God, the Comforter

Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me here in your Bibles.

First of all, does everyone have an outline?

Do you have a worship guide?

We're out of worship guides.

That's a good problem.

Okay.

All right.

If you don't have one, just find you a sheet of paper.

And uh you uh we have two.

If you have two, you anybody needs one?

Okay, we got we got some extra.

If you need one, raise your hand.

Because, all right, we need a we need some over here.

Here we go, here we go, here we go.

Nice.

All right, raise your hands.

We got some, we got plenty, Tyler.

Right there.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Got an extra one?

Anyone else?

We got a couple back there.

We got some more.

Here we go.

Got some more there.

All right, all right.

Well, let's turn in our Bibles to a great book that you love that you spend a lot of time in.

The book of Habakkuk.

Or Habakkuk.

I was I was listening to a tape out of a guy preaching out of Habakkuk, and he called it Habakkuk.

And I said, whoa, I never heard it pronounced that way before.

But uh but I guess you know the way you divide that word up, uh, but anyway, and if you don't know where it is, go to Matthew.

That's the first uh gospel in the New Testament.

Go back five books.

It's a short little book, it's only three chapters, and it's a powerful little book.

I did not realize how powerful it's ever been because to be honest with you, it's the first time I ever preached out of it.

And I've been preaching for 30 years, Granny, and I just never went to I missed it.

You're right, I didn't miss it because what a it's probably the most powerful little book in answering why, or answering why we have questions and doubts sometimes as Christians to God.

Now, let me ask you something.

Have you ever asked God why?

Come on now.

Now, wait a minute.

That's only a fourth of us.

I'm gonna ask that question again.

I mean, has something ever happened to you that you weren't expecting?

I can tell you when my little boy, Susan and our little boy was born dead, there was a question there.

Why, God?

Why?

Have you ever been there and said, Lord, I don't understand this.

Why is this happening?

Well, that's what we're gonna be looking at today.

How that we can take our questioning, God, to turning it into having confidence in God.

Wouldn't you like to leave here today under being able to do that?

Man, I'm telling you, this has been so I've had a spell every morning studying on this the last two weeks.

Because I've seen truth that I've never seen before.

And when you see truth that you've never seen before that really speaks to your heart, you can't help but say, Yes, Lord, yes.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you.

So today we're gonna be looking at the little book of Habakkuk.

Three short chapters.

Now, the prophet Habakkuk served during the same time as Jeremiah.

They were kind of cohorts, they were prophets to Judah at the very same time, with Jehoiakim, who was the king, but happened to be a pretty bad king.

So Judah at this time was rebelling against God.

They had been rebelling so much against God that God had had enough, and God said, That's it.

I'm sending the Babylonians to take care of you guys.

You're going into captivity.

And you're gonna regret the way you've acted against my commandments and who I am.

You're going into slavery.

Wow.

Now, you got to understand, we got two prophets, especially Habakkuk at this time, preaching his heart out.

In fact, the word Habakkuk is a fantastic word.

It really means to embrace.

The word Habakkuk means to embrace, kind of like a mother hen embracing her little chicks with her wings and gathering them together and putting their wings around them to protect them.

So here is Habakkuk trying to protect his people, even though there's just a small group of the people that are really living for God.

The majority are rebelling against God, and he's so troubled, he's almost like Jesus that was standing up on Mount Zion overlooking Jerusalem, weeping for the city.

So that's the context of this little short book, Habakkuk.

Israel has turned their back on God.

Even the priest and all the old, hey, the leaders of the country had turned their backs on God.

I mean, they were taking advantage of the poor.

They were, they were, they were just misabusing and misusing their positions of leadership to get what they want.

Sound familiar?

Don't tell me the book's not revelant for today.

Very rough.

Turn the bags on God.

And so, with that said, let's look at this unbelievable book.

It's powerful.

It really is.

In fact, Habakkuk, verses 1 through 4, and then we're going to go to chapter 3 and look at verses 17 through 19.

I want you to see the contrast.

Habakkuk is in this situation, and look at how he opens up in verses 1 through 4.

Well, actually, pick up at verse 2.

And he says to God, he's speaking to, you know, this prophet's working with God and he's struggling.

He is really struggling with what's about to happen and what is happening.

And here's what he says Lord, how long will I call for help?

How long, O Lord, will I call for help?

And thou wilt not hear.

You ever been there?

Ever been there, church?

You pray in your heart out and asking God to relieve you, and there seems like no relief in sight.

In fact, sometimes it gets worse.

And then he says, Hey, and thou wilt not hear, I cry unto thee violence.

In other words, that violence is happening everywhere.

Yet thou dost not save.

Then he goes on, verse 3, why dost thou make me see iniquity?

And in other words, why do you let me live in all this sin, see all this sin that's going on in the injustice?

And cause me to look on wickedness.

Yes, destruction and violence are before me.

Strife exists and contention arises.

Therefore, the law, in other words, the moral law, the laws of our government, the laws of our state are totally ignored.

Sound familiar?

Mmm.

Totally ignored.

Therefore, the law is ignored.

Justice is never upheld, for the wicked surround the righteous.

Therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Why does it always seem like the wicked win and the righteous lose?

Sound familiar?

So, how is this prophet now?

He's questioning God, he's doubting God.

He doesn't understand why God's not doing something.

In fact, when I saw that, I had a question and I wrote this out.

This is not in your notes, you may want to jot it down.

There is a difference between doubt and unbelief.

I had never seen this before until I mean I had seen definitions, but I saw it in context and in the true meaning that Habakkuk was facing.

Hey, Habakkuk's question and doubting God.

God, why aren't you coming through?

Why aren't you doing something?

This is unjustice.

God, this is your people.

And can you imagine?

Not only is it God's Judah is God's people, but now he is going to send the Babylonians, the worst of the worst enemies, to take them over.

Now, not only is the Judah doing bad, but now he's going to send the worst of the worst to rule them.

What are you doing?

God, I know we're bad, but we ain't that bad.

You ever been there?

Oh, I'm bad, God, but not that bad.

Hello, come owe me.

Huh?

That's exactly what he's saying.

So he's questioning and doubting God.

Now here's the difference.

Man, this is so good.

There's a difference between doubt and unbelief.

The doubter may question God and debate with God, but he never, the doubter never abandons God.

Woo! That's good.

Now you didn't get it.

I can tell.

You need to write this down.

I'm going to say it again.

Hey, the doubter may question God and even debate with God, but the doubter never abandons God.

That's good.

But unbelief, the unbeliever, is rebellious against God and refuses to accept what God says and does.

The unbeliever is rebellious against God and refuses to accept what God says and does.

Here it is.

Unbelief, boy, this is good, is an act of the will.

Unbelief is the act of the will, while doubt is born out of trouble, of out of a troubled mind and a broken heart.

Doubt is birthed out of a troubled mind and a broken heart.

That's the difference.

That's the difference.

And that's what we see with Abaka.

His heart had been broken.

And his mind confused for a little bit.

Or maybe not confused as much as questioning.

He wasn't confused.

He believed he never abandoned God, but he didn't understand God.

Amen?

You with me?

Have you ever been there?

There's been times in my ministry of 33 years I didn't understand God.

I didn't, hey, understand why he was doing what he was doing.

And there's been times that I've debated with God.

Lord, why are you doing this?

Especially to me.

I've been following your principles.

We've been doing what's right.

I can see what Habakkuk is saying.

I'm preaching my heart out.

I love my people.

I'm trying to tell them to go right, but they're not, they're not following you.

But God, I love, I love them, and I know you love them.

Why are you doing this?

So we see him questioning in your notes.

Habakkuk went from questions with God and debates with God to confidence in God.

Now, watch this.

Watch this.

Go over to the last chapter.

Just turn one page and look at verse 17.

Now, after all that he's questioned and he's been debating with God, sparring with God, but now he comes to the end and he says, though the fig trees may not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive, though they uh though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold.

Now notice he's hey, he's not excited.

I mean, he God hadn't changed.

God is not providing the best and stuff.

There's still troublesome, triumph some times going on right now, but look at his attitude.

He says, And there be no cattle in the stalls.

Look at verse 18.

Here's where he gets excited.

Yet I will exalt the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord is my strength, and he has made my feet like hinds feet and makes me walk on my high places.

Woo! He went from questioning God to confidence in God.

How in the world did he do that?

Because God's God.

And he understood some things, and we're gonna see five things today.

It's gonna radically change our life about why we question God, which is okay.

By the way, let me go ahead and say it's okay to ask questions with God.

Hey, God's not scared of your questions.

God can handle your questions.

Now, he may not answer them when and how you want him to, but I got news for you.

He's got a plan for you, and his plan will be fulfilled if you'll serve him.

Amen.

If you'll follow him.

So we see this.

He goes from questions to God to confidence in God, from problems, hey, with God to praises to God.

He goes from frustration with God to faith in God.

So, how does he do that?

How does he do that?

Well, there's three mega themes in Abakah.

By the way, Ephesians 3.12 says we have boldness and confidence by faith in Christ Jesus.

Can I get an amen?

But major theme number one: struggle and doubt.

Struggle and doubt.

We've all been there.

Some of us are there now.

We're struggling and we're doubting.

Lord, I'm trying to live right, I'm trying to do right, I'm trying to be right, and still all hell's coming against me.

I feel like I take one step forward and fly backwards.

What in the world, God's going on?

Why do my enemies seem to suppress me?

Why do my enemies seem to be victorious?

And yet, Lord, we are faithful to you, and your people are being persecuted, and your people are being oppressed, and your people are not being appreciated.

Why?

God, struggle.

I'm struggling with this, God.

And by the way, how can we who live in a world that hey that will cause hey, the world we live in today will cause anyone to ask questions, and in a society that is certainly sick with sin, and a society that is uh that has certainly tried to kick God out of it, no wonder we have questions.

Amen.

No wonder struggle, doubt.

Remember doubting Thomas?

Remember in uh John 20, 27?

Remember the first time Jesus had showed up, Thomas wasn't there.

And they go back and tell Thomas that Jesus is alive.

Thomas said, there's no way he can be alive.

They said, Well, we don't know what you think or what you think, and it doesn't matter what you think.

We saw him.

No, you didn't.

No, you didn't, Thomas said.

Nah, I don't believe that.

In order for me to believe it, I got to see him.

I ain't not only got to see him, I got to touch him.

That's real faith, isn't it?

Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither.

He showed up again.

He he was gonna let Thomas know real quick that true faith is not seeing, but believing.

Because notice what he said.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither, thy finger, behold my hands, and reach hither with thy hand and thrust it into my side where the spear went in, and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and saith unto him, My Lord, my Lord and my God.

And Jesus saith unto him, when he said, My Lord, my God, what he was saying is, I do believe now.

I do.

You are the master, you are the one that was crucified.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.

Blessed.

Woo! Hallelujah! Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.

Amen.

Amen.

Mm-mm.

Amen.

What God is teaching Habakkuk and what God is teaching us.

Okay?

Is to believe and be comforted in uncomfortable times.

And that's the title of the message.

How to have comfort in uncomfortable times.

How to go from your questions to confidence in God.

Man, that's good.

Remember John chapter 6.

John 6 · chapter mention

Jesus is going to feed 5,000 men, not counting men and I meant women and children, probably 15,000, 20,000.

And he told Philip, he said, Go get the go buy bread.

And he said, Lord, we don't have enough money to buy bread.

Seems like we never have enough money.

But I got news for you.

If you're doing God's will, doing God's purpose, God's plan, he'll provide the money.

Amen.

Look what he's doing here.

Amen.

No debt.

Well, we got a little debt, but that's going to be paid off in the next year or two.

Amen.

In fact, I got a God gave me an idea the other day in my prayer time.

Every fifth Sunday, we're going to take up an offering above our tithes and offerings just for the payoff that$125,000 or$30,000 we owe.

Every fifth Sunday, we're going to pay that debt off quick.

Amen?

That's what we're going to do.

So you start looking at your calendar and start saving for every fifth Sunday to give to direct debt.

We're going to pay that thing off.

We have three years, but I think we can do it quicker.

Can I get an amen?

Because then we want to start something else.

We got a vision here, folks.

All right?

You with me?

So, hey, and hey, what about Andrew?

He said, I'm going to feed these folks.

Go find some food.

Andrew said, Hey, Lord, I got a little boy here.

He's got a little lunch.

He's got he's got two fishes and five loaves.

He said, I don't know how that's going to help 20,000 people.

In fact, can't you see him asking the Lord, how's that going to help?

He's questioning God again.

That's okay.

God said, I tell you what, Andrew.

Hey, at least Andrew didn't sit there and say why you couldn't do it.

He tried to do something about it.

Can I get an amen?

The other ones were making excuses, but he said, hey, while they were saying, well, we don't have enough money.

We got too many people.

We don't have enough lunch.

Andrew's going, I mean, Phil, yeah, Andrew's running through the.

Anybody got any lunch?

Anybody got any food?

Little lad says I do.

Now let me ask something.

20,000 people there, don't you think somebody else had some food?

Hello.

Oh no, they're selfish, greedy.

You wouldn't know anybody like that, would you?

You're not getting my lunch.

I fix this lunch, it's my lunch.

Go get your own lunch.

I worked hard for this lunch.

You just bummin.

You ain't getting my lunch.

And you ain't getting a blessing.

Hello.

Woo! Amen.

My wife hates it when I use that word ain't, but it really works for emphasis.

The second megatine.

Are you ready?

Woo! Hey, I hadn't even got through with the introduction.

This is gonna be good today.

Buckle up.

Preach that word.

Woo! Number two, God's sovereignty.

Look at God's sovereignty.

Oh yeah, look at verse 5, chapter 1.

After he asked God all these questions, God then says, Look among the nations, observe, be astonished.

In other words, be, hey, unbelievably set straight.

Wonder, astonished, wonder.

Because I am doing something in your days you would not believe if you were told.

He's saying, You don't worry about it.

Hey, Habakkuk, I've got a plan and I'm gonna do something that's gonna blow your mind, and you couldn't handle it if I told you.

You couldn't handle it.

The reason we don't get all of God's revelation at one time is we couldn't handle it.

Amen.

One day at a time, sweet Jesus.

That's all we need.

Amen.

We just needed enough revelation for today.

Because we may not be able to handle tomorrow.

But if we're obedient today, we'll be prepared for tomorrow.

Amen.

Are you with me, church?

Man, I'm full.

Oh, we know.

Say it with me.

We know all things work together for good.

To them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

Megathene number three.

Not only do we know it's God's sovereignty, there's a diff.

And by the way, listen.

Ooh, I almost forgot that.

There's a difference between evil existing and evil conquering.

Evil exists today.

But I got good news, church.

There's going to be a day that evil will no longer exist because my God is an awesome God, and my God is going to conquer evil.

Guaranteed.

Guaranteed.

There'll be no curse up there.

Amen.

There'll be no curse up there.

All the tears, all the sorrow, all the pain, and the sickness shall be wiped away.

Hallelujah, folks.

Amen.

That will be when my Jesus I say, see, when He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land.

What a day, glorious day that will be.

The third mega theme is hope.

Our hope is not in the world system, but it's in God's plan.

Amen.

It's in God's word.

And we saw that in Abakah 3, 17 through 19.

And we see not only, hey, do we have hope in God's system, God's word, God's plan.

But this world is passing away.

And the lust thereof.

Amen.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, love the Father's not in him.

And the world shall pass away, and all the lust and all of that thereof, but the will of God shall abide forever.

1 John 2, 15 through 18.

Are you with me, church?

You're with me?

Now, so how do we get in your outline?

How do we get from questions about God to confidence in God?

First of all, you gotta be honest.

Number one, we see Habakkuk's honesty.

You can't snow God.

Amen.

Hello! You can't fool God.

He knows your thoughts, he knows your heart.

Which he says in Luke 6.15, that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 16, 15.

He says in John 2.25, I know what's in man.

He says in Luke 11, I know your thoughts before you think them.

That's scary.

Amen.

I know.

I know.

He was honest.

Look at all those questions he asked in verses 1 through 4.

Hey, but now hey, pick up.

Look.

Look at his honesty.

Look at verse 12.

Then he goes on and he says in chapter 1, he says, Are thou not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my holy one?

Will we not die?

Then, O Lord has appointed them to judge, and thou, O rock, hast established them to correct.

Oh, in other words, he says, Is your plan, Lord, to wipe us all out?

I mean, it sounds like he's just letting the Lord have it.

He's sparring with God.

Well, look at 13.

The eyes are not, hey, thy eyes are too pure, excuse me, to approve evil.

Hey, and thou canst not look on wickedness with favor?

Why dost thou look with favor on those who deal treacherously?

Hey, why art thou silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?

Why do you let the wicked prosper and take advantage of us?

Look at verse 14.

Why has, hey, he says, why hast thou made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler over them?

The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, drag them away with their net, and gather them together in their fishing net.

Therefore they rejoice and are glad.

And here's what he says.

He's saying, And are we, your people, not precious to you?

God, should you, hey, your people, hey, be threatened like this by the wicked?

Should they be taken advantage of like this by the wicked?

God, don't you realize this is your people?

I mean, he's just giving his heart to God.

He's just letting him know what he's thinking.

Folks, we've got to be honest with God.

God's got big shoulders.

He does.

And then look, wait, wait, it gives, hey, 15.

The Chaldeans bring all them up with a hook, drag them away with their net, to gather them together in the fishing net.

Look at verse 16.

Therefore they offer a sacrifice to the net, burn incense to their fishing net, because, hey, in other words, they're giving honor and glory to the false gods, because through these things their catch is large and their food is plentiful.

Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without spar, hey, hey, uh sparring?

In other words, he's saying, Will you let the wicked get away with this forever against the righteous people?

Are you just gonna let them take us out?

Wow.

Let me say something right here.

When you get that honest with God and you tell him your heart and you tell him everything you're thinking, now you're getting to a point where, hey, you're being honest, and that's where God get.

Wow.

Honesty.

Now, it's okay to have questions.

In fact, can I say something I've learned?

Not only do I have questions, but sometimes I don't have any answers.

I don't know why God took our little boy.

I don't understand that, never will, until I get to heaven.

But that's okay.

Because I trust Him.

Amen.

I had questions, and that's okay.

Don't you just hate the know-it-alls?

Huh?

Don't you just hate the know-it-alls?

Especially those that have their little cliche spiritual answers.

Oh, you just gotta trust God.

Okay, I'm trusting, but I still got a question.

Amen.

That's okay.

In fact, I was studying in one of my commentaries, very deep, deep.

Peanuts cartoon.

I just told you how deep your pastor is in his theology.

I love peanuts cartoons.

Lucy is talking to Charlie Brown.

She says to Charlie Brown, Life is a mystery.

Charlie Brown, do you know the answer?

Charlie Brown didn't hesitate.

Charlie Brown quickly responded, Be kind, don't smoke, be prompt, smile a lot, eat right, avoid cavities, mark your ballot carefully, avoid too much sun.

Send oversea packages early.

Hey, love all creatures above and below.

Ensure your belongings.

Try to keep the ball low.

Next frame I love.

Lucy's punching him out.

He knew it all.

He had the answers.

We don't, thank you.

We don't have the answers.

Habakku, not all of them.

Sometimes we do, but not all of them.

Habakku's honesty was, write this down.

Two things.

This is awesome.

Freely expressed.

He shared everything his heart was thinking.

Amen.

Satan didn't want me to preach this message.

My throat, my voice just boom, trying to go out on me.

I'm telling you, this is powerful, folks.

This has answered some questions for me this week.

Freely expressed to God.

Hey, freely expressed, and then number two, it was expressed to God and God alone.

You don't need to go express it to everybody else.

Hey, everybody doesn't need to know your business.

Can I get an amen?

But guess what?

God needs to know your business because He already knows it.

So you just need to confirm what God already knows.

Amen.

So when you're having questions and you're doubting, let him know it.

Get it all out.

David was good at that.

Oh, David had some really tough times in prayer with the Lord.

You know, Lord, why have you abandoned me?

Which he hadn't, but David felt that way.

Amen.

You got to express it, freely express it, get it all out.

Number two, it was expressed to God and God alone.

Habakkuk said, Lord, I may be the religious leader, I may be a prophet, I may be writing a book in your Bible, but I have some questions.

I have some questions.

Tell him the truth.

Ryan reminds me of the drunk that came home and his wife met him at the door.

His wife helped him in the door, helped him up to the bedroom and helped him into bed.

And he kind of lay there in a remorseful, maybe repentant way, and his wife said, Honey, sweetheart, you want me to pray for you?

He said, Please, honey, please pray for me.

So she started her prayer by saying, I love this, dear God, Jim lies here before you, drunk.

He said, wait a minute, honey, honey, honey, honey, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Can you just tell me I'm sick?

Then now it's not that bad.

My sin's not that bad.

We try to cover our sin a little bit.

We don't want it to be as bad as it really is, do we?

Well, you can't get help until you admit how bad it is and that you need help.

Then God's ready to help you.

Amen.

So after Habakkuk got it all out and was honest with God, that's when God allowed his attitude to change.

He went from honesty.

Notice the second thing.

His honesty was freely expressed, and it was expressed totally to God.

But number two, it was patient.

There's got to be patience.

Look at chapter 2, verses 1 through 3.

I will stand on my guardpost and station myself on the rampart.

I will keep watch to see what he will speak to me and how I may reply when I am reproved.

Then the Lord answered me and said, Record the vision.

Write the vision, write it down, and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads may run.

Now, verse 3 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it will hasten.

It will be toward the goal, and it will not fail.

Hey, though it tarries, wait for it, for it will certainly come, it will not delay.

In other words, God says, I got a plan, I got a goal, and it's on my calendar, not your calendar, and it will come to pass.

Well, that's good.

Did you get the part where it's not on your calendar?

It's on his calendar.

Can I get an amen?

Psalms 31, verse 15 says, it's in his time.

Psalms 31:15

Amen.

It's in his time.

Not my time.

Now, for you that are phlegmatic, you like that word patient.

But for us choleric goal-driven people, we don't, we have patience.

We really do.

Lord, if you want to wait until tomorrow, that's okay.

Amen.

I mean, I already want everything built on that land.

I want it now.

Can I get an amen?

Yeah.

But God said, You got to be patient and you got to have money.

So help me.

I need money.

Amen.

Who's going to help me with patience?

God.

Don't you dare pray for patience.

Tribulation worketh patience.

Don't pray for patience.

The Lord's going to give it anyway, but don't pray for it.

I've been, I've done that one time, no more.

Lord, just help me be patient.

I say, help me be patient.

Help me be patient.

I don't pray for patience.

I say, help me be patient.

Maybe the same thing, I don't know, but it feels better to me.

Amen.

But God is already sending us people to help us.

I've got people already saying, hey, Pastor, we want to help.

I was in a home just recently, and I won't call his name, but he said, hey, we uh Stella and Derek.

He says, I got a bulldog, or I got this and I got that.

And I God's told me I want to help you with the land.

And uh another gentleman came up and said, I know how to build fields and I know how to do the is it heart horticulture?

Horticulture.

Yeah.

Let me help.

Let me help.

Woo! That's the way he does it.

You have not because you ask not.

So, first of the year, we're gonna get all of us together and we're gonna get us a plan.

We're going to work.

Amen.

Hey, we can we can work till the gas gives out, then I can go up there and get me a side knee gas.

Be sure where you put it.

Amen.

I believe as long as we're doing something, God's gonna provide.

I believe that with all my heart.

I really do.

So, but we gotta be patient.

Got to be patient.

Then number three.

Faith.

Got to have faith.

Look at verse 4 in chapter 2.

Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

You know what faith stands for, don't you?

Forsaking all, I take him.

You may want to write that down.

F-A-I-T-H.

F, forsaking a all, I, I, T, take H Him.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

For he that comes to God must believe that he is, that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11, 6.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is believing something is so, when it's not so, so then it becomes so because God said so.

Amen.

Amen.

Nothing, nothing is impossible with God.

Two kinds of faith.

Saving faith.

We see that in Galatians 3.11.

Do we have that up?

I think we do.

Galatians 3.11, listen to what it says.

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident.

For the just, say it with me, shall live by faith.

Now look at Romans 1.17.

And he says, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

We have saving, hey, we have saving faith.

Are you with me?

We have saving faith and we have supportive faith.

We get saved by faith, and then we walk daily by faith.

2 Corinthians 5, 7, for we walk by faith and not by sight.

You with me?

So it's the faith that supports us as well as saves us.

We walk by faith and we're supported by faith.

Now let me now I think I put this in your your I did.

Look in your notes.

I gave you this definition because it's so important.

Faith and faithfulness in the Hebrew and Greek come from the same root word.

Here's the root word.

It's M-O-Nai.

E-M-O-O-N-A-W.

M-O-N, I said nigh.

It's emonah.

Which means faithful.

That's what it means.

The root word means faithful.

What do you mean?

Here's what I mean.

There is no such thing as a person who is not faithful that can say he has faith.

Woo! Hello.

Now let me repeat that.

There is no such thing as a person who is not faithful who has faith.

Let me give you the verse.

James 2, 17.

Without faith, I mean uh works without faith is dead.

You show me your faith, I'll show you my works.

That's what James 2 says.

Amen.

So you and I, boy, this is going, ooh, this is where the rubber meets the road.

So for people going around, oh yeah, I've been saved, but they're not faithful.

Hello?

Are you with me, church?

People that, oh yeah, I've been saved, but they're not faithful.

It doesn't compute with the word of God.

If you're faithful, you've been saved by faith.

And if you have been saved by faith, you're faithful.

Woo! That's good.

And that's truth.

So people ask me all the time, you think they're saved?

You know, they say they've been saved, but they've never been faithful to the things of God.

Well, first of all, I I cannot judge a person's heart.

That's only God can.

I can't.

But what I can do is teach you what the word says.

And that's all I can do.

But all I know is that God's word says if you've been saved by faith, you're faithful.

Absolutely.

Whether it be evil or whether it be good.

You with me?

So we see how important that is.

I I gave you Ruth Graham's expression.

Oh, I love Ruth Graham.

And she expressed this saying, and it's my turn.

I lay my whys before your cross and worship kneeling.

My mind too numb for thought, my heart beyond all feeling, and worshiping, realizing that I and knowing you don't need a why.

Wow.

Wow.

Number four.

Prayer.

How do we go from questioning God to confidence in God through honesty, patience, faith, and prayer?

Isaiah 56, 7, God says, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.

For all people.

For all people.

1 Chronicles 16, 11, seek the Lord in his strength, seek his faith continually.

Jesus said in Matthew 7, 7, Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened.

2 Chronicles 7, 14, 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, forgive their sins, and heal their land.

Prayer.

You gotta be honest, gotta go to him in prayer.

Just like Habakkuk was praying.

He was saying, Lord, are you not hearing my prayer?

But he kept praying.

He kept praying.

And then number five, meditation.

Now, notice a little word in your outline.

I want to show you something here.

This is awesome.

The little word is called Selah.

And I didn't answer it because I want you to write it in.

Now, if you have an older version, like King James, New King James, and like today I'm using my new American Sila.

standard then you in verses three nine and thirteen in chapter three you have the word selah after the verses now this word selah is only used uh seventy-four times in the whole bible seventy-one times it's used in the book of Psalms the other three it's used right here here's what it means stop and think clearly what has been said stop and think clearly what has been said so after God is starting to answer Habakkuk after Habakkuk let it out been honest expressed hey what he was feeling to God himself and he was starting to trust God waiting for God to tell him something God then says okay okay Habakkuk I'm fixing to talk to you I'm fixing to talk to you but now stop get over your whatever it was that that that that frustration that feeling you know needing help not knowing where to go just just here's what he said be still just be still and know that I'm God Psalm 46 10 and I'm gonna speak to you so many times we don't stop and be still so God can speak to us so many times we're so impatient that we're not still so that God can speak to us you listening church so he says be still be still and listen now watch what happens here's what he says chapter 3 verses 1 through 3 he says listen I'm gonna revive the work verse 1 through 3 Habakkuk says Lord or will you not revive your work will you not revive your work he's praying Lord won't you do it again won't you bless us again won't you take up the hey the mantle for us again why don't you take up the sword against our enemies for us again then verses four through nine he says remember remember the Lord says basically Tobacca I'm gonna do it again then he says remember and I don't I'm I'm not gonna read them I've already read them but verses four through nine he says hey remember Gideon remember Joshua remember Moses remember the people hey hey remember Judah our nation when they were wandering in the wilderness even though they wandered didn't I take care of them didn't I take care of Joshua didn't I hey didn't I part the Red Sea didn't I didn't I didn't I didn't I remember I've taken care of Judah in the past and I've got a vision and I got a purpose and I got a goal but listen to me Habakkuk it will be on my timetable and yes you're gonna have to go through hey you the Babylonian captivity yes but I've got a vision and it will not fail I've got a plan it will not fail you just write it down because after the captivity there will be what?

Deliverance Wow in fact you know this gets so good uh watch right here and then and then verses 10 through 13 he says revive thy work remember God says remember the work I did and then verses 10 through 13 he says I will restore the people's position and possessions but it'll be on my timetable look at what he does verse 12 in indignation thou didst march through the earth look at verse 13 thou didst go forth for the salvation thou didst strike the head of the house of the evil to lay him open from thy neck and verse 14 thou didst pierce with his own spears verse 15 thou didst tread on the sea with on hey with on the surge of many waters in other words he's now Habakkuk's gone from frustration and questioning God to realizing yes God will do it again he can do it again in fact I wrote this to myself he he the moment uh Habakkuk realized that God is God God has been God God will be God and that with him nothing's impossible because he is God he went from questioning to confidence in God is that not good church is that not good is that not good there's one other thing number six praise gotta be praise Psalms 34 verse 1 I will bless the Lord at all times.

Psalms 34:1

Say that with me church I will bless the Lord at what?

All times means in the good times in the bad times in the uncertain times I will bless the Lord at all times.

What does it say?

His praise shall what?

Shall what?

In the good times in the bad times in the uncertain times continually Psalms 911 sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Zion glare among the people his doings in other words shout it from the rooftop shout it from the mountaintop of that how great God is and how a good works God gives.

Amen Psalms 332 listen to this praise the Lord with harps that's why we have instruments sing unto him with the palestry and then instruments of ten strings we need somebody to play this God in the name of Jesus send us a keyboard this is part of worship.

We need somebody playing this piano or whatever you call it I'll tell you what I call it it's a string instrument amen when my financial situation gets better no you won't no you won't you can't praise him now why are you gonna praise him then I'll start tithing when I get a raise no you won't not tithing now not going to be tithing then oh I'll really give to the church when I win the lottery no you won't no you'll be just as selfish then as you are now I know I would be hello hello hello hello boy you're starting to frown at me now a little bit when my marriage gets better I'll praise him no when my health gets better I praise him no when I get a better job I praise no you'll you'll praise him for a week and then you'll be complaining of that job too because see it's not about in fact I'm fixing to help you here praise is not a result of circumstances praise is a result of choice put it in your last two blanks amen I said praise is not the result of circumstances praise is the result of a choice I'm gonna praise him I'm gonna praise him if I'm sick I'm gonna praise him if I'm happy I'm gonna praise him if I financially boot if I got it all I'm gonna praise him praise him for wherever you are and don't pray and guess what when you start praising him where you are he'll take you where you need to be hello and we see that verse 17 through 19 he praised him even in the bad things I'm I want to I want to and I'm through I want to paraphrase verses 17 through 19 for you in my own last three verses though my job goes and my health fails and the forces of evil seem to have things going their way and even though the economy doesn't work the way I want it to work and the election hey does not work out the way I wanted it to or the way I hope it would I am not hey I'm hey even if I'm not accepted and appreciated among my friends and everything goes wrong I won't pull the plug on you Lord I won't resent you Lord I won't have my doubts and my questions about how you are working but there's one thing I want you to know for sure God I'm for you and you're for me and I'm going with you God I'm going with you amen that's what Habakkuk said okay you got me God I realize it I'm going with you all I don't care what happens I'm with you I'm with you now that's that's our prayer for CCW regardless of what happens people come people go we're with you we're with you now let me tell you something you dig in here you want to be a part of this church you dig in and you say hey I'm with I'm with God at CCW we're going.

We don't care what how tough it gets how good it gets we're with you God let me tell you it's easy to ride the horse when everything's going well it's when you're in the valley and still on the horse or maybe it's when you're in the valley and been knocked off the horse but you're still going you're still standing you get back up the righteous fall seven times but they get back up.

Amen are you with me church that's what we're praying for.

God send us people that say we want to be a part of a world we've got a vision here.

We've got a vision we want to reach this whole region of young couples with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We want to teach them how to have strong biblical homes we want to teach them how to grow up in the likeness of Christ we want to teach them how they can be an instrument and a vessel that will be influential where God places them.

That's what we want to do.

And can I say something with that said Satan's going to do everything he can to discourage us to defeat us and ultimately destroy us but if God before me who can be against me and I'm going with God hey I've already cast my lot folks choose you this day whom you're gonna serve for me and my house and our church we're gonna serve God we're going with God and let's give God a hand amenks again for tuning into this week's message we pray that your life has been changed.

If you would like to find out more about us visit us on our webpage at thechurchcw.com you can also connect with us on Facebook Twitter and Instagram at the church at CW need prayer or more information send us an email at office at the church at cw dot com we hope you have a wonderful day and again God bless you