Habakkuk 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
VERY BRIEFLY WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD AND THE GUIDIANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS
I WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ON THE THOUGHT
(THE WATCH MAN FAITH )
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK IS ONLY 3 CHAPTERS LONG
IT IS ,MINOR IN SCOPE BUT MAJOR IN ITS IMPLICATIONS
HABAKKUK WHOSE NAME MEANS EMBRACE
PROPHESIED TO JUDAH CONCERNING THE IMPENDING INVASION OF THE CHALDEANS
IN CHAPTER 1 HABAKKUK ASKS CERTAIN QUESTIONS OF GOD
WHY DO THE WICKED SEEMS TO PROSPER AND THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER
WHY ARE THE RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR GETTING POORER
WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLES
THEN IN VERSE 2 HE SAYS
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
AND THIS MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS HABAKKUK BASIC MESSAGE TO GOD
HOW LONG
EVEN IN THE DAY AND TIME WE ARE LIVING IN
SOMETIME WE AS PASTORS AND PREACHERS
CATCH THE HOW LONG SYNDROME
HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL THERE HEART MIND AND SOUL BUT NEVER SHOW UP FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL OR PRAYER MEETING
HOW LONG
HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WATCH PEOPLE LIFT UP HOLY HANDS IN THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE ---BUT WON`T LIFT A HAND TO HELP NOBODY
HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH MEMBERS WHO COMES TO GOD HOUSE AND RAISE $10,000 WORTH OF CONFUSION AND WON`T EVEN PUT A DOLLAR IN THE COLLECTION PLATE
HOW LONG
HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP EXPERIENCE STANDOUTS BUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE CLASS DROP OUT
SOMETIME WE AS PASTORS AND PREACHERS CATCH A CASE OF THE HOW LONG SYNDROME
AND EACH TIME THE QUESTION IS RAISED IT SEEM AS THOUGH IT IS LEFT UNANSWERED
BUT I NEED TO REMIND YOU
THAT REV DR PREACH BROTHER PAUL HAD A THORN IN HIS FLESH
AND NOT ONLY DID HE PRAY ONCE `TWICE BUT THE BIBLE SAYS HE PRAYED 3 TIMES
AND PAUL REVEALS THAT GOD ANSWERS OR PRAYERS IN SEVERAL WAYS
HE SAYS YES ---NO ---AND WAIT –BUT I HERE PAUL SAYING THERE IS A 4TH WAY THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS
AND THAT IS HIS GRACE IS SUFFICENT
AND I WONDER IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THIS EVENING
KNOWS THAT GOD `S GRACE IS STILL SUFFICENT—AND THAT GOD`S GRACE IS ALL YOU NEED
HABAKKUK ---HABAKKUK TAKES HIS PROBLEM AND PUT THEM IN THE HAND OF A PROBLEM SOLVER
AND WHEN HE WENT BEFORE GOD IN PRAYER
IT`S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT HE DID`NT GO BEFORE GOD IN ANGER OR ANXIOUSNESS
BUT HE PRAYED TO GOD IN ANGUISH
AND YOU DO KNOW THAT GOD HEARS THE PRAYERS OF THE ANGUISH
CAN I BORROW A SKINNY MINUTE AND TELL YOU WHAT I`M TALKING ABOUT
WHEN YOU GO TO LUKE 22:42 - 44
LUKE REVEALS THAT JESUS PRAYED IN ANGUISH IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
BUT IN THE TEXT BEFORE
GOD ANSWERS HABAKKUK PRAYER
BY TELLING HIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO USE THERE ENEMY TO DESTROY JUDAH FOR THERE BACKSLIDING
HABAKKUK DID`NT UNDERSTAND GOD`S PERMISSION OF EVIL IN JUDAH
AND WHY GOD WOULD USE BABYLON AS A ROD OF CORRECTION
AND THAT THE DILEMMA IN PRAYER –THE ANSWER
BECAUSE SOMETIME THE ANSWER MAY NOT BE WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR
JONAH GO TO NINEVEH
HOSEA MARRY THE POSTITUTE GOMER
GIDEON YOUR ARMY TO BIG CUT IT DOWN FROM 32,00 TO 300
RICH YOUNG RULER IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME –GO SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THE POOR AND TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME
SOMETIME THE ANSWER MAY NOT COME WHEN WE WANT IT TO
BUT THIS MY BROTHER AND SISTER
IS WHERE FAITH KICKS IN
THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH
SO HABAKKUK SAYS IN VERSE 1 OF THE TEXT
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
AND HABAKKUK REVEALS TO US THAT WAITING AND WATCHING ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS TO ANSWERED PRAY
BUT NOT ONLY IS WAITING AND WATCHING ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS
BUT LORD`S ANSWER IS A CALL OF DUTY
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
AND I NEED PULL OVER AND PUT ON MY EMERGENCY PRAISE FLASHERS
BECAUSE I NEED TO SHARE WITH YOU THERES A DIFFERENT BETWEEN A CAREER AND A CALLING
A CAREER IS SOMETHING WE CHOOSE OURSELVES
A CALLING IS SOMETHING WE RECEIVE FROM GOD
A CAREER IS SOMETHING WE DO FOR OURSELVES
A CALLING IS SOMETHING WE DO FOR GOD
A CAREER LEADS TO UPWARD MOBILITY
A CALLING GENERALLY LEADS TO DONWWARD MOBILITY
THAT’S WHY HYMNOGLIST SAID
DOWN AT THE CROSS WHERE MY SAVIOR DIED
DOWN WHERE FOR CLEANSING FROM SIN I CRIED
THERE TO MY HEART WAS THE BLOOD APPLIED
GLORY TO HIS NAME
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
PHAROAH HAD A CAREER –BUT MOSES HAD A CALLING
POTIPHAR HAD A CAREER BUT JOSEPH HAD A CALLING
AHAB HAD A CAREER BUT ELIJAH HAD A CALLING
PILATE HAD A CAREER BUT JESUS HAD A CALLING
BARAK OBAMA HAS A CAREER BUT REV DR PREACH BROTHER RICKS HAS A CALLING
NOTICE –NOTICE –NOTICE
GOD GAVE HABAKKUK A VISION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPEATED
SUCH TOO IS OUR CALL ---A CALL TO REPEAT THE VISION WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN US –
BECAUSE WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE WILL PERISH
NOW NOTICE WHO GOD GAVE THE VISION TOO
HE DID`NT GIVE IT TO THE DEACONS
HE DID`NT GIVE IT TO THE CHOIR OR THE USHERS
BUT HE GAVE THE VISION TO THE WATCHMAN
(REVELATION CHP 2-3 7 CHURCHES OF ASIA THE) ANGEL OF THE CHURCH
GOD TELLS HABAKKUK TO , Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
BUT NOT ONLY DOES GIVE HABAKKUK A CALL TO DUTY
BUT HE ALSO GAVE HABAKKUK A CALL TO WAIT
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
GOD REVEALS TO HABAKKUK THAT HIS PLANS IS OF CERTIANTY
AND REMINDS HIM TO BE PATIENCE
BECAUSE THE VISION IS YET FOR AN APPOINTED TIME
THEREFORE HE MUST WAIT WITH PATIENCE
THOU IT TARRY WAIT ON IT
BECAUSE IT SPEAKS OF THE END AND WILL NOT LIE
NOW THE KEY WORD IN THIS VERSE IS WAIT
AND THE REASON WHY WE AS PASTORS AND PREACHERS
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WAIT
BECAUSE WE LOOK AT IT FROM A PASSIVE TENCE INSTEAD OF AN ACTIVE TENSE
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORD WAIT FOM A PASSIVE TENSE
IT REVEALS TO YOU THE VUNERALBLITY YOU PUT YOURSELF IN WHILE WAITING ON GOD
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE ACTIVE TENSE
IT REVEALS TO YOU THAT WHILE YOU ARE WAITING GOD IS WORKING AND HE IS WORKING IT OUT FOR YOUR GOOD
AND YOU DO KNOW THAT GOOD THINGS COMES TO THOSE WHO WAIT ON GOD
Psalm 27:14 (KJV)
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
IF YOU WAIT ON LORD I HEAR THE EAGLE EYE PROPHET SAYING
GOD WILL GIVE YOU INWARD STRENGHT ---UPWARD STRENGHT – OUTWARD STRENGHT AND ONWARD STRENGHT
WELL NOT ONLY DID GOD GIVE HABAKKUK A CALL OF DUTY AND A CALL OF DUTY TO WAIT
BUT TEXT ALSO SUGGETS THAT GOD GAVE HIM A CALL OF DUTY OF FAITH
VERSE 4 SAYS Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
"His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him" describes those who are proud.
Trying to work out their own salvation, or they are just living for today with the philosophy of "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die."
They have no real goal in life. "His soul... is not upright in him
HABAKKUK WAS A MAN OF FAITH
HE SAID I WILL GO TO MY WATCH TOWER AND WAIT FOR GODS ANSWER
HE WAITED BECAUSE HE WAS TRUSTING IN THE ONE WHO HAS THE ANSWER TO ALL OF LIFE PROBLEMS
Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
IT WAS BY FAITH ABEL WAS ABLE TO WORSHIP BECAUSE HE GAVE GOD HIS BEST
ENOUCH WALK WITH GOD BY FAITH
ABRAHAM WAITED ON GOD BY FAITH
WE STOP BY TODAY ________________ TO ENCOURAGE YOU ___________ YEAR CELEBRATION
TO CONTINUE STAND UPON YOUR WATCH
PRAY AND WATCH -- BECAUSE PRAYER GIVES GRACE TO THE VISION
AND WATCHING KEEPS THE VISION FROM BEING FORGOTTEN
WRITE THE VISION
BECAUSE THE VISION IS THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO DO
THE FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT IT SHALL COME TO PASS
AND THE COURAGE TO COMPLETE THE TASK THAT GOD HAS SET BEFORE YOU
AND IF ANYBODY ASK YOU WHO`S YOU ARE JUST TELL THEM YOU ARE GOD`S WATCHMAN STANDING ON THE WALL
THE BIBLE IS YOUR PORTFOLIO
THE WORD OF GOD IS YOUR MESSAGE
THE GOSPEL IS YOUR GOOD NEWS
WELL I GOTTA CLOSE HERE AND GO TO MY SEAT
BUT I NEED TO TELL YOU _____________________ BE ENCOURAGED AND HIGHLY FAVORED
BECAUSE HAS BLESS YOU WITH A GREAT WATCHMAN WHO STANDS TALL ON THE WALL
FOLLOW THE VISION THAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIM FOR YOU
AND EVERY THING WILL BE ALL RIGHT
