The Integrity of Waiting . . . Not Worrying, Part 1

Today on Insight for living is one of us all soul's still working just still perverted violence is still in the land.

People are doing the wrong thing strange singing backup estranged sometimes are impatient, driven by little waiting a long line getting stuck in a traffic jam but other times our unwillingness to wait is driven by much bigger obstacles waiting for a prodigal come home waiting for the cancerous growth disappear today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues his brand-new 12 part series called walking with integrity in times of adversity. In this next message number eight Chuck will address another relevant topic for our times. The integrity of waiting not to open your Bibles to the book of Habakkuk is between Zephaniah if you have trouble finding amazing how some of these books tucked away in our Bibles are just so turned to yet they contain treasures. We don't realize their hidden treasures hopefully will discover some of those today I want to read for you from the new living translation. Habakkuk 11 to 6 and then will move up to chapter 2 verse one just these seven verses Habakkuk 11 to 6 and then to verse one. This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision how all old Lord must not call for help, but you do not listen. Violence is everywhere I cried, but you do not come to save my side forever. See these evil deeds. Why must I watch all this misery wherever I look I see destruction and violent I'm surrounded by people who love to argue and fight the laws become paralyzed and there is no justice in the courts.

The wicked far outnumber the righteous so that justice has become perverted.

The Lord replied, look around at the nations look and be amazed from doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe. Even if someone told you about it.

I'm raising up the Babylonians of cruel and violent people.

They will march across the world and conquer underlayment's verse one chapter 2, I will climb up to my watchtower and stand my guard post there. I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint. I noticed as I visit with different people through the day, through the weeks.

Everyone is waiting for something everyone of you has a deep heart ache, a serious prayer that still has not been answered. I think you will be if not altogether almost amazed at the relevance of Habakkuk's words as we unfold the account in the history chapter. He too chose to wait until this and finally he prayed to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.or/study Chuck titled his message the integrity of waiting, not worrying many years ago I brought many series of messages on the book of Habakkuk. So I decided I would try something different before I began the series just to check out People's knowledge of anything about them. The more the book itself. So I became sort of a man on the street randomly talking to different people summon offices in some restaurants and malls about the word error or the book hub Habakkuk, so I simply asked different ones. What does Habakkuk mean to you. Most of the day me a blank stare and responded I don't have a clue what that word mean but there were others who responded in interesting ways. Some of them rather creative of 111 lady said to me, it it sounds like a word spelled backwards.

A receptionist asked is, is about a Jewish holiday. Not bad.

She was close. A waitress said I think it's a village in Vietnam. Talk to a group of teenagers in the mall and they were having a great time until I walked in the new look to be an estimate questioning and recently got quite looked at each other like this must be some kind of joke is old walking around talking another language said well must be either a game or new horror movie. One person thought I was selling Habakkuk's that was my product. So he said to me, no, no, thanks. I don't do drugs I'm never been taken for a drug dealer before but is my first time. One of my favorites was this serious gentleman who frowned asked again the word and I gave it to him and he said I believe it's a disease of the lower back after doing a little man on the street interview from one person to another. I really realize then how much I had my work cut out for me taking on this three chapter book and that was true then think about now and how few people could tell you anything about you. The man name that strange name which, interestingly, means to embrace embrace or are we would use the word hugger. He was named for that sense of affection, the holding of hands, the hugging of another individual. Embrace or half half you know anything about what he wrote. So I decided since that's true, maybe one of the best ways to to get into it with all of you is to begin by reading what Eugene Peterson is written as an introduction to the book of Habakkuk in his his Bible in contemporary language which he is titled the message he is an introduction for virtually every one of the books in the Bible some time the production is as interesting as his rendering of the of the passages.

This is a good case in point, I want to read it slowly and carefully want you to listen slowly and carefully living by faith is a bewildering venture. We rarely know what's what's coming next and not many things turn out the way we anticipate it's natural to assume that since I am God's chosen, and beloved, I will get up favorable treatment from the God who favors me so extravagantly I will be exempt from dead ends, muddy detours and cruel treatment from the travelers I meet daily, who are walking in the other direction that God followers don't get preferential treatment in life always comes as a surprise, but it's also a surprise to find it.

There are a few men and women within the Bible who show up alongside us at such moments, the prophet Habakkuk is one of them, and a most welcome companion. He is most profits most of the time speak God's word to us. Most profits are or in your face assertive, not given to attack not diplomatic as they insisted we pay attention to God, but Habakkuk speaks of our word to God.

He gives us he gives voice to our bewilderment articulates our puzzled attempts to make sense of things. He faces God with our disapproval, our disappointments with God. He insists that God pay attention to us.

Not a day has passed since then, that one of us hasn't picked up and repeated Habakkuk's bafflement. God don't seem to make sense, but the prophet companion who stands at our side does something even more important, he waits and he listens it isn't is waiting and listening which then turns into his praying that he found himself inhabiting the larger world of God's sovereignty is an awfully good introduction to the book Habakkuk is a fellow struggle or is not a high mighty princely clergyman standing above us and shouting down to know about that. He's a man who is filled with integrity who finds himself in a world grossly lacking any of it and is driving him nuts is driving him to distraction and 5G. He comes immediately with his burden to the Lord as he cries out hello how long is this critical want and why those are the two words. Every sufferer asks how long will this go on and what why go through this now what why this by the way, it is really a dialogue. Habakkuk is the only prophet who never once addresses the people around him in his day is not interesting he addresses is God and God answers him. This is called interchange as we interpret the Scripture or dialogue. Habakkuk speaks God answers after God answers Habakkuk replies and then God replies and Habakkuk answers. It's back in Portland will be showing verses 1 to 4 Habakkuk you speaking you get out of verse five.

Look at the beginning, the Lord replied, or your Bible may read the Lord said so. Five through 11 those of the Lord's words back to Habakkuk, and after that Habakkuk response to the Lord by the weight of interesting little party.

I want to bring up early Habakkuk is this burden and and I is people around in the Juden the Jews in Judah are just as evil as they can be. Some are even worshiping idols by now and in their walking fast and furiously away from God and Habakkuk just can't stand it so easy, cries out and says the Lord told look at this as if the Lord didn't know and and so the Lord listens as he complains it. And then when the Lord does speak, he says to us is a prophet, Jesus Habakkuk. I have a planning if I told you you wouldn't believe it, and about his believe it gentleman is well on I'm going to send the Chaldeans in and they're going to wipe you up. I can't believe it, but I just can't believe just to check that we are doing what we wanted to do. After all, we thought you were heavenly bellboy to run errands.

I do not, I will not you will find what it is to serve a sovereign God you back away begin to listen. So when we get to chapter 2 Habakkuk is listening. In fact, he begins a little earlier in chapter 1 steps and again after God has spoken.

Habakkuk chapter 1 verse 12 through 21 see what he says into one.

I will go up in my tower and I'm going to wait and I'm going to listen, I'm going to see what it is your plan to do. I'm going to hear the whole story and in chapter 2 verse two to the end of the chapter verse 20. God speaks, he lays it all out will get there in a moment after God has finished, of all things footed chapter 3 verse one, the one who started with tears and crying out to God, is now in chapter 3 what singing is prayer to God as one man wrote the book begins with a sob and ends with a soul but nothing around Habakkuk is changed still wicked justice is still perverted violence is still in the land when justice rolls down his twisted people are doing the wrong thing. Nothing is changed hi could you be singing Habakkuk estranged. He's changed. One of the beauties of the prophet like Habakkuk. He's he's willing to listen and is willing to change.

I get to that in a moment will read along and think along with me as we for the sake of time hit the high spots and read what it is. Habakkuk is conveying to us. You will find yourself rather amazed. It's as if he wrote it yesterday to these people around us and to us as well.

In our day, or Lord of must I call for help.

How long must I call but you do not listen.

Chapter 1 verse two where are you, Lord no denser out loud, but haven't you asked that answered out loud and went and we all have asked that Susan are going through a time right now with member of our family and and we have just over and over and over and over and over: our God same quote same request say what again and again is just our little family not in change for your I woke up in the middle of the night last night and another the kingdom minded and I thought Lord. This is this is this is in the category of divine help if we don't get it, were sunk. You've got things like that your life will not unique but Habakkuk is so burden he decides to write it out.

Pieces must die for ever see these evil deeds.

Why must I watch all of this misery wherever I look I see destruction and violence I'm surrounded by people who love to argue and fight that's I like the day of course it does every evening news. You can witness it sometime. The violence is so great to sit cities on fire hello Melissa go on Lord. Where are you and the laws become paralyzed, is in there there's there's no justice. The wicked far outnumber the righteous and when justice does roll down his perverted, twisted right is shown to be wrong and wrong is declared to be right.

What kind of a court room is that that's it. That's my world. Speaking of that, because summer duet with Eddie Arnold get the world off my shoulders make it go away.

Please see when you're prophet uterus. The walls through life and instructed all you feel the pain of your times a you you have no one else to call on. But the Lord God who called you into this role. So the Lord replies look good for you so verse five look around at the nations look and be amazed.

I'm doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe, even if it if someone told you about it. I would raising up the Babylonians of the government marginal Judah wipe you out will occur to me is like having a house for roaches. And you can't stand him effective.

If you're like Cynthia one roach.

I mean, you don't want to be around the flyswatter when she's got a roach in her target or shoe or something worse, you got a house for roaches. So what you do what you got to get a pest control is going to come and get rid of and you notice in the head, unique pest control. We have secrets that no one else is we get rid of all roaches guarantee so you hire in sight unseen. 15 former veterans show up with makeup seals muscular guys all with 20gauge shotguns sat back to get rid of the roaches way, way, way, the solution is worsen the problem. That was the Chaldeans. I mean times are bad, but God does not make sense.

You're listening to Insight for living message from Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll. He titled today's message the integrity of waiting, not worrying and learn more about this ministry.

Please visit Insight world.or and and if you haven't already done so be sure to download the Insight for living mobile app or podcast if I details on how to subscribe to both platforms by visiting Insight.org/And as we conclude this daily Bible study will make it a point to remind you that this teaching series has never been heard on the daily broadcast all of this program is been carried on radio stations for more than 42 years. We are blessed to offer our listening audience fresh new studies in God's word. This longevity this heritage is due in part to the faithful friends who financially sustain Insight for living and if you're among those who give were deeply grateful for your generosity effect, we represent thousands around the world who called in write to thank us, knowing that their gratitude is really directed toward you. We couldn't provide insight for living without your faithful giving as God prompts you to join the family of supporters today. We invite you to give your donation by calling us listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to Insight.or/donate and it finally is a complement to your worship experience.

Local church this coming Sunday morning. Remember you can also celebrate with Chuck Swindoll by viewing the worship service of stone briar Community Church online. This not only includes Chuck's full-length sermon, sacred music and congregational singing as well. Find all the instructions for video streaming weekly worship service@insight.org/Centex window continues his about the integrity of waiting, not worrying Monday on Insight for living. The preceding message the integrity of waiting, not worrying was copyrighted in 2021 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved.

Line duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited