Song 1 – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Hear God call you to worship:

“I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.”

Psalm 119:75–77 ESV

Let us worship the Lord!

Song 2 – How Long? 

Song 3 – Thought My Heart May Fail

Song 4 – My Worth is Not in What I Own

Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.

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Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen

Confession of Sin:
Lord, you have called us to worship you.
We gladly gather!
As we praise you, though,
our own inadequacy reminds us
of how we have broken our relationship with you.

Because we have sinned against you,
even our worship fails to be what it could.
We often treat it as a show.
We simply go through motions,
failing to recognize that you want to engage us deeply.

Renew us, we pray,
according to your steadfast love.
Remind us of your covenant faithfulness
and have mercy on us
in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 
Colossians 1:13–14:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Let us pray.

A warm welcome to all, and especially to any visitors joining us today – if you’d like to get connected or find out more about UCC, please see our digital visitors card or speak to us after the service!

If you have children, they are welcome to join our Sunday school classes! 

Habakkuk – Living with Joy, Strength, and Hope in a Dark World
If we will place our faith in Christ, we can live a life of joy, strength, and hope in a really dark world.

I. Complaint #1: Why do I see wickedness everywhere I go, and it goes unpunished? (Hab. 1:2–4
Answer #1: I am doing something you never thought possible. (Hab. 1:5–6)
God is sovereign over the events of the world.

II. Complaint #2: How can you use a godless nation to discipline your people? (Hab. 1:12–13 & 14–16; Hab. 2:1)
Answer #2: I am true to my good character and will punish the Babylonians for their sin. (Hab. 2:2–3, Psalm 27:14; Hab. 2:6–8, 16; Hab 2:30; Acts 2:23–24; Hab. 3:13)
The Lord is good and is always true to his character.

III. The Pathway to Life
     1) We are to live by faith – Jesus is the object of our faith
     (Hab. 2:4; Hab. 1:11; Hab. 2:19–20; 1 John 5:1, 4; Psalm 1:2; James 1:22; Phil. 3:13–14)
     2) We are to trust in where we are going
     (Hab. 2:14)

IV. The Results of a Life Lived in Faith (Hab. 3:2; Hab. 3:17–19)
     1) Joy in the midst of hardship
     2) Strength for living (2 Tim. 1:7)
     3) Surety in God’s plan for our lives (Psalm 23)

Song 5 – Lift High the Name of Jesus

Song 6 – He Is Exalted

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

“‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

– Numbers 6:24-26

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