Our scripture reading, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the Old Testament prophecy of Habakkuk, the third chapter. Found near the end of the Old Testament, the prophet Habakkuk is known as one of the so-called minor prophets, not because his prophetic ministry is relatively unimportant, but because it is relatively brief in relation to some of the so-called major prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the like. Habakkuk 3, tonight we turn for a third time to our study of the book of Habakkuk. And this evening we read just verses 1 and 2 of that third chapter. Habakkuk 3, beginning in verse 1, reading through verse 2, let us hear then the word of the Lord. A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, on Shigianoth. Lord, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day. In our time, make them known. In wrath, remember mercy. Thus far, the reading of God's Holy Word. And as always, dear friends, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as you look to God's Word together tonight. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, I'll never forget this particular conversation which I had with one of my daughters. It occurred a couple of years ago after I had driven several hours to upstate New York in order to pick her up from college on a semester break. We gathered together her things, we loaded them in the car, and then we began the several-hour trip back to northern New Jersey. Well, after about an hour or two of driving, due to a bit of weariness, we pulled into a rest area and decided to get something to eat. And so we entered the restaurant, we sat down, we ordered our food, our meal was delivered. And just as I was about to enjoy eating, my daughter Bethany said to me, so dad, what's the key to a really dynamic prayer life? What's the key to a really dynamic prayer life? Now friends, I don't mind confessing to you tonight that at that particular point in time, I really didn't care what the key was to a really dynamic prayer life. I basically just wanted to get some rest and enjoy my hamburger. But there was my 18-year-old daughter sitting across the table from me with a very personal and a very pertinent question. The D-Day question, which undoubtedly you and I ought to be asking ourselves virtually each and every day, especially considering the times in which we are living. Times, brothers and sisters, which are not at all unlike the times in which the prophet Habakkuk was living as well. For example, if you were with us for our first two studies of the book of Habakkuk, You may recall that we examined very carefully two key questions which are being asked by many people throughout our world today and undoubtedly also many of us gathered here in worship tonight. The first question which we considered was what are we to do when God seems silent? When heaven seems silent? What are we to do when God seems silent even and especially in the face of the wickedness of the world And in many ways, the waywardness of the church. We also considered very carefully the question, what are we to do during times when God doesn't seem fair? In your life or mine, when God doesn't seem fair? Just as Habakkuk was complaining that God didn't seem fair in his time, when he said that he was going to judge Israel with a people far more wicked and much more sinful than they themselves were. What are we to do when when God doesn't seem fair. Well, friends, you also may recall that the last verse that we looked at together in our study of the book of Habakkuk thus far was the last verse of the second chapter of this prophecy. The last verse we considered together was Habakkuk 2, verse 20, where we read, But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him. But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him. And it was in the midst of this sense of reverential silence that the Holy Spirit anointed Habakkuk to write the words, the first two verses of our text for this evening as recorded for us in Habakkuk chapter 3. And here we find, brothers and sisters, that at that particular point in time Habakkuk did what each and every one of us must be found faithfully and fervently doing as well, especially considering the times in which we live. What Habakkuk did, which you and I need to be found faithfully and fervently doing, is approaching God in prayer. We need to be approaching God in prayer. Now think about that. When we consider all that was at stake for the people of God and the nation of Israel in Habakkuk's day, when we consider all that is at stake in our nation and in the church of Jesus Christ today, We are immediately reminded that we don't want to get this one wrong. We don't want to get this one wrong. We want to get this one right. We want to consider very carefully how Habakkuk prayed, why he prayed that way, what was the content of his position, his petitions before God, so we can follow in a similar fashion and model his prayer. But that begs the question, how did Habakkuk pray? Why did he pray? What did he pray? Well, as we look very carefully at the first two verses of Habakkuk chapter three, we're going to focus in on three key ingredients in this prayer of Habakkuk. It's really just the beginning of the prayer. If you wanna skim over the rest of the chapter, you see that the prayer goes on and on, and Lord willing, we will look at those further verses in coming studies. But for tonight, we're gonna focus in on just on the beginning, the introduction to that prayer in verses one and two. The first key ingredient our text teaches us is that Habakkuk was found approaching God in prayer with passion. He was found approaching God in prayer with passion. For example, look at verse 1 with me if you would please. Here we read, a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. In other words, this was not just any prayer. This was a prayer prayed by a prophet of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, to be recorded in the Word of God for the people of God. It was a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. In fact, friends, interestingly enough, this particular term, prayer, in the original language, if you're taking notes, jot this down. The Hebrew word for that word, prayer, is tefilah. It would be transliterated T-E-P-H-I-L-L-A-H. T-E-P-H-I-L-L-A-H. Tefilah. And the interesting thing about tefilah is that it's a word that can also refer to a psalm. A psalm. In fact, again, if you're taking notes, you may wish to jot down Psalm 72, verse 20, where we read, And so the form of this prayer, it's very similar to that of a psalm. Anyway, we go back here to verse 1. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet on Shigionoth. Boys and girls, that's a very interesting term. It's sort of a Hebrew word that seems to be quite mysterious. But you may have a footnote in your Bible, as I have in mine, on that word shigionoth, and it says, probably a literary or musical term. Probably a literary or musical term. And I focus on the word probably Because Bible scholars actually have no idea what that term actually means. They can't be certain about it. They think it has something to do with the literature of the psalm or it's some kind of musical term. But now stay with me, this is very important. One renowned Old Testament scholar has pointed out that the root of that term, shigionoth, literally means, to reel, to stagger like a drunken man. To reel, to stagger like a drunken man. Leading him to conclude that the instrumentation and musical accompaniment to this particular prayer or psalm was to convey a great passion and a wide range of emotion which was to accompany the particular words or terms being spoken or sung at that particular point in time. In fact, that same Bible scholar writes, and I quote him verbatim, he said, the word shigionoth describes the poem as having been composed under strong emotional pressure. I'm gonna read that again. The word describes the poem as having been composed under strong emotional pressure, end of quote. Question, generally speaking, Is that the way you pray? Generally speaking, is that the way I pray with great and earnest emotion? I'll just speak for myself. Hardly, hardly. In fact, confession, hardly ever with that kind of emotion. And yet, brothers and sisters, it seems to me that what the title, that term Shiginoth is telling us about Habakkuk is that he was praying here in this particular context in a way that is very similar to the way Hannah prayed in the Old Testament. If you want to turn with me, please, to 1 Samuel 1, verses 9 and following, notice what we read. 1 Samuel 1, 9 and following. Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the door post of the Lord's temple. In bitterness of soul, Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow saying, O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me and not forget your servant, but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life and no razor will ever be used on his head. She kept on praying to the Lord. Eli, he was the priest, the young people, observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine. Not so, my Lord, Hannah replied. I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer. I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman. I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.' Eli answered, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him." Friends, it seems to me that Habakkuk was praying with the kind of emotion, the kind of passion with which our Lord Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. If you want to turn with me or otherwise just listen, but in Luke chapter 22, Luke chapter 22, verses 39 and following, notice what we read. Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. On reaching the place, He said to them, Pray that you will not fall into temptation. He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down, and prayed, Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Yours be done. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Think of it. Think of it. You know, friends, it is said that prior to his preaching a historic sermon, I'm sure many of us have heard of it, it's entitled, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. It was preached in Enfield, Massachusetts over 200 years ago by Jonathan Edwards. And it is said that prior to that sermon, Jonathan Edwards had not eaten a mouthful of food or gotten any sleep for three days. But over and over and over again, he kept crying out to God with great emotion and great passion, give me New England, give me New England, give me New England, give me New England. And it is said when he got up from his knees and he entered the pulpit in Enfield, Massachusetts, before he even opened his mouth, a great conviction of sin had fallen upon the people gathered there. And they said his face looked as if he had been staring straight into the very face of God Almighty. Think of it. Think of it. A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, on Shigian oath. Friends, especially considering the times in which we are living, you and I, like Hannah, like Jesus and like Habakkuk, the prophet, need to be found in approaching God in prayer with great passion, with great passion. Our text continues. A second key ingredient our text teaches us is that Habakkuk was found approaching God in prayer with praise, with praise. Let's go back to verse one and we'll go on into verse two. Look with me, please. Here we read, a prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, on Shigian oath, Lord, notice all the capital letters. He is appealing to God as the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of Israel. Lord, Yahweh, I have heard, Shema, I have heard of your fame. I have heard of your fame. Now, friends, stay with me. King James Version translates that particular point of the text as, I have heard your speech. New American Standard says, I have heard the report about you. Now, you've got to stay with me. This is very important. At this point in the text, the NIV's translation principle of dynamic equivalence takes what I humbly believe is an unfortunate turn. Dynamic equivalence, brothers and sisters, is that the NIV translators looked at the text of the original languages and then tried to say that in modern day language as best they could to convey the exact same meaning. But it's not always exactly literal as the King James, the New American Standard, et cetera. So, because of that translation principle of dynamic equivalence, what the NIV does here, look at the text, it says, Lord, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds. All those words are there in the original, but look again at verse two with me. Literally, in the Hebrew, as the King James New American Standard translates it, it says, Lord, I have heard of your fame and I fear. Lord, I have heard of your fame, and I fear." Now, the NIV translates the word yare, which is translated fear, as awe. That's fine. It's an okay translation. But they drop it down into the rest of the text, you see. Literally, it says, Lord, I have heard of your fame, and I fear. Now, what fame of the Lord had he heard about that caused him to fear? Well, brothers and sisters, if you'll skim over verses 3 through 15 of that chapter, and again, Lord willing, we will look at those verses in coming weeks. But undoubtedly, at least that is part of what Habakkuk was thinking about. That's what he was reflecting upon. And as you peruse those verses, verses 3 through 15, you readily will recognize that he is referencing many of the of the plagues which God brought against Egypt. He is referencing many of the mighty works which God performed on behalf of His people to deliver them from their enemies. He is talking about the way in which He fulfilled His plan of redemption for the Israelites, culminating in the Gospel also going forth to the Gentiles in the New Testament, giving us that by means of the greatest deliverance of all, the cross of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the glorious ascension of Christ. In fact, in 1 Timothy 3, verse 15, the Apostle Paul speaks of Christ this way. Beyond all question, he writes, the mystery of godliness is great. He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. As the prophet Habakkuk was focusing on these mighty works, these miraculous deliverances of God, all he had done throughout redemptive history, who God is and the power that he had, he stopped and he said, and I fear, and I fear, he stood in a reverential awe before God. Think of that. Question. Is that how you and I Stand before God. Is that how you and I live before the face of God? Is that how you and I worship God? I was reading a commentary by Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, the late Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, on the prophecy of Habakkuk, which someone graciously shared with me. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says this, and I quote, listen carefully, please. He says, today there's far too much familiarity with the Most High. I'm gonna read that again. Today there is far too much familiarity with the Most High, end of quote. And I was convicted by that. Especially as you consider the social landscape, the ecclesiastical landscape of our nation today, and we are by no means perfect, and I'm the first to admit that in our worship, But think about the way so many are worshiping today in relation to vis-a-vis what we read in Hebrews 12, verses 28 and 29. Hebrews 12, 28 and 29, the Bible says, therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire, for our God It's a consuming fire, you see. Consequently, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, as you and I prayerfully reflect along with the prophet Habakkuk on who God is and all that he has done throughout the course of redemptive history, all he has done in recent redemptive history in your life and mine, How could we not want to worship Him and adore Him and honor Him and pray to Him and praise Him with all that we have and all that we are? In the words of Jesus, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Oh, is it any wonder, as I was prayerfully reflecting upon that part of our text, I said to myself, is it any wonder that in Psalm 150, verses 1 and 2, the sacred psalmist declares, praise the Lord. That's hallelujah. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power. Praise him for his surpassing greatness. Verse 6, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. You think about who God is. and all that He has done for us in redemptive history. Is it any wonder, and these are some of my favorite verses in the New Testament, is it any wonder that in 1 Peter 1, verses 3 and following, the Apostle Peter declares, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for you. Think about these verses in the midst of the sorrows and the sufferings and the trials and tribulations and the sicknesses of this life. Whatever you and I are going through, think about what Peter is saying here. I'm going to read it again. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief and all kinds of trials. Brothers and sisters, our sorrows in this life are a drop in the ocean of eternity. Let us never forget that. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Why? For you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. The salvation of your soul. All glory be to God. Consequently, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, should you and I sincerely desire to be found appropriately approaching God in prayer, Like the prophet Habakkuk of old, we must not simply pray with passion, we must also pray with praise. We must also pray with praise. Well, there's a third and final ingredient here in the prayer of Habakkuk, back in the words of our text, and that third and final ingredient is that we must be found approaching God in prayer with petition, with petition. His petition, actually, is twofold. Let's go back to Habakkuk 3, verse 2. Look with me, please. Here we read. Lord, Yahweh, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them, some of the translations say revive them. If you're taking notes, the Hebrew word is chayah, C-H-A-Y-A-H is how you would transliterate it, chayah. In fact, it's the word used in Genesis 2 where it says God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life and he became a nefesh chayah. A living being. It means to give life to it. It means to live. That's the word. And Habakkuk is praying here. He wants God to make that new again. He wants God to give them life again. Renew them. Revive those deeds in our day. What deeds? The mighty and miraculous deliverances He had done. The judgment upon their enemies. Sanctifying them through suffering and all the rest. All those deeds. He says renew them. Revive them in our day. In our time, make them known. Think about that. This really struck me. Please stay with me again. Literally, King James Version, New American Standard Version, it reads thusly. Renew them, and then where it says in our day, it reads literally in the midst of the years. And then it says again, in the midst of the years, make them known. And so renew them in our day or in the midst of the years, and then in our time or in the midst of the years, make them known. Why does the NIV say in our day, in our time? Well, because in the midst of the years means it's that time between the announcement of the coming judgment being made and the execution of it. And so that brings you to today. It brings you to right now. That's okay. So it's an okay translation. But think about what he's asking here. Habakkuk is asking God to renew his deeds, to make them known today. Not tomorrow, today, right now. And remember what we studied in our first two studies of Habakkuk. No longer is Habakkuk asking God why he seems silent. No longer is Habakkuk complaining to God that he doesn't seem fair. He's simply asking God to renew his deeds in this day. What made the difference? The difference was made, brothers and sisters, because by the grace of God, Habakkuk had gotten his eyes off of himself. The difference was made because Habakkuk, by the grace of God, had gotten his eyes off of the surrounding circumstances. The difference was made because Habakkuk took his eyes off the spiritual decadence of Israel. The difference was made because Habakkuk took his eyes off the looming threat of the Babylonians, and he put his focus of faith on God and on God alone. He put the focus of his faith on God and on God alone. And he said, Lord, I've come to understand that nothing else in all the world really matters compared to the vindication of your glory. And the sanctification of your sinful people, nothing else matters in the end except the vindication of your glory. And the sanctification of your sinful people, you see. And to think that he prayed that, saying, Lord, make it known in our time, make it known in our day, that is right in the midst of a spiritually dry desert called Judah. Think of that. Make this known, right in the midst of the spiritually dry desert known as Judah. Wow. So, pray over that, think about that, cross-reference that. And it occurred to me that, historically speaking, and is this not true, that the greatest spiritual revivals have come during the most spiritually dry and desperate times. The greatest spiritual revivals in the history of the world have come during the most spiritually dry and desperate times. Think, for example, of Pentecost, the first century AD. They had crucified Christ. And what happens? God pours out His Holy Spirit upon the church. You think of the paganness, the ungodliness, the unbiblicalness of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. What did God bring about? He brought about the burning fires of the Protestant Reformation. Think of it. 18th century America, Western Europe, what happened? The Great Awakening. God brought a flaming fire of gospel preaching and revival and the saving of souls, not only in Western Europe, But also along the the colonies along the eastern seaboard of the United States under the preaching of John Wesley and George Whitfield and all the rest As I was considering all this I turned to Isaiah 44 verse 3 Isaiah 44 verse 3 where the Lord says for I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground You see the spiritual parallel I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. All glory be to God. And so is it any wonder here that in the words of our text, Habakkuk prays, I stand in awe, Lord, of your deeds. Renew them in our day, in our time, make them known. You see, wow. And he goes on with the second petition, and it's sobering in its succinctness. He says very simply at the end of verse two, in wrath, Remember mercy. In wrath, remember mercy. Habakkuk doesn't ask God to refrain from judging his people. He doesn't ask God to thwart the coming onslaught of the Babylonians. He doesn't ask for that. He knows his people are sinful. He knows that they deserve it. What does he pray? He says, in wrath, Remember mercy. In other words, he says, oh Lord, remember who you are and who you have promised to be on behalf of your people. Think about that. In wrath, remember mercy. You know, there's a great text way back in Deuteronomy chapter four, verse 31. Moses is talking to God's people and in, excuse, did I say Romans? Deuteronomy four, Deuteronomy four, verse 31, Moses says this. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. Brothers and sisters, just prayerfully ponder that for a moment. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath. And so, is it any wonder that Habakkuk prayed, in wrath, remember, mercy, Lord, it's who you are. Praise be to God. You know, friends, the story is told that many years ago, after an especially successful evangelistic crusade, Billy Graham was asked this question, and I quote, Dr. Graham, is this revival? And to this, Billy Graham replied, no. No, it isn't. When revival comes, I expect to see two things, which we have not yet seen. First, A new sense of the holiness of God on the part of Christians. And second, a new sense of the sinfulness of sin on the part of Christians." End of quote. And so, oh my dear, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, especially as we consider the exceedingly sorry social, political, and spiritual state of our nation, and of so many nations scattered throughout the world, May God grant to each and every one of us the grace, and along with his people gathered near and far, may he grant to each and every one of us the grace to gather together our passion, to gather together our praise, and to gather together our petitions, so that like Habakkuk of old, we might be found faithfully and fervently approaching God in prayer. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, But we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. O Lord our God, just as was true for Habakkuk of old, We too have heard of your fame, and we fear, and we fear. Renew your deeds in our day, in our time, make them known. And in wrath, remember mercy. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.