Hope in the Dark
Embracing God in the Valley
September 29, 2019 • Gregg Parris
Habakkuk 3:1-6 Shigionoth: It means to sing with strong emotion, with impassioned exuberance. It means wild, passionate singing with rapid changes of rhythm. It means high-spirited praise with vigorous enthusiasm. Sometimes the most passionate, authentic praise is actually the praise before the provision. Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2 I. Remember God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. Habakkuk 3:3 His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. 5 Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. 6 He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. ... Habakkuk 3:4-6 II. Embrace I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:16-18 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. … Habakkuk 3:19
Waiting on God
September 22, 2019 • Gregg Parris
Habakkuk 2:1-4 I. Listen I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he [God] will say to me Habakkuk 2:1 II. Write Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets ...” Habakkuk 2:2 III. Wait “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 “But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” Habakkuk 2:3 TLB If it's not God's time, you can't force it. When it is God's time, you can't stop it. "See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—” Habakkuk 2:4 “But the Lord is in his holy temple. …” Habakkuk 2:20 NLT
Where are you, God?
September 15, 2019 • Gregg Parris
Habakkuk 1:1-9 I. Why doesn’t God seem fair? How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Habakkuk 1:2-3 Habakkuk: to embrace or to wrestle. Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails … Habakkuk 1:3-4 Habakkuk’s problems with God: You don’t seem to really care. You aren’t doing much when you could. What you are doing, doesn’t seem fair. II. A committed believer can both wrestle with honest questions and embrace a genuine faith in God. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? Habakkuk1:12-13