I’m Wondering

Can God be good when life is not? 

Habakkuk is asking the same questions we are asking today:

* Why does God seem indifferent in the face of evil?

* Why do bad people seem to go unpunished?

* Why doesn’t God seem fair?

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (NLT) How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. 4 The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

Habakkuk: to embrace or to wrestle.

Habakkuk’s Problems With God

1) You don’t seem to really care.

2) You aren’t doing as much as you could.

3) What you are doing doesn’t seem fair.

James 1:2-4 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Psalm 23:4 (NLT) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Habakkuk 1:5-7 (NLT) The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands. 7 They are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like.

“A committed believer can both wrestle with honest questions and embrace a genuine faith in God.” ~ Craig Groeschel

Habakkuk 1:12-13 (NLT) O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal— surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins.13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?

What do you do when facts and feelings fight your faith?

Opposition grows faith.

Acts 12:1-6 (NLT) About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) 4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep…

“Facts and feelings are poor substitutes for faith.” ~ Steven Furtick

Opposition may mean another battle, but it doesn’t mean the war is over.

Luke 22:31 Peter, my dear friend, listen to what I’m about to tell you. Satan has demanded to come and sift you like wheat and test your faith.

Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Peter, that you would stay faithful to me no matter what comes. Remember this: after you have turned back to me and have been restored, make it your life mission to strengthen the faith of your brothers.

Luke 22:33“But Lord,” Peter replied, “I am ready to stand with you to the very end, even if it means prison or death!”

Luke 22:34Jesus looked at him and prophesied, “Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

1. Peter was fundamentally loyal

Peter’s courage failed, but not his faith.

2. Peter was over-confident

Psalm 139:4Even before a word is on my tongue, He knows it completely.

1 Corinthians 10:12Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

3. Peter had courage

A person of courage always runs more risks than the one who seeks a place of safety.

4. Jesus felt sorrow for Peter

Luke 20:61-62 TPTAt that moment, the Lord, who was being led through the courtyard by his captors, turned around and gazed at Peter. All at once Peter remembered the words Jesus had prophesied over him, “Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” Peter burst into tears, ran off from the crowd, and wept bitterly.

The penalty of sin is to face, not the anger of Jesus, but the heartbreak in His eyes.” ~William Barclay

5. Jesus encouraged Peter

Hebrews 10:24 TPTDiscover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.

Acts 2:38Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 3:19 NKJVRepent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

John 7:37-38 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Let the Weak Say I Am Strong

 2 Corinthians 12:10b NLT “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

 2 Corinthians 12:9a NLT “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

* Grace is God’s power to impart strength so we can endure trials and resist temptations.

 2 Corinthians 12:9b NLT ““So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

 Ruth 1:19-21 NLT

 How did she recover from her loss and weakness:

1.She made a decision

2.She trusted

      Habakkuk 2:2

3. She remained faithful

      Hebrews 10:23 NLT

4.She persevered

     Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)

 

Ruth 4:13-17

Isaiah 54:2  NKJV

“Enlarge the place of your tent,And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;Do not spare;Lengthen your cords,And strengthen your stakes.

Three insights to Enlarge your Capacity For Greatness:

1. Clear out your space.

“Clear lots of ground for your tents!  Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!  Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep.” The Message

Three things to clear out:

Rocks, Weeds, Uneven places.

2. Stretch out your reach.

 “Enlarge the place of your tent,

  And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings

  Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. NKJV

3. Strengthen your stakes.

 “Enlarge the place of your tent,

  And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings

  Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. NKJV

  “Clear lots of ground for your tents!       Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!       Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep.” The Message

Good neighbors

Mark 16:15 (NLT) …“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”

Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

* A lack of love is often easily justified, but never right.

* You can serve no matter where you come from.

* Am I a good neighbor?

The condition of my heart will determine the perspective of my eyes. 

Psalm 51:10 (NLT) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Jan 12 // Judy Burgio

Weary = tired, especially in having run out of strength, patience or endurance.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Perishes – being slowly consumed by continual trials and afflictions.

Renewed – renovated, strengthened, invigorated.

Fainthearted, as defined in the Bible dictionary is one who is laboring under such trouble that his heart sinks within him.

Afflictions – easy pressures; could be normal pressure of the day.

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (The Message)

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the eternal weight of glory being worked in my life.

Verse 18 (paraphrase)

Therefore I will keep my eyes on the shepherd, where my help comes from

SPIRITUAL INDIFFERENCE

 

Revelation 3:15-16 (NLT) “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”

 

TWO CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL INDIFFERENCE

* The illusion of self-sufficiency

Revelation 3:17 (NLT) You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

* Your life can be full of possessions and stuff, but empty of purpose

and meaning.

 

* The distractions of this world.

Luke 8:14 (NLT) The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

 

AM I LUKEWARM?

* Am I more concerned with impressing people than living for God?

* Am I more concerned with life on earth rather than eternity?

* Am I rationalizing sin and living with no fear of God?

* Am I a believer in Jesus, but don’t share my faith?

* Am I turning to God daily or only when I need Him?

* Am I not much different from the world?