Watchers on the Wall: Are you a whiner or a warrior?
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Recap
Judah goes through a period of prosperity, freedom, and religious revival in the days of King Josiah. The Assyrians were on the decline but the Babylonians were rising to power. After Josiah’s death though, the nation abandoned his reforms and drifted into apostacy under the leadership of the last few kings leading to the fall of Jerusalem (and the whole of Judah) in 586 B.C.
This “minor” prophet engaged in a dialogue with the Lord, complaining about the wickedness and lawlessness in Judah. Habakkuk engages in a series of speeches, boldly calling God to respond to the wickedness in the world.
Read Habakkuk 1
Why doesn’t God do something about the injustice in the world?
Why doesn’t God do something about the injustice in the world?
The wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. We say that we pray…but does it do any good?
Could God be working in this world and we just miss it?
Could God be working in this world and we just miss it?
Habakkuk went to the watchtower, withdrew from everyday life, and waited on the Lord.
I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
He received his answer…the JUST shall live by FAITH.
Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38
Don’t flee hard times, but do hard things.
Just maybe…God wants to use the difficulties of life to strengthen your faith.
“Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light.” — Victor Raymond Edman
“Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light.” — Victor Raymond Edman
Pride and arrogance will lead to death. Righteousness and faithfulness will lead to life.
How do you deal with life’s problems?
How do you deal with life’s problems?
You can talk ABOUT God -OR- you can talk TO God
Take your stand on the tower!
Take your stand on the tower!
Leave the world behind
Leave the world behind
Get away from the noise of the world…climb the watchtower…get to work.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let your request be made known to God
Let your request be made known to God
Be real with God, He can handle it.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Look beyond the horizon
Look beyond the horizon
Focus on the future…God’s purpose for you in His plan
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Listen to God for an answer
Listen to God for an answer
Be still and know…listen for God’s answer…then OBEY!
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Are you courageous enough to accept God’s Word (Promise) in a world full of wickedness?
Are you courageous enough to accept God’s Word (Promise) in a world full of wickedness?
Are you willing to do the hard work of discovery and take your stand?
Are you willing to do the hard work of discovery and take your stand?
Are you a whiner -OR- a warrior?