A Reminder From Habakkuk

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.240 It's not always on our timetable to see justice right, our part is to 2 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:07.200 wait for it, to wait for God's justice and to obey God in the 3 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:11.240 season that we're in right, to obey the Lord and as it pertains to 4 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:15.880 reaching out at these abortion centers and being a voice for the voiceless, easier 5 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:19.600 said than done. But whether we see results or not, whether we're mocked 6 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:23.440 or not, um, we still have to be faithful in what the Lord 7 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:29.120 has called us to. I am yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, 8 00:00:29.480 --> 00:00:35.520 and me Lord, I am yours, I'm yours. I'm Welcome to the 9 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:40.960 Gospel Center Pro Life Podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage, and 10 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:45.079 challenge you in pro life ministry and always with a focus on the gospel. 11 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:59.920 Stay tuned. I felt your passih touch your heart. Welcome back to the 12 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.599 Gospel Centered Pro Life Podcast. Appreciate you guys joining us. This is Daniel 13 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:08.159 Parks. I serve as the West Coast regional Shepherd for Love Life and I'm 14 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:15.319 joined as always with Vicky cass York, who is our sidewalk out Reach training 15 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:19.840 director and awesome title. I think I got the title right either way. 16 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:23.959 You guys know us If you've listened to this podcast for any amount of time, 17 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:26.239 you know that we've been doing sidewalk out reach for a good uh a 18 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.040 good many years, probably combined the thing you say, twenty five years. 19 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.599 Yeah, so a quarter of a decade, a quarter of a century. 20 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:42.280 That sounds that sounds old. It doesn't make us Yeah, well, um, 21 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:47.359 sometimes I feel older than I But by God's grace, we do what 22 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:49.280 we do trying to pour into you guys and encourage you guys that are doing 23 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:55.640 sidewalk out reach, keep the fire in your heart fueled, keep you encouraged, 24 00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:00.519 keep you informed. And you know, we're kind of always learning new 25 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:04.159 stuff and we're always trying to apply what we're learning to sidewalk out reach and 26 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:07.959 also to training others. And so we hope that this episode will be a 27 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:10.400 blessing to you as always will leave you guys our email addresses. Will give 28 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:13.800 you, guys our email addresses at the end of this episode, so you 29 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.240 can reach out to us if you have questions about this episode or other episodes, 30 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:21.280 And we also want to encourage you guys to leave us a review on 31 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:27.479 this podcast. Leave us on Apple podcasts or Google podcasts or Spotify or however 32 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:30.759 you listen to this, if there's some feature to be able to leave us 33 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:34.240 a review. We'd love to have some more reviews, some more five star 34 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.919 reviews. Spent a few that have come in over the past couple of weeks 35 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:40.039 that have been encouraging um Our pro abortion friends don't like what we do and 36 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:44.719 so they've left us a lot of one star reviews and so we want to 37 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:46.719 try to come back that. So if you guys can help us with that, 38 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:50.039 that would be a blessing. Also, share this podcast episode with others 39 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:53.919 on social media. We would love to get this out to others to help 40 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:59.719 encourage them. And so let's jump into our episode. Our title is why 41 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:06.039 we do what we do? Subtitle A reminder from Habakic. So we're gonna 42 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:10.719 be talking from the Book of Habakic, my favorite books. Okay, well 43 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.639 it's uh one of the most h I guess I won't say neglected, but 44 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:20.120 some folks don't even know. Maybe people even listening right now are like, 45 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.680 what, what's what's a Hebakic? Um, it's actually a book of the 46 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:28.240 Bible. It's in the Old Testament. It's one of Habakic was one of 47 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:31.240 um what some people refer to as the minor prophets. In my eyes, 48 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:36.520 though, when I see God's side, there is no minor prophets. They're 49 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:39.360 just profits from God. Minor in terms of short and it is short. 50 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.520 Three chapters, I think in the whole book. Yeah, quick read. 51 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:47.240 Yeah, so let's jump into a vicky. What are we going to learn 52 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:53.439 from Habakic that we can apply to subwalk ministry. Well, it's interesting. 53 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:57.840 Yesterday I was training several volunteers and they asked me, well, what verses 54 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:01.520 would you recommend we memorize to you in sidewalk outreach? And I told them, 55 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:03.960 you know, I have my favorites, and I told them what those 56 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:08.879 were. But I said, every time you open the Bible, I promise 57 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:13.960 you, if you're looking for what is going to guide you in speaking to 58 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.800 the moms, God will give you versus they will pop out. This was 59 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:20.360 a whole book that popped out to me. I was doing a Bible study 60 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:27.160 this morning and reading Habecic and did the whole thing in the in this Bible 61 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:30.920 study, and I thought, this is like just telling us, um, 62 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:36.480 it's speaking directly in my mind to side what counselors and and so we're looking 63 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:41.680 at it from from that perspective of how it can be looking at this book 64 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:46.480 can first of all identify some of the struggles that we're going through as sidewalk 65 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:54.199 counselors and really as anyone walking with God through life. But also how can 66 00:04:54.279 --> 00:05:00.920 we avoid discouragement, disillusionment, anger, mistrust of God. I think it's 67 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:05.879 all those questions are answered in this little book. So starting off, maybe 68 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:11.959 Daniel, if you wouldn't mind reading um Habackic three seventeen to nineteen, because 69 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:17.800 this is a fairly famous passage from Habakic, and it's clearly a victorious all 70 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:23.000 Right, though the fig tree should not blossom, and there'll be no fruit 71 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.800 in the vines, though the field of the olives shall fail and the fields 72 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:30.079 produce no food. Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, 73 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.279 and there'll be new cattle in the stalls. Yet I'll exult in the Lord. 74 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:39.360 I'll rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my 75 00:05:39.480 --> 00:05:43.439 strength. He has made my feet hind's feet and makes me walk on my 76 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:46.240 high places back at three seventeen through nineteen. Right, So that's how the 77 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.560 book ends is with this victorious verse of it and and we're going to go 78 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:55.160 deeper into that verse. Yeah, so I'll sum it up, give my 79 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:59.279 quick commentary on these verses. Basically, Um, though things don't go my 80 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:04.560 way, I'm going to glorify Jesus. I'm gonna honor the Lord and uh, 81 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:09.160 because the Lord is on my side exactly exactly. So that's kind of 82 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:13.600 a good summary of that, very victorious. But look at how the Book 83 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:18.800 of Habacic begins in Habackic one verse two. Okay, how long, o 84 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:23.439 Lord? Will I call for help and you will not hear I crowd to 85 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:28.120 you violence? Yet you do not saveback one too? I mean, how 86 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:32.720 perfect is that for first sidebab counselors, Because I know I am not alone 87 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:39.000 in standing there in front of intense opposition, hatred, anger, mocking people, 88 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:45.480 throwing things at us, um, you know whatever, the other things, 89 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:50.839 and I'm looking at them thinking, Lord, here's me proclaiming your word, 90 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:57.800 living my life as as righteously as I can before you. And this 91 00:06:57.879 --> 00:07:00.360 is your ministry, this is your mission and to safety some born babies. 92 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:06.639 Where are you? Why are you allowing this violence, this bloodshed? I 93 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:13.639 mean, that's what happened. Habakuk is calling out with with really a lot 94 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:19.399 of doubt. Long do I stand here and receive no help from you? 95 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:24.360 He's saying, from you, Oh God? Yeah, And you see the 96 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:28.399 same thing, and some of David's psalms, right, how long, Lord? 97 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.519 How long with the wicked prosper um? And so I think one of 98 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.680 the points here is, of course he's God, he's the Lord. He 99 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:40.639 deserves our worship, our praise or adoration. He does not deserve our accusations 100 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.680 and things like that. But he already sees what's in our hearts. Anyway, 101 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:47.959 the best thing that we can do is be honest with the Lord. 102 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.360 Now, David does the same thing in the psalms as he's talking, like 103 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:56.720 where are you Lord? The wicked pursue me? And he almost always ends 104 00:07:56.839 --> 00:08:00.319 just like a back it does. Ultimately, you're the Lord, You're God. 105 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:03.680 Now I am nothing in your sight? All right, I don't deserve 106 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.000 you aiding me and helping me. So he's putting things in perspective, but 107 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:11.199 he's still honest, David, and Hebackick and the other prophets that Jeremiah the 108 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:16.600 same way. They're still honest with what they're feeling, still honestly, And 109 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:18.920 I think, and this is one of the things that I encourage folks with. 110 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.240 You've heard me say this oftentimes when we've been out on the sidewalk. 111 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:28.199 An important thing that I like to do after that ministry on the sidewalk is 112 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:33.600 um to debrief. Just kind of bring it all before the Lord, get 113 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.399 all those feelings and stuff out there, because I think it helps us to 114 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:39.879 decompress. It helps us to just let things, you know, let things 115 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:41.799 go and put those things in the hands of the Lord. So I think 116 00:08:43.080 --> 00:08:46.120 that's help fun. I think that's what Habakick is doing in the situation. 117 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:48.840 Yeah, he's being very honest. But one of the things that he cries 118 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:56.000 out, and you will not hear that he feels unheard because he feels, 119 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:01.639 rightfully, that is what he desires is good. He wants to bring about 120 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:05.240 good, and he feels that he's not heard. And I think one of 121 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:09.919 the first thing that God reassures him with is that he does here. God 122 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:16.320 does here, and and so in um habak At one five, he says, 123 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.440 look among the nations, this is God. Now. In in response, 124 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:26.600 um, look among the nations, observe, be astonished, be astonished, 125 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:33.120 wonder because I am doing something in your days. You would not believe 126 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:37.120 it if if you were told so, I think um in that as as 127 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:41.840 I was reading that passage, I was thinking, God does here, He 128 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:46.960 does understand, and he gives us those verbs. I always look for the 129 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:50.759 verbs when God is speaking what are the things that we are told to do? 130 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:56.080 Because I like having marching orders. I want to know what God expects 131 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.320 of me in these situations. And he says observe or to a serve. 132 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:05.519 So first of all, I think we're to be vigilant in looking for God 133 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:09.879 is working and and and open our eyes to what that might be. It 134 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:13.000 might not be what we expect, but He is working. So we're to 135 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:18.120 observe. We're to be amazed. We're to be amazed by what God is 136 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.120 going to accomplish. I thought, you know, how often am I thinking, 137 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:26.240 go ahead, Lord, amazed me. But that's the attitude. We're 138 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:30.000 to have, be amazed at what He's going to accomplish, and and expect 139 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.080 miracles. We're not going to believe them if we were even told expect miracles. 140 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:37.360 But then, um, it's usually not what we expect. The way 141 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:43.320 God operates. That has certainly been my experience and and I thought, you 142 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:46.360 know, maybe if you want to read those those next few verses in Habacic, 143 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:50.559 because Hebacic continues then to kind of question God in um in chapter one 144 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:56.399 versus, and I broke. I didn't have us go through every verse, 145 00:10:56.519 --> 00:11:00.120 but the ones that were kind of the most pertinent, and in verse is 146 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:03.720 six eleven and thirteen, we're the ones. Okay, yeah, So for 147 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:09.480 behold, I'm raising up the Chaldeans that fierce and impetus. How do you 148 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:16.320 say that impetuous? Impetuous? Those are people who just are They are just 149 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:22.279 flying forward, doing whatever they want without thought, Reckless, impetuous people who 150 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:28.279 march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs. And they 151 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:31.840 will sweep through like the wind and pass on, but they will be held 152 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:37.720 guilty, they who strength is their God. Your eyes are too pure to 153 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:41.600 approve evil, and you cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do you 154 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:46.960 look with favor on those who deal credulously? Why are you silent when the 155 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:52.240 wicked swallow up those more righteous than they? So that was a back at 156 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:58.320 one six eleven and right, right, So I think if I were to 157 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:03.200 summarize that his cry is, why are you using the wicked people and why 158 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:11.799 are they prevailing? Um? And you know that that's a kind of a 159 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:18.679 strong rebuke to God what he's doing. But what I noticed in that as 160 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:24.519 as Abekak is crying out to God is is that God does not reprimand him 161 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:30.159 or smite him dead or um. But he also doesn't really provide an immediate 162 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:35.159 answer. But he lets Rebecca have those doubts. And I think for me 163 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:39.919 that was freeing as I was reading that and thinking about that that, Um, 164 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.039 sometimes we do have doubts. Sometimes we are out there when there have 165 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:48.440 been no saved babies, when we fought that for their lives and and we're 166 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:52.679 still not seeing fruit. I think it's natural to have doubts. And and 167 00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:00.399 I don't know for me, those verses helped to helped me to not the 168 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:05.159 verses, but the fact that God didn't didn't say, habaca man up, 169 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:11.279 stop complaining. Yeah, Yeah, I mean I think there is you know, 170 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:18.360 there's this kind of um difference, I would say in grumbling and complaining. 171 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:20.159 And again, what we talked about when we started off, just being 172 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:24.679 honest, being honest with our feelings, being honest with what we see. 173 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:26.360 I mean if we think about, of course, we do think about what 174 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:30.720 we see on a regular basis, what we're dealing with on a regular basis. 175 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:35.120 And were talking about the Caldeans and how violent and and impetuous they were. 176 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:39.840 Uh, we see that every day at the abortion clinics. We see 177 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:41.320 that, of course, with the abortion workers, with the abortionists, with 178 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:45.919 the moms and dad's going in and kill their children. It's tough to watch. 179 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:48.120 And sometimes again we scratch our heads and wonder, like, God, 180 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.960 why why did we not see justice like we know that we should, right, 181 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.960 Why why are these people allowed? Why are why are these places allowed 182 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:01.639 to remain open? God? Would are you doing? Why are aren't you 183 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:03.159 shutting him down? Because we know that he could? Yeah, And I 184 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.159 think we come away just like with a backic and anyone else who's walking with 185 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:11.720 the Lord and in a fallen world with wicked things going on, and we 186 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:15.720 come away with like, we really don't know why God allows this stuff. 187 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:18.679 Um, but we know that he's good, right, we have his word. 188 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.320 Um, we know his character and his nature, the fact that he 189 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:28.080 rescued and saved us, and um, so we just always have to come 190 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.559 back to his goodness. He's a good God in spite of what we see 191 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:35.480 right right, which he does get to eventually in like like you in introduced 192 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:41.679 this whole topic, just like David did. But um, but you know, 193 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:45.519 kind of what I want is an immediate answer, and eventually God does 194 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:48.679 give an answer, and even in that short book he does. He does 195 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:52.120 give an answer of a of a future retribution. What is going to happen 196 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:56.480 down the road. And that's in Habackic too, And I think there are 197 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.519 some really important things that we can pull out of his response there. So 198 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.879 do you want to read that one? It's Tobacic two versus two to four 199 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.440 and then eight. Yeah. So behold asked for the proud one. His 200 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.480 soul is not right within him, but the righteous will live by his faith. 201 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:18.519 Then the Lord answered me and said, record the vision and inscribe it 202 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.120 on the tablets, that that the one who reads it may run. For 203 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:26.000 the vision is yet for the appointed time. It hastens towards the goal, 204 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:31.080 and will not fail, though it terries, wait for it, for it 205 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:35.320 will certainly come and will not delay. Because you have looted many nations, 206 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.399 all the remainder of this people's will loot you because of human bloodshed and violence 207 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:43.759 done in the land to the town and all its inhabitants. Haback it too 208 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:50.120 two through four in verse eight. Yeah. So one of the first things 209 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:56.480 that popped out to me is is that God made a distinction between there's the 210 00:15:56.519 --> 00:16:00.960 wicked his soul is not right within him, and then the righteous. But 211 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:04.519 but the righteous will live by his faith. And I think he did that 212 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:10.399 for sometimes we can get confused out there. Are we wrong? Are we 213 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:14.039 doing something wrong? Are we not being blessed by God? And I think 214 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:18.360 God is telling Herbaca, It's okay, you know, yes, I am 215 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:22.000 using the wicked. He is even using the wicked for his good purposes. 216 00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:26.159 But um, but he wants Herbacic and all of us to be clear. 217 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:32.279 If we're in the Lord, we are the righteous ones and there will just 218 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:37.480 then he says, um. Well, the action verbs again, first record, 219 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:44.799 record the vision. And to me that was thinking from again the sidewalk, 220 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:52.279 the call to the church too. Don't be silent speak it uh, 221 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:56.080 take action. Uh talk about the fact that there are a million babies every 222 00:16:56.120 --> 00:17:03.720 year being slaughtered by abortion and um and make sure others see that in the 223 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:08.680 record, it should be on record that Christians have stood up and spoken against 224 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:15.759 this terrible thing. So that was one thing, and then um, and 225 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:22.559 then his advice or uh, I guess his encouragement though it carries though the 226 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:29.079 retribution though the the when justice will come, but it might not be immediate, 227 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:33.160 though it carries wait for it, for it will certainly come. And 228 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:37.960 again to me, thinking about being there on the sidewalk, you think, 229 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:42.119 when is all this going to end? And he's telling us, I think 230 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:49.160 the violence they're specifically talking about human bloodshed and violence, and it will end, 231 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:55.920 he says, um, And there will those who have perpetrated that will 232 00:17:56.039 --> 00:18:00.599 be called to account. Yeah. I mean that's the surety of God's justice. 233 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:03.720 Right. Ultimately, God will right all the wrongs, and it's not 234 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:10.240 going to be in our timing, right. Um, a day is as 235 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:12.000 a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day to the Lord. 236 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:18.319 The Lord doesn't move on our timetable, and so his word is true. 237 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.000 His word will come to pass that the heavens and the earth pass away. 238 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:26.680 His word remains um. But again, it's not always on our timetable to 239 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:30.240 see justice right. Our part is to wait for it to wait for God's 240 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:36.039 justice and to obey God in the season that we're in right to obey the 241 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:38.400 Lord, and as it pertains to reaching out of these abortion centers and being 242 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:42.720 a voice for the voiceless. Easier said than done. But whether we see 243 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:48.440 results or not, whether we're mocked or not, um, we still have 244 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.079 to be faithful in what the Lord has called us to. Just like back, 245 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:53.279 it can me imagine being a back. Imagine me and Jeremiah the prophet, 246 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:59.079 or is Heyah the prophet having to prophesy and and tell about God's judgment 247 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:03.599 and the need for repentance in the midst of a wicked generation of wicked people 248 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:08.759 that were worshiping idols and sacrificing their children to idols. It's like unto what 249 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:12.839 we're involved in now, right, and these men they had to be faithful, 250 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:18.480 and so we're called to be faithful. Where it says the the just, 251 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.119 the righteous will live by faith, we are called to do what we 252 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:27.599 do not based on feelings and emotions, and again easier said than done, 253 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:32.960 but in faith, believing again that God is good, He's called us to 254 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:38.519 this, and that our faith in Him ultimately reflects on his faithfulness. We 255 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:42.279 have faith in him because we believe that he's faithful and he's going to right 256 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.960 the wrongs. Yeah. And another thing in that passage is that talks about 257 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:52.759 an appointed time, and we often don't like waiting for whatever that appointed time. 258 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:56.440 But we don't know the time. We don't know why he chooses what 259 00:19:56.519 --> 00:20:00.279 time frame he chooses. But he said is that there will be a time 260 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:06.960 when judgment will come, and and wait for it and be faithful in the 261 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:08.599 inner room. But um, and then the outlines I don't know if we 262 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.359 want to read that. The next passage is kind of a long one, 263 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:15.799 but um, he does outline God outlines what's in store for the wicked, 264 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:22.559 and and it's it's terrible. I mean it's terrible, but great, great, 265 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:26.680 great calamity, you know, in summary, disgrace, nakedness, violence, 266 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:30.799 devastation. But then also in the passage, and this is also Tobecic 267 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:37.279 too, between versus twelve and twenty, talks about that at that time, 268 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.640 as all his judgment is coming upon um, the wicked, all the earth 269 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:45.480 will be filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord, it says, 270 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.720 So I was thinking of that. The use of the word all. I 271 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:53.519 assume that means the wicked and the just they will all know at that there 272 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:57.839 will be a time when all will not only know God but be filled. 273 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:03.680 The whole earth will be filled with His glory, and UM the wicked with 274 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:08.359 you know the consequence they can no longer deny. They're going to have those 275 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:14.519 terrible consequences of their actions, and the righteous are going to see what they 276 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:19.839 have longed for UM all along because it was aligned with what God wants wants 277 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:26.400 So um uh for me? What what really was the overwhelming I called it 278 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:32.079 in the article that accompanies us, the nugget of truth that sustains me. 279 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:37.799 UM was in that um the I think it was first nineteen and Hebecic two. 280 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:44.200 But the Lord is in his Holy temple, Let all the earth be 281 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:48.759 silent before him, and that I just really just meditated on that phrase. 282 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:53.640 But the Lord is in his Holy Temple, and if we can trust this, 283 00:21:53.880 --> 00:22:00.640 no, this live that reality, He's there, He's sitting on the 284 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:07.359 temple. He is he is Lord, he is in control, he is 285 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:12.759 on the throne. I think it helps us to trust he's got it, 286 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:18.319 He's got it, and we can rest in that knowledge. Yeah, I 287 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:22.039 mean, I think that is ultimately where our minds need to rest, in 288 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:26.400 our hearts need to rest, is that Jesus is still on his throne. 289 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.279 He's still the King of kings and Lord of lords, in spite of what 290 00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:33.039 we see and what we experience, in spite of the discouragements, in spite 291 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:37.279 of even the victories. Right, all of all of this is under Jesus 292 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:40.160 feet. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. And if 293 00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:44.079 we belong to him, then we've got no need to worry. Yeah, 294 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:48.160 right, yeah. So he comes to his conclusion at the end one of 295 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:52.799 my favorite again passages which we read at the beginning, but in as a 296 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:57.440 part of that and and this is then the final chapter Habekic three. Um 297 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:03.599 uh, He's says, oh, Lord, revive, revived your work in 298 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:06.920 the midst of the years, in the midst, in the midst of the 299 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:12.680 years, make it known in wrath remember mercy again. That one really popped 300 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:19.920 out at me because as a sidebar counselor watching the devastation that the opposition is 301 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:26.359 causing, that the wicked are causing to those innocent lives, we're filled with 302 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:33.960 wrath. And God talks about his wrath in the prior passages, but in 303 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:37.720 wrath, remember mercy. And I think that was a shifting point for Harbackic. 304 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:45.799 He was not consumed anymore like his initial questions with judgment and wrath against 305 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:51.440 the wicked. There's that one sentence that says, don't forget God's mercy. 306 00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:56.880 Um. I think as sidebar counselors, and what I've seen with UM so 307 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:06.319 many of the trials and struggles is sometimes a preoccupation with the opposition, how 308 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:11.119 evil they are, how wicked they are, and what happens is as we 309 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:15.200 talk about that more, I notice more pictures being taken of them, more 310 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:22.759 stories about them. I just think it brings everyone down to where Habakic started 311 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:30.039 in this chapter as opposed to UM, just what is our mission? Keep 312 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:37.960 our eyes on the Lord, obey the Lord, um the don't pray for 313 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:42.400 the wrath of God on that the opposition, because you know they, Um, 314 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:48.880 they're lost and it's awful, what's going to happen to them? Have 315 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:53.640 mercy as God had mercy on us, and keep our focus back on Goddess, 316 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:59.119 on the throne and UM and no matter what. And then he gets 317 00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:03.400 into that beautiful passage we read at the beginning. No matter what, all 318 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:08.960 those things fail, the fruit, every sustenance of an agrarian society, all 319 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:15.440 of that will fail. Doesn't matter. Our eyes are still trust on the 320 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:21.160 Lord and trusting that um that ultimately he is good, and we we can 321 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:23.200 put our faith in our hope and our trust in Him and him alone, 322 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:29.079 not in the fruit. Yeah, yeah, amen, Yeah. I think 323 00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:33.599 it comes around to what we've said oftentimes in this podcast and in our trainings 324 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:37.599 is our fixation cannot be on the horror of abortion. That doesn't mean that 325 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:41.160 we lose the gravity of that. We certainly need to be reminded, remind 326 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:45.920 ourselves of the gravity of what we're dealing with in the murder of innocent children 327 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:49.640 can and mass up to a million a year, and certainly we have to 328 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:55.319 grapple with that. But it can't be our fixation. We can't constantly think 329 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:59.000 about it, because then we'll be motivated by hatred for abortion, hatred for 330 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:03.920 the abortion industry, hatred for pro aborates, for abortion doctors, or or 331 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:07.240 whatever. We cannot be motivated by hatred for anyone or anything. We have 332 00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:11.720 to be motivated by a love for God and a love for our neighbor. 333 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:15.799 And our fixation needs to be not on the horror of abortion. But what 334 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:19.079 we often say is the beauty of Jesus, awesomeness of who this Jesus is, 335 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:25.079 who came to this earth, this filthy, stinking, rebellious earth, 336 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:29.799 allowed himself to be crucified by the by the hands of men that he created, 337 00:26:30.839 --> 00:26:33.039 so that he could bring redemption. Right. And so we see ultimately 338 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:37.079 in the horror of the Cross, we see redemption. Right. We see 339 00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:42.079 God reconciling the world to himself through the death barrel and resurrection of Jesus. 340 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:45.359 But it was only through the horror of the cross that that would take place. 341 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:51.160 And in the same way, and there's um and I think back, 342 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:53.559 it sees that, of course we talked about David. David sees that the 343 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:59.880 redemption of God in spite of men's sin and rebellion against against the Lord, 344 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:04.240 God's willingness, God's mirth mercy. The Bible says, mercy triumphs over judgment. 345 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:10.519 God's willingness to give mercy in lieu of judgment. Now he's going to 346 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.359 ultimately bring judgment. We can take hope in that. As the righteous, 347 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:18.000 we certainly look for judgment and justice to come. Right. Justice implies that 348 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.319 there's gonna be judgment, right. Um, So we want to look for 349 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:26.599 judgment to come because we want to see justice. But before that we delight 350 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:29.720 in mercy. And so any bit of mercy. I mean, heck, 351 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:33.400 we've seen pro abortion people. We we had, um, I don't know, 352 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:36.359 it's been a year and a half, two years ago. I think 353 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:40.400 when we interviewed Kevin who used to be one of the pro abortion escorts, 354 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:42.519 Like, God can do that stuff. God can save these pro abortion people. 355 00:27:42.599 --> 00:27:47.640 God can save abortion doctors. We were just at a conference in Washington 356 00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:51.720 State, right with Dr Anthony Levantina, and it's awesome what the Lord did 357 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:56.000 in his life to save him from that wicked practice. And so we can 358 00:27:56.039 --> 00:27:57.799 take joy in the fact that our God, though he's a God of justice, 359 00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:00.759 is also a God of mercy. See, and it can help position 360 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:06.480 us properly before God again to be fixated on the Lord rather than on the 361 00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:10.960 rebellion against him. Right. Yeah, So, Lord, in your wrath, 362 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:15.720 remember mercy and so, um, I just want to encourage you guys. 363 00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:18.440 Hopefully this was encouraging. Some of our podcasts are practical, some of 364 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.400 them are like this where we're digging into the heart issues and so we hope 365 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:26.519 it's encouraging to you guys. If you guys have um maybe something along these 366 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:30.519 lines, Maybe you need encouragement in some area, or have some questions about 367 00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:33.960 sidewalk out reach, we'd certainly be more than willing to answer those questions. 368 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:37.000 You can reach out to me Daniel at love life dot org, reach her 369 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:40.519 Vicky with why at love life dot org. We'd love to hear from you, 370 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:47.759 But until next time, God bless God, bless you all. Give 371 00:28:47.839 --> 00:29:00.200 me out love for love, give me out for gratitude. I know it 372 00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:18.000 will cost me my life. Nothing's too precious since I met you. M. M.