There are a couple of small books tucked away in the OT that are worthy to explore. This week’s offerings are Habakkuk and Zephaniah. Be blessed.
Habakkuk 1:
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
Habakkuk's Complaint
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?
3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
4 So the law is paralysed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
The LORD's Answer
5 "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand.
10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!"
Habakkuk's Second Complaint
12 Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
15 He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?
Things to think about…
1. Ever felt like the Lord is simply not hearing you or not concerned regarding your situation? This is exactly Habakkuk’s complaint in Hab 1:1-3. He says “how long shall I cry for help”. This sounds a lot like Isaiah who asked a similar question over 100 years earlier, Isa 6:11 “Then I said, "How long, O Lord?". Habakkuk is writing around 612-605BC as the Babylonians are on the rise. Sin is rampart in the Lord’s people in Judah/Jerusalem. Habakkuk wants an answer. Ever felt like that? The thing is, we don’t always appreciate the answer the Lord gives. We follow Habakkuk as he comes to grips with this reality.
2. Habakkuk says the law is paralysed – Hab 1:3. The Word of God is having no effect. The wicked drown out the righteous. It is bad enough when this happens in society, but what about when it happens among God’s people, judgement is always just around the corner. This was the situation for those living in Judah at the time of writing. The Babylonians were coming. This ancient land has long been in the grip of war. We know up until a few years ago the city of Mosul was under the grip of ISIS extremists. Israel is also constantly under threat from those who would see the nation destroyed. We know the Lord still has many promises to be fulfilled concerning Israel. Pray for the continued peace of Jerusalem.
3. Look at the Lord’s answer to Habakkuk in, Hab 1:5-11. Doesn’t sound very comforting. But what do you do with a stubborn, arrogant people who refuse to listen to God’s voice? You use another means to get their attention as we heard on Sunday with respect to the Apostle Paul’s conversion. In this case it was the Babylonians. It is a little like ‘fighting fire with fire’. The still small voice wasn’t working with these people.
4. Hab 1:10 refers to how the ancient Babylonians used to fight – by taking a city they would simply build a siege works as they would “pile up earth and take it”. This is how they took Jerusalem by building walls, platforms and towers that were higher than Jerusalem’s walls so they could shoot arrows into the city.
5. Look at Habakkuk’s complaint to the Lord’s answer, Hab 1:12-17. He is basically saying, why punish sinners with people who are worse sinners. Why would you raise up the Babylonians to punish Israel when they are full of arrogant pride in a measure that far exceeds any pride found in Israel. It is because He loves Israel. This of course is the struggle. Punishment is never enjoyable, but painful. Habakkuk is simply coming to terms with the Lord’s purposes in it all. What has the Lord used in your life to kill off something that needed to die in you?
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sunday’s message – “There is no appeasing some people” – Acts 21:17-36
a. Is the hardest person to Christ that you know of? Saul was a hard man yet the Lord converted him. Discuss what you know about Paul’s conversion.
b. Some believing Jews still kept the law. Why did they keep the law when they were under grace in Christ?
c. Other Jews wanted to beat Paul and even have him put to death. This was after Paul explained to them he was not breaking the law but rather showing that the law points to Christ. How do you reason with unreasonable people?
d. Pray for our Palm Sunday outreach event that we can have the boldness to invite people to church and see people won to Christ.
Prayer Points
1. Pray the CBC reaches our into our community and we see many coming to Christ and added to the church. Please come along to the Working Bee this Saturday morning 8am at Church.
2. Continue to pray for the earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria – over 45 000 dead. Have mercy Lord Jesus! More people have been found alive after over 270 hours trapped under rubble. The leadership will be discussing our involvement through Baptist World Aid.
3. That our Kids@Church and Chuwar Youth group grow beyond anyone’s expectations.
4. Pray for Chuwar Youth and Jarrod for Friday’s. Pray as he meets with youth at Westside, Ipswich and Bundamba high schools.
5. How you can serve in ministry this year.
6. Pray for other building projects – café turf to be redone, roof, the repair of the house, working bee 11th Mar.
7. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Wonderful worship and word on Sunday thankyou Doug, Beatty boys and sound/technical team.
2. More visitors on Sunday – pray they are integrated into the church
3. Those who faithfully serve in ministries, Worship, Sound/Technical/Kids Church/ Cell Groups/Admin - Bulletins/Finances/Property/Welcoming/Spiritual Leadership/Cafe
4. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Chuwar Youth Friday nights – 6:30-8:30pm. Grades 7 to 12. Chat to the Youth Pastor Jarrod for more details 0478 845 123.
2. Working Bee - this Saturday 11th March – 8:00am at church. Please get involved. Rob Brand and Steve Hawkins are team leaders.
3. Sign up for a cell group or welcoming team.
4. Remember to check your duty rosters.
5. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
6. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for February...
Q. 6. Are there more gods than one? A. There is only one God.
