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We Are To:

Jas 5:16 Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

Col 3:13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Tit 1:13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

1Th 4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Heb 10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Rom 15:14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Eph 5:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

1Pe 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Col 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, Col 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Jas 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

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Small excerpt taken from “Saved Without A Doubt” by John MacArthur. Published by David C. Cook. Used with permission as per Introduction instructions….

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A Triumphant Faith

Rev. Adam Polk

Habakkuk 2:5 – 3:19 2.24.2013

5 “Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples.”

Woe to the Chaldeans

6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,

“Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own– for how long?– and loads himself with pledges!” 7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.

“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! 10 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. 11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.

12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink– you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! 16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! 17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.

18 “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! 19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. 20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Selah 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5 Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. 6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord ? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? 9 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah 14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.

16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

What do we do when God’s ways seem strange and his providence mysterious?

In Habakkuk we can peal open Habakkuk’s heart and see how he responds to God’s judgment of His people. God does not change, Habakkuk changes his heart so that he can see God’s plan for His people.

How can we be confident and hopeful when God plan is discouraging? When all things are tough.

1. Remember His Justice (2:5-20)

God is now addressing the Babylonians, because they are a wicked people. God uses even the wicked to discipline His people. God did not make them wicked, they were already wicked. But now, God is talking about how He is going to discipline the wicked people he used to discipline His people.

There are “5” woes that God calls out concerning the Babylonians sins: (a) their greed (b) their injustice (c) violence (d) seduction (e) idolatry.

God disciplines His own people, but he brings judgment and wrath upon the Babylonians.

The word (CUP) here means God’s wrath. The cup of God’s wrath is now coming full circle, and now it is coming upon the Babylonians.

God has the FINAL word. Even when things don’t make sense, not Judea, not the Babylonians, but GOD has the final word. God is in charge. God is a good judge, and he will NOT allow evil to have the final word.

2. Request His Mercy (3:1-2)

Habukkuk is still scared. He requests God’s mercy because he is afraid of what is about to happen. He hears God, but he is still concerned, still scared. Habukkuk had the benefit of knowing God’s plan, but yet, he is still asking for mercy.

In the midst of God’s wrath, remember you can ask for His mercy. It is necessary sometimes.

3. Reflect on His Power (3:3-16)

Habukkuk is recalling God’s past. This is the same God of his past, of his presence, and his future. He is declaring that God has a real claim upon his people. Even when God’s hand of discipline seems heavy, you must remember the power and faithfulness of God’s power. God has NOTHING but your GOOD in mind, and His glory. God’s power is actively on display. Habukkuk is proclaiming that God has the power to fulfill his promises.

Don’t forget the faithfulness of God. It would do us good to go back and think about how faithful and how powerful God is. God has began a good work in you, and He will bring it to completion in the future.

Look to the one who orders the universe. Look to the one you can always trust. We are talking about having confidence, hope, and joy. But that does not mean that you can just fake feeling good, and that all things will be good. This “feel good” religion of the world is not true. But wait on God to complete His work. Reflecting upon the power of God does not mean that you will not quiver, or fear, or be scared when you find out bad things. But, it does mean you can count on God to deliver you.

4. Rejoice in His Salvation (3:17-18)

Your ultimate joy is Christ, your ultimate treasure. Even in the midst of pain, struggle, confusion, you can still worship. God is our comfort and our hope. Remember Paul’s struggles! Paul even had a thorn, but he still says “therefore I will boast all the more about my weaknesses so that the power of The Lord may rest upon me”…. 2Cor5:9.

Job said “though He slay me, I will still hope in The Lord”. In the midst of pain you can rejoice because Christ is your all!

If life has robbed you of joy, it is because you have taken your eyes off The Lord. It’s just that simple. You have misplaced your hope. You have taken your eyes of Jesus and put them on circumstances. It is because you are placing your hope in something other than God. NOTHING can rob you of your hope and joy because you have VICTORY in Jesus.

Look to The Lord like Habakkuk looked to The Lord.

ANSWERING THE CALL

Matthew 4:18-25

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

TWO truths that we need to consider:

(1) The work of God among the nations today is a soverign work. He doesn’t need us to do it. He is capable of drawing the nations to himself in a glorious way.

(2) God CHOOSES to use means to accomplish His ends. He uses instruments of his choosing to bring about His purposes. God is capable of doing whatever He chooses without us. But He has chosen us, to use us.

At this point in His ministry, as he is beginning His ministry, he chooses men to be part of His ministry.

When you consider what the men were doing, and when you consider their response, it’s amazing. They drop EVERYTHING and follow Him. The power of Christ has the power to draw men near. These men had already been introduced to Jesus through the ministry of John the Baptist. They at least knew him and knew about him.

1. Ministry Mobilization (18-22)

A. It involves a call. In accordance with Scripture, the initiative always begins with Jesus. He always calls us. As a Christian, we have a calling to serve the body of believers. We have been gifted by God to serve Him in accordance with His will. God calls people to complete specific roles today.
-The “character” of the called. God is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t necessarily call people who are “gifted” or “educated”. These men were fishermen. These were normal, ordinary, hard working men. They were not formerly educated. What that says to us is that every single one of us can be useful in God’s kingdom. All of us can be involved. We have no excuses. These men were often selfish, cowardly, but God still called them to work for His kingdom. This should be and encouragement to all of us. This is only something that God can do. Only God can take a sinner and transform them for use in His kingdom work.

B. It demands a sacrifice. These men had a job and a family, yet they dropped everything they had, and followed Him. Luke 9:23. Kenosis walk. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. Mark 10, the rich young man who comes to Jesus and wants to know how to go to heaven. With men, this is impossible, but not with God.
-It’s not an easy matter to follow Jesus. He calls us to radically change our former way of life. It’s about losing your life. Abandon your temporary earthly vision and change to an eternal vision. The “americanized gospel” has no room for abandonment for King Jesus. We are to follow Him, to forsake everything, and follow Him.

C. It prioritizes people. These men went from fishermen to fishers of men. They were called to call men and women to follow the Glorious Savior. All of us are called to have a priority in our hearts to love people so that we can call people, to rescue people to God. We should befriend people, show them compassion, so that they can be reached. Raise your children up in the truth. You have been given a glorious opportunity. You must have a change of your focus. Your calling is that of an ambassador of Christ. We are on mission with Christ.

2. Ministry Impact (23-25) Christ reached out in compassion. He healed people. Jesus’ ministry of the Word was accompanied with compassion. We must care for the needs of our community, people are hurting. Our deeds must be fueled by love. Jesus came to preach, teach, expand the call.

Have you answered the call, to be used by Him, no matter what the cost. You do not want to be part of the crowd that when things get tough, you bail.

Based on the sermon of Pastor Adam Polk on 3 February 2013.

Proverbs 3:13-16 – wisdom better than money
13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Proverbs 8:10-11, 18-21 – Wisdom and knowledge better than riches
10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

Proverbs 16:8, 16, 19
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 20:15 – knowledge is better than wealth
There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Proverbs 22:26-27 – do not co-sign
Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.
If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

Proverbs 28:11 – Wealth blunts, poverty sharpens
A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
Proverbs 31:16a – wisely consider your purchases
She considers a field and buys it

The Danger of Debt
Lesson: it is better not to borrow money
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Hard Work Pays Off

Lesson: diligence and hard work often produces wealth
Proverbs 10:4-5 – Hard work brings blessing, laziness brings shame
4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Proverbs 12:11-12,27 – working hard
11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.

Proverbs 13:11
11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 14:23-24
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. 24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.

Proverbs 20:13 – success requires hard work
Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

Proverbs 24:30-34 – laziness can bring poverty
I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. 32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Proverbs 28:19-20
19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished

How do we properly use money?

Lesson: Honor God with your wealth by being a giver
Proverbs 3:9-10 – honor God with your wealth
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 3:27-28 – procrastination is the enemy of giving and charity
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”–when you have it with you.

Proverbs 11:24-25 – give freely
24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 14:21, 31
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs 19:17 – a grateful heart gives as to the Lord
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

Proverbs 21:13 – using money to help others
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Proverbs 28:27 – giving is the righteous way
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

The Love of Money is the root of all kinds of evil

Lesson: Loving money results in sin
Proverbs 1:13-14 – thieves and robbers
13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”—

Proverbs 1:19 – Life is more important than money
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

Proverbs 5:8-11 – sin leads to poverty
8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless,
10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,
11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,

Proverbs 10:15 – Relying on money, not God, is a sin
15 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

Proverbs 13:7-8 – the fool flaunts his wealth
7 One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.

Proverbs 18:23 – a paradox of the heart
The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.

Proverbs 23:20-21 – indulging sinful appetites are an abuse of God’s blessing
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
Greed and Righteousness

Lesson: God, not money, is sufficient for everlasting satisfaction.

Proverbs 3:9-10 – honor God with your wealth
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 10:2-3 – The Lord satisfies the righteous, but is against the wicked
2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Proverbs 11:1-7, 18 – Crookedness brings wrath, honesty brings deliverance
1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Proverbs 11:26-28
26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

Proverbs 13:15-16, 18, 20-22
15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.
16 In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Proverbs 13:25 – The righteous are satisfied in God alone
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Proverbs 14:21, 31
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs 15:6, 16 – For though they have much yet it is full of trouble and care.
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.

Proverbs 15:27
Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 22:9
Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

Proverbs 22:16
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

Proverbs 22:22-23
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,
for the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.

Proverbs 23:4-5 – keep money and work in their proper place.
Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.
When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 28:6 – wealth is not as important as righteousness
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Proverbs 28:8 – Ill-gotten gains do not prosper, after a time they pass into hands that know how to use them better.
Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

Proverbs 28:21-22
21 To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

The wisdom of saving
Lesson: The wise steward counts the cost and saves towards

Proverbs 6:6-8 – the ant works hard in preparation
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.

Proverbs 10:5
5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
Proverbs 13:11
11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 13:22
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Proverbs 21:17-20 – the wisdom of saving
Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
Proverbs 27:23-27 – Be wise and prepare carefully for the future
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field.
27 There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.

Sent to me by my friend Wayne Hetrich. November 2012

Crown.org

Mint.com: (Does not appear to be Christian based)

Daveramsey.com