Wednesday Evening Lesson

Tonight's Message at Missionary Ridge Baptist Church was a continuation of our New Testament Lessons in Old Testament Prophets series.

I'm in Habakkuk. (its in there, keep looking).
From verse 12 of chapter 1 to verse 1 of chapter 2 (1:12 - 2:1) you have Habakkuk's second question. I call it the Prophet's Worry.
Its about a man who knows certain things, or believes certain things, about God. He also knows certain things about what God is doing, however he has a hard time reconciling the two things together. God is Everlasting, so Israel will not be completely destroyed, and God is in Full control, and has appointed the Chaldeans as instruments of Judgment and Chastisement for Israel. (This is the part Habakkuk can't figure out By the Way.) God is also Holy, so much so in fact, that He can't bless wicked people. That's what Habakkuk means by "look upon iniquity". According to Habakkuk God is too holy to answer a lost man's prayer. The only problem with that picture is that God has, in the Bible, answered lost men's prayers. Remember the King of Assyria that was healed of Leprosy? What about Cornelius in Acts, who while still lost, got a visit from an Angel that said God was impressed! No, God does hear, however, the truth is that He is not obligated to respond. There is no promise that God will hear the prayers of those who are not His, but there is precedence that shows He could. Not only that, but, God appears to be blessing the Chaldeans, and encouraging their sinful pride and false idol worship!
So, what's in this for us?
1. IN all your ways acknowledge Him. When you're faced with facts that appear contradictory, first fall back on what God's Word says is true about God, and Acknowledge that. There are times when you cannot see either the Hand or the Face of God, however He's still there. Habakkuk acknowledges God's plan in verse 12 by saying that he knows the facts, God has ordained them. Habakkuk may not understand how God could do that, but this doesn't stop Habakkuk from knowing its by God's hand! Too many think that if they can't understand it, then they can't believe it. Well, I've got news for ya' God's thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and God's ways higher than your ways, you'll NEVER, no NEVER, understand it all! That's a part of what it means to walk by faith, sometimes you don't get it, and don't see it, but that doesn't stop you from knowing its true anyway.
2. IN all your troubles go to Him. If you listen to Habakkuk you'll see that he takes his thoughts and concerns to God without reservation, but he does so humbly. Habakkuk acknowledges God, then confesses his own ignorance in the situation. However, either way don't bottle it up. If you are God's child He WANTS you to come to Him, even if you are a little upset. God can correct a wrong attitude, if its brought before Him, and confessed. God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the Humble.
3. IN all your ramblings learn to wait and watch. Habakkuk says in essence, "I'll climb up on my tower, and keep an eye out in case God answers me, and I'll work out how I will answer when God rebukes me." By so doing he demonstrates a very New Testament command by Jesus, "Watch and Pray". He confesses that he's wrong, which is much better than most people in our day. Too many people come before God thinking they are owed something, or they have a right to have their questions answered. You have no rights before God, only privileges, use them wisely or lose them fast.

This isn't all we went over but the jist of it anyway.