Is God Always Good? (Study on the Book of Habakkuk)

Is God Always Good? (Study on the Book of Habakkuk)

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "Is God Always Good?"  Our Scripture text is in Habakkuk, chapter 3.

You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.


Is God Always Good? | Why God? | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

We can be hopeful even in the hardest times.  This is what the short little three-chapter book of Habakkuk teaches us.  In the first chapter, Habakkuk asked the question, "Why, God?"  In the second chapter, we read about waiting on God.  Today we are in the third chapter where we will read that God is good always, even in the hard times.  

It is easy to say that God is good when things are going well, but can we still say that God is good when life crumbles around us?

As we read through Habakkuk, we see that Habakkuk's circumstances didn't change, but his heart was changed.  God doesn't always change our circumstances, but He changes us.

Read Habakkuk's prayer in chapter 3, verses 1 and 2. 

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear.
O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy. - Habakkuk 3:1-2

Now, read what Habakkuk says in chapter 3, verse 18.

Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. - Habakkuk 3:18

Things were still bad, but Habakkuk still praised God.

Let's go back now and include verse 17.

Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. - Habakkuk 3:17-18

We were encouraged to circle the words "Though" in verse 17 and the word "Yet" in verse 18.  If you don't have your Bible with you right now, go get it if you can.  Find Habakkuk 3:17-18 in your Bible and circle these words.  Remember them.

Let's put verse 17 within today's perspective.  It would be like a total collapse of our economy.  Even so, Habakkuk says that God is good.

I know this is not easy.  In fact, it can sometimes be really hard to say that God is good when the world around us crumbles . . . 

when we get a cancer diagnosis.

when our child rebels.

when we lose a parent.

when we lose a child.

when we suffer financially.

when we suffer a broken relationship.

The list could go on and on and on.

Is God Always Good?

How do we get to a point where we can say that God is good even in the hard times?

Remember:

1.  God's grace gives us stability.   God never runs out of grace. 

The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places. - Habakkuk 3:19

Why are high places important?  Remember what we said last week about the rampart?  High places can give us an advantage over the enemy. 

Suffering will either make you humble or it will make you arrogant.  Suffering will make you sweeter or it will make you sour.

God gives us "hinds feet" so that we can tread the mountains.  God uses the tough times to build our character.  Then, later on we can be thankful for the suffering because God used it for good.

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

2.  Suffering and Joy happen concurrently.

God is not only good after the suffering.  He is good during the suffering as well.

Are you facing a crises?

In God, you can have deep peace in the midst of your crisis.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

 

Have you received bad news lately?

God will give you hinds feet for the struggle.

3.  We must repeat and remember.

We must remember the discipline of repeating.  Habakkuk continued to praise God over and over again even though his circumstances didn't change.  We need to repeatedly praise God even when our circumstances don't change.  We learn by repetition.  There are 4 gospels in the New Testament:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  All four gospels tell the same story.  Reading all four gospels repeatedly help us to remember the truths taught in the gospels.  God uses the discipline of repetition to teach us life lessons and make us stronger.  

These notes that I'm typing right now are repeated.  First, I write them down in my own handwriting as my pastor preaches on Sunday mornings.  I come here later to type them into my blog.  I do this to help me remember what I'm taught.  I do this so I can come back later to reread my notes in organized groups and so that you who are reading this can benefit from them as well.  

We must remember the discipline of remembering.  We need to remind ourselves of who God is.  We need to remind ourselves of God's faithfulness.  Remember God's Word.  Remember all that God has already done for you in the past.  

Keep your eyes on God, not on your circumstances or the people you might blame for your circumstances.  

Is God always good?  YES!

Our pastor tells the stories of two different men.  Be sure to watch the entire video above to get the whole story.  The gist of the story is that one man was blesses with abundance and He praised God for His faithfulness.  The second man suffered great losses, but he still praised God for His faithfulness.  

Don't lose hope when things go wrong.

God is good all the time.

God is faithful.   

Read all posts in this Habakkuk study here.

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Is God Always Good? (Study on the Book of Habakkuk)

Image Credit:  Ben White - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

 When Trials Persist

Scripture Passage:  The Book of Job

The persistence of the devil will disturb you when hard times come.

Satan's attacks are not primarily about you and might not be about you at all.

Satan's attacks work powerfully against us.

Job = Ground Zero in Human Form

The knowledge of God's sovereignty over trials doesn't always take away the pain of living through trials. 

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” - Matthew 16:23

The greater the pain, the more potential for glory.

Don't waist your pain.

The perspective of a disciple will deliver you.

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. - Job 2:10

The Value of Trials: A Study on the Book of James

Image Credit:  Ben White - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

Our prayer lives improve when we go through trials.

How to Pray Through Trials

 1.  Ask God for wisdom.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. – James 1:5

It is not wrong to ask God for things. In fact, we’re told to ask God for things, especially wisdom.

Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” – 1 Kings 3:7-10 

It pleases God when we ask for wisdom.

Knowledge and wisdom are two different things. Wisdom is knowing God’s perspective and insight. Wisdom is knowing how to apply knowledge to our lives. Knowledge can fail us without wisdom.

We will never get God’s wisdom until we know God personally.  

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. – Ephesians 1:17 

Pray Ephesians 1:17 for your children and grandchildren.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. – James 1 

2. Believe God when we ask.

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. – James 1:6

 If we doubt that God will give us wisdom, he won’t give it.

For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. – James 1:7

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6

3. Watch God work.

God does his deepest work when we are in a trial.

During a trial, we grow closer to Jesus.

Trials open our eyes. We might see that our prayer life has suffered. We might see that we have been spending less time in God’s Word. We might see that we have become spiritually lazy.

*He washes our eyes with tears so that we can see better.”

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. – James 1:12 

Let God mature us through our trials. Pray through our trials.  

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:4

You'll find all my posts about this study on the book of James here.

Image Credit:  Naasom Azevedo - Public Domain Image - via Pixabay

 Trials:  A Study on the Book of James

Everyone has trials.

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abBeloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:road: Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, – James 1:1-2

Expect trials. It is a matter of when, not if. Grow through them.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. – 1 Peter 4:12

Christianity doesn’t mean immunity. We won’t live free from trials. We won’t live free from bad things just because we are Christians.

Everyone responds to trials.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. – James 1:2

Some responses are negative. When something terrible happens, sometimes we respond negatively. We might say curse words, gossip about someone who has offended us, blame God for the death of a loved one or a terrible accident. There are all sorts of ways we might respond negatively, but the Bible tells us to “consider it all joy.”

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. – John 15:11

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. – Psalm 16:11

Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10

Worship God IN our trials. Look ahead. Long for Heaven.

Every trial has a purpose.

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:3-4


We experience trials:

to make us strong.

to grow us.

to clarify our life.

to humble us.

Read through the book of James here.

You'll find all my posts about this study on the book of James here.