WEBVTT

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 Father, this morning, many of us come to you in weakness.

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 We come in confusion, in pain, some of us with heartache.

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 God, so many of us can resonate with the words of Habakkuk when he cried out,

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 How long, oh God, is this going to last?

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 And yet, God, we come to you.

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 We come to the great deliverer, the healer, the restorer of souls.

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 Father, this morning, many of us carry great grief in our hearts.

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 Many of us carry old wounds and we carry with us the brokenness of this world.

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 This morning, we come to you because while you never promised to take all our problems away,

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 you do promise to be with us, to carry us, to comfort us and to strengthen us.

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 And so, God, we come to you this morning.

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 We don't just come to religion.

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 We don't just come to an organization.

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 We come to you and we look for our hope in you.

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 We look for you to build our faith even in the midst of the storms of life.

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 Father, this morning, won't you open our eyes to see you.

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 Give us a vision of your greatness and your glory, we pray.

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 Father, this morning, we want to thank you for the innumerable times you have carried us

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 without us even knowing about it.

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 How your invisible grace has seen us through difficulties.

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 How you've preserved our life and our faith.

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 Which has, your hand has stopped calamity and disaster coming our way.

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 You have upheld us when calamity has come our way.

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 And God, so often we haven't even been aware of the times you've done it.

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 And for that, we thank you this morning.

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 Father, this morning, we also want to thank you for your provision in our lives.

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 For our financial resources.

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 For the blessings you've given us.

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 For our families and friends.

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 For homes and for the ability to send kids to school.

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 For many of us to enjoy even some of the luxuries in life.

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 Father, we ask you to so shape our hearts that these things don't entrap us and ensnare us.

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 God, we confess that often we do look to our circumstances or our material blessings around us for joy.

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 For our comfort and for our hope.

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 Forgive us, we pray.

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 Open the eyes of our hearts to see that our joy is found in you.

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 Not in our circumstances.

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 God, in your sovereign goodness and not in our material blessings.

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 Father, thank you for the offering that has been brought this morning.

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 Give us wisdom how to steward it.

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 We pray that it will be used to the praise and the glory of your name, God.

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 Father, this morning, we also want to pray for every church in Hong Kong.

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 For every church which loves your gospel and preaches your word.

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 We pray for every church what we pray for ourselves.

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 That they, like us, God, we will become more like you.

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 That, God, you will give us your Holy Spirit.

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 That we will walk with you.

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 Father, we pray that the gospel will get deep into our hearts.

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 That we will be rooted and secure in who you are.

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 Knowing that our identity and our hope and our life is found in you.

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 God, we ask for favor in our evangelistic efforts.

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 Help us, God, to share the gospel with our neighbors, with our colleagues, with our families and friends.

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 With clarity and wisdom, making the most of every opportunity.

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 God, we pray that the church of Hong Kong really will become evangelistically strong, God.

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 We pray that your gospel will go out across our city.

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 That people will come to know you by the hundreds and the thousands, God.

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 God, we pray for our city, Lord.

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 We want to ask God for a dramatic move of the gospel.

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 For revival to come to our city.

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 Lord, this city doesn't just need politicians and more economic growth or affordable housing or less pressure in our schools.

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 God, we need you.

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 We need you to rest our hearts and to bring the only true source of lasting hope.

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 We need your Holy Spirit to move and open our eyes and to give us faith and to change our hearts and to forgive our sins.

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 And to make us more like your son, Jesus Christ.

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 And so, God, we pray for our great city.

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 We pray for ourselves.

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 Come, Lord Jesus, come.

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 In your powerful and glorious name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Let's listen to the scripture reading this morning.

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 Thank you, Justin.

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 Justin, number two.

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 The scripture reading comes from Habakkuk, chapter three.

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 Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.

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 A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, according to Shigianoth.

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 O Lord, I have heard the report of you.

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 And your work, O Lord, do I fear.

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 In the midst of the years, revive it.

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 In the midst of the years, make it known.

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 In wrath, remember mercy.

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 God came from Taman and the Holy One from Mount Paran.

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 His splendor covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise.

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 His brightness was like the light.

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 Rays flashed from his hand.

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 And there he veiled his power.

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 Before him went pestilence.

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 And plague followed at his heels.

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 He stood and measured the earth.

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 He looked and shook the nations.

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 Then the eternal mountains were scattered.

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 The everlasting hills sank low.

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 His were the everlasting ways.

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 I saw the tents of Kushan in affliction.

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 The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

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 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?

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 Was your anger against the rivers?

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 Or your indignation against the sea?

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 When you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation?

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 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows.

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 You split the earth with rivers.

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 The mountains saw you and writhed.

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 The raging water swept on.

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 The deep gave forth its voice.

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 It lifted its hands on high.

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 The sun and moon stood still in their place.

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 At the light of your arrows as they sped.

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 At the flash of your glittering spear.

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 You marched through the earth in fury.

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 You threshed the nations in anger.

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 You went out for the salvation of your people.

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 For the salvation of your anointed.

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 You crushed the head of the house of the wicked.

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 Laying him bare from thigh to neck.

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 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors.

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 Who came like a whirlwind to scatter me.

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 Rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.

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 You trample the sea with your horses.

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 The surging of mighty waters.

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 I hear and my body trembles.

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 My lips quiver at the sound.

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 Rottenness enters into my bones.

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 My legs tremble beneath me.

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 Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.

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 Though the fig tree should not blossom.

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 Nor the fruit beyond the vines.

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 The produce of the olive fail.

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 And the fields yield no food.

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 The flock be cut off from the fold.

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 And there be no herd in the stalls.

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 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

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 I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

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 God, the Lord, is my strength.

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 He makes my feet like the deer's.

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 He makes me tread on my high places.

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 To the choir master with stringed instruments.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thank you, Justin.

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 Well, this morning we bring to a close our series on the book of Habakkuk.

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 For the last two weeks we've been looking at this fascinating little book right at the end of the Old Testament.

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 And today we come to a close.

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 And Habakkuk really is this prophet and he's wrestling with all the big questions of life.

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 Where are you, God?

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 Why don't you seem to answer me?

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 Don't you care about what's going on around us?

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 Now, just to recap a little bit, very briefly what's happened so we can get a sense of the flow of the book.

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 In chapter 1 it starts off with Habakkuk and he's very upset because he looks around him in the nation of Israel

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 and he sees violence and wickedness and injustice everywhere.

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 And the nation of Israel doesn't look anything like God's chosen nation.

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 They look just like the nations around them that don't care about God at all.

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 And he says, God, how long is this going to continue?

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 Why are you doing nothing about it?

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 Don't you care about what's happening?

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 And God replies and says, funny you ask.

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 I actually am doing something about it.

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 Except what he's doing is not what Habakkuk wants to hear.

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 Because God's answer is, I'm busy raising up the Babylonians, that country up in the north,

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 and they are going to come and invade you and they are my tools to discipline you,

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 to teach Israel to act justly and to love mercy and to walk with their God.

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 And Habakkuk says, what?

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 You've got to be kidding.

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 How is unrighteous Babylon going to teach us anything about righteousness?

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 How is unjust Babylon going to establish justice in Israel?

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 Israel.

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 And then God responds by urging Habakkuk to trust him.

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 And he says that he has brought Babylon upon Israel for a reason,

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 but their victory will be short-lived.

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 It's just a matter of time before God deals with Babylon's injustice as well.

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 And so that's kind of where we've got to the last two weeks.

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 Now this morning, in our final chapter, we're going to look at three things.

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 We're going to see Habakkuk's great prayer.

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 Secondly, Habakkuk's troubling vision.

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 And thirdly, Habakkuk's remarkable faith.

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 Okay, that's where we're going this morning.

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 So Habakkuk has had this whirlwind experience.

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 At times it feels like God is nowhere.

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 God has abandoned him.

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 God is deaf to his cries.

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 And in the next minute, God comes with such fury and power.

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 And it's like Habakkuk's a bit all over the place.

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 What do I do?

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 God, sometimes you're absent.

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 Sometimes you're here in power.

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 What's going on here?

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 And so what should Habakkuk do?

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 How should he respond?

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 Well, what should we do?

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 How do we respond when we're confronted by the reality that the God of the Bible

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 doesn't fit our neatly packaged ideas of who he is and how he ought to act in the world?

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 When we confront that God blows the banks of how we expect him to act in our world.

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 Well, Habakkuk does the very best thing to do.

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 He gets on his knees and he prays.

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 And so chapter three starts off with this amazing prayer.

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 Now, what's interesting about this prayer is that it's not just a private prayer.

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 I don't know if you remember in chapter two, God tells him, he gives him a vision and he says,

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 Habakkuk, write the vision down.

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 Make it clear.

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 Make it plain so that you can tell others about this vision.

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 Well, God says in a way the same thing.

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 Because what Habakkuk does is he takes this prayer of his and he writes it down in the form of a psalm.

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 And the reason he's doing that is so that followers of Jesus throughout the ages can join in in his psalm, his prayer.

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 That's why I look at the very last sentence of this very fascinating book is the most uninspiring sentence of the whole book.

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 Did you see how it finished?

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 It says this, to the choir master with stringed instruments.

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 What an anticlimactic way to finish this amazing book of the Bible.

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 And the reason is because Habakkuk wants us to join in in this prayer of his.

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 He's inviting us not just to observe his private devotion.

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 Oh, that's interesting.

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 Let's see what Habakkuk did.

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 He's inviting us to join in and to make his prayer our own.

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 Okay.

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 And so let's look at this prayer in chapter three, verse two.

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 He says this,

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 Now, remember, in Habakkuk's day, they weren't living in Hong Kong apartments, right?

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 But what would happen is that families, entire families, would live under one roof.

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 And extended families, aunts and uncles and granddads, they'd all live as one household under one roof.

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 Now, in those days, they didn't have Netflix and Instagram and things like that.

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 And so in the evenings, what would you do?

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 What would you do for entertainment?

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 Well, you would go to granddad and you'd say, granddad, tell us a story.

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 Tell us about the time when, you know, Joshua walked around Jericho and the walls came down.

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 Granddad, tell us about that time when the sun stood still in the sky and Joshua defeated the enemies.

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 Or granddad, tell us about the time when God appeared to Moses in lightning and thunder and fury and power.

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 Or granddad, tell us about the time when God saved his people from Egypt and the waters parted and they walked through on dry ground.

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 And then the waters came back together and overcame their enemies.

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 And so what they would do is they'd jump on granddad's lap and he would tell them story after story of how God had dramatically acted and crushed his enemies and saved his people.

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 Time and time again, the story of the Old Testament.

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 And so Habakkuk now looks at the prospect of Babylon coming to invade his people and take them captive.

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 And he remembers all the stories he's heard growing up.

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 And so he prays.

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 He says, God, I've heard these stories of you.

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 I've heard of how you saved your people there and you delivered your people there.

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 And I've heard the story of how you saved Israel out of Egypt's hands there.

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 What you did in those days, Babylon's coming.

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 Now's a good time to do it again, oh God.

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 Deliver us again.

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 And look at what he says.

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 He says, I've heard the report of you.

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 Your work, oh Lord, do I fear.

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 In other words, there's something about God's deliverance in the world, which is not just cute and soft and cuddy.

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 There's something fearsome about it.

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 I don't know if you've ever read the C.S. Lewis's books, The Chronicles of Narnia.

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 If you haven't read them, you've got to read them.

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 Okay.

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 And they are just outstanding.

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 And in this series, The Chronicles of Narnia, the main character is this lion called Aslan.

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 Okay.

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 And Aslan is lurking in the background.

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 He's not very present in all the books.

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 But in each book, he kind of appears at the end.

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 But his presence is obvious.

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 He's lurking in the background.

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 But Aslan is kind of a picture of Christ.

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 Because at one point in the book, he lays down his life for the sin of another man so that he takes the punishment that this guy deserves.

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 And he dies so that this man can be set free.

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 But he doesn't stay dead.

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 He comes alive again.

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 And he crushes his enemies.

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 And so Aslan is this kind of picture of Christ.

00:15:22.059 --> 00:15:23.919
 And so Aslan is this lion.

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:25.459
 And he's both terrifying.

00:15:25.979 --> 00:15:28.379
 And yet you cannot help to be drawn to him.

00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:30.299
 There's something appealing about him.

00:15:30.359 --> 00:15:31.939
 You just want to be close to him.

00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:34.559
 And yet at the same time, he's rather fearsome.

00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:39.539
 And early on in the stories, there's this character called Mr. Beaver.

00:15:40.079 --> 00:15:45.139
 And Mr. Beaver is telling these children that have stumbled into Narnia about Aslan.

00:15:45.139 --> 00:15:47.279
 And they're talking about the great king, Aslan.

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:50.500
 But he hasn't told them that he's a lion.

00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:54.340
 And so one of the children says, oh, I'd like to meet this Aslan.

00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:55.659
 Where does he live?

00:15:55.939 --> 00:15:57.980
 And, you know, asking about Aslan.

00:15:58.439 --> 00:15:59.819
 And Mr. Beaver says this.

00:16:00.460 --> 00:16:01.419
 He says, Aslan?

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.919
 Aslan's a lion.

00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.759
 He's the great lion.

00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:10.960
 Susan, this child, says, oh, if he's a lion, is he safe?

00:16:11.379 --> 00:16:13.679
 I feel a bit nervous about meeting a lion.

00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:17.059
 Aslan and Mr. Beaver interrupts him and says, safe?

00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.079
 Who said anything about safe?

00:16:19.359 --> 00:16:20.779
 Of course he's not safe.

00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:22.399
 But he is good.

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.419
 He is the king.

00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:32.259
 And if you've read Narnia, you'll see how beautifully C.S. Lewis captures this idea that Aslan is, he's not safe.

00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:33.459
 He's not tame.

00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:38.599
 He's not cute and cuddly and just rescues his people with toilet paper and cotton wool.

00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.159
 He's fearsome and he's terrifying in some ways.

00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:43.959
 But, oh, he's so good.

00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:46.559
 And there's a part of you that's drawn towards him.

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:50.579
 But at the same time, you're a bit fearful of his awesomeness.

00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:53.039
 And that's what is happening with Habakkuk.

00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:55.019
 He says, God, I've heard the stories of you.

00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:57.500
 Your work, O Lord, do I fear.

00:16:57.959 --> 00:17:02.179
 When I hear the stories of how you've saved your people, my palms get a bit sweaty.

00:17:02.659 --> 00:17:04.059
 My heart starts to race.

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:08.919
 And then he says, God, in our years, revive it.

00:17:09.639 --> 00:17:10.500
 Do it again.

00:17:11.179 --> 00:17:12.460
 God, Babylon is coming.

00:17:13.159 --> 00:17:15.240
 And what you did to them, do to us.

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.039
 Save us.

00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:17.319
 Rescue us, O God.

00:17:17.399 --> 00:17:18.220
 In our day.

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:26.000
 And friends, when we read the stories of what God has done in the world, our heart should say something similar.

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.079
 Our prayer should drive us to pray.

00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:33.139
 We should get on our knees and say, God, what you did in their day, do in our day as well.

00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:38.980
 When we read the book of Acts and we see how God dramatically moved and the miracles he did.

00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:40.679
 And the signs and the wonders.

00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:43.319
 And how thousands of people came to Christ.

00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:49.659
 Our prayer, watermark, should be, do it again in our day, O God.

00:17:49.660 --> 00:17:58.460
 And when we read about how Saul, this man that hated God and wanted to crush the church, encounters God and his whole life gets turned around.

00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.259
 God, do it in our day again, we pray.

00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.759
 Make your ways known.

00:18:04.820 --> 00:18:12.779
 But, be warned, in Acts chapter 5, Ananias and Sapphira, they want to play games with God.

00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.500
 And they end up dead.

00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:19.140
 God, in our day, do it again.

00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:21.420
 In other words, you can't choose your miracle.

00:18:21.560 --> 00:18:24.700
 We can't say, God, do these miracles, but not that miracle, right?

00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:27.920
 God, when you're going to come, come in power.

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:34.200
 And friends, when we hear the stories of great revivals, like the revival in the Scottish Hebrides, 1949.

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:38.200
 Or the revival in Pongyang, North Korea, 1907.

00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:43.000
 Or the revival that spread from North Korea to Manchuria, China, 1908.

00:18:43.620 --> 00:18:45.840
 Thousands of people coming to know Christ.

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:50.000
 When you hear those stories, God, do it again in our day.

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:52.799
 God, don't pass Hong Kong by.

00:18:52.899 --> 00:18:57.119
 In our generation, God, come in the move of your spirit, we pray.

00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.899
 In our day, make your ways known.

00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:02.759
 So, Habakkuk prays this amazing prayer.

00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:06.640
 Now, how does God respond to Habakkuk?

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:16.339
 Well, when you read your Bible, we see that sometimes God responds to our prayer with dramatic move of his spirit.

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.420
 Revival comes.

00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:19.660
 And sometimes God does nothing.

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:26.019
 So, in Acts chapter 12, there's this amazing story where Peter is arrested.

00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:27.880
 Remember, Peter's one of Jesus' disciples.

00:19:28.320 --> 00:19:29.080
 He's arrested.

00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:30.040
 He's put in prison.

00:19:30.600 --> 00:19:35.019
 And the day that Herod is about to bring him out of prison to put him on trial,

00:19:35.540 --> 00:19:38.220
 the night before, an angel appears in a cell.

00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:41.000
 His prison chains drop off his hands.

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.960
 This prison door opens.

00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:45.060
 And the angel says, Peter, you free.

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:46.560
 Walk out.

00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:47.700
 Glory.

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:49.500
 God, do it in our day, right?

00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:50.420
 Come on.

00:19:50.840 --> 00:19:52.220
 That's the kind of miracle I like.

00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:56.040
 But why is Peter in prison in the first place?

00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:04.580
 Well, the verse before tells us what happened is that Herod previously had arrested another disciple called James.

00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:05.980
 And he killed him.

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:08.900
 He put James out and he got James killed.

00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:13.100
 And when Herod saw how much this pleased the crowds,

00:20:13.100 --> 00:20:16.680
 that he could earn some political points by killing disciples,

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.940
 he thought, let's do this again.

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:21.160
 And so he then went and arrested Peter.

00:20:21.620 --> 00:20:27.160
 And now Peter's in prison, about to have his head cut off to earn political points for Herod.

00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:29.960
 In other words, here you've got two disciples.

00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:32.620
 One of them, God sets free.

00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:35.320
 Miraculously, an angel comes and opens the prison cell.

00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:37.919
 The other one loses his head.

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:47.159
 In other words, friends, the life of a follower of Jesus is not quite as simple as when you get in trouble,

00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:50.000
 just pray God will suddenly make everything rosy for you.

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:58.160
 As if God is just this genie and we just rub your magic lamp three times and he's going to appear and say, what can I do for you?

00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:02.039
 Sometimes he delivers you from prison miraculously.

00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:04.619
 Sometimes your head gets taken off.

00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:14.319
 And friends, in Watermark, there are going to be times when maybe one of us gets sick, gets diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.

00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:16.740
 And as a church, we're going to pray our guts out.

00:21:16.899 --> 00:21:20.279
 God, what you've done in previous days, we've heard the reports of you.

00:21:20.439 --> 00:21:21.639
 Do it in our day again.

00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:23.379
 God, save your people.

00:21:24.220 --> 00:21:25.599
 And maybe God will do it.

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:29.919
 But friends, there will be other times when some of us maybe get sick.

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:38.159
 And there are going to be times when as a family, we stand beside the grave of one of our family members as we mourn their loss.

00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:42.759
 And you can't, we don't get to dictate to God what happens.

00:21:43.320 --> 00:21:47.000
 There will be times in Hong Kong when Christians face intense persecution.

00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:50.700
 And we pray God's miraculous intervention and deliverance.

00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:55.360
 But there will be times when God's answer won't necessarily be open doors.

00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:58.580
 His answer will be to us what he said to the Apostle Paul.

00:21:59.019 --> 00:22:00.779
 My grace is sufficient for you.

00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:01.960
 Hold on to me.

00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:03.420
 Trust me.

00:22:04.320 --> 00:22:07.920
 And that leads us to our second point, to Habakkuk's troubling vision.

00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:15.380
 Because Habakkuk is facing the prospect that Babylon is on their way, about to annihilate Israel, crush them.

00:22:15.800 --> 00:22:21.180
 And he cries out and says, God, now's a pretty good time to perform one of those miracles.

00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:26.240
 God, won't you come and rout the Babylonians and send them home or do something?

00:22:26.360 --> 00:22:26.759
 I don't know.

00:22:26.820 --> 00:22:29.160
 Send an angel or deliver us again.

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.420
 And how's God going to answer him?

00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:35.920
 Is he going to rout the Babylonian army and destroy them before they even arrive?

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:40.940
 Is he going to send hail blocks from the sky to fall upon them so that Israel is delivered?

00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:45.039
 Well, God answers Habakkuk by giving him a vision.

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:49.500
 And it's a vision or revelation of what God is doing in the world.

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:54.420
 And the whole book has been about Habakkuk saying, God, what are you up to?

00:22:54.860 --> 00:22:58.480
 And now God is going to answer him and show him what he is up to.

00:22:58.560 --> 00:23:01.120
 And so let's look at this vision that God gives him.

00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.459
 Look at how it starts off in verse 3.

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:06.319
 It's a vision of God on the move.

00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:12.279
 And so God says this, God came from Timon, the Holy One from Mount Paran.

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:17.319
 His splendor covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise.

00:23:17.699 --> 00:23:23.359
 Timon and Paran were places where God met with Moses as they left Egypt and coming to the Promised Land.

00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:26.899
 And it's associated with these divine acts of God's power.

00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:30.979
 So he's saying he has this vision of God coming down in power.

00:23:31.679 --> 00:23:32.819
 And look at the next verse.

00:23:32.939 --> 00:23:33.099
 It says,

00:23:33.479 --> 00:23:37.299
 His brightness was like the light, rays flashed from his hands.

00:23:37.719 --> 00:23:40.039
 God's coming in power and in glory.

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:43.359
 Except it's a veiled kind of power.

00:23:43.879 --> 00:23:46.199
 His glory is not in full display.

00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:47.539
 It's hidden somewhat.

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:48.279
 Because it says,

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:52.039
 His brightness was like the light, his rays flashed from his hands.

00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:54.480
 There he veiled his power.

00:23:55.139 --> 00:24:00.119
 So God comes in power, except he doesn't come in the full force of his power.

00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:02.839
 His power is somewhat held back.

00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:06.079
 It's not wild and barbaric like the Babylonians.

00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:07.960
 Look at verse 6.

00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:08.920
 It says,

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:12.000
 Here, Habakkuk sees God pausing.

00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:14.940
 So God is on the move and now he pauses.

00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:17.099
 And he takes stock of the situation.

00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:17.960
 It says,

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:18.899
 He stood still.

00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:20.599
 He measured the earth.

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:23.180
 He looked and he shook the nations.

00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:26.220
 There, the eternal nations were scattered.

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:28.839
 Sorry, the eternal mountains were scattered.

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.519
 So remember in the Bible,

00:24:31.139 --> 00:24:34.460
 mountains is always a picture of something that is immovable.

00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:36.519
 It's rock steadfast.

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:37.440
 It can never move.

00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:39.920
 Armies can come and conquer empires.

00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:42.960
 Foreign forces can overthrow the king.

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:44.940
 But they're never going to overthrow the mountains.

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:47.139
 The mountains are steadfast, immovable.

00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:49.440
 Except when God comes.

00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:50.379
 It says,

00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:52.799
 The eternal mountains were scattered like dust.

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:56.339
 The everlasting hills, well, turns out they're not so everlasting.

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:59.159
 When God comes, they sink low into the ground.

00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:03.220
 His ways, God's ways, are the everlasting ways.

00:25:04.659 --> 00:25:06.639
 So Habakkuk is saying,

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.000
 God, what are you doing?

00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.399
 And God says, let me show you.

00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:13.680
 And he sees this vision of God in the move coming down to earth.

00:25:14.540 --> 00:25:15.500
 Now, quick question.

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.019
 In the Old Testament,

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:20.560
 what is the most dramatic image or picture

00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:22.560
 that the people of God had

00:25:22.560 --> 00:25:25.940
 of his deliverance and his salvation over the enemies?

00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:27.620
 Any idea?

00:25:28.600 --> 00:25:29.900
 It's the Exodus, right?

00:25:30.340 --> 00:25:31.720
 So remember the Exodus,

00:25:32.180 --> 00:25:33.620
 God comes to Moses and he says,

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:35.720
 Moses, I've heard your cries.

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:37.240
 I've seen what's happening.

00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.279
 I've come down to deliver you.

00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:43.339
 And God saves his people by the blood of the lamb.

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:45.500
 Remember, innocent lambs are slaughtered.

00:25:46.100 --> 00:25:48.299
 Israel is covered by the blood of the lamb.

00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:51.160
 God comes and he passes over his people.

00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:54.240
 He saves them and he brings judgment on Israel.

00:25:54.779 --> 00:25:56.400
 And Israel is on Egypt.

00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:56.779
 Sorry.

00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:59.200
 This is confusing.

00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.220
 Let me try to get that right.

00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:02.019
 He saves Israel.

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:05.559
 He brings judgment on the enemies of his people, Egypt.

00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:09.779
 And Israel walks out of Egypt on dry ground

00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:13.000
 and then he closes the waters in on his enemies

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.200
 and he drowns them.

00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:14.559
 Okay?

00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:16.019
 The story of Exodus.

00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:18.980
 In the rest of the vision,

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.299
 the rest of chapter three,

00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:21.819
 look at what happens.

00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:26.339
 Habakkuk sees the Exodus happening all over again.

00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:29.619
 He sees a vision of seas opening and parting,

00:26:29.619 --> 00:26:32.299
 mountains parting and people walking through,

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:35.599
 of horses and chariots and God's people being delivered.

00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:38.039
 And what God is saying to Habakkuk,

00:26:38.439 --> 00:26:39.079
 Habakkuk is saying,

00:26:39.159 --> 00:26:39.959
 God, where are you?

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.039
 What are you doing in the world?

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.019
 And he's saying,

00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:45.000
 Habakkuk, I'm about to bring another Exodus,

00:26:45.459 --> 00:26:46.779
 another type of Exodus.

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:50.239
 I'm going to save my people by the blood of the lamb.

00:26:51.379 --> 00:26:52.159
 And why?

00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:53.139
 For what purpose?

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:54.959
 Well, look at verse 13.

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.019
 He says,

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:58.960
 You went out, O God, for the salvation of your people,

00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:01.359
 for the salvation of your chosen ones.

00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:03.700
 You crushed the head of the house of the wicked.

00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.359
 You laid him bare from thigh to neck.

00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:08.900
 You pierced the wicked with his own arrows.

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:12.799
 With his own arrows, you pierced the head of his warriors.

00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:16.220
 In other words, God is saying he's going to use

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:17.879
 the very weapons of his enemies

00:27:17.879 --> 00:27:21.740
 as his tools to bring about their own downfall.

00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:25.119
 What his enemies expected to be their moment of victory

00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:27.479
 was actually their moment of defeat.

00:27:27.879 --> 00:27:28.419
 You see that?

00:27:28.739 --> 00:27:30.399
 You brought your enemies down

00:27:30.399 --> 00:27:32.619
 with their very own weapons.

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:36.659
 You see, Habakkuk cries out to God.

00:27:36.739 --> 00:27:37.000
 And he says,

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:38.579
 God, I've heard these stories.

00:27:39.159 --> 00:27:40.619
 You delivered Joshua over here.

00:27:40.719 --> 00:27:42.059
 You delivered Moses over there.

00:27:42.379 --> 00:27:44.519
 You delivered your people from Egypt over there

00:27:44.519 --> 00:27:45.539
 and Midian over there.

00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:47.519
 Now we're facing the Babylonians.

00:27:47.899 --> 00:27:50.039
 God, do it again in our day.

00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:53.920
 And God responds by showing Habakkuk a vision

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:55.200
 of what he's doing in the world.

00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:57.539
 Except he's not going to say,

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:59.680
 Habakkuk, this is what I'm doing in your day.

00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.480
 He's zooming out and saying,

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:05.259
 Habakkuk, this is what I'm doing in the whole world

00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:08.180
 of the whole scope of the history of the world.

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:11.639
 I am saving my people, destroying my enemies,

00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:13.379
 and putting my glory on display.

00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:16.500
 Let me see if this makes sense to you.

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.560
 I don't know if you remember

00:28:18.560 --> 00:28:23.240
 when Google Earth first came out.

00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:24.100
 Anyone remember?

00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:26.260
 I remember at school,

00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:29.100
 someone telling me about this thing called Google Earth.

00:28:29.280 --> 00:28:29.880
 Not Google Earth.

00:28:29.940 --> 00:28:30.640
 Google Earth.

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:32.220
 And when it first came out,

00:28:32.280 --> 00:28:33.220
 what did we all do?

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:36.240
 Where was the first place you looked?

00:28:36.760 --> 00:28:37.760
 Your home, right?

00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:39.080
 Okay, I wasn't the only one.

00:28:39.400 --> 00:28:41.580
 So you all go and you find your home, right?

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:44.460
 And you zoom in as much as you can.

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.019
 And then what did we do?

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:47.279
 We zoomed out a little bit.

00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:50.079
 Remember those old mouths with the scrolly thing?

00:28:50.139 --> 00:28:52.179
 We zoomed out and you see your street.

00:28:52.579 --> 00:28:53.859
 And then you zoom out a bit more

00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:55.659
 and you see your neighborhood or your district.

00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:58.480
 You zoom out a bit more and you see Hong Kong, right?

00:28:58.859 --> 00:29:00.599
 And then you zoom out and you see Asia.

00:29:00.939 --> 00:29:02.059
 And eventually you zoom out

00:29:02.059 --> 00:29:04.059
 and you see the whole world, right?

00:29:05.159 --> 00:29:06.799
 That's kind of what God is doing here.

00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:07.919
 Habakkuk is saying,

00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:09.759
 God, in our day, rescue us.

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:10.839
 There's trouble coming.

00:29:11.579 --> 00:29:12.199
 And God is saying,

00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:13.819
 Habakkuk, let me show you a vision

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:15.480
 of what I'm doing in the world.

00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:16.599
 Let me zoom out.

00:29:16.639 --> 00:29:17.699
 And I want to show you

00:29:17.699 --> 00:29:21.179
 the entire scope of the history of the world.

00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:23.099
 What am I doing in the world?

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.220
 I am rescuing my people.

00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:27.319
 I am overthrowing my enemies.

00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:29.099
 And I'm doing all things

00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:32.439
 for the glory and the praise of my name.

00:29:32.899 --> 00:29:35.099
 You see, the real enemy here isn't Babylon.

00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:37.379
 The real enemy is the nature

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.679
 and the character of Babylon

00:29:38.679 --> 00:29:40.259
 in the hearts of God's people.

00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:42.119
 They've become just like Babylon.

00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:44.119
 And God is showing Habakkuk

00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:45.900
 that he's going to rescue his people

00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:47.400
 from that enemy.

00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.960
 And that requires more than just

00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:51.160
 a military exercise.

00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:53.460
 That requires more than just a deliverance

00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:54.759
 from this one army.

00:29:55.099 --> 00:29:57.480
 That requires God doing something

00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:00.140
 majestic in the lives of his people.

00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:02.660
 And so God is showing him

00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:03.500
 that the picture,

00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:04.940
 the entire scope of the world,

00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:06.640
 all history is hurtling

00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:08.600
 towards one climactic

00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:09.880
 and certain end.

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:10.759
 And what is that end?

00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:12.620
 The salvation of his people.

00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:15.600
 The conquest of his enemies

00:30:15.600 --> 00:30:17.160
 and his glory being manifested

00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:17.940
 in all creation.

00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:19.519
 And so look again

00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:20.720
 at verse 13 with me.

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:21.620
 It says,

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:23.019
 You went out for the salvation

00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.799
 of your people,

00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:26.120
 the salvation of your chosen ones.

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.720
 You crushed the head

00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:29.180
 of the house of the wicked,

00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:30.600
 laying him bare

00:30:30.600 --> 00:30:32.180
 from thigh to neck.

00:30:32.180 --> 00:30:33.160
 Verse 3.

00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:34.980
 Your splendor, O God,

00:30:35.120 --> 00:30:36.000
 covered the heavens.

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:38.320
 The earth was full of your praise.

00:30:38.779 --> 00:30:40.039
 For the earth will be filled

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:41.259
 with the glory of the Lord

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:44.019
 as the waters covers the sea.

00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:45.740
 Now friends,

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.480
 if that's the way

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.580
 that the story ends

00:30:47.580 --> 00:30:49.019
 with God securing salvation

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:49.720
 for his people,

00:30:50.320 --> 00:30:51.360
 destruction for his enemies

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:52.039
 and his glory

00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:52.940
 over all the earth,

00:30:53.340 --> 00:30:54.340
 what does that mean

00:30:54.340 --> 00:30:55.380
 for our lives today?

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:57.080
 In other words,

00:30:57.779 --> 00:30:58.660
 what does it mean

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.720
 when things go wrong?

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:01.060
 What does it mean

00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:02.419
 when trouble comes our way,

00:31:02.519 --> 00:31:03.899
 when persecution comes,

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:05.200
 when the unrighteous

00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.019
 seem to flourish

00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.839
 and wickedness

00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:08.019
 seems to prosper?

00:31:09.099 --> 00:31:09.539
 Friends,

00:31:09.579 --> 00:31:10.139
 what do we do

00:31:10.139 --> 00:31:11.319
 when you go to work

00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:12.599
 and the very person

00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:13.779
 that is unethical,

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.659
 taking shortcuts

00:31:15.659 --> 00:31:18.460
 and is making dodgy deals,

00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:19.859
 they get promoted

00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:21.139
 and you get retrenched?

00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:22.759
 How do we respond?

00:31:23.819 --> 00:31:24.119
 Friends,

00:31:24.179 --> 00:31:25.200
 how do we respond

00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.240
 when someone

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:28.079
 who makes your life

00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.699
 a misery

00:31:28.699 --> 00:31:31.299
 and is making

00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:32.139
 your life difficult,

00:31:32.639 --> 00:31:34.059
 one of their loved ones,

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.079
 let's just say

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:36.119
 gets sick with cancer

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.699
 or something

00:31:36.699 --> 00:31:38.000
 and gets healed,

00:31:38.539 --> 00:31:39.619
 goes into remission

00:31:39.619 --> 00:31:41.259
 and your loved one

00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.879
 gets sick

00:31:41.879 --> 00:31:43.079
 and you watch them

00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:43.679
 get weaker

00:31:43.679 --> 00:31:44.619
 and weaker

00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:45.539
 and weaker

00:31:45.539 --> 00:31:46.720
 until eventually

00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:47.579
 they pass away.

00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:49.259
 Where's the justice

00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:49.759
 in that?

00:31:50.419 --> 00:31:50.720
 God,

00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:51.439
 if this is where

00:31:51.439 --> 00:31:52.299
 the whole world

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:52.779
 is ending,

00:31:53.139 --> 00:31:54.119
 how does that help me

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:54.720
 today

00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:56.379
 when wickedness flourishes,

00:31:56.380 --> 00:31:57.240
 when things aren't

00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:57.900
 going my way

00:31:57.900 --> 00:31:59.280
 and I don't understand

00:31:59.280 --> 00:32:00.480
 what you're doing

00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:01.080
 in the world?

00:32:02.080 --> 00:32:03.320
 While we see a picture

00:32:03.320 --> 00:32:04.100
 of how the gospel

00:32:04.100 --> 00:32:04.900
 has cosmic

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:06.420
 and eternal ramifications,

00:32:06.760 --> 00:32:07.520
 what do we do

00:32:07.520 --> 00:32:08.300
 in the here and now

00:32:08.300 --> 00:32:08.740
 in the midst

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:10.080
 of the messiness of life,

00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:11.120
 in the tears

00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:11.940
 and the difficulties

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:13.140
 of a broken world?

00:32:14.060 --> 00:32:15.080
 Well, that brings us

00:32:15.080 --> 00:32:15.600
 to our third

00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:16.460
 and final point,

00:32:17.060 --> 00:32:18.720
 Habakkuk's remarkable faith

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.900
 because look at

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.440
 what he says

00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:21.860
 in verse 17.

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:24.480
 In verse 17,

00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:25.360
 Habakkuk gives us

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.779
 the most astounding picture

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.959
 of what it looks like

00:32:27.959 --> 00:32:28.679
 when God said

00:32:28.679 --> 00:32:29.479
 in chapter 2,

00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.619
 the righteous

00:32:30.619 --> 00:32:32.279
 will live by faith.

00:32:33.379 --> 00:32:34.419
 This is what Habakkuk,

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.279
 this is what happens

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:36.000
 when Habakkuk gets

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:36.659
 a revelation

00:32:36.659 --> 00:32:38.579
 of the cosmic story

00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:39.119
 of God,

00:32:39.199 --> 00:32:40.259
 the bigness of God

00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:41.179
 and where he's going

00:32:41.179 --> 00:32:42.279
 in the world.

00:32:43.719 --> 00:32:44.299
 Now remember,

00:32:44.579 --> 00:32:45.719
 just before we read this,

00:32:46.179 --> 00:32:47.299
 in ancient times,

00:32:47.659 --> 00:32:48.459
 your crops,

00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:48.919
 okay,

00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:49.919
 so your harvest,

00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:51.179
 was a picture

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:52.219
 of God's favor

00:32:52.219 --> 00:32:52.759
 and blessing

00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:53.319
 on your life.

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.559
 So everybody knew

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.240
 in the Old Testament,

00:32:55.419 --> 00:32:56.179
 it's God who brings

00:32:56.179 --> 00:32:56.639
 the rain,

00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.679
 it's God who brings

00:32:57.679 --> 00:32:58.179
 the sunshine,

00:32:58.599 --> 00:32:59.419
 it's God that makes

00:32:59.419 --> 00:33:00.220
 the crops grow.

00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.759
 So crops is a picture

00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:02.519
 of God's favor

00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:03.039
 in your life.

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.319
 And cattle

00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:05.119
 and animals

00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:05.779
 and livestock

00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:06.519
 is a picture

00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:07.359
 of economic

00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:08.899
 and financial prosperity.

00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:09.599
 Okay?

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:11.220
 Look at what Habakkuk

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:11.759
 prays.

00:33:12.679 --> 00:33:12.960
 It says,

00:33:13.059 --> 00:33:14.039
 though the fig tree

00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:15.240
 should not blossom,

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:17.279
 though the fruit,

00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:18.919
 nor there be any fruit

00:33:18.919 --> 00:33:19.720
 on the vines,

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.799
 though the harvest,

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.759
 the produce

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.619
 of the olive tree

00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:25.680
 fail,

00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:27.839
 and though my harvest

00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:29.379
 yields no food.

00:33:30.159 --> 00:33:30.559
 So God,

00:33:30.619 --> 00:33:31.839
 even if my harvest

00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:33.240
 absolutely fails

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:34.039
 and I get nothing

00:33:34.039 --> 00:33:34.579
 from it,

00:33:35.579 --> 00:33:37.220
 in addition to that,

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.759
 even if the flocks

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.339
 are cut off

00:33:39.339 --> 00:33:39.899
 from the fold,

00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:40.579
 if some enemy

00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:41.480
 comes and wipes

00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:42.919
 out all my crops,

00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:43.859
 my flocks,

00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:44.899
 and if there are

00:33:44.899 --> 00:33:45.559
 no animals

00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:46.200
 in the store,

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:47.799
 so he's saying,

00:33:48.440 --> 00:33:48.799
 God,

00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.480
 essentially,

00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:50.879
 if every good thing

00:33:50.879 --> 00:33:51.480
 in my life

00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:52.500
 falls apart,

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:54.139
 if everything good

00:33:54.139 --> 00:33:55.079
 is taken from me

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:55.619
 and I'm brought

00:33:55.619 --> 00:33:56.579
 to utter ruin,

00:33:57.000 --> 00:33:57.720
 if my kids

00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:58.659
 flunk out of school,

00:33:59.119 --> 00:33:59.879
 if my business

00:33:59.879 --> 00:34:00.539
 goes down,

00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:01.839
 my loved ones

00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:02.440
 get sick,

00:34:02.879 --> 00:34:03.740
 my life savings

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:04.859
 is taken from me,

00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:06.779
 now look what he says,

00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:07.759
 God,

00:34:07.879 --> 00:34:09.059
 even if everything

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:10.259
 goes wrong with me

00:34:10.259 --> 00:34:11.779
 and everything I have

00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:12.739
 is taken from me,

00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:14.579
 I guess I better

00:34:14.579 --> 00:34:15.559
 do the right thing

00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:16.619
 and still serve you.

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.679
 Is that what he says?

00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:19.860
 God,

00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:20.539
 if everything

00:34:20.539 --> 00:34:21.560
 is taken from me,

00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:22.840
 I guess I better

00:34:22.840 --> 00:34:23.480
 just shut up

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:24.700
 and not ask any questions

00:34:24.700 --> 00:34:25.460
 because that's what

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.640
 a faithful Christian does.

00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:28.980
 No.

00:34:30.300 --> 00:34:30.740
 Habakkuk,

00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.580
 because he's seen

00:34:31.580 --> 00:34:32.420
 a picture of the

00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.740
 greatness and the glory

00:34:33.740 --> 00:34:34.720
 and the majesty

00:34:34.720 --> 00:34:35.240
 of God,

00:34:35.300 --> 00:34:35.620
 he says,

00:34:35.740 --> 00:34:35.960
 God,

00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:36.780
 even if everything

00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:38.080
 goes wrong in my life,

00:34:38.620 --> 00:34:40.660
 yet I will rejoice

00:34:40.660 --> 00:34:41.460
 in you.

00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:43.420
 I will find joy

00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:44.519
 in the God

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.460
 of my salvation.

00:34:46.180 --> 00:34:47.160
 And the reason why?

00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:49.159
 Not because it's a duty,

00:34:49.719 --> 00:34:50.679
 not because that's

00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:51.779
 what's expected of me,

00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:53.099
 but because the

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:55.079
 sovereign Lord God

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.319
 is my strength.

00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.420
 Friends,

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:58.139
 Habakkuk has been

00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:59.119
 brought to the place

00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:00.719
 where his hope

00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:01.500
 for the future

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:02.779
 and his joy

00:35:02.779 --> 00:35:03.619
 in the present

00:35:03.619 --> 00:35:04.940
 is not found

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.879
 in the circumstances

00:35:05.879 --> 00:35:06.819
 of his life,

00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:08.379
 but found simply

00:35:08.379 --> 00:35:10.059
 in who God is.

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:11.539
 And so look

00:35:11.539 --> 00:35:12.019
 what he says

00:35:12.019 --> 00:35:12.839
 in verse 19.

00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:14.140
 Because the

00:35:14.140 --> 00:35:14.740
 sovereign Lord

00:35:14.740 --> 00:35:15.579
 is my strength,

00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:17.000
 he makes my feet

00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:17.940
 like the deer.

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.460
 He makes me tread

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:20.780
 on high places.

00:35:21.600 --> 00:35:21.960
 I don't know

00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:22.680
 if you've ever seen

00:35:22.680 --> 00:35:23.700
 a picture,

00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:24.500
 I've got one,

00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:25.039
 two pictures,

00:35:25.160 --> 00:35:26.640
 of those mountain goats,

00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:27.120
 right?

00:35:27.640 --> 00:35:29.260
 These incredible animals

00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:30.559
 that can somehow,

00:35:30.680 --> 00:35:31.440
 I think we've got a picture,

00:35:31.720 --> 00:35:32.820
 I don't know if you can see that,

00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:34.079
 these animals

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:35.160
 that can somehow

00:35:35.160 --> 00:35:35.980
 balance

00:35:35.980 --> 00:35:37.320
 in the most

00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:39.280
 precarious situation.

00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:40.860
 When it's like 80 degrees,

00:35:41.040 --> 00:35:41.720
 they can somehow

00:35:41.720 --> 00:35:42.280
 balance

00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:42.880
 and still

00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:43.920
 find food

00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:45.080
 on these mountain terrains,

00:35:45.160 --> 00:35:45.380
 right?

00:35:45.860 --> 00:35:46.760
 These animals

00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.940
 that their feet

00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:49.360
 are so nimble

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:50.340
 and so

00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.960
 perfectly

00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:53.080
 light

00:35:53.080 --> 00:35:54.420
 that they can

00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:55.300
 hold themselves up

00:35:55.300 --> 00:35:56.180
 even in the most

00:35:56.180 --> 00:35:57.840
 outrageous situations.

00:35:59.040 --> 00:36:00.320
 It's the very opposite

00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:01.640
 of being weighed down.

00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:02.540
 Friends,

00:36:02.600 --> 00:36:03.260
 when you and I

00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:04.040
 are stressed,

00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:05.440
 what do we do?

00:36:06.080 --> 00:36:07.400
 When things go wrong,

00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:08.280
 how do we feel?

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:09.260
 How do most of us

00:36:09.260 --> 00:36:10.019
 Hong Kongers

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:11.260
 feel most of the time?

00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:13.019
 We feel like the weight

00:36:13.019 --> 00:36:13.660
 of the world

00:36:13.660 --> 00:36:14.519
 is on our shoulders,

00:36:14.660 --> 00:36:14.900
 right?

00:36:15.600 --> 00:36:16.660
 Sometimes I feel like

00:36:16.660 --> 00:36:17.420
 my feet are like

00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.240
 elephants' feet,

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:19.560
 not deer's feet.

00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:21.100
 But Habakkuk here,

00:36:21.160 --> 00:36:21.620
 he says,

00:36:22.120 --> 00:36:22.380
 God,

00:36:22.460 --> 00:36:23.440
 when I've got a revelation

00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:24.120
 of who you are,

00:36:24.180 --> 00:36:24.760
 when I've seen,

00:36:24.860 --> 00:36:25.560
 because I've seen

00:36:25.560 --> 00:36:27.820
 your cosmic gospel story,

00:36:28.200 --> 00:36:29.160
 how you are working

00:36:29.160 --> 00:36:30.260
 all things together

00:36:30.260 --> 00:36:31.860
 to save your people,

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.080
 to crush your enemies,

00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:34.180
 and to put your glory

00:36:34.180 --> 00:36:34.740
 on display,

00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:36.540
 when I see that,

00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:37.920
 it's like the weight

00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:38.539
 of the world

00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:39.340
 is taken off

00:36:39.340 --> 00:36:40.099
 of my shoulders.

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:42.219
 You make my feet

00:36:42.219 --> 00:36:43.480
 light like a deer.

00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:44.820
 You make me skip

00:36:44.820 --> 00:36:45.779
 on high places

00:36:45.779 --> 00:36:46.860
 like there's not

00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:48.639
 a care in the world.

00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:49.960
 And why is that?

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:51.320
 Because he's seen

00:36:51.320 --> 00:36:52.019
 God's greatness

00:36:52.019 --> 00:36:52.940
 and he's seen

00:36:52.940 --> 00:36:53.659
 God's goodness.

00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:55.559
 Because the sovereign Lord

00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.179
 is in charge

00:36:56.179 --> 00:36:56.860
 of all history

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:58.279
 and it all ends

00:36:58.279 --> 00:36:58.960
 with the salvation

00:36:58.960 --> 00:36:59.639
 of his people,

00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:00.599
 the destruction

00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:01.239
 of his enemies,

00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:02.639
 and the glory of God

00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:03.480
 covering the earth

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.119
 like the waters

00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:04.860
 cover the sea.

00:37:04.860 --> 00:37:07.140
 Now,

00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:09.599
 as we come to a close,

00:37:10.140 --> 00:37:11.019
 I want us to ask

00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:11.620
 this question.

00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:13.000
 Where do we get

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:13.980
 this kind of faith from?

00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:16.079
 Where do we get

00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:16.980
 this kind of faith?

00:37:18.220 --> 00:37:18.660
 You see,

00:37:19.240 --> 00:37:20.120
 throughout the Bible,

00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:21.099
 God tells us

00:37:21.099 --> 00:37:21.900
 again and again

00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:22.500
 that it's not

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.640
 the most dedicated

00:37:23.640 --> 00:37:24.480
 that are the people

00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:24.880
 of God.

00:37:25.200 --> 00:37:26.760
 It's not the most moral

00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:27.860
 or the most upright.

00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:29.039
 It's certainly

00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:30.160
 not the most religious

00:37:30.160 --> 00:37:30.860
 that are part

00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:31.860
 of the people of God.

00:37:32.620 --> 00:37:33.920
 It's simply those

00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:34.680
 that are of faith.

00:37:35.320 --> 00:37:36.260
 So where do we find

00:37:36.260 --> 00:37:36.980
 this kind of faith?

00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:37.680
 How do we get

00:37:37.680 --> 00:37:39.180
 the place like Habakkuk

00:37:39.180 --> 00:37:39.940
 where we can say,

00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:41.220
 though the whole world

00:37:41.220 --> 00:37:42.240
 were to fall apart,

00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:43.380
 God, I will still

00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:44.300
 trust you.

00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:45.039
 I will still

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.640
 delight in you.

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:48.640
 God gave Habakkuk

00:37:48.640 --> 00:37:49.400
 this vision,

00:37:49.780 --> 00:37:50.720
 but what are we

00:37:50.720 --> 00:37:51.240
 going to do?

00:37:51.680 --> 00:37:52.660
 How are you and I

00:37:52.660 --> 00:37:53.700
 going to get this faith?

00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:55.400
 Well, friends,

00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:56.300
 the answer is

00:37:56.300 --> 00:37:57.820
 that God has given us

00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:59.260
 even more than a vision.

00:37:59.740 --> 00:38:00.559
 He's given us

00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:01.240
 a picture,

00:38:01.680 --> 00:38:02.720
 except it's a far

00:38:02.720 --> 00:38:03.440
 more clear

00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.500
 and vivid picture,

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.000
 and it's a picture

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:07.240
 of himself,

00:38:07.900 --> 00:38:09.559
 because in Jesus Christ,

00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:11.420
 God came down,

00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:13.480
 and he came in glory,

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:15.019
 but it was a veiled glory.

00:38:15.099 --> 00:38:16.200
 It was a hidden glory.

00:38:16.539 --> 00:38:17.380
 It was a glory

00:38:17.380 --> 00:38:18.980
 obscured in his humanity.

00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:20.000
 Friends,

00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:20.679
 don't you see

00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:24.059
 how God gave Habakkuk

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:24.519
 a vision?

00:38:24.619 --> 00:38:25.099
 It is a vision

00:38:25.099 --> 00:38:25.820
 of how God

00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:27.159
 comes down in glory,

00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:28.300
 but it's a veiled glory.

00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:29.099
 It's a hidden glory.

00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:30.079
 He comes,

00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:31.519
 and he overthrows

00:38:31.519 --> 00:38:32.039
 his enemies,

00:38:32.299 --> 00:38:33.099
 and he says

00:38:33.099 --> 00:38:34.279
 in chapter 16

00:38:34.279 --> 00:38:35.139
 how you,

00:38:35.340 --> 00:38:35.519
 God,

00:38:35.719 --> 00:38:36.739
 destroy your enemies

00:38:36.739 --> 00:38:38.159
 with their own weapons.

00:38:38.679 --> 00:38:39.420
 The very things

00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:40.079
 that the enemies

00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:41.119
 thought were

00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:42.279
 their moment of victory

00:38:42.279 --> 00:38:42.880
 is actually

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:43.880
 their moment of defeat.

00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:45.099
 Well, friends,

00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:46.719
 God came down to us

00:38:46.719 --> 00:38:47.319
 in the person

00:38:47.319 --> 00:38:48.279
 of Jesus Christ.

00:38:48.819 --> 00:38:49.659
 He came down

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:50.619
 in his glory,

00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:51.840
 except it was a veiled

00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.719
 and hidden glory.

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:53.960
 It was obscured

00:38:53.960 --> 00:38:54.860
 by his humanity,

00:38:55.699 --> 00:38:57.059
 and there upon the cross,

00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:59.559
 Jesus took the very means

00:38:59.559 --> 00:39:00.460
 by which Satan

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:02.320
 and the whole host of hell

00:39:02.320 --> 00:39:03.579
 thought they had

00:39:03.579 --> 00:39:05.219
 achieved their victory,

00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:07.320
 and he turned it against them

00:39:07.320 --> 00:39:09.000
 as their moment of defeat.

00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:10.380
 On the cross,

00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:11.559
 by dying on the cross,

00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.860
 Jesus made an end

00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:14.079
 to death forever.

00:39:14.619 --> 00:39:16.139
 By going to the grave,

00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.500
 Jesus silenced

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:19.119
 the mockery of the grave.

00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:20.320
 By absorbing

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:21.659
 the judgment of God,

00:39:22.059 --> 00:39:22.980
 Jesus ended

00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:24.079
 all our judgment.

00:39:24.579 --> 00:39:25.679
 By Jesus taking

00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:26.980
 our sin upon himself,

00:39:27.319 --> 00:39:28.619
 he dealt the death blow

00:39:28.619 --> 00:39:30.119
 to sin forever.

00:39:30.940 --> 00:39:31.339
 Friends,

00:39:31.419 --> 00:39:32.059
 on the cross,

00:39:32.259 --> 00:39:33.299
 Jesus Christ

00:39:33.299 --> 00:39:34.139
 was once again

00:39:34.139 --> 00:39:35.259
 rescuing his people

00:39:35.259 --> 00:39:36.279
 from the domain

00:39:36.279 --> 00:39:36.859
 of darkness,

00:39:37.239 --> 00:39:38.379
 and how did he do it?

00:39:38.819 --> 00:39:39.679
 By the blood

00:39:39.679 --> 00:39:41.000
 of the Lamb.

00:39:41.779 --> 00:39:42.759
 Sometimes we may be

00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:44.059
 tempted to put our faith

00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:45.259
 in our great faith,

00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:46.299
 our confidence

00:39:46.299 --> 00:39:46.980
 for the future,

00:39:47.079 --> 00:39:47.719
 and our ability

00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:48.899
 to hold on to God.

00:39:49.419 --> 00:39:49.879
 But friends,

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:50.980
 what God is telling us

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:51.619
 to do here

00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:53.259
 is to look to the man

00:39:53.259 --> 00:39:54.859
 upon the cross,

00:39:54.860 --> 00:39:56.620
 to look to Christ,

00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:58.079
 to look to Calvary,

00:39:58.300 --> 00:39:59.039
 and what Jesus

00:39:59.039 --> 00:39:59.820
 accomplished there.

00:40:00.160 --> 00:40:01.280
 Because in many ways,

00:40:01.400 --> 00:40:02.300
 Habakkuk's vision

00:40:02.300 --> 00:40:04.480
 is just a black and white image.

00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:05.400
 It's a shadow

00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:07.019
 of the true picture

00:40:07.019 --> 00:40:07.760
 that is found

00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:08.860
 in Christ.

00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:10.380
 God gave Habakkuk

00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:10.860
 a vision.

00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:11.760
 Friends,

00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:12.700
 he gave you and I

00:40:12.700 --> 00:40:13.599
 the real person.

00:40:14.099 --> 00:40:14.840
 He gave us

00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:15.640
 Christ,

00:40:15.800 --> 00:40:16.059
 God,

00:40:16.120 --> 00:40:16.940
 in human form.

00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.940
 In the book of Hebrews,

00:40:19.940 --> 00:40:23.059
 the writer of Hebrews

00:40:23.059 --> 00:40:25.260
 is urging his people,

00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:26.760
 the recipients,

00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:28.159
 to live a life of faith.

00:40:28.860 --> 00:40:29.960
 And he quotes Habakkuk

00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:30.579
 chapter 2

00:40:30.579 --> 00:40:31.179
 where he says,

00:40:31.300 --> 00:40:31.760
 the righteous

00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:33.840
 will live by faith.

00:40:34.679 --> 00:40:35.740
 And then he goes on

00:40:35.740 --> 00:40:37.619
 and he gives this long list

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:39.380
 of all these great men

00:40:39.380 --> 00:40:39.800
 and women

00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:40.840
 in the Old Testament

00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:42.360
 that lived these lives

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:43.460
 of remarkable faith.

00:40:43.619 --> 00:40:44.039
 Abraham,

00:40:44.559 --> 00:40:45.260
 and Moses,

00:40:45.820 --> 00:40:46.519
 and David,

00:40:47.099 --> 00:40:47.940
 and Samson.

00:40:47.940 --> 00:40:48.619
 Samson.

00:40:49.139 --> 00:40:50.340
 And he's urging

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:51.019
 the followers,

00:40:51.480 --> 00:40:52.559
 his recipients,

00:40:53.159 --> 00:40:53.840
 to become men

00:40:53.840 --> 00:40:54.579
 and women of faith

00:40:54.579 --> 00:40:56.099
 like these great men

00:40:56.099 --> 00:40:57.320
 and women of faith.

00:40:57.380 --> 00:40:58.460
 And he's urging us likewise

00:40:58.460 --> 00:40:59.599
 to be men and women

00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:00.400
 of faith as well.

00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:01.320
 And so,

00:41:01.659 --> 00:41:02.539
 the writer to Hebrews

00:41:02.539 --> 00:41:02.960
 says,

00:41:03.420 --> 00:41:03.740
 friends,

00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:05.380
 it's not by morality,

00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:06.400
 it's not by religion,

00:41:06.539 --> 00:41:07.320
 it's by faith

00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:08.059
 that you obtain

00:41:08.059 --> 00:41:09.179
 the promises of God.

00:41:09.900 --> 00:41:11.179
 And then he gives

00:41:11.179 --> 00:41:12.780
 these biographical accounts.

00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:14.639
 And then at the end

00:41:14.639 --> 00:41:15.280
 of that section,

00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:16.480
 he changes track

00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:17.400
 and he says this.

00:41:17.940 --> 00:41:18.480
 He says,

00:41:18.619 --> 00:41:18.980
 therefore,

00:41:19.179 --> 00:41:20.019
 brothers and sisters,

00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:22.079
 because we are surrounded

00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:24.320
 by such a great cloud,

00:41:24.420 --> 00:41:26.099
 a host of witnesses,

00:41:26.300 --> 00:41:27.240
 of other men and women

00:41:27.240 --> 00:41:28.380
 that have gone before us

00:41:28.380 --> 00:41:29.659
 and lived by faith,

00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:31.780
 let us also put aside

00:41:31.780 --> 00:41:33.700
 everything that entangles us

00:41:33.700 --> 00:41:35.000
 and hinders us

00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.360
 from Christ

00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:37.340
 and weighs us down.

00:41:37.780 --> 00:41:38.860
 And let us run

00:41:38.860 --> 00:41:39.700
 with endurance

00:41:39.700 --> 00:41:41.220
 the race of faith

00:41:41.220 --> 00:41:42.639
 that is before us.

00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:44.440
 Looking to who?

00:41:45.240 --> 00:41:46.500
 Looking to these great men

00:41:46.500 --> 00:41:47.300
 and women of faith?

00:41:47.820 --> 00:41:48.880
 Looking to Moses?

00:41:49.659 --> 00:41:50.599
 Looking to Abraham?

00:41:51.219 --> 00:41:52.400
 Looking to Habakkuk?

00:41:53.079 --> 00:41:53.480
 No.

00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:55.300
 Looking to Jesus,

00:41:55.820 --> 00:41:56.659
 the founder

00:41:56.659 --> 00:41:58.099
 and the perfecter

00:41:58.099 --> 00:41:59.400
 and the substance

00:41:59.400 --> 00:42:00.539
 of your faith.

00:42:01.059 --> 00:42:01.900
 Looking to Jesus,

00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:02.800
 the one who started

00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:03.400
 your faith

00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:04.340
 and the one who will

00:42:04.340 --> 00:42:05.199
 bring it to an end.

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:07.400
 The one who started you off

00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:08.239
 in the Christian life

00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:09.059
 and the one who will

00:42:09.059 --> 00:42:09.960
 get you to the end.

00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.960
 The one who created

00:42:11.579 --> 00:42:12.099
 the world

00:42:12.099 --> 00:42:13.019
 and the one who will

00:42:13.019 --> 00:42:13.940
 be there at the end

00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:15.099
 vanquishing his enemies.

00:42:15.639 --> 00:42:16.759
 Looking to Jesus,

00:42:16.920 --> 00:42:17.460
 the founder

00:42:17.460 --> 00:42:18.579
 and the perfecter

00:42:18.579 --> 00:42:19.239
 of our faith,

00:42:19.980 --> 00:42:20.739
 who for the joy

00:42:20.739 --> 00:42:21.920
 that was before him

00:42:21.920 --> 00:42:23.659
 endured the cross,

00:42:24.259 --> 00:42:25.360
 despising its shame

00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:26.880
 and is now seated

00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:27.779
 at the right hand

00:42:27.779 --> 00:42:29.019
 of the throne

00:42:29.019 --> 00:42:30.279
 of God.

00:42:31.539 --> 00:42:32.159
 Friends,

00:42:32.339 --> 00:42:33.299
 the life of a Christian

00:42:33.299 --> 00:42:34.239
 really is

00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:35.259
 the life of faith.

00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:36.519
 The righteous

00:42:36.519 --> 00:42:38.039
 will live by faith.

00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:39.420
 But this faith

00:42:39.420 --> 00:42:40.119
 is not merely

00:42:40.119 --> 00:42:41.480
 intellectual assent

00:42:41.480 --> 00:42:42.380
 to the facts

00:42:42.380 --> 00:42:42.980
 of the Bible.

00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.460
 It's not intellectually

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.619
 agreeing to the facts

00:42:45.619 --> 00:42:46.200
 of history

00:42:46.200 --> 00:42:47.360
 or what the Bible says.

00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:48.340
 Rather,

00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:50.099
 it is a joyful trusting,

00:42:50.700 --> 00:42:51.599
 a hoping in,

00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:52.820
 a delighting

00:42:52.820 --> 00:42:53.639
 in God

00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:54.260
 in the midst

00:42:54.260 --> 00:42:54.960
 of trials

00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:55.780
 and tragedy.

00:42:56.440 --> 00:42:57.360
 And where do we find

00:42:57.360 --> 00:42:58.180
 that kind of faith?

00:42:58.920 --> 00:43:00.380
 We look to Jesus.

00:43:01.079 --> 00:43:02.720
 We look to the cross.

00:43:03.260 --> 00:43:04.200
 We look to the one

00:43:04.200 --> 00:43:05.019
 who is the bedrock

00:43:05.019 --> 00:43:05.619
 and the substance

00:43:05.619 --> 00:43:06.340
 of our faith.

00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:07.680
 We look to the one

00:43:07.680 --> 00:43:08.460
 who was stripped

00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:09.500
 of everything.

00:43:10.220 --> 00:43:10.480
 You see,

00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:11.380
 Habakkuk prays

00:43:11.380 --> 00:43:11.740
 and he says,

00:43:11.860 --> 00:43:12.559
 hypothetically,

00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:13.760
 if my crops

00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:14.420
 were to fail,

00:43:14.740 --> 00:43:15.659
 if the animals

00:43:15.659 --> 00:43:16.380
 all die,

00:43:16.780 --> 00:43:17.980
 hypothetically speaking,

00:43:18.480 --> 00:43:18.800
 God,

00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:19.340
 I will still

00:43:19.340 --> 00:43:20.220
 take joy in you.

00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:21.000
 Friends,

00:43:21.059 --> 00:43:21.480
 for Jesus

00:43:21.480 --> 00:43:22.500
 wasn't hypothetical.

00:43:23.420 --> 00:43:24.139
 Jesus Christ

00:43:24.139 --> 00:43:24.780
 was stripped

00:43:24.780 --> 00:43:25.340
 of everything.

00:43:25.880 --> 00:43:26.320
 He was stripped

00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:27.119
 of his dignity

00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:28.179
 and his honor

00:43:28.179 --> 00:43:29.320
 as he was nailed

00:43:29.320 --> 00:43:30.039
 to the cross.

00:43:30.579 --> 00:43:31.300
 He was stripped

00:43:31.300 --> 00:43:32.280
 of his friends

00:43:32.280 --> 00:43:33.820
 as he's betrayed

00:43:33.820 --> 00:43:34.699
 and denied

00:43:34.699 --> 00:43:36.079
 them ever knowing him.

00:43:36.460 --> 00:43:37.699
 He's stripped

00:43:37.699 --> 00:43:38.439
 of his life

00:43:38.439 --> 00:43:39.059
 as he's hung

00:43:39.059 --> 00:43:39.819
 onto the cross

00:43:39.819 --> 00:43:40.960
 and ultimately

00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:41.579
 he's stripped

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:43.059
 even of his father's favor

00:43:43.059 --> 00:43:43.879
 as his father

00:43:43.879 --> 00:43:44.939
 turns his back

00:43:44.939 --> 00:43:45.319
 on him

00:43:45.319 --> 00:43:46.679
 and pours out

00:43:46.679 --> 00:43:47.139
 his wrath

00:43:47.139 --> 00:43:47.480
 on him

00:43:47.480 --> 00:43:48.519
 on the cross.

00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:49.419
 Friends,

00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:50.279
 that's where we look.

00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:51.539
 We look to Jesus.

00:43:52.500 --> 00:43:52.739
 Friends,

00:43:52.799 --> 00:43:53.419
 in this lifetime

00:43:53.419 --> 00:43:54.439
 we will have trouble.

00:43:55.219 --> 00:43:55.980
 In this lifetime

00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:57.099
 we will experience

00:43:57.099 --> 00:43:57.659
 horror

00:43:57.659 --> 00:43:58.919
 and calamity

00:43:58.919 --> 00:43:59.559
 and difficulty.

00:44:00.559 --> 00:44:00.899
 And friends,

00:44:00.980 --> 00:44:01.939
 in this room today

00:44:01.939 --> 00:44:03.299
 there are some of us

00:44:03.299 --> 00:44:04.119
 that have experienced

00:44:04.119 --> 00:44:06.019
 unprecedented grief.

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:07.759
 grief that I will

00:44:07.759 --> 00:44:10.380
 never even know about.

00:44:11.699 --> 00:44:12.139
 Friends,

00:44:12.179 --> 00:44:12.659
 what do we do

00:44:12.659 --> 00:44:13.039
 in the midst

00:44:13.039 --> 00:44:13.719
 of those times?

00:44:14.719 --> 00:44:15.400
 Many of us

00:44:15.400 --> 00:44:16.320
 will be stripped bare.

00:44:16.739 --> 00:44:17.579
 We'll come to the end

00:44:17.579 --> 00:44:18.019
 of ourselves.

00:44:18.159 --> 00:44:18.820
 We'll have nothing

00:44:18.820 --> 00:44:19.619
 to cling on to.

00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:21.219
 And in that place

00:44:21.219 --> 00:44:21.920
 we'll find

00:44:21.920 --> 00:44:22.639
 that Christ

00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:23.699
 is holding on to us

00:44:23.699 --> 00:44:24.179
 far more

00:44:24.179 --> 00:44:24.780
 than we could ever

00:44:24.780 --> 00:44:25.559
 hold on to him.

00:44:26.460 --> 00:44:27.280
 Let me close

00:44:27.280 --> 00:44:28.480
 with this brief story.

00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:30.920
 In 1967,

00:44:32.019 --> 00:44:32.960
 many years ago,

00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:35.280
 there was this young lady,

00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:36.540
 she's 18 years old.

00:44:37.160 --> 00:44:37.780
 Her name is

00:44:37.780 --> 00:44:38.920
 Johnny Erickson.

00:44:39.380 --> 00:44:40.060
 Her name was Johnny,

00:44:40.160 --> 00:44:41.080
 named after her father.

00:44:41.180 --> 00:44:42.100
 Her father was also Johnny.

00:44:42.780 --> 00:44:43.860
 She's this energetic

00:44:43.860 --> 00:44:44.560
 young lady.

00:44:45.200 --> 00:44:46.120
 She loves hiking,

00:44:46.600 --> 00:44:47.240
 horse riding,

00:44:48.060 --> 00:44:48.380
 swimming.

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:50.600
 And she's 18 years old

00:44:50.600 --> 00:44:51.640
 and she goes for a hike

00:44:51.640 --> 00:44:52.200
 in the mountains

00:44:52.200 --> 00:44:53.180
 with some friends.

00:44:53.840 --> 00:44:54.600
 There's a creek

00:44:54.600 --> 00:44:56.320
 and there's a pool of water

00:44:56.320 --> 00:44:57.820
 and she decides

00:44:57.820 --> 00:44:58.860
 to dive into the pool

00:44:58.860 --> 00:44:59.560
 and cool off.

00:45:00.420 --> 00:45:01.600
 And she dives in

00:45:01.600 --> 00:45:02.660
 and she misjudges

00:45:02.660 --> 00:45:03.540
 the shallowness

00:45:03.539 --> 00:45:04.119
 of the water

00:45:04.119 --> 00:45:06.500
 and she fractures

00:45:06.500 --> 00:45:07.320
 some vertebra

00:45:07.320 --> 00:45:08.679
 and she's left

00:45:08.679 --> 00:45:09.719
 a paraplegic

00:45:09.719 --> 00:45:11.159
 for the rest of her life.

00:45:12.259 --> 00:45:12.579
 And so,

00:45:12.719 --> 00:45:13.480
 in that moment,

00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:14.840
 her entire life changes.

00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:16.699
 And for the rest of her life,

00:45:16.840 --> 00:45:17.820
 she's in a wheelchair.

00:45:18.800 --> 00:45:19.779
 18 years old,

00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:21.340
 paraplegic.

00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:23.440
 But she does know Jesus

00:45:23.440 --> 00:45:24.559
 and she does know

00:45:24.559 --> 00:45:25.400
 that God

00:45:25.400 --> 00:45:26.679
 is with her

00:45:26.679 --> 00:45:27.460
 in the midst of it.

00:45:28.259 --> 00:45:29.239
 She knows that God

00:45:29.239 --> 00:45:30.099
 doesn't always answer

00:45:30.099 --> 00:45:30.619
 her prayers

00:45:30.619 --> 00:45:31.719
 the way that she would want.

00:45:31.719 --> 00:45:33.039
 But she does know

00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:33.519
 that God

00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:34.459
 has got a plan

00:45:34.459 --> 00:45:35.379
 for all of history

00:45:35.379 --> 00:45:36.980
 and that even though

00:45:36.980 --> 00:45:37.719
 in this life

00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:38.359
 there is trouble,

00:45:38.519 --> 00:45:39.419
 there is coming a life

00:45:39.419 --> 00:45:40.219
 when every tear

00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:41.119
 will be wiped away,

00:45:41.539 --> 00:45:42.379
 every wickedness

00:45:42.379 --> 00:45:43.579
 will be done away with,

00:45:43.919 --> 00:45:44.839
 and our bodies

00:45:44.839 --> 00:45:45.819
 will be made perfect

00:45:45.819 --> 00:45:46.679
 and whole again.

00:45:47.339 --> 00:45:48.179
 One author said,

00:45:48.299 --> 00:45:48.500
 actually,

00:45:48.659 --> 00:45:49.599
 this life is like

00:45:49.599 --> 00:45:50.639
 the contents page

00:45:50.639 --> 00:45:51.459
 of a great book.

00:45:51.919 --> 00:45:53.659
 It's just the very first page.

00:45:54.019 --> 00:45:54.799
 But there is coming

00:45:54.799 --> 00:45:55.980
 a whole new life

00:45:55.980 --> 00:45:56.899
 to come in eternity.

00:45:57.199 --> 00:45:57.419
 And so,

00:45:57.779 --> 00:45:59.119
 Joni Erikson knows this.

00:45:59.119 --> 00:45:59.940
 And so,

00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:00.639
 she decides

00:46:00.639 --> 00:46:01.339
 that in the midst

00:46:01.339 --> 00:46:02.319
 of the storms of life

00:46:02.319 --> 00:46:02.940
 she's going to keep

00:46:02.940 --> 00:46:03.799
 on trusting God.

00:46:04.719 --> 00:46:04.980
 Well,

00:46:05.059 --> 00:46:05.259
 friends,

00:46:05.299 --> 00:46:06.039
 today she's written

00:46:06.039 --> 00:46:07.079
 over 40 books

00:46:07.079 --> 00:46:08.359
 on trusting God

00:46:08.359 --> 00:46:09.500
 and the difficulty of life.

00:46:10.079 --> 00:46:10.739
 She's at the moment

00:46:10.739 --> 00:46:12.139
 busy battling cancer

00:46:12.139 --> 00:46:14.759
 for the second time.

00:46:15.380 --> 00:46:16.199
 But in one of her books

00:46:16.199 --> 00:46:17.059
 she writes this.

00:46:17.319 --> 00:46:17.799
 She says,

00:46:18.159 --> 00:46:19.259
 let me read it to us.

00:46:19.319 --> 00:46:19.679
 She says,

00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:20.980
 the truth is

00:46:20.980 --> 00:46:21.960
 in this world

00:46:21.960 --> 00:46:24.159
 it's 100% certain,

00:46:24.460 --> 00:46:24.880
 guaranteed,

00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:26.079
 that we will suffer.

00:46:26.839 --> 00:46:27.920
 But at the same time

00:46:27.920 --> 00:46:28.680
 Jesus Christ

00:46:28.680 --> 00:46:30.039
 is 100% certain

00:46:30.039 --> 00:46:30.880
 to meet us,

00:46:31.280 --> 00:46:32.119
 to encourage us

00:46:32.119 --> 00:46:33.000
 and to comfort us,

00:46:33.400 --> 00:46:34.119
 to grace us

00:46:34.119 --> 00:46:34.720
 with strength

00:46:34.720 --> 00:46:35.500
 and perseverance.

00:46:36.180 --> 00:46:36.639
 And yes,

00:46:36.760 --> 00:46:38.260
 even restore joy

00:46:38.260 --> 00:46:39.059
 in our lives.

00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:40.300
 Your Savior

00:46:40.300 --> 00:46:41.780
 is 100% certain

00:46:41.780 --> 00:46:42.740
 to be with you

00:46:42.740 --> 00:46:44.320
 through every challenge

00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:44.840
 of life.

00:46:45.519 --> 00:46:45.760
 Oh,

00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:46.940
 how we need to grasp

00:46:46.940 --> 00:46:48.440
 the soul-settling hope

00:46:48.440 --> 00:46:49.440
 found in the pages

00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:50.240
 of God's Word.

00:46:50.579 --> 00:46:51.180
 But not only

00:46:51.180 --> 00:46:52.200
 to grasp it,

00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:53.240
 but to allow

00:46:53.240 --> 00:46:54.099
 the hope of God

00:46:54.099 --> 00:46:54.720
 to fill

00:46:54.720 --> 00:46:55.400
 and overflow

00:46:55.400 --> 00:46:56.260
 in our hearts,

00:46:56.800 --> 00:46:57.619
 transforming us

00:46:57.619 --> 00:46:58.299
 into people

00:46:58.299 --> 00:46:59.500
 who are confident

00:46:59.500 --> 00:47:00.719
 and at peace

00:47:00.719 --> 00:47:01.500
 with ourselves,

00:47:02.139 --> 00:47:03.199
 with our God,

00:47:03.900 --> 00:47:05.259
 and with our circumstances.

00:47:06.279 --> 00:47:06.659
 Friends,

00:47:06.739 --> 00:47:07.179
 where are we going

00:47:07.179 --> 00:47:07.880
 to find this

00:47:07.880 --> 00:47:09.759
 soul-settling hope?

00:47:10.440 --> 00:47:11.799
 Not only in the pages

00:47:11.799 --> 00:47:12.460
 of Scripture,

00:47:12.980 --> 00:47:14.159
 not only in God's

00:47:14.159 --> 00:47:14.960
 written Word,

00:47:15.339 --> 00:47:16.619
 but in His living Word.

00:47:17.039 --> 00:47:17.839
 In the person

00:47:17.839 --> 00:47:18.579
 that the pages

00:47:18.579 --> 00:47:19.019
 of Scripture

00:47:19.019 --> 00:47:19.659
 point to,

00:47:20.039 --> 00:47:20.679
 to the person

00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:21.960
 of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:47:22.559 --> 00:47:22.880
 Friends,

00:47:23.000 --> 00:47:23.960
 this very week,

00:47:24.380 --> 00:47:25.199
 in the morning,

00:47:25.299 --> 00:47:26.000
 tomorrow morning,

00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:27.699
 trouble and difficulty

00:47:27.699 --> 00:47:28.380
 is going to come

00:47:28.380 --> 00:47:28.780
 your way.

00:47:29.179 --> 00:47:29.760
 And you're going

00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:30.599
 to have the opportunity

00:47:30.599 --> 00:47:32.119
 to either trust yourself

00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:33.440
 or to despair

00:47:33.440 --> 00:47:34.280
 and lose hope

00:47:34.280 --> 00:47:36.039
 or to turn to Jesus

00:47:36.039 --> 00:47:37.739
 and to find your hope

00:47:37.739 --> 00:47:38.519
 and your confidence

00:47:38.519 --> 00:47:39.659
 and faith

00:47:39.659 --> 00:47:40.519
 in the challenges

00:47:40.519 --> 00:47:41.019
 in the midst

00:47:41.019 --> 00:47:41.800
 of the difficulties

00:47:41.800 --> 00:47:42.380
 of life.

00:47:43.099 --> 00:47:43.920
 Habakkuk calls us

00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:44.679
 to lay aside

00:47:44.679 --> 00:47:45.360
 everything that

00:47:45.360 --> 00:47:46.179
 entangles us

00:47:46.179 --> 00:47:47.059
 and weigh us down,

00:47:47.280 --> 00:47:48.360
 to continue

00:47:48.360 --> 00:47:49.360
 to look to Jesus,

00:47:49.739 --> 00:47:50.960
 knowing our only hope

00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:51.440
 is in Him,

00:47:51.440 --> 00:47:52.700
 to find the answers

00:47:52.700 --> 00:47:53.460
 to our questions

00:47:53.460 --> 00:47:53.840
 in Him,

00:47:54.340 --> 00:47:55.500
 to find the joys

00:47:55.500 --> 00:47:55.940
 in the midst

00:47:55.940 --> 00:47:57.340
 of the sorrows

00:47:57.340 --> 00:47:58.019
 and ultimately

00:47:58.019 --> 00:47:58.840
 our true hope

00:47:58.840 --> 00:47:59.740
 in Him.

00:48:00.539 --> 00:48:01.340
 Habakkuk says,

00:48:01.440 --> 00:48:02.039
 and he urges us

00:48:02.039 --> 00:48:02.599
 to join Him,

00:48:02.659 --> 00:48:03.539
 though the fig tree

00:48:03.539 --> 00:48:04.500
 should not blossom,

00:48:05.039 --> 00:48:06.480
 nor fruit be on the vines,

00:48:06.940 --> 00:48:07.780
 though the produce

00:48:07.780 --> 00:48:09.000
 of the olive tree fail,

00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:10.220
 though the harvest

00:48:10.220 --> 00:48:11.559
 yields no food,

00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:12.840
 though the flocks

00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:13.420
 be cut off

00:48:13.420 --> 00:48:14.000
 from the fold

00:48:14.000 --> 00:48:15.500
 and there are no animals

00:48:15.500 --> 00:48:16.220
 in the stalls,

00:48:16.760 --> 00:48:18.019
 yet I will rejoice

00:48:18.019 --> 00:48:19.139
 in the Lord my God.

00:48:19.139 --> 00:48:20.659
 I will take joy

00:48:20.659 --> 00:48:21.599
 in the God

00:48:21.599 --> 00:48:22.400
 of my salvation.

00:48:23.019 --> 00:48:23.659
 And that's what

00:48:23.659 --> 00:48:24.659
 the book of Habakkuk

00:48:24.659 --> 00:48:25.779
 is all about.

00:48:26.239 --> 00:48:27.279
 Let's pray together.

00:48:34.019 --> 00:48:34.879
 I want to pray

00:48:34.879 --> 00:48:35.739
 for us together

00:48:35.739 --> 00:48:36.960
 as a community,

00:48:37.299 --> 00:48:38.799
 but if you would like

00:48:38.799 --> 00:48:39.559
 prayer at all,

00:48:39.619 --> 00:48:40.940
 we're going to continue

00:48:40.940 --> 00:48:41.799
 our time of worship.

00:48:42.420 --> 00:48:43.599
 And if you'd like prayer,

00:48:44.219 --> 00:48:45.480
 I really do want to ask you

00:48:45.480 --> 00:48:46.480
 to come up to the front.

00:48:46.719 --> 00:48:47.059
 There are going to be

00:48:47.059 --> 00:48:48.279
 some prayer stewards here.

00:48:48.280 --> 00:48:51.420
 And maybe you want prayer

00:48:51.420 --> 00:48:52.720
 because you've gone

00:48:52.720 --> 00:48:54.040
 through some great trial

00:48:54.040 --> 00:48:54.640
 and tragedy,

00:48:54.780 --> 00:48:55.600
 maybe recently,

00:48:57.160 --> 00:48:58.400
 maybe many years ago,

00:48:59.300 --> 00:49:01.019
 and you just want God

00:49:01.019 --> 00:49:01.900
 to draw near to you.

00:49:02.760 --> 00:49:03.580
 You want to come

00:49:03.580 --> 00:49:04.980
 and bring the pain to Him.

00:49:05.140 --> 00:49:05.900
 Come, we'd love

00:49:05.900 --> 00:49:06.560
 to pray with you.

00:49:07.220 --> 00:49:08.160
 Maybe you feel like

00:49:08.160 --> 00:49:08.800
 you're in the midst

00:49:08.800 --> 00:49:09.600
 of the storms

00:49:09.600 --> 00:49:10.460
 and you feel like,

00:49:10.540 --> 00:49:11.100
 God, I don't know

00:49:11.100 --> 00:49:11.940
 which way to turn.

00:49:12.440 --> 00:49:13.940
 I feel weighed down.

00:49:14.019 --> 00:49:14.920
 The weight of the world

00:49:14.920 --> 00:49:15.660
 is on my shoulders.

00:49:16.660 --> 00:49:17.240
 Come, we'd love

00:49:17.240 --> 00:49:18.060
 to pray with you.

00:49:18.280 --> 00:49:21.300
 Maybe you just feel

00:49:21.300 --> 00:49:22.460
 anxious about life.

00:49:24.780 --> 00:49:25.760
 Maybe you feel like

00:49:25.760 --> 00:49:26.940
 you've lost your hope.

00:49:30.360 --> 00:49:31.600
 And you want Christ

00:49:31.600 --> 00:49:33.060
 to open the eyes

00:49:33.060 --> 00:49:33.960
 of your heart again,

00:49:34.080 --> 00:49:34.980
 to restore you,

00:49:35.660 --> 00:49:36.820
 that you can see Him

00:49:36.820 --> 00:49:38.019
 and trust in Him again.

00:49:39.019 --> 00:49:39.820
 Come to Him.

00:49:40.560 --> 00:49:41.860
 We'd love to pray with you.

00:49:41.860 --> 00:49:43.720
 Father God,

00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:45.079
 this morning we come to you

00:49:45.079 --> 00:49:46.000
 because our hope

00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:46.880
 is found in you.

00:49:47.559 --> 00:49:48.760
 God, we don't come to you

00:49:48.760 --> 00:49:49.920
 because you miraculously

00:49:49.920 --> 00:49:51.380
 just make life

00:49:51.380 --> 00:49:52.500
 comfortable and convenient.

00:49:53.220 --> 00:49:54.240
 We don't come to you,

00:49:54.340 --> 00:49:54.519
 God,

00:49:54.579 --> 00:49:55.780
 because you are just

00:49:55.780 --> 00:49:57.360
 a means to another end.

00:49:57.820 --> 00:49:58.880
 You are end

00:49:58.880 --> 00:49:59.940
 in itself, God.

00:50:00.460 --> 00:50:01.420
 You are our hope.

00:50:01.519 --> 00:50:02.360
 You are our joy.

00:50:03.640 --> 00:50:04.740
 God, you are our comfort

00:50:04.740 --> 00:50:05.400
 in the storm.

00:50:05.400 --> 00:50:05.599
 God,

00:50:05.599 --> 00:50:08.139
 you are our purpose

00:50:08.139 --> 00:50:09.619
 when life is full

00:50:09.619 --> 00:50:10.400
 of questions.

00:50:12.740 --> 00:50:13.180
 Father,

00:50:13.240 --> 00:50:13.940
 when we come to

00:50:13.940 --> 00:50:15.139
 the end of ourselves,

00:50:15.619 --> 00:50:16.980
 may we in that place

00:50:16.980 --> 00:50:17.780
 find, God,

00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:18.860
 that you have been

00:50:18.860 --> 00:50:19.639
 there all along,

00:50:20.180 --> 00:50:21.059
 holding on to us

00:50:21.059 --> 00:50:22.019
 and not letting us go.

00:50:24.680 --> 00:50:25.119
 Father,

00:50:25.260 --> 00:50:25.880
 pray for us

00:50:25.880 --> 00:50:26.740
 as a church, Lord.

00:50:27.700 --> 00:50:28.420
 I pray, God,

00:50:28.460 --> 00:50:29.019
 that Watermark

00:50:29.019 --> 00:50:29.760
 will be a church

00:50:29.760 --> 00:50:31.519
 that we will be

00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:32.400
 like Habakkuk

00:50:32.400 --> 00:50:33.840
 and have remarkable

00:50:33.840 --> 00:50:34.619
 faith, God,

00:50:34.820 --> 00:50:36.280
 because we look

00:50:36.280 --> 00:50:37.039
 to you, Jesus,

00:50:37.980 --> 00:50:38.699
 the one who,

00:50:39.539 --> 00:50:40.179
 for the joy

00:50:40.179 --> 00:50:41.440
 that was set before you,

00:50:42.039 --> 00:50:43.159
 endured the cross,

00:50:43.880 --> 00:50:45.059
 despising its shame

00:50:45.059 --> 00:50:45.880
 and is now seated

00:50:45.880 --> 00:50:46.659
 at the throne

00:50:46.659 --> 00:50:48.099
 of God the Father.

00:50:51.500 --> 00:50:51.940
 Christ,

00:50:52.019 --> 00:50:52.619
 help us to look

00:50:52.619 --> 00:50:53.400
 to you, we pray.

00:50:55.400 --> 00:50:56.239
 I pray for each one

00:50:56.239 --> 00:50:57.059
 of us here this morning,

00:50:57.199 --> 00:50:57.440
 God.

00:50:58.380 --> 00:50:58.820
 God,

00:50:58.900 --> 00:50:59.759
 you know the trials

00:50:59.759 --> 00:51:00.360
 and the challenges

00:51:00.360 --> 00:51:01.019
 we're facing.

00:51:01.519 --> 00:51:02.679
 You know the fears

00:51:02.679 --> 00:51:03.380
 and the worries.

00:51:04.360 --> 00:51:05.719
 You know the anxieties

00:51:05.719 --> 00:51:06.739
 and the concerns.

00:51:08.739 --> 00:51:09.460
 Lord Jesus,

00:51:09.599 --> 00:51:10.699
 come and minister to us.

00:51:11.579 --> 00:51:12.340
 Holy Spirit,

00:51:12.440 --> 00:51:13.119
 come and draw near.

00:51:16.559 --> 00:51:18.079
 Come and lift us up, God.

00:51:19.539 --> 00:51:19.980
 God,

00:51:20.059 --> 00:51:21.139
 come and turn our mourning

00:51:21.139 --> 00:51:22.860
 into rejoicing again.

00:51:27.280 --> 00:51:28.239
 Come and help us

00:51:28.239 --> 00:51:28.960
 to trust you.