After several promising attempts at first contact, a team of five missionaries flew to a jungle landing strip, hoping to establish friendly relations. So He shared this with them to give them comfort. Now, in the difficult times of their life, Paul gives advice for believers in difficult times. Trials will come but they are never to hurt you; rather they are to build you up. We never suffer alone. Hard times, times of trials and tribulations, seem to be as constant as the sunrise. Idolatry is the worship of a false God. A student has learned through the problems of life that God alone is the source of all true happiness. Be blessed? The word trial comes from a Greek word that has the idea of being under the thumb because of pressure from above. Matthew 5:1-12: Did you know there are divine blessings available to you? To have one husband murdered and another one disintegrate body, soul and spirit through cancer, is not what you would call a proof of the love of God. Paul was a follower of Jesus and a leader in the early church. When he announced his cancer in a Facebook post, he went on to give this testimony: In the past few days my spirits have soared and sank as I pursue the Lords will and consider what the future might look like, but never once have I doubted this: that Jesus is Lord, His blood has paid my ransom, and by His wounds I am healed. To seek the Lord properly, review and affirm Gods attributes. Let me return for a moment to Nabeel Qureshi. How, then, should we respond to these hard times that suddenly come to us? Our text shows how Paul reassured them. Luke 21:5-36, Denomination: In your waking up. Our sermon ideas about Coronavirus will help you preach a powerful message. So, what do you do then? Giving thanks fights the lie that everything is horrible. Located minutes from downtown Pleasanton, in the San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay. He also gives you other believers to walk with. Learn how and where to find Gods presence in the midst of difficult, lonely circumstances. Look up and call out to Jesus - Psalm 23:4: Even though I walk through the darkest valleyyou are with me.. We have been looking this month at the book of Philippians. read more, Scripture: Job 5:7 reminds us that man is born for trouble as surely as the sparks fly upward.. Your privacy is important to us; well keep your email to ourselves. James offers what appears to be a strange piece of advice: Consider it pure joy or Count it all joy (KJV). Christian/Church Of Christ. At one point I told her that if she didnt make the decision to come clean, it wouldnt be long before I spoke at her funeral. God, on the other hand, does not change. Matthew 22:15-22, Denomination: That part is up to us. Faith in Gods Presencethat he is with us in the darkest moments of life. Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. It is not pretending that everything is OK when it isnt. God wants to encourage us during hard times. As inhabitants of a fallen world, we oftentimes face heartache, intimidation, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But as children of God, saved and secure in Jesus, we are never beyond the reach of the Lords encouragement. Introduction. There are ups and downs along the way. Usually they just happen without any rhyme or reason. The issue is really how the sheep (you) choose to respond to the shepherd. 1. We cant always know why things happen the way they do. Incidentsyes. However, when we begin to love others as we love ourselves From this passage I want to share with you five truths about hard times. James begins with an exhortation about how to respond when hard times come. To the very end, they died with their faith intact. Faith in Gods Wordthat it is true no matter what happens to us. Genesis 16:1-10 Heres what we need to know about the book. That sounds so odd that one wonders if he is serious. And we will rejoice if we believe what God has said. You cant have both. But the result is the pure gold of Christlike character. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. John 11:1-45: Ever wondered, God, where are you? This message helps us understand that the power of God is revealed in difficult situations. You also act on obedience (doing what God says in His Word) and trust that He will ultimately take care of the rest. INTRODUCTION read more, Scripture: They dont know, they arent sure, maybe theyve read the Bible, maybe they havent, but theyre watching how we respond to mistreatment, malicious accusations, sickness, the loss of a job, the end of our marriage, a career setback, or a financial collapse. Fear not, Christian friend. The Bible records ways God has responded in difficult times in the past. When times are good, it can feel easier. Our perspective makes all the difference. There is a process involved in our trials that leads to a product. What can we do to keep our faith strong? The Holy Spirit will lead you to what you should do. How many times have we heard the first part of this text quoted? Difficult situations are not new. (He told his conversion story in the bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.) Life can be going along smoothly for a season. Our friends watch to see how we will respond to tragedy. What happened? When trials have finished their work in us, we will not lack anything the Lord wants us to have. That said, if Im looking for wisdom, I wont start with them. The phrase you know refers not to head knowledge (what we sometimes call book learning) but to heart knowledge, the kind gained by years of experience. You may have heard Psalm 23 many times, but I want to focus on one verse: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4, NIV). We are all in harms way. How does a Christian respond when hard times come? Think of one of the hardest times in your life; what question would you like answered? The car hit a massive pothole and suddenly the happy journey is over. read more, Scripture: James 1:2-12: In a trial or hardship? Here is part of what my friend wrote as he looked back on the upheaval: Now that I am on the other side of those two years, I can see quite clearly what the Lord has had in mind, and I rejoice in it and praise him for the time in the cruciblehow it has sharpened me, further deepened my faith in him and love for him, and multiplied my opportunities to serve him. This message is for you! Or your husband may decide he doesnt want to be married anymore. Nothing ever just happens and nothing is caused by someone or something outside of Gods control. 1 Trusting God When Youre Alone in the Gap (4.18.10) 2 Trusting God When the Brook Dries Up (5.9.10) 3 Trusting God In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 Paul writes to some new believers who suddenly found themselves in great difficulty. Its not just welcome them as friends, which would be hard enough, but welcome them as friends! which to me sounds positively giddy, like Im welcoming long-lost friends to my home. Some things we learn from books, others we learn in the School of Hard Knocks. God intends to put our faith to the test. Yet storms often come to believers to make them able to stand firm, rather than to blow them away (cf. She then adds this P.S. God knows you need somewhere to go when you feel unsure. Darkness must flee. To rain the manna and quails is not too hard. He knows the way that I take. SLIDE #1 Look up and call out to Jesus. Proverbs 20:29 puts it this way: The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old, and Proverbs 16:31 adds this insight, Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life (NLT). How comforting it is to know that the God of the universe is also paying attention to you. The word joy means joy. Evangelical/Non-Denominational. You may have heard of people coming through the school of hard Knocks, but as I look through the word of God, I find some NOTs that are hard for some people to swallow. That was on Thursday. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.. The book of Eccl.1: 9 says, The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. The hard time that you are experiencing now, or that you will ever Explore answers to life's biggest questions. Find out how much God loves you and wants to help you right now. Raised in a Muslim family, Nabeel became a Christian after reading the New Testament and encountering the claims of Christ. A touch from the shepherds staff and the presence of his rod is reassuring to the heart. I conclude, then, that counting it all joy is a conscious choice we make when hard times come. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and therefore is worthy of your trust. He wants to help you grow your faith. So many believers struggle because they try to handle their problems alone. Remember the shepherd and the shepherds tools. Jesus is never tolerant of sin, but always willing to forgive it. It was not to be. read more, Scripture: We all need to live each day fully for Him. Let the light of the Gospel shine in your heart. This message will help you learn how to have true peace and get practical instructions of who you are and how to live. First, it is good to acknowledge that His character is good and trustworthy. Satan tempts us to fall away during our trials. Do you have any idea what Ive just been through? It does sound rather idealistic, if not downright impossible. Thats not possible as long as you focus on the trial itself. John 20:11-18: Are you in a hopeless situation? Is it important? If we need faith, we will have it. In the moments when everything appears to be falling apart, it can be hard to see how the Good Father is at work, but know His mercy is consistent. 1. A little here and a little there and eventually she began to experiment with drugs. At the moment my friend is currently in treatment for his cancer. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. God created the world to display His glory. The Lord your shepherd is always with you. A sermon examining the fact that God is all powerful. It's anything that people serve, love, desire, trust, fear, and worship that isn't God. This message reveals what we can do to remain rooted in Christ and why its so important. And some of us will spend an extended time in the furnace of affliction. Someone who takes his/her work seriously and who does it well and rapidly Find resources for personal or group Bible study. Listen to the sounds around you. Thank you! Hebrews 11: Where do we find strong faith? For the last few years, he has served as a speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. The Christian way is not an easy way and any representations to the contrary are false. So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. A victim begs God to remove the problems of life so that he might be happy. If youre struggling, this short message from the heart is for you. We know that he wrote very early because the book is addressed to the twelve tribes scattered abroad (1:1), meaning the very earliest Jewish believers who had been scattered because of the persecution of the church in Jerusalem (see Acts 8:1-3). Be honest. To be sure, there are many gray-haired fools (and there are many wise and godly young people), but Solomon means that if you have walked with the Lord, you will be filled with wisdom in your old age. Eugene Peterson (The Message) translates part of verse 4 this way: Dont try to get out of anything prematurely! Thats good advice; its not always easy to follow. Youve got cancer. Or the voice may inform you that your daughter has just been arrested. These are valid questions, and God wants to help you navigate them. But those good times often get overshadowed by other more complicated things going on. I am so thankful that I am a child of the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed in the Spirit. During our interview with him, he sounded very strong and confident in all his answers. Pope Francis: World War III Is Already Here.. On our journey from earth to glory, we will face many difficult situations. But as xtians we have antidotes against har. 8 Inspiring Messages For The Christian Trying To Stay Strong In Faith. Faith in Gods Purposethat he is conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. Job spoke of this experience when he declared of the Lord, He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold (Job 23:10). SURVIVING DIFFICULT TIMES read more, Scripture: There is Jesus Power in the hard times 1 Kings 19:19-21: What is God calling you to do? God is Omniscient, which means that He is all knowing. Romans 5:3-4 spells out how this process works: We also rejoice in our afflictions,because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character,and proven character produces hope. We all want hope, but we dont want affliction. 5 Smooth Stones, part 1, How To Get Through Trials and Tests James: Faith & Works, part 2, Stand Firm in Faith and Persevere, An Intro to James James: Faith & Works, part 1, You Are Not Alone: Sitting with Elijah Under the Broom Tree, Faith in 3D: Build a Strong Faith Thats Defined, Demonstrated, & Directed, The Importance of Unity in Christ - Resurrecting Hope, part 4, God, Where Are You? My friend has decided to count it all joy in the midst of his cancer. There are no accidents with God, only incidents that are appointed by him for our good and his glory. What was her testimony? Mystery Virus Causes Paralysis. If I truly believe that, then I can move to the second statement and begin to look for ways to grow spiritually. WebLife can be scary, especially during hard times.Maybe you've lost your job, are battling a chronic illness or your marriage is falling apart. They would feel scared about being left alone. James begins by reminding us that sooner or later (probably sooner) we will all face trials of various sorts. Faith in Gods Promisethat he will never leave us or forsake us. Hard times are difficult times of life, a time that you hate to experience, not palatable with the flesh. But as xtians we have antidotes against hard COVID-19 has caused a great deal of concern, anxiety, fear, and worry throughout our world. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. Here is the final truth about hard times you need to know. Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. This is how he handles verse 2: When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, dont resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Even as I type these words, there is a rueful smile on my face. read more, Scripture: read more, Scripture: This message digs deep into the character of each Beatitude. William Barclay notes that in the early church the martyrs gained the respect of unbelievers because in the moment of death, they had this quality. While we were preparing for the broadcast, he told me, Ray, I heard something today that really helped me.
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