Today, continuing in Habakkuk, Pastor Matt drives home the idea that when hardships and wickedness confuse, live by faith in your sovereign God. Habakkuk asks God “How can you let wicked Babylon over run us?”. He states that he knows God is eternal and pure. He knows that Babylon is evil. God responds to Habakkuk by telling Habakkuk to trust Him. God tells Habakkuk to trust Him even when he can’t see the final outcome, and that He will judge the wicked. Even in wickedness God has mercy available, and in suffering or judgement God reigns and works for you. If you are a righteous person, in times of hardship, you are called to live by faith.

God is sovereign over the lives of his people and in his rule of the world

1 God is sovereign over all our of circumstances; 1:1-11

2 The righteous respond with faith; 1:12-2:20

3 The righteous respond with worship; 3:1-19

Pastor Matt begins a new teaching in the Book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk saw many things that were very wrong in his society and questioned why God wasn’t stepping in. Sometimes we might wonder the exact same things in our society today. God responded that He is already working on the issues, outside of Habakkuk's expectations and plans and for his own good. God’s sovereignty shows up in uncomfortable and sometimes shocking ways. The wicked are tools in God’s hands, he uses them to bring His people back in line if necessary. God plays “the long game” in the salvation of His people. The wicked will be judged, and God’s sovereignty should comfort us. 

God is sovereign over the lives of his people and in his rule of the world

1 God is sovereign over all our of circumstances; 1:1-11

2 The righteous respond with faith; 1:12-2:20

3 The righteous respond with worship; 3:1-19

Bro Josh Brooks embarks on an interesting journey through John Chapter 17. He shows us how Job 9:32 tells us, "For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. (33) There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. He then goes through John 17 to show us that Christ is our arbiter. We tend to think of the past, Jesus’ death and resurrection and do not think of what He is doing in the present. Sin was paid for at The Cross, and sin and death were defeated at the resurrection. As our High Priest, he arbitrates for us constantly. Our salvation rests on Christ’s mediation for us.

Brother Nate shows us how the disciples went back to fishing after they didnt physically walk with Jesus anymore. Their labors were unsuccessful until Jesus showed up on the beach. They followed His directions and caught a huge catch of fish. They came in and Jesus "recommissioned them" to do greater things. We go back to our old ways at times in our lives. Jesus is "recommissioning" us as well.

Today Bro. Jason drives us to drill down and find the real problem. Many times in life our problems aren’t financial, health, or horizontal relationships. It is our vertical relationship that is the issue. Our wrong relationship with God is our problem. When we are self dependent, self serving, self focused, we can become cunning and deceitful. Self reliance and independence are deceptive. We must get to the end of ourselves and realize that no matter what we have, what we do, how successful we are, it is God’s doing. We must become God dependent, God serving, and God focused, and realize He is sovereign and we are helpless. Paul said “When I am weak, I am strong”. This is God’s story and how He always responds at the right moment. 

Brother Craig Scott shows us our similarity to Moses’ reluctance to do what God is telling him. God asks us to share The Gospel and point others to Jesus. We make up many excuses why we cant. God provides all we need. God can use any of us to share His good news. God is with us!

This morning Jason Boling unpacks the gift of justification. Justification is the establishment of a sinner into right standing with God, The Father. Through it we are pardoned and imputed with the righteousness of Christ. We are then invited into adoption as sons and daughters in God’s own family. Benefits of justification include Peace (wholeness) with God, Access to a grace standing with God, Boasting in the glory of God, Hope eternal, and being able to rejoice in affliction. Rejoicing in affliction is a hallmark of a true believer. 

Tim Melton, American missionary in Nagoya Japan, takes us on a journey to give inside on people of other religions. Most people of other religions do not know about the gods they profess to serve. He then leads us into our need to know the one and only true God. We need to know Him and about Him. If we are to proclaim our God to others we have to know who He is, and what He is about. Our God made everything but Himself. He needs nothing from us. Other gods whether icons or idols are made by human hands. They need to be sustained by humans. We need to be sustained by the one true God.

Bro. Nunez came to us from Brazil. He is the pastor of a church whose essence is church planting. He believes in "His will be my will, and my will be His will". For this reason he is devoted to spreading The Gospel of Jesus as far as he can. His message is full of great Christian advice and Godly direction. Be obedient and spread The Gospel!.

John Hutcheson of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lakemont Ga. He also served with Frontline Missions International for twenty years. John did a masterful job of leading us to know why there is a labor shortage in global outreach. In the video he gives us many reasons we, especially as Americans, do not move to the global outreach. He warns us of personal traits we need to be aware of and maybe change in order to better serve. He shows us how we do not need to be "Spiritual Giants" but ordinary christians. Jesus used ordinary people to start His church. Truly, Jesus sees His followers, not as ordinary or as giants. To Him, we are all followers. If, when you watch this, you feel led to ether give or to serve, contact Greenwood Baptist Church on our website and we will be able to direct you.