Peachtree City Christian Church's Podcast

The Chaldean Empire around 600 BC.

It is unknown when Habakkuk lived and preached, but the reference to the rise and advance of the Chaldeans in 1:6–11 places him in the middle to last quarter of the 7th century BC.[7][8] One possible period might be during the reign of Jehoiakim, from 609–598 BC. The reasoning for this date is that it is during his reign that the Neo-Babylonian Empire of the Chaldeans was growing in power. The Babylonians marched against Jerusalem in 598 BC. Jehoiakim died while the Babylonians were marching towards Jerusalem and Jehoiakim’s eighteen-year-old son Jehoiachin assumed the throne. Upon the Babylonians’ arrival, Jehoiachin and his advisors surrendered Jerusalem after a short time. With the transition of rulers and the young age and inexperience of Jehoiachin, they were not able to stand against Chaldean forces. There is a sense of an intimate knowledge of the Babylonian brutality in 1:12–17.

Habakkuk 1&2 – Why is there evil? 

 Habbakkuk 2:4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright – but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness”

1- Why do we think we are self-sufficient?

     1 Corinthians 4:7

2- Why do we make bad decisions based on selfish desires?

     James 4:1-2

3- Why do we fight God rather than surrender to Him?

     Romans 11:33-36

Conclusion: There is evil in the world, but evil doesn’t have to win. If we want to rid the world of evil, then let’s begin by listening to God ourselves!

Col.4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Our Mission statement says we exist to Build Relationships, Introduce People to Jesus and Grow Disciples. The heart of this statement is to introduce people to Jesus, for us, for me, it has always been about Jesus and will always be about Jesus. .In this series, we have explored Why this is true, what He offers us, and what He wants us to do. For me, the next logical step is: How can we best be prepared to introduce people to the most important person to ever walk this earth.

Here are three basic steps:

1- Devote yourselves to prayer. (vs.2)

•  Give thanks for our calling.
•  That we might be aware of what’s going on around us.
•  That door of opportunity might be opened.

2- Look for the doors of opportunity and be willing to walk through them. (vs.3)

• Approach life with a mission to share.
• Be aware that there is a price to pay.
• Be prepared to be clear with the message.

3- Let your conversations be full of Grace. (vss.5&6)

• Understand that people who don’t know Jesus have a different beginning point.
• Tell your story from the heart not some memorized presentation.
•  Be clear in sharing the amazing Grace of God given to us in Jesus.

Conclusion: Tell them the story of Jesus, write on their heart every word, tell them the story of Jesus, sweetest that ever was heard. It’s all about Jesus, it always has been and always will be!

Col. 3:17

Have you ever wondered what you are supposed to be doing in life? Have you ever asked yourself “can I really make a difference”?

Is there a formula? We call ourselves followers of Christ, it appears that a decent place to start would be to listen to the Holy Spirit who has been given as a teacher and a guide. The way to do that is to study the scriptures, growing and developing over time.

Our goal should be Col. 3:17, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

10 steps we should take:

1. Set your mind on the things God says vs.2
2. Put to death, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed which is idolatry - vs.5
3. Rid your life of impulsive anger, the rage that takes control, wickedness, slander and filthy language - vs.8
4. Stop lying to each other - vs.9
5. Embrace a new approach to life - vs.9
6. Let compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience be what people see when they see you - vs.12
7. Be forgiving - vs.13
8. Let love unite us - vs.14
9. Let peace rule your heart - vs.15
10. Let the words of Jesus dwell in your heart - vs.16

Conclusion: Remember this is a process of maturing, you are not going to wake up with these traits and actions in the morning. You don’t plant an apple seed and harvest apples next week.

Jonah 4:1-4

"1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and He became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 3:3-7

1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened.

So Jonah is in the belly of the Fish. If we get hung up on how this is possible we will miss the larger point: That it is in the most challenging moment of his life that Jonah realizes that he needs and wants a second chance!

What to Do with a Second Chance

1- Release the stuff that leads you to turn away from God’s love – vs.8

There are many false idols in our world! Whatever idols we have clung to in the past that we have allowed to take the place of God’s love must be released.

2- Let your surrender begin with praise – vs.9 

As we begin to release the things that separate us from God, we cannot do so with sadness! We must fill our hearts with praise for the freedom that it brings.

3- Do your best to make good on your vow – vs.9 

Do we simply say words, or do we commit give our best effort?

4- Accept that Salvation comes from the Lord – vs.9 

We must embrace that the grace, mercy, forgiveness and love of the Father is a gift that we cannot earn but that must transform our way of thinking and looking at the world.

Jonah 1:3 

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Luke 5:17-26 “One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Four things that Jesus did that we should do our best to put into practice:

1. Do good.

Don’t let the sins of others keep you from doing good. (vs. 20)

2. Be aware.

Be aware of what’s going on around you and what you can do to change it. (vs. 22)

3. Show compassion.

Don’t let what other people think about you stop you from showing compassion. (vs. 24)

4. Be prepared.

Be prepared to share with others what God is doing and why you’re involved. (vs. 24 & 25)

Conclusion:
It is not easy to respond the way that Jesus did, but it is the best path and we have promised to follow Him.

After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. 2For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent. 4I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began. 6“I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word. 7Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. 8For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are One. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13“I am coming to You now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. 14I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. 22I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as we are One—23I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. 24“Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. 25“Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. 26I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.”

John 17: 1 - 26