God and Why’s? Part 1

Lessons Learned So Far

• We See Only A Part Of The Picture.• God Isn’t Limited To What We Think He Ought

To Do. – We continually make the mistake of thinking that

our plans and God’s plans are the same plans. – “Write your plans in pencil and give God the

eraser!” – If your God always does what you want, He’s

probably not the God of the Bible.

• We need a bigger God– Habakkuk got his mind messed up because he

thought he knew what God should do. – He was wrong twice: ‘• He thought God was ignoring Judah’s Sin. • He couldn’t believe God would use the Babylonians to

judge His own people.

• First, Habakkuk thought God was ignoring Judah’s sin.

• Second, Habakkuk thought God would never use Babylon to judge Judah.

• C.S. Lewis remarked that the problem of suffering is atheism’s greatest weapon against the Christian faith.

• We can frame the Book this way: – The issue is not Judah and her sin. – The issue is not Babylon and it’s evil. – The issue is not Habakkuk’s doubts. – The issue is God!

Question #1Who Are You?

• What do you do when God makes no sense? Either you walk away from your faith or you remind God yourself of who God is.

Look what Habakkuk calls God: – Everlasting- Sovereign– Lord- Personal God of Israel– God- Strong One, Creator, majestic ruler– Holy- In a class by yourself – Rock- Safe Place

• Consider: If you remove God’s Sovereignty, you will forever question His wisdom.

• If you remove God’s loyal love, you will forever question His faithfulness.

• If you remove His majesty, you will forever question His power.

• If you remove His holiness, you will forever question His fairness.

• If you remove His protection, you will forever question His goodness.

• The question is not, “Do I believe in God?” but rather, “What sort of God do I believe in?”

First Principle of Life

• God is good, holy, knows all things, is love, makes mistakes.

• The Bible is true; Jesus Christ is the Son of God; He died on the cross and rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven and someday will return to the earth to rule and reign

• The Holy Spirit is real. I am sealed by the Holy Spirit and God is always with me. All things work together for my good and God’s glory.

• God will complete His work in me and in you.

• Say it with me: – God is good all the time; all the time God is good. – Now say it again but I’m going to add one thing: – “God is good all the time; all the time God is good. – “I am a Witness!” – Are you?