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Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Habakkuk 3:17-19

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"DANCING FAITH"
I. THE BLEAK SCENE.
A. Fig tree not blossom, no fruit on vines.
1. In an age when no canning or refrigeration.
2. Dried fruit was an important part of winter food.
a. Figs and raisins were two of the main fruits dried.
b. No figs or grapes means long hard winter.
B. The labor of the olive shall fail.
1. From the olive they derived their oil.
2. They also could preserve them.
3. The land abounds with olive trees.
C. The field shall yield no meal.
1. The grain crops were basic.
2. The grain easily stored.
3. Bread was their true staff of life.
4. Even though the grain crops fail.
D. The flock be cut off from the fold.
1. Everyone had their own flock of goats and sheep.
2. Even to the present day the size of the flocks is the measure of the Bedouin's wealth.
E. No herd in the stalls.
1. This just about completes the picture.
2. Without the goats and cows no milk.
F. No visible means of supply.
II. THE MAN OF FAITH'S REACTION.
A. "I will rejoice in the Lord."
1. Word in Hebrew: aw-laz.
2. Word literally means "Jump for joy."
B. "I will joy in the God of my salvation."
1. Hebrew word translated joy: "gil."
2. "To spin around under the influence of violent emotion", "such as joy."
C. No wonder the world does not understand the man of faith.
1. No visible means of survival, and he is dancing in rapturous joy.
2. I resent the doom and gloom tag often put on those who speak on prophecy.
3. You don't see us climbing in a hole waiting for the end. Jumping for joy.
III. HOW ARE THE GREAT EMOTIONS OF GREAT JOY EXPERIENCED IN SUCH BLEAK CIRCUMSTANCES?
A. Faith is the key.
1. The man of faith takes God at His Word.
a. God has promised to supply all my needs.
b. My problems usually arise when I ask how?
c. It is not necessary that I know how.
2. The man of faith knows that God has resources he knows nothing about.
a. Manna and quail in wilderness.
b. Ravens brought food to Elijah.
c. Old Chinese man.
B. Note the rejoicing is in the Lord and the joy is in God.
1. We look at our circumstances and we want to cry, we get discouraged.
2. What does that tell me?
a. Don't look at my circumstances.
b. Look to the Lord.
3. Unbelief is the result of the loss of perspective.
a. They say Beatleguese is an extremely large star, 415,000 miles in diameter.
b. Something as small as your hand can block your view.
c. God's vastness and power are incomprehensible.
1. The heavens are the works of His fingers.
2. He measures the universe with His span.
d. Something as small as a cancer can block your view of Him.
1. When you are so close to your problem and so far from God, God seems very small.
2. The answer lies in getting close to God.
4. One of the steps of Abraham's faith is, "He gave glory to God."
Sermon Notes for Habakkuk 3:17, 18 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for Zephaniah 3:14-17 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for Nahum 1:7 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for Zephaniah 3:14-17 Next Book →
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