Waiting In Faith Series

Waiting in Faith

HABAKKUK #2

… little known secret about our worship leader, Greg.

…a closet country music fan.

In fact, I thought I’d share with you a List - of Greg’s Top 10 favorite songs.

These are all the actual titles from the BMI country music database.

#10 on Gregs list … is the classic,

10. Mama Get The Hammer There’s a Fly on Papa’s Head.

9. You were only a splinter, as I slid down the banister of life.

8. If You Want to Keep the Beer Real Cold, Put it Next to My Ex-Wife's Heart

(Every time Greg hears the next song he can’t help crying)

7. I'd Rather Pass a Kidney Stone than Another Night With You

6. I’m gonna put a bar, in the back of my car, and drive myself to drink.

5. If I can’t be number one in your life, then number two on you.

4. One Day When You Swing That Skillet (My Face Ain't Gonna Be There)

(that one sounds like a heartbreaker)

3. I Went Back to My Fourth Wife for the Third Time and Gave Her a Second Chance to Make a First Class Fool Out of Me

(The next one is a sentimental favorite)

2. You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly

(And Greg’s favorite song of all time…)

If My Nose Was Running Money, Honey, I’d Blow It All On You

We’re in the middle of a series called “Habakkuk”,

which is one of the twelve Minor Prophets

from the Old Testament.

written in about the year 600B.C.,

If you weren’t here last week,

I’ll do a quick review.

It starts with Habakkuk whining to God.

Some of you may relate to this.

He’s complaining that

he doesn’t like the way things are,

there’s a lot of evil and corruption and injustice,

so he wants God to do something.

God then responds to him and basically tells him,

“Trust me Habakkuk, I’ve got a plan.”

And God tells him the plan.

God says, Because they’re so wicked.”

“I am going to have to punish the people of Judah,

and the way I’m going to do it is,

I am going to let the evil Babylonians come

and conquer my people”

So then Habakkuk whines again and says,

“Well, God, I don’t really like your plan,

that doesn’t sound fair,

because the Babylonians are worse that we are,

how can you use them to punish us?

And at the beginning of chapter two Habakkuk says,

I’m gonna climb a wall,

and watch and wait till you give me an answer,

about why you’re not being fair.

So God gives him an answer again,

but at the end of chapter 2

God basically says,

Habakkuk, why don’t you shut up and trust me?”

And then in chapter 3

Habakkuk comes up with this genius idea,

I’m gonna shut up and trust God.”

And that’s the whole Book of Habakkuk.

That’s how it’s all laid out.

it’s a series of conversations

between Habakkuk and God.

Today, if you are facing a difficult situation,

and you say,

“I don’t understand, God.

You could do something about my problem,

but you’re not doing anything.

why aren’t you answering my prayer,

I don’t understand.”

If that’s the way You feel today

about some situation in your life,

then the book of Habakkuk

has a lot to say to you.

And the question we’re going look at today is,

“What do you do when you’re in the dip?”

Now, if you weren’t here last week,

let me show you what the dip is. [SLIDE]

This is a picture of the typical Christian life.

Let me review it quickly.

Someone who doesn’t yet know Christ,

is at this starting point.

Then one day,

by the power of the Holy Spirit,

they feel drawn to God,

they decide they want a relationship

with God’s son Jesus,

so they ask for forgiveness,

they commit to follow him,

and spiritually, they’re born anew

And often with a new follower of Christ,

there’s tremendous excitement,

and God starts answering their prayers.

it feels like God is blessing them in so many areas,

and there’s kind of a spiritual high.

But then unfortunately, life goes on,

and after a while,

you’ll go through some more difficult times

and that excitement will cool off.

Maybe it happens when you lose a job.

Or maybe you start to struggle with certain sins

maybe your kid makes a bad decision.

Or maybe you pray about something,

but God didn’t answer a prayer

Whatever the case,

all of a sudden you’re going,

“Wait a minute, God,

I thought this was gonna always be great,

but now, it doesn’t feel so great,

you’re not blessing me like I thought you would.

What’s going on?”