Untitled Sermon

Gratefulness in Difficulties

Hab. 3:16-19

Theme: God gives us three insights into being grateful in difficulties

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church! Thank you for being in church today. If this is your first time here, please be sure to contact with us. We have connection classes for all ages. There is a ministry pathway in the back and I would invite you to see where you are in the pathway. Notice there is the consecration, the connection, the commitment, and the calling. Each step should lead to a place of spiritual growth and we invite you to be a part of the spiritual pathway.

One time Janet and I were visiting her parents. They live out in the country where animals roam freely and I heard this loud noise in the back yard. The dogs were barking uncontrollably at a small kitten they were chasing. I went to the rescue and when I grabbed the kitten to save its life out of the mouth of the dogs, the kitten bit me and scratched me all over my arm. It was fearful for its life and did not know whom to trust nor did it care to know.

How do you react when difficulties come in your life? “It would appear that 21st century Christianity, especially in the West, has fashioned an addiction to comfort and convenience, prosperity, and pleasure, safety and security. If we cannot see a future path with visible security, it is hard for us to imagine that God could possibly be in it. This is not Biblical thinking.” (unknown)

The Christian life is not intended to be comfortable but committed to Christ. We are called to be committed followers of Christ. This means there will be times of stress, difficulties, and challenges in life. There are verses that remind us of this in Scripture:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:” (2 Timothy 2:12)

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

Habbakuk means embrace and here is the great prophet praying and seeking God in this chapter. He was waiting for the day that the Babylonians would invade Judah. God would send them as a punishment on Judah for their sins. As he was preparing for this judgment, he is given three insights into this judgment.

This is the one of the greatest declarations of faith in the entire Bible. He states what we should do in tragedies. At a time in our nation’s history, Christians are given the opportunity to make a declaration of gratitude in the perilous times in which we live.

Insight 1 . . .

Knowledge of God’s will v.16

Things were getting very difficult for Habakkuk and it looked like things were not going very well into the future. He knew his only hope was prayer and meditating on God. You see when you look at God, the things around you will become insignificant if we know it is God’s will and He is in control.

As the prophet considered the work of God, He realized God’s deeds in behalf of Israel in Egypt, the Red Sea, Mt. Sinai, Jordan River, and the conquest of Canaan. Even though the enemies sought to destroy His people, God will deal with them.

God is not ignoring His enemies. Sometimes people will question the goodness and greatness of God because they think He is not doing anything about the evil in the world. We must realize that God is not willing that any should perish, but all to come to repentance. He wants all of mankind to come to salvation including us. If you have never accepted Christ, today would be the perfect time to turn to Him. His mercy is being extended to His enemies to come to the knowledge of the truth. When we have the knowledge that God wants all men to know Him, we can begin to understand why He has not brought His ultimate judgement on His enemies. He is giving them an opportunity to come to salvation.

God gave Israel His plan for them. He has sent them prophets and teachers to point them to what God wants for them. He has the power to deliver them from Pharoah’s army, from the Babylonian captivity and God is showing Habakkuk that one day He will renew His acts of power v.2 and give mercy to Judah.

No matter how bad life can get, God will care for His people. Believers are not immuned from problems and trouble that is in the world Jesus tells us we will have tribulation.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

God always looks out for His people. No matter how bad life gets, He will look after us. It is a comfort to know God will take care of us

“I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

Insight 2 . . .

Knowledge of God’s punishment vv. 17-18

“When you lose everything but God, you soon realize God is all you need.” (unknown)

The loss of any of these things listed in these verses is difficult, but the totally of loss is catastrophic.

Loss of daily provision is unbelievable. Figs were the most luxurious item on the list-they were a source of sugar-no blossoms mean no fruit-Christ cursed the unfruitful fig tree which illustrated the unfruitful life of believers.

The announcement that snack food maker Hostess is going out of business—and taking iconic Twinkies, Ho-Hos, and Snow Balls with it—comes a spate of high-dollar Twinkie sales on Amazon and eBay. The maker of wonder bread also is going out of business. 18,500 jobs are lost.

Grapes gave daily drinks which would create huge hardships here in Habakkuk’s time. Olive trees that gives oil for cooking and light-utilities. Grain is barley and other primary stable food supply-means starvation and death on large scales.

Loss of economic strength meant the death of sheep and goals which would mean no meat and the ability to market and sell the meats. There would no wool to make clothes, no milk or other dairy products like butter and cheese. Retailers would be greatly affected and wide scale economic tragedy would occur. Businesses would close, jobs gone, and basic the entire life of the nation would be turned upside down. These conditions are mind boggling

Loss of the Lord’s blessing.

The worse of all losses is the loss of God’s blessing on the nation. All of these together present the loss of God’s blessing. Because of their sin and refusal to get right with God, He has withdrawn His hand of blessing upon them. My biggest concern for our nation is losing the blessing of God upon our churches, upon our families, and upon our country. This is biggest loss of all.

When you blatantly disregard the commands of God, the holiness of God, the authority of God, the power of God, you are inviting God’s judgement. I recently read about a religious institution (cannot call it a church) in San Francisco who invited a drag queen in as a guest speaker. When we corrupt the innocence of a child as in the schools or promote LGBTQ movements in our society, we are inviting the judgment of God.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Insight 3 . . .

Knowledge of God’s strength v.19

There is one unfailing source of strength and confidence necessary is to give gratitude to the LORD God. He is a personal God (LORD) and powerful God (Adonai). Even His very name stresses the power and majesty of God no matter what comes our way. Security and hope were not based on temporal blessings but on the Lord Himself..

We can totally rely on the ability and strength of God. Trusting in the Lord means that we will be surefooted, untiring, and bound with energy as the deer’s feet. As the sure-footed deer scaled the precipitous mountain heights without slipping, so Habakkuk’s faith in the Lord will enable him to endure the hardships of an imminent invasion and still be grateful.

Maybe the reason why we worry and freight when times are hard is because we don’t realize the strength of God.

If you just study and learn the names of God, it will be a huge learning reward.

“Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” (Isaiah 26:4)

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” (Daniel 3:17)

“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib.” (Exodus 13:3–4)

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

All these verses and many more give us a reason to thank God in every difficulty. God is aware of our struggles and hardships which is working out according to His will Romans 8:28.

God wants us to be grateful to Him. He has these things in His control.

If you are here today and have never received Jesus as your Savior, today can be that day where you turn from your sin to Jesus who alone can give you new life.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Will you turn to Him today?