Faith in Uncertain Times
“Faith in Action”
“Part 2”
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Last week I stated that I would be doing a series on the book of Habakkuk and I started out with the subject of tested faith. I said during times of tested faith: – God wants us to understand whether we have the real thing. If we want to have a pure faith like purified gold, then God will put your faith in the fire. The testing of our faith is to make our faith stronger. Testing reveals to us where we are in terms of our faith as God already knows whether we will pass a given test. It is like a test in school to see if you knew what had been taught. When God tests us, He wants us to succeed. He wants us to see that our faith is real and that it has been refined by fire. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
When we pray sometimes, and we do not see answers to our prayers, or our prayers are not answered. We are left asking, what is the problem? Why does not God listen to me. Is my faith to small that God ignores my prayers or any other factors causing Him not to answer me. Either way, the net effect is we are discouraged from praying much, unless we feel very desperate. We even begin to believe that this promise of Mark 11:24 which says “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” is not for me.
In chapter 2 Habakkuk is a man waiting for an answer from God. God gives him 3 instructions; however, before he receives his instructions he must get into the proper position, once in position he receives these 3 instructions: write, wait, and remember. Habakkuk’s name means to “embrace”. I feel this is to the fact that he was wrestling with difficult issues, he questioned God, yet embraces God for he understands that God is in control and that is exactly what we must do. We can question God, but we must embrace Him.
Today I want to talk about Faith in Action. God instructs Habakkuk to write, wait, and remember. This is how we must put our tested faith into action.
Prayer: -
Scriptures: Habakkuk 2:1-4 says “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 the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 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”.
As we pick up the story in chapter 2. Verse 1 says “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”. This is especially important to putting faith in action and that is spiritual positioning. Habakkuk puts himself in the position to hear from God. He stands upon his watch and upon the tower while he waits to see what God will say.
WATCH THIS: - He separated himself from what was going on around him so he could hear from God. We must get into the presence of God. We must separate ourselves from the distractions and the issues that surround us and concentrate on God.
Remember the other week I talked about Asaph and how he questioned God about what he was experiencing, the pain he had, and where was God and why wasn’t God doing something about what was going on - until he went to the sanctuary of the Lord Psalm 73:17. Once he got into position he was able to hear from God. Habakkuk says I will get into position, I’ve questioned God, I have asked him to explain somethings, now I better get into position in order to hear from Him about the things I have been asking.
Remember it is o.k. to question God, but it is your responsibility to make sure you are in the proper position the hear His response. Sometimes we question God and say well He is not answering me when in fact He answered you just were not in position to hear what he is saying.
WATCH THIS: - In my house, like many of you, if I am in the living room and I call out to my wife she may hear me because I have a loud voice, but I can’t hear her response because she is not as loud as I am so I will think she didn’t hear me, but in actuality she heard me and responded but because I wasn’t in the position to hear her I missed it. So, Habakkuk gets into position to hear what God will say.
After he is in position he hears from God and God gives him 3 instructions. The number 3 means fullness, past, present, future, death, burial, resurrection, father, son, holy ghost.
Verses 2 – 4 says “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 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 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith”.
1. Write the vision
The Living Bible gives us this paraphrase: “Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others.” God wants to make his will clear. What he says to Habakkuk is not some secret, coded message only for the prophet. Instead it is a message for the whole nation. He is saying to Habakkuk let everyone know. Write the vision - It is good to keep a journal or just a notebook or write it in your Bible the things that God will speak to you. Write it down so you can understand it and go back to it for reference when you need to. Understand this is not a vision of our own heart, but the words out of the mouth of God. The writing of the vision or what God speaks is faith in action. When the prophets were commanded to write anything, it denoted the great importance of it, and that the fulfilling of it was at some distance. We need to write what God speaks to us because it is especially important and the fruition of it may still be a while off.
We must understand that vision motivates – so when we write the vision it motivates our faith. A vision is a picture of God’s preferred future for our lives. Pictures have powerful because of the way they cause us to focus. The picture needs to be clear, and it must capture what God wants to create through you and be focused on the outcome rather than the process so we must write the vision – that’s Faith in Action.
2. Wait
Waiting on God is not only difficult; sometimes it seems impossible. We want things to happen now and according to our plans. But God doesn’t operate on our schedules nor does He set us up for disappointment.
Waiting on God means going through unanswered prayers, wondering why the wicked seem to prosper, and having desires delayed and hope deferred. God has a greater perspective of life’s events, and His perspective, plans, and schedules are perfect and holy, because He is perfect and holy. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 18:30 “As for God, His way is perfect”. If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever His timing—is also perfect. When we grasp that fact, waiting on God is not only made less difficult, it actually becomes joyful.
The promises of God are clear in waiting on God, we find our strength renewed Isaiah 40:31 says “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”. But we are human, and we live in a fast-paced culture that demands everything now. That’s one reason why waiting on God is difficult. Sometimes, the prayers we lift up to God are answered immediately, and that encourages us to further trust and confidence. However, sometimes the Lord’s answers are delayed. Over a period of time, the Lord tests our faith, and that’s when we can really struggle.
Waiting on God:-
HUMBLES US - God makes us wait so that we can learn how to not have our way all the time. The more you wait upon God, the more you realize that the answer to your prayer is not about you. It is about God and others.
PRODUCES GREAT TRUST IN GOD – Sometime God will make us wait so that we can see him in a different light. Waiting will open your eyes to God’s faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord”.
WAITING LEAVES ROOM FOR GOD TO WORK – We love things to happen our way, but God should work on your blessings. Let him answer you at his own timing. God’s thoughts are higher than ours and his ways better. He promises to give us exceedingly, abundantly above all we think or ask Ephesians 3:20.
WAITING HELPS US TO SET OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT - Most of us go to God only when we need something from him. When he answers our prayers, we forget about him and remember him when we get another problem.
God will withhold answers to our prayers because he wants us to set our spiritual priorities right. Remember prayer is not all about us asking things from God it is getting to know Him better. Waiting upon the Lord offers you the chance to learn how to pray fervently and spend time with God.
WAITING TEACHES US TO DEPEND ON GOD - The flesh always wants us to depend on ourselves. But we are children of God, we need to depend on him fully. Waiting on God helps us to learn how to depend on him.
See, there is nothing that you can do about the situation unless God comes through for you. Quitting means losing the answer to your prayer. So, it is better to depend on him alone. Lean on him and do not waver in faith.
Do not look at waiting as punishment from God. Instead, see it as a way of him preparing you for what lies ahead. Let the waiting period be a time for you to know more about God and about yourself. Do not allow the enemy to attack you with thoughts of defeat.
Pray without ceasing, stand firm on the promises of God. Encourage yourself in the Lord through singing and keep on waiting with an eager expectation of good.
For the revelation of the vision waits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it tarries, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (v. 3).
God may seem slow but he’s never late. He never delays in order to hurt us. He’s an “on-time” God.
God wants his will made clear
God is saying to Habakkuk, it may not happen today and it may not happen tomorrow, but rest assured the answer is on the way. Hold on. Wait for it. will come. The Babylonians will be judged, and in the end they will be destroyed. God will balance the scales of justice. But He is not working on our timetable. Though he seems to wait, he is going to answer. Remember that the next time you feel like giving up when you pray.
God wants to blow your mind with whatever answer he has for you. But we need to be patient with him. He is preparing you for what He has already provided for you through his son Jesus Christ.
We must learn to wait. I want to stop here we must get into proper position and that is the presence of God. Write the vision and learn to wait.
Remember God is still on the throne.
Remember God will never fail.
Remember past blessing and miracles.
Remember God has a plan for your life.
End of Part 2
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
