In The Garden
"The Burden of Prophets and Men"
Pastor Wayne Clabaugh

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Scripture: "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see."
Habakkuk 1:1 (KJV)

One of the hardest things I've faced, is to be awakened from a warm and restful sleep to the stark, cold direction of the Lord concerning His people - especially when He gives me a message of rebuke and reproof.

Christians often forget that we are bought with a price and that we are not our own. We "live fat" and "play hard", and have an "eat, drink, and be merry" mentality that easily leaves no time for the study of the WORD and hearkening to the voice of God. We are long on what's in it for me, and short on what I can give to others or do for others. Too many clichés? Well, what does the WORD say?

It says that in the last days, men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Many in the church of today have looked for and been the fulfillment of that prophecy in 1 Corinthians 13 that says,

"... but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."

That's not the Lord's doing! FAR FROM IT! If your study the text you will find that this is speaking of the frailty of man, not the fading away of the Lord. It is the frailty of a humanity of people who in these last days, no longer seek God, but they seek what is good for themselves instead. They no longer study nor quote the tenets of the faith, but declare that they are instead, writing them. "This is a NEW ERA" they announce, "...and God is doing a new thing!"

Well, I think that's great as long as they don't forget He still stands by The OLD THINGS HE SAID. Such things as the Ten Commandments and His commandment to Israel saying,

"Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:" Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (KJV)

What has happened my friend? Where are the Lovers of The Lord who will not compromise with the world; Where are those who are not just a lip-service when the worship leader says, "come on let's worship", but they love the Lord with all of their heart and all of their soul and with all of their might during the tough times? Where are those who hide His WORD in their hearts, and Meditate upon it so that they might not sin against God?

Now, many of you didn't even know you were prophets and yet you too have been awakened with the same burden as Habakkuk. Awakened to the violence not just in the major cities but even in the little cities where brawling in a bar has become an all or nothing fight to the death - over nothing. Someone looked at someone wrong and they took 'em out just because they could! You've been awakened to the Violence that reaches out to our children through the Internet and leads them to secret places where they are disgraced and violated and many even killed. Violence that is perpetrated against the innocent unborn babies as they are slaughtered at the rate of 42 Million per Year WORLDWIDE! That's 115,000 per day. In The USA alone we murder over 1.3 Million innocent babies per year: over 3700 EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! GOD HELP US!

Habakkuk goes on to tell us why. It's as if he is reading today's paper and telling us the very reason why these things are going on. He says...

"...judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong proceedeth". (v4)

Oh my friends, I know I'm not supposed to say it... I know that I'm supposed to be tongue in cheek and hold my peace and look the other way, and "join in" with the ecumenical common good of mankind to feed the poor... Well those of you in Washington D.C. who are following the Lead of The NEW WORLD ORDER - YOU ARE ALL HYPOCRITES!!! The church HAS been feeding the poor and now you want to shame us and to scare us and to cause us to SHUT OUR MOUTHS so we don't inconvenience your evil works of Darkness. No Sir! UH-UH!!! Not as long as God has placed it in my heart and given my spirit the unction to preach it - I'm going to tell you today my friend, I have been awakened... and my heart is troubled: my Soul is burdened!

SENATORS! CONGRESSMEN! ALL OF WASHINGTON D.C. you are rotten to the core with Satan's vile and evil deeds, and you try and do it with a smile on your face! The Lord would say to you this day, "MENE; MENE; TEKEL UPHARSIN!" Every man and woman in the Senate and Congress and in the Whitehouse, Thou are weighed in the balances and found wanting! And If you continue in your sinful way against His chosen, HE will also Number your days. You may stand before a God who loves you and will forgive you today, but one day will become your Judge if you do not repent and turn from your wicked ways you will loose your soul in everlasting punishment in the depths of Hell.

President OBAMA, God is not as concerned about this bailout sham you are perpetuating as your first Great Act as President, as He is about the precious unborn children that you will allow to be slaughtered under your watch this year and the next year and the next after that! You say you have designs on making a change and being the best president since Abraham Lincoln, and my response to that is THANK GOD FOR WANTING TO EMULATE A MAN WHO WAS NOT AFRAID TO PROCLAIM HIS FAITH IN PUBLIC AS A MAN WHO WAS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST! BUT IF YOU HAVE DESIGNS TO BE LIKE HIM, then PRESIDENT OBAMA... FREE THE SLAVES! FREE THOSE INNOCENT BABIES YOU FEEL SO COLDLY ABOUT THAT ARE TO YOU NOTHING MORE THAN TISSUE AND BLOOD - EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THEY HAVE A HEARTBEAT!!! IS IT ANY WONDER GOD'S JUDGMENT IS ALREADY FALLING ON AMERICA? And friends, it's only going to get worse.

Why Can't America turn from her wicked way? Why can't The U.K. Turn form her wicked ways? Why Can't the Great FRANCE AND ALL OF EUROPE TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS?

SELF! MONEY! POWER! They have been deceived in believing that "if" there is a God, He certainly will not condemn someone He "supposedly" loves... to Hell. And what about that Hell? Where is it? "PROVE TO ME", they say,"THAT THERE IS SUCH A PLACE!"

Oh My friend, be careful, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galaians 6:7-9 (KJV)

"The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" Pro 15:9-11 (KJV)

Oh Child of God get serious about Him today will you? If you will not, or cannot, you could end up losing your very soul. I have watched while men and women of the faith I have known for years were undaunted and valiant soldiers of the cross, have given up beneath the weight of the naysayers just as Habakkuk says there in verse 4...

"Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." Habakkuk 1:4 (KJV)

What that tells us is that it is human nature to "give in" to the status quo! To "give in" to the crowd as they shout you down and jeer you revile you for HELL's Sake! It tells us that it is Human nature to "give in" because standing our ground and PROCLAIMING I will not deny the Cross! I will not deny The BLOOD! I will not deny THE RESURRECTION ... NOR ANY PART OF IT - would be unpopular.. and it may cost you something. You might even die for it.

O Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of that mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where Heaven’s love and Heaven’s justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Savior’s cross to me, a ladder up to heaven.

There lies beneath its shadow but on the further side
The darkness of an awful grave that gapes both deep and wide
And there between us stands the cross two arms outstretched to save
A watchman set to guard the way from that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears two wonders I confess;
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.
-- Words by Elizabeth Clephane 1872--

What your answer be this morning to the cross? What will your answer be this morning to the Blood/ What will your answer be this morning to the resurrection of the Lamb of God, The Lion of Judah, The EVERLASTING AND SOON COMING KING?


Let's pray. Oh Jesus
I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.
--Words by Henry Lyte 1824--

In Jesus' Name, Amen