I CHOOSE TO TRUSTHabakkuk 3:17-19

(Point of Grace January 4, 2015)

THE LEVEL OF TRUST IN GOD: A POWERFUL INDICATOR OF

THE DEPTH OF ONE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

“TRUST IS NOT A PASSIVE STATE OF MIND. IT IS A VIGOROUS ACT OF

THE SOUL BY WHICH WE CHOOSE TO LAY HOLD ON THE PROMISES

OF GOD AND CLING TO THEM DESPITE THE ADVERSITY THAT AT

TIMES SEEKS TO OVERWHELMS US.” (JERRY BRIDGES, TRUSTING GOD: EVEN WHEN LIFE HURTS)

2014 TRUST TEST(1) - NEVER (2) - SELDOM (3) SOMETIMES (4) OFTEN (5)

ALL THE TIME

1. I felt that God was particularly real in my life and situation.

2. There was a real desire to know God more intimately.

3. If in need or in trouble, my first recourse was to go to God for help.

4. God has impressed in my heart areas in my life that needs to be changed, corrected, and abandoned, and I have started working on it.

5. If God tells me to abandon everything and simply follow Him without ifs and buts, I will gladly do it.

SCORE CARD1. (20-25) - You are in a good place of having an intimate relationship with

God and He has become your greatest treasure. You have proven God to be faithful and your have learned to totally depend on Him.

2. (15-19) - You are growing in your relationship with God and have started to really trust Him. Begin to trust God not just with the ordinary but with the impossible and the extraordinary.

3. (10- 14) - You are in are in an unstable place and the cares of this world is still strong in your life. There is a need to abandon something that is holding you back.

4. (5-9) - You have yet to trust God and have to yet to experience how God can be real in your life. You are are in a bad place and you have to begin to really surrender your life to God.

HABAKKUK 3:17-18

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the

olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

WRITTEN DURING A VERY BAD TIME IN THE HISTORY OF

THE NATION OF JUDAH

HABAKKUK• An empire’s control is about to be over and a new

raging empire is about the take over

• Being ruled by king Jehoakim that led them to evil

• Jerusalem is about to be totally destroyed

• Contains extended dialogue between Habakkuk and God

• Openly questions God’s inaction and silence

HABAKKUK 1:2-4How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do

not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at

injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law

is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is

perverted.

NATIONALMUSEUM

SPOLIARIUMJUAN LUNA 1884

THE BEST WORKS OF ART WERE PRODUCED IN THE WORST OF SITUATIONS

THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR LIVES CAN PRODUCED

THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL JEWEL IN OUR LIVES

TRUST

HABAKKUK 3:17-18

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the

olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

WHEN EVERYTHING IS LOST (EVERYTHING IMPORTANT AND EVERYTHING ONE IS

DEPENDING ON)

THAT IS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY

(CRISIS OR OPPORTUNITY)

TO REJOICE AND DECLARE ONES UNWAVERING TRUST IN GOD

(MORE THAN THE ANSWER, IT IS OUR TRUST)

CHOOSE TO TRUST GOD

Hab. 3:34 “His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.”

Job 1:21 “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Lam. 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

UNQUESTIONABLY TRUST GOD NOW