Adrian Rogers: Giving Thanks in Dark Days [#2179]

welcome to love worth fighting with pastored teacher and author Adrian Rogers reaching out with God's love bringing people to Christ touching lives around the world and helping you find the answers you need today join us as we prepare to open God's Word and discover how your life can be changed forever by his great love worth finding be finding the book of Habakkuk a small book with three chapters but I think perhaps the most pertinent book in the entire Bible for the day and age in which we live we're living in a day in which everything that is not nailed down is coming loose these are fearful days in many ways there there is apostasy in the church anarchy in the world and alas alas sometimes apathy and the Pew we just go from day today well what's going to happen I don't know what's going to happen you don't know what's going to happen every now and then I'll read with some calamity holler will tell us that the sky is falling and then I read where somebody says don't worry about it at all and all of these are supposed to be experts well what do we do in uncertain times when it looks like we're looking sometimes into the end of the muzzle of a loaded cannon well that's what the book of Habakkuk is all about you see the question that is being asked today was a question that was asked many years ago and the question is in all of this trouble where is God all of the crime all of the disease and all of the hatred and all of the murder and all of the pillage and all of the rape and all of the perversion where is God has God lost control or is it that God just doesn't even care very frankly this is a problem that is causing many people to stumble you know the problem is not in minds of many the problem of science from whence did the world come it's the problem of history to where the world is going not how it began but how it is ending people say I can't understand the history now Habakkuk faced the same problem this little book has three chapters and we're going to look just a little bit at all three of the chapters today chapter number one is a perplexing problem he just looked around and he said God where are you how you letting all of this happen chapter 2 is a proper perspective Habakkuk got away and he looked back and God spoke to him and God gave him a vision God didn't give him an explanation but God spoke to him and he had a proper perspective and then chapter 3 ends with a profound praise he begins just to praise God not because the circumstances have been removed but in the circumstances in a dark dark dark day he is giving God praise peace is not the subtraction of problems from life it is the addition of power to meet those problems and that's what a back accound and that's what you're going to find today now look in chapter 2 and verse 4 chapter 2 and verse 4 because here's the theme of the book you find a verse there behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him he's talking about the sinner now he's high and mighty but he's leaning and he's about to fall the soul that is lifted up is not upright he's about ready to take a fall but then God speaks to all of the us and he says but the just the just that word literally means the upright shall live by his faith now don't just miss that verse and don't gloss over it because that verse is so important it is repeated three times in the New Testament you find in the book of Romans you find in the book of Galatians you'll find it in the book of Hebrews three times the just shall live by faith and that's what I want you to see today because folks you're going to need this scripture as I said rather than to fold up and give up we can look up and stand up and we're going to learn three things about faith and giving things in dark days and I'm going to give them to you on the screen and I want God to etch them upon your heart number one faith doesn't live by explanations but by promises faith does not live by explanations but by promises now go back to chapter one and let's look here in chapter one for a moment and find the problems that Habakkuk had he had some real problems look if you will in verses 1 and 2 the burden which about the Prophet did see Oh Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee of violence and thou will not save it is not that Habakkuk a not been praying he had been praying and things don't seem to be getting better things seem to be getting worse and aback acceso God how long am I going to cry to you and you don't hear you don't answer my prayer actually two words for cry there in that and those verses the first word is a word for cry that is used like a cry for help somebody who's sinking yes he helped me that's the first word he's crying out for help but then the second word is like it is a word that means a shout almost a scream he's shouting at God they saying God where are you have you ever shouted at God I did once not out of here reference but at a time of such perplexity driving along in my car with a broken heart I shouted it god that's God where are you why Oh God don't you do something maybe you've been there there was the problem of heavens silence one country man one boy from the country said things are really bad hmm if something doesn't happen soon something sure going to happen and I think many of us can feel that way and so he had the problem of heaven silence but then looking verses 3 & 4 not only heaven silence but Earth's sinfulness look why does thou show me iniquity and caused me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence or before me and there there are that raised up strife and contention therefore the law is slacked and the word slacked literally means paralyzed in judgment does never go forth for the wicked can pass about the righteous therefore wrong judgment proceeded the moral condition of a package deal orrible they hit the bottom Jeremiah the Prophet was a contemporary of Habakkuk and here's what Jeremiah said in Jeremiah chapter 5 verses 10 30 and 31 a wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land let's listen to this the prophets prophesy falsi that is those who were supposed to be speaking for God were telling lies and the priest bear rule by their means that is they were lording it over God's people and my people love to have it so it'd be bad enough if it were happening and the people rose up against it but they loved it and what will you do in the end there are you know what the problem is in America today we've lost our moral consensus we literally have clergymen today telling us that sex outside of marriage is both permissible and pleasurable that sodomy is an alternative lifestyle it's all alright they look upon people like myself and like some of you and they call us bigots they call us fundamentalist they call us literalist they call us old-fashioned because we will not go along the Bible says that the prophets prophesy falsely the priests bear rule by the means and the people love to have it so and then Jeremiah went on to say in Jeremiah chapter 8 and verse 12 where they ashamed when they had committed abomination no they were not at all a shame neither could they blush and we've come to that place today ladies and gentlemen where people don't even blush as a matter of fact they get on television shows and they talk about things that are ungodly unseemly unspeakably filthy and as Dr Vance Hamner said sin that used to slink down back alleys now struts down Main streets a generation of unblushing Buhl's that's what happened in Habakkuk Stein and he says in verse 4 that the law is slack that means it's paralyzed never had more lawyers more judges more courtrooms in history and yet less justice and we have more lawlessness than ever before well first of all heaven silence secondly Earth's sin thirdly hell's success look in verses 5 & 6 behold among the heathen and regard in wonder marvelously for I will work a work in your days which he will not believe though it be told you for lo I raise up the Chaldeans that's just another word for the Babylonians that bitter and hasty nation which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwellings that are not theirs now listen he says not only have I cried and God you didn't hear me and not only is our as their wickedness and violence and spoiling but now it gets worse are these Babylonians they don't know you they don't love you they're wicked they're cruel they're gross and they're going to come against God's people and they're going to conquer the land they are going to be successful God's people will be in retreat you see he's saying God why don't you speak and we God finally does speak what he said it seems worse than his silence he says you think it's bad now it's going to get worse folks this is perplexing to tobacco because Habakkuk can't understand it look if you will in verse 5 behold ye among the heathen in regard and wonder marvelously for I will work a work in your days God is speaking which ye shall not believe though it be told you God said what good would it do me to tell you what I'm going to do you wouldn't believe it thank you you couldn't understand it now folks all of this is under the heading are you listening we as God's children listen we do not live by explanations but by promises faith does not live by explanations God says if I told you you wouldn't believe it now if you wanting God to explain everything to you forget it God is not going to explain everything to you number one you couldn't understand it if he did explain it to you Jesus said in the Gospels I have many things to tell you you're not able to bear them God says in Isaiah my thoughts are high above your thoughts as the heavens are above the earth I know more than I could explain to an ant thermodynamics I could God explain his marvelous wonderful ways or Romans chapter 11 verses 33 and 34 all the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out would you put that in your margin his ways are past finding out who known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor he won't go to you for advice therefore faith does not live by explanations but by promises if you want God to explain everything do you forget it number one you couldn't understand it number two God's not going to limit himself to what you could understand folks even the simplest things we don't understand we don't live by explanations Jesus said I have many things to tell you you're not able to bear them and if God did explain it to us and we did understand it we'd say now Lord I won't tell you there's a better way you could have done it now that that's not the best way Lord who has known the mind of the Lord and who has been his counselor folks just because it doesn't make sense to you doesn't mean it doesn't make sense and just because it doesn't make sense to you now doesn't mean that it will not make sense later on but Habakkuk is stunned when he gets the answer because here's what God says he's saying God how long am I going to see all this violence how much all of this sin all of this perversion and God says in verses 11 12 and 13 listen it's going to get worse it's going to get worse I'm going to raise up a bitter and a hasty nation and they're going to come against you and Habakkuk says Lord how can you do this how can you do this how can you God let the Babylonians come against us your chosen people floored you of are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity you're a righteous God how can you do this it doesn't make sense look if you will in verse 13 thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and cants not look upon iniquity wherefore look us now upon them that deal treacherously and hold us thy tongue when the wicked devoured the man that watch this that is more righteous than he all the back I thought God graded on the curve that's what a meritless and you won't tell you what Americans think America say what hey look we are bad but we're not as bad as they are therefore gods on our side hmm we Republicans are bad but we're not like those old Democrats we Baptists but when I like those old that I do not it out another we think we think you know that God too somehow grades on the curve he says God how can you do this Lord you're a purer eyes than to behold iniquity how can you let the Babylonians come against us how can you do that well God said I told you wouldn't believe it if I told you you and believe play it down big twin town plane put it down straight the just will live by faith but faith does not live by explanations but by promises you better get some promises and I mean get a bulldog grip on those promises now let's go to the second point first point faith does not live by explanations but by promises number two faith does not live by appearances but by Providence if you get your faith from appearances you're going to you're going to be riding a rollercoaster all of the time now look in Chapter two and see what the back it did the same thing you need to do in these desperate days I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower and we'll watch to see what he will say to me and what I shall answer when I am reproved now what a package said is this I'm going to stop shouting at God and I'm going to get quiet and I'm going to begin to listen to God Habakkuk had a place where he could get alone with God he had some little prayer tower he got up in that prayer tower and he said I'm going to shut up and I'm going to start listening and when he did that's when his sighing turn to seeing and he saw their the Providence of God in spite of all of the appearances in spite of all that he could see with his eyes he saw now by the IFA the Providence of God what God in Providence has promised and provided first thing he saw and I want you to get this was the reliability of Scripture the reliability of Scripture look in verses two and three and the Lord answered me and said write the vision and make it plain upon tables that is upon tablets that he may run that readeth it for the vision is yet for in a point of time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it Terry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry he said aback now that you quit shouting at me man should be able to listen to me get out your pen I want you to write a book we'll name it after you we'll call it the book of Habakkuk and I want you to write it four times to come there be some folks down there and Memphis Tennessee who need this writing so that he that readeth may run in the problem in times we have today people who are running without reading they don't know what they're talking about they have not gotten into the Word of God and God is saying Habakkuk you write a book because generations to come are going to need what you say that's what he says in verse three if there were ever a day a time when we need to hear a clear word from God this is the day this is the hour the Word of God is of supreme importance the Word of God is paramount but we have a generation today that's moved by subjective personal experience and emotional encounters with their inner self rather than a sure word from God it used to be a time when preachers were standing the Pope and say the Bible says then they started saying the church says I just sort of scratch the head and say what seems to me people not interested in at least they shouldn't be they need to have a sure Word of God and we're not to run until we read and so the very first thing he's showing him now provided by God's providence is the reliability of Scripture and then the resource of the saint look again in verse 4 the verse that we started with he says here in verse 4 behold his soul is which is lifted up is not upright in him whether he be a Israelite or Babylonian but the just shall live by his faith and that's the only way you're going to make your resource is faith it is faith that looks beyond the physical to the spiritual it is faith that looks beyond the present to the future it is faith that looks beyond the temporary to the eternal faith can't fail sin can't win and faith is the only thing that's going to change America today we live by faith you know I said that this verse was quoted verse 4 quoted chapter 2 verse 4 is quoted three times in the New Testament one of the most significant times is when Paul quotes it in the book of Romans in chapter 1 and I want you to see the context in which Paul quoted this because the context in Romans chapter 1 is so very important Paul is looking to a nation had the last rung on the ladder down and he says in Romans chapter 1 beginning in verse 24 speaking of these sinful people wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of our own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator mother earth rather than father God who is blessed forever for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections now listen this careful vile affections for even their women did change the natural use to that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet that means which is fitting and even as they did not like to retain God in the knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers backbiters haters of god despiteful proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents without understanding covenantbreakers without natural affection implacable unmerciful who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure and then they do this becomes the theme of our entertainment every issue being argued today is addressed in the verses that I just read to you but Paul before he gave these verses before he gave these verses gave the remedy and it's in Romans 1 verses 15 through 17 I want you listen to it Paul says so that as much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel I love that you know what I want to be known as a gospel preacher I'm ready to preach the gospel to you who are at Rome also for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith now watch this as it is written the just shall live by faith Paul said let me tell you what a backup said let me tell you what a back extent but just shall live by faith what is our resource what is the reliability there's the resource of the saint which is faith T and then he showed a back accepting else not only and by the way let me say the most powerful force on earth is faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ the government can't make us good only Jesus can do that and the change lives is the only hope for America and the gospel is the only thing that can change lives in America so so what is the Providence that that he has first of all there's a reliability of the Scriptures truth and there's a resource of the same faith and there's the retribution of the center look in chapter 2 and verse 5 look at it he begins to talk about the judgment that's going to come yeah also because he transgressive by wine is a proud man neither keepeth at home who enlarged earth his desires hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathered unto Him all nations and he paths unto him all people shall not all these take up a parable against him atoning proverb against him and say now get this in context Habakkuk is saying God how can you let these ungodly people do what they're doing God says I know what I'm doing there's coming a judgment and he mentions the word whoa wo e five times now if you got your Bibles open fall along looking in verse six the middle of that verse one to him that increases that which is not his look in verse nine woe unto him that covetous and evil covetousness look in verse 12 woe unto him that built at the town with blood look in verse 15 woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink that put a sigh bottle to him and make us him drunken look in verse 19 woe unto him that says to would awake to the dumb stone arise it shall teach whoa whoa whoa he's talking about the calamity that's going to come don't think for any moment Habakkuk that I am soft on sand I know what I'm doing the mills of God grinds slowly but they grind exceeding fine he thunders out against material corruption he says in verse 6 woe into him that increases that which is not his people who are getting that which doesn't really belong to him you know that's what's wrong with gambling everybody says what's wrong with gambling here's a verse that tells you what's wrong with gambling I warned him that getteth that which is not his you see when your gamble you get what belongs to somebody else into your possession what I give him anything forward all true business is win-win I give you the service you give me the money I give you the widget you give me the dollar whatever it is I win you win all bad business is win lose in gambling you cannot have winners without having losers woe unto him that increases that which is not his he speaks a material corruption he speaks a moral corruption look in chapter 2 verse 12 woe in him that built the town with blood established the city with iniquity do you know what some of the politicians are running on beat on the platform pro-choice elect me I'm pro-choice you know what that means if you like me I'll pass laws that make it legal to kill babies they say well we've decided not to have this child no if the mother is pregnant there'll be a birth the only question is will it be a live baby or a dead baby you don't have a baby woe unto him that establishes a city by blood America is soiled with stained with the blood of precious little babies and God says there is a woe upon it and then look if you will in verse 15 woe unto him that giveth his neighbor to drink that put us like bottle to him that make us him drunken also that thou mayst look on their nakedness God here speaks of the liquor industry and the curse of God is on it there people who say well I you know I think that liquor is fine we can we can get some revenue out of liquor that's that's a terrible thing that's a that's a horrible thing America our highways have become slaughter pens I are so many people are zombies walking dead alcoholics and yet yet we think that it's a wonderful thing the liquor industry is brewed with tears it's thickened with blood its flavored with death by the way if this makes you angry come up and apologize to me after the service I'll forgive you curse of God is upon it woe unto him they give us his neighbor to dream that make of him drunken that's what God says he speaks here spiritual corruption aback ik 2 verse 9 1 him that says to the would awake to the dumps don't arise and it shall teach America now is filled with cults and false religions but then we're talking about God's providence look there's a reliability description there's a resource of the saint there's a retribution of the sinner and there's the rain of the Savior look if you will in chapter 2 verse 14 I love this for the earth shall be filled underscoring a market for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea then look down if you will in verse 20 but the Lord is in his holy temple let all the earth keep silence before him shut up Ibaka God is God Habakkuk was saying o God where are you God says RT where I am I'm in my holy temple and I'm doing exactly what I have proposed to do and what I will do and I have not lost control and a backache I want to tell you something the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea understand it I'm in control and no panic in heaven now here's the third thing I want you to see faith doesn't live by explanations it lives by promises faith doesn't live by appearances but by Providence if you can't see God working it doesn't mean he's not working number three faith doesn't live by circumstances but by praise faith does not live by circumstances but by praise I go to chapter three and we'll take just a minute first he start out sighing then he's seeing and finally he ends up singing and by the way brother Jim this book was written for the minister of music read the last verse in the whole book is written for the minister music and he says look we need to remember God's glory here's what we praise God for I look in verses 1 a prayer of Ibaka a prophet upon Shiggy enough that that means with deep feeling and praise oh Lord I've heard thy speech and was afraid o Lord revive I work in the midst of the years in the midst of the years make known in Wrath remember mercy God came from teman that's from the South where the law was given the Holy One from mount Paran Selah that means just think about that his glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise what do you do in dark days number one remember God's glory a back ik had been asking for a reason and what he got was a revelation we don't need to know why we need to know who and then rejoice in God's goodness look in verses 17 and 18 of this third chapter look at it I love it I wish I had more time although the fig tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit being the vines the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stalls yet underscore yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation now listen remember God's glory rejoice in God's goodness what it what does it take to make you happy if your bank account is wiped out what's it going to do to you if your goods are confiscated what's that going to do to you if they commandeer this church and take away this property what's it going to do to our church I'll tell you God is in heaven how do you know where you're getting your joy Habakkuk said I'll rejoice in the God of my salvation what are you going to rejoice in if your joy is rooted in anything that can be touched or tampered with you have an unstable jaw where you're getting your joy you say from God how do you know you're not getting your joy from your job take away your job and let's see if you have your jaw how do you know you're not getting your joy from your help take away your health and see if you have your jaw how do you know you're not getting your joy from your church buildings take them away and see if you still have you join friend we may never know that God is enough until God is all we have and when we to find out that God is all we have we're going to find out like a backing found out that God not only is God necessary God is enough remember God's glory rejoice in God's goodness it may get bad but God is on his throne that's the reason I'm telling you folks that we need to learn to praise in dark days we need to give thanks as a bank did in dark days and then last of all and I wish I had more time rely on God's grace look in verse 19 the Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like Hinds feet and he will make me to walk upon my high places and then he says to the chief singer on my stringed instruments that fits doesn't it just praise God just praise God here's a song here's a song that we can sing if the fields refuse the harvest and the trees no longer bear if the flocks forsake their Shepherd and my head be bowed with care yet I know his ways are wondrous with this man made out of dust and these lips of clay shall praise him though the world be turned to rock if the roses lose their fragrance if the birds no longer sing if the Rivers ceased their flowing and the bells refuse to ring still I know that God is in heaven and I know that all is well so my lips will sing his praises and the Gospel story tell I will praise him I will praise him there will be a brighter day there will be a bright tomorrow for God will never pass away Dior chapter 1 tells us chapter 1 tells us we don't live by explanations we live by promises do you know why chapter 2 tells us friend we don't live by appearances we live by Providence you know what the 3rd chapter tells us the 3rd chapter tells us that we're going to praise God we're going to praise God no matter what the circumstances on earth that's a great book and the Bible says that the just shall live by his faith if you don't have faith I'm telling you if you don't have faith you've got nothing to hold on to it's going to get worse that's going to be chaos and turmoil the situation in this world today is going to get increasingly calamitous the Bible makes it exceeding clear in the last days perilous times shall come what I want you to do I want you to know Jesus Christ not know about him I want you to know him I want you to be able to say no matter what happens I will rejoice in the God of my salvation us bow our heads together in prayer heads are bowed and eyes are closed begin to pray for those around you who may not know the Lord Jesus Christ and if you're not certain that you're saved I want you to pray this prayer dear God I know that you love me and I know that you want to save me I'm a sinner my sin deserves judgment but I need mercy Lord Jesus come into my heart forgive my sin save me Jesus pray that prayer pray it Lord Jesus save me I bow my head before you I acknowledge you as Lord I believe you paid for my sin with your blood on the cross I believe that God raised you from the dead and now like a child once and for all now and forever I receive you now right now as my Lord and Savior Lord Jesus because you died to save me I will live for you not in order to be saved but because I have been saved and I'll make it public I will not be ashamed of you my Lord and my Savior your name I pray amen we pray God has blessed you as you watch this message if you'd like additional copies or information on other resources write us at love worth finding P o box 38 800 memphis tennessee 38134 @ l WF 0 RG in the US you can place Visa or MasterCard orders by calling 1-800 2 7 4 5 6 8 3 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time thank you and may God richly bless you you

Channel: Blanket Tomcat

Views: 141,969

Rating: 4.8105264 out of 5

Keywords: giving, thanks, in, dark, days, Praise, Faith, Worship, Gospel, Grace, Word, Minister, Ministry, Ministries, Love, Worth, Finding, God, Jehovah, Jesus, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Yahweh, Messiah, Saviour, Savior, Lord, Holy, Spirit, King, Lamb, Ghost, Bible, Bellevue, Baptist, Church, Saved, Salvation, Sermon, Fellowship, Trinity, Preist, Missionary, Revival, Lost, Sin, Satan, Backslide, Help, Forgiveness

Id: 6e6f3y8B07k

Length: 39min 25sec (2365 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 29 2016