Staying Positive in a Negative World

Doubts

“Remaining calm when nothing makes sense”

Aim: To persuade YOU to remain confident in a world filled with

UNCERTAINTY

It Is Time To Quit Doubting!

Why? Why in spite of all our problems do we need to cease doubting?

Two TRUTHS that bring relief and peace of mind:

Two TRUTHS that bring relief and peace of mind:

1. GOD HEARS OUR GRIPES.Vs. 1-11

Conversational Dialogue

1:1-4—Habakkuk to God

1:5-11—God to Habakkuk

1:12-17—Habakkuk to God

2:1—Habakkuk to himself

2:2-20—God to Habakkuk

3:1-9—Habakkuk to God

Theme for Chapter 1: “Remaining calm when nothing makes sense”

Overall Theme of Habakkuk:“The holiness of God in judging Judah

through the instrumentality of the Chaldeans”

In Habakkuk’s day—like today:

There was wickedness and injustice

There was disregard for the law

“How many times do I have to yell, ‘Help! Murder! Police!’ before You come to the rescue?

Why do You force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place.

Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung (to make

ineffective) and stand justice on its head.”

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (The Message)

Divine silence suggests either God is:

Unconcerned about manOr

Unable to do anything about man’s problems

Delight yourselves in God, yes, find your joy in Him at all times. Have a reputation

for gentleness, and never forget the nearness of your Lord.

Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts

and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:4-7 (J.B. Phillips Edition)

It Is Time To Quit Doubting!

Two TRUTHS that bring peace of mind and relieve our doubts:

1. GOD HEARS OUR GRIPES.Vs. 1-11

2. GOD ANSWERS OUR CONCERNS.Vs. 12-17

Finances Marital problems Health issues Relational fallouts ___________OTHER

Our English word for worry:

Comes from the Greek wordmerimnao

It is a combination of two words:Merizo = To Divide

Nous = MindTogether = To Divide the Mind

“Some wish to live within sound of

church or chapel bell, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of

hell.”“Let us not glide through this world and slip quietly

into heaven, without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Let us see to it that the devil will hold a thanksgiving service in hell, when he gets the news

of our departure from the field of battle.”

IT IS TIME TO STOP DOUBTING

WHY?The truth of the

matter is:

1. GOD HEARS OUR GRIPES—1:1-11

2. GOD ANSWERS OUR CONCERNS—

1:12-17