ultimate desire and mindset for us. It needs to become ours as well.
Next let’s make sure we understand Faith. It has been widely misapplied and hence ineffective. To understand Faith one must understand it from a Father son/daughter relationship. As a father, and now a grandfather helping to raise one of our granddaughters, I allow measured struggles in Shawnee’s life. She may want my help but I will say, “Shawnee you can do this, grandpa has to make dinner and then when she completes it and learns that struggle is not to be feared, I tell her what a good job she did. Struggle develops life skills and teaches her lessons that she cannot learn any other way. Humility, appreciation, respect, empathy etc., cannot be learned on the easy road, and these lessons are critical to living successfully.
God is no different, just many more times wiser. He is not the cause of our trails, many times it’s us that causes them, but in searching for the solution our faith grows. If we chose to do it our way then we are no different than the nation Israel who spent forty years going around the same mountain for lack of faith. I know many believers who are just like this, saved by Grace but outside side of that walk in their own will.
Faith offers no worldly guarantees, no fancy house or promise of a great career. For example, just because we claim and believe God for something does not mean we will get it. Trusting God means we let Him decide. We give Him permission to work in us understanding that which is important to Him is that the nature of Christ be formed in us. Also we live in a world were people have free choice and their free choice can affect us, at times adversely. Yet no adversity is able to DERAIL God’s plans for you and me. Do you believe this? If so then your trials can never defeat you, in fact the hardship becomes the means that solid faith is forged in us. Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Also in Jeremiah 29:11-14 we have this great promise from the Lord. It was given to Jeremiah for Jeremiah to speak to the Israelites that were captives of Babylon.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart ( they went into 70 years of captivity because of their idol worship, however after their release the nation of Israel never again returned to the worship of idols).”
They must have felt that God had abandoned them, their punishment was severe, yet this was the purging they needed. Disciple hurts, it smarts, but afterwards it’s meant to bring healing. If we humble ourselves and receive the disciple and harden not our hearts, benefit will come. Faith also does not guarantee an outcome other than the outcome will be woven into the fabric of my soul for good – provided that we continue to turn to Him. Most of the painful events in my life have become the foundation and the bedrock that my faith has been built on and continues to be built upon. Believers that do not understand the purpose of these hardships are the first to become offended and fall away.
Especially considering our current culture. It has developed into a downward spiral that everything is about me. We are even cheered on by others who live as such, “You go girl,” has become a popular statement that underscores this. Christianity teaches just the opposite, that we are to love our God and our neighbor as ourself and hence crashes right into the “me culture” belief; or better said, the me culture and so called “believers” who practice this crash right into the hands of a loving God that seeks to save us from ourselves. Self centeredness consumes the soul and strangely enough breeds self contempt. When it’s all about me we become like a sagnet pond, no fresh water is coming in and no old water is being flushed out. The water just sits, sag-nets, and becomes putrid such are we when we become self indulgent (selfies are a good example of this). We were not designed to be self absorbed, we were designed to give and to be given to. We are at our best when we are doing just that. To grow in Christ’s nature and share His love with others is the best life we can live for. His life in us fills all the voids. To live for a cause bigger than ourselves makes us better, it puts our personal problems into proper focus. When it’s all about me the problems seem endless.
Unfortunately the “me culture” has become the idol of our age. Yet God is nonrelenting in His pursuit for His kids. He seeks to free us from the bondage to self so we can become wholly His, our TRUE FREEDOM. It is a painful process of crushing our self will, our carnal nature, and causing us to want His will in and for our life. Few make it through, but those that do experience such a sense of freedom and closeness to God.
The church of Satan ( yes there are those who worship the devil) has as one of its core beliefs, “do what you want.” If nothing I have said thus far moves you, this statement should. We want nothing to do with that way of life.
The life of Faith does not give us all the answers that’s true, but it points us to the One that does. We confidently know that whatever the future holds we will not go the journey alone and because of His promised presence we will be fine.
Deuteronomy 31:8
And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Hebrews 13:5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you ( He and He alone is our great reward).
Lastly the life of Faith is not like buying a car or a home where there are warranties. There is no warranty that says this life will be safe, or easy, or prosperous etc. Faith does not promise that, nor does it seek to find contentment in the values and comforts of this life. It seeks a new life, life were its contentment comes from God and from God alone. This process of “God alone” takes time and much wrestling against our own carnal nature. And there is no deal that can be made with the flesh, either it dies or my relationship with Christ dies, there is no inbetween. You might disagree, however Revelation 3:15-17 is rather direct.
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not see that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
There is always our view of our walk with God and then there’s God’s view. This is a tough tough verse, but it’s what turned me around as a young adult. However to realize why God is so tough is helpful.
Revelation 3:19-20
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
In work I always like to have backup plans, however with The Lord there is no need; God will never fail us. It does take time and maturity to live this confidently, but as one begins to loosen their attachments and securities to this life, becoming more intimate with the Lord, we find that our faith becomes ever more tangible and solid. The worldly goals and ambitions that we trust in become more fleeting and unstable. Soon there is nothing more solid or more permanent than faith, for it rests 100% on God. Everything else is changeable, it rests in the realm of man and anything can happen.
Isaiah 58:11
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Psalms 16: 5&11
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
And Joshua 1:8-9 a very strong promise and unfortunately this is were we fall short, and hence making these great promises marginal at best in our life.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make — thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (as God defines success).
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
God’s promises are precious and unbreakable, and they are true whether current circumstances prove it to be or not. It’s the distance that faith is willing to travel to receive the promise that determines the outcome. Jacob wrestled with the Angel of The Lord all night and would not let him go till he received a blessing. As gold that is tried in the fire, Faith does not become pure until all the dross (my ego) is burnt away and the Goldsmith (Jesus) can see His reflection on us.
In trying times when God appears to be silent may the Cross say all that we need to hear. At times I hear comments from believers that they can’t hear Him, He’s so silent. The Cross alone shouts of His love for each of us. We need to be still and ponder the Act of the Cross until we know His love for us. I have been a follower of Christ now for many years now and it is so much more easier for me now as there is nothing left in me to fight His will or to question His care. All of me, or as much as I am aware of, is willingly surrendered over to His love and will for my life. Isaiah 58 is a great chapter, but verses 11 &14 condenses what I am saying,
The Lord will guide you continually,And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
And
Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Only the life that is filled with the Holy Spirit, so tested and submitted to the Him will experience and live this life, but it is available to all of us. Consider Joshua’s words as he speaks to the nation of Israel….,
Joshua 24:14-15
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Our god’s are ourselves, our wealth, our jobs, our homes, our kids, cars, fame, title, the opposite sex, these and more represent the gods of our culture. Just as Habakkuk made a choice to delight in the Lord, as Joshua proclaimed his decision to serve Yahweh, and King David to seek after Jehovah, so we too must take a stand by the lives we live and by the values we maintain and thereby declare our position in this world.
“A man or woman who stands for nothing, FALLS for everything,” may God forbid that this would be true of any of us.
Father,
Thank you for this insightful study, may these words be used by your Spirit to make in roads into our hearts, mind and will. Make us completely yours Lord.
Thank you and Amen,
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur