{"id":23540,"date":"2020-07-01T18:45:53","date_gmt":"2020-07-01T23:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=23540"},"modified":"2020-07-02T07:40:29","modified_gmt":"2020-07-02T12:40:29","slug":"what-to-do-when-the-country-is-falling-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-to-do-when-the-country-is-falling-apart\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do When the Country Is Falling Apart?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

 <\/p>\n

by Gardner Hall<\/p>\n

The prophet Habakkuk was overwhelmed with anxiety about two things:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The injustice in his country (Habakkuk 1:1-4) and<\/li>\n
  2. the resulting destruction at the hands of the Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:5-2:1).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"\"However, when the prophet turned to the Lord in prayer, his confidence grew to the point that he could rejoice in the Lord whatever happened (Habakkuk 3:17-18). The final verse of the book, a statement from one of David\u2019s Psalms, is compelling. \u201cYahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!<\/em>\u201d (Psalms 18:13 HCSB). The reference is probably to an animal like the Palestine mountain gazelle. Their hoofs have sharp edges and the undersides are concave, enabling them to climb seemingly impassible cliffs and thus view the world, as it were, from above the fray. That\u2019s the idea here! God gave the prophet feet like those of a deer, the spiritual traction to climb into the spiritual realms and view the rise and fall of the nations with a compliant detachment.<\/p>\n

    God\u2019s followers today are often overwhelmed with the same type of anxiety:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The injustices in our countries and<\/li>\n
    2. their growing weakness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Rather than wanting us to fall into depression when being bombarded with news about the evils in our nation, God invites us through the prophet to pray to him and rise above the fray into the heavenly realms. A focus on him and eternity helps us avoid the despair that comes from a this-worldly focus. \u201cYahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        by Gardner Hall The prophet Habakkuk was overwhelmed with anxiety about two things: The injustice in his country (Habakkuk 1:1-4) and the resulting destruction at the hands of the Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:5-2:1). However, when the prophet turned to the Lord in prayer, his confidence grew to the point that he could rejoice in the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[310,38],"class_list":["post-23540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-government","tag-morality"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23749,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-question-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":0},"title":"Is it wrong to question God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Habakkuk 1:2-4, especially verse 3, Habakkuk questioned the wisdom of God. Is it wrong to do so? I believe the correct attitude toward God is to trust and obey; what do you think? Also in Genesis 18:23-32, Abraham plead to God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":70581,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/learning-from-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":1},"title":"Learning from God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Habakkuk 2:20 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If God is the only true God and the Bible is His teachings \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then truth and error are as distinct as light and dark - I John 1:5; James 1:17-18 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We will face our God to be judged - Romans 2:6 II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62902,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-justice-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":2},"title":"The Justice of God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The prophet Habakkuk was upset with God \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Wickedness and violence abounded in the world around him. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jeremiah asked much the same question: Why do the wicked prosper? - Jeremiah 12:1-4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is an old question. Job asked it - Job 21:7-15 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Asaph\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62533,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/god-and-the-nations\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":3},"title":"God and the Nations","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 19:10-11 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How involved is God in the activities of the nations? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We know that God doesn\u2019t change, and from the teachings in the prophets of the Old Testament, we find that God was heavily involved in the governments of various nations.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54211,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/lessons-in-the-minor-prophets\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":4},"title":"Lessons in the Minor Prophets","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Wesley Key 2018 Fall Meeting Series The Word of Hosea The Word of the Lord by Haggai The Vision of Nahum The Word of the Lord to Joel The Burden of Habakkuk The Burden of Malachi The Word of the Lord to Jonah","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54259,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-burden-of-habakkuk\/","url_meta":{"origin":23540,"position":5},"title":"The Burden of Habakkuk","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Wesley Key The Minor Prophets","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}