Fear not, Christian friend. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (v. 4). - Resurrecting Hope, part 3, Are You Living Like You Love God? Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Find Hope & Comfort During Hard Times: Inspire!, part 1, In a trial? Are your priorities right? Luke 21:5-36, Denomination: Then, all of a sudden, life throws a curveball. All things do not work for the good for all people. Pope Francis: World War III Is Already Here.. When we obey line upon line and precept upon precept, we will read more, Scripture: We have a great God who loves us more than we know. From canceling worship services and holding our Sunday gatherings online, to not Dont let your emotions rule your life; bring them to God so He can help you address them. Difficultyyes. As we go through life, we can look back and see many blanks that we wish God would fill in for us. Nothing is Too Difficult for God Thank God in the Midst of Trials and Even Persecution We draw back from difficulties, yet not one of us is exempt from some kind of trouble. If you trust someone, you feel comfortable being honest with them about anything. Let the Lord minister to you through the resources of the body of Christ. They can remind you of the truth when youre struggling. He also wants you to come to Him simply to spend time with Him. Sermons for Difficult Times, New Beginnings Encourage your members to keep looking forward; to not get so discouraged with the state of the world, but to see that there is still hope for the future. Sermons for difficult times that center around these realities are often effective. Acts 20:22-31. In the last few days, Ive heard about prodigal children, aging parents, worries about the future, divorce, breast cancer, an infant with a serious medical condition, children far from God, Christians dealing with doubt, others with fear, and still others dealing with lingering bitterness. Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. One of the great assets we had was in the 100 yard dash, we had the kid that was the fastest kid in the whole league. C.S. Losing the Race Against Ebola. Choose to embrace the hope that is offered to you in Jesus. Look to Jesus and you will find the strength you need. 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. They havent lived long enough. So I decided to check out some other translations. Will you say yes today? Listen to the sounds around you. A sermon examining the fact that God is all powerful. You work hard, but you don't make progress. We had a great track team and usually won our track meets by a large margin. Colossians 3:17-25: Whats the key to true peace? When we read this epistle, we get a glimpse of Christianity in its earliest form. Strategies From Genesis (And Beyond) (Part 2) A few days ago we interviewed Nabeel Qureshi on American Family Radio about his new book No God But One: Allah or Jesus?. The situation can look so dark that not even a sliver of light can be seen to light your way. So in these difficult days, God tells us here in Philippians, stand firm. Stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. He starts off this passage with the word Therefore. Marriages break up. 1 Kings 19:3-18, Psalm 22: Are you burdened by feeling alone? Do your daily decisions reflect Godly living? Rest assured, God is on your side and you have nothing to fear. Difficult circumstances feel all-consuming at times. Place: BLCC INTRODUCTION 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. No one is exempt, no one gets a trouble-free ride to heaven. Sermon: Persevere in Obedience - Jeremiah 37, 38; Scriptures: Jeremiah 20:1-13. * The cockroach immediately punched him between the eyes and scampered off. Of them it was said, They died singing., It is the quality of Meriam Ibrahim who when pressured by the Muslim prosecutor in Sudan to renounce her Christian faith, knowing that her life was on the line, said, I am a Christian and I will remain a Christian.. What kinds of questions do hard times make you ask? read more, Scripture: It is unchanging and completely trustworthy. Nothing will be left out; nothing will be left behind. A little here and a little there and eventually she began to experiment with drugs. For the non-believer, the shepherd is looking for you and desires for the two of you to be reunited. To apprehend Gods sovereignty working in that love is we must say it the last and highest victory of the faith that overcomes the world. WebWe need to continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23). No help there. In fact, there are many times when it looks like just the opposite. The staff is used to correct, restrain, and pull to safety. So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. He reminds them that this life will have hardship and that our bodies will fail, but God is still working for our good. Trials will come but they are never to hurt you; rather they are to build you up. After several promising attempts at first contact, a team of five missionaries flew to a jungle landing strip, hoping to establish friendly relations. A time it appears you don't know what you are doing. Second, your particular trial doesnt matter as much as how you respond to it. He asked Jesus to heal him if you can. Jesus asked the man if he did not believe that Jesus could heal, and this was his reply. God calls you to give thanks. 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). Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. That is the shared faith of Gods people. The tools of the shepherd are the rod and staff. There is a fourth truth we need to remember when hard times come. How does the devil tempt us in hard times? I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless (v. 5). But as xtians we have antidotes against har. Hes talking about a supernatural reaction made possible by the Holy Spirit who enables us to see and to respond from Gods point of view. Daniel Speaks to Us Today Series Dealing With Difficult People Usually they just happen without any rhyme or reason. He whispers in our ear that God has forgotten us, that he doesnt care, and that he isnt good. Anyone who has ever interacted with children knows they can ask very difficult questions, questions that are not always easy to answer because difficult questions often have difficult answers. During our interview with him, he sounded very strong and confident in all his answers. You need to find Him and His words, and by faith rest in Him. Most of the time we will carry those unfilled blanks with us all the way to heaven. Advent 2022, week 4: During this series, we are looking at how hope, peace, joy and love are at the heart of Christmas. We should rejoice. This short message helps us look at how our choices matter each day because they add up to the direction were headed. Scripture: The greater the tragedy, the greater will be the mystery. read more, Scripture: There is a process involved in our trials that leads to a product. PSALM 62:1-12 INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE HARD TIMES Are you open to what the Lord wants to do in your life? The experiences of my life are not such that I could infer from them that God is good, gracious and merciful necessarily. It is the in-between times when faith grows, and God brings life to the dead. That sounds so odd that one wonders if he is serious. Recently I spent a week teaching the book of James at Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Florida. Wait on Him to do what you cannot do yourself. But you can control how you respondin faith or unbelief, in humility or arrogance, in forgiveness or in anger, in hope or in despair. As he said, I would have preferred to find out whats behind Door # 2. We all feel that way when trouble come our way. Or the boss decides that we arent the right fit, whatever that means. read more, Scripture: Here Paul plainly says that we can overcome our trials by faith. Under pressure we begin to give in to bad habits, wrong attitudes, and then we begin the long slide in the wrong direction. Introduction: Hard times are real for everyone regardless of who we are or where we are. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. In Him, you can have comfort and peace, and encouragement. Creation is Gods gift to Himself, and creation is a gift that leads to celebration. Evangelical Free. The book of Jude is one of those that we skip over most of the time. Paul reminded his friend that partnership is important and helps us have a greater understanding of God and His plan. First, it is good to acknowledge that His character is good and trustworthy. Psalm 23: Youre important to God. We rejoiced. We all have a story. In a fallen world, there can be no other way. 8 Inspiring Messages For The Christian Trying To Stay Strong In Faith. Heres what we need to know about the book. Galatians 6:4-10, Denomination: He shared this with a fellow believer as encouragement. God is much more concerned with how you respond than with the trial itself. A student understands that God allows hard times in order to help him grow. If you want hope to flood your heart, it starts with affliction that leads to endurance that produces proven character that results in the Holy Spirit filling us with hope. You are not facing these difficult times alone. Joy to many people speaks of a pep rally or a champagne party or a New Years Eve bash. If youre struggling, this short message from the heart is for you. My friend has decided to count it all joy in the midst of his cancer. But thank God, we are not like those who have no hope! I will hold on because I promised and because I believe the Lord has something in store for me. That sort of gritty stubbornness produces genuine spiritual maturity. He hears your requests and answers them. But thats how life is sometimes. On our journey from earth to glory, we will face many difficult situations. I am glad to share it because it is truly encouraging. Hard times make us seek answers. If you and I have been in the world very long, we've learned there are And some of us will spend an extended time in the furnace of affliction. James isnt talking about a natural reaction. Dealing With Difficult People Series. The Holy Spirit will guide, comfort and help. He is always faithful. How does a Christian respond when hard times come? What does it do? We are a troubled people living on a troubled planet. Colossians 1:9-14: Are you living worthy of the Lord? Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, Help your church understand God's plan in pain, Call your people to experience a higher freedom, Proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. Many people reading this message are going through hard times right now. In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 Paul writes to some new believers who suddenly found themselves in great difficulty. God's Love Scripture Verses in the Bible | Cru. We believe so much in the sovereignty of God that when hard times come, we know that God is at work for our good and his glory. Thanks 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. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. Or someone you trusted may start spreading lies about you. As I have pondered the matter, and considered my own difficulties with this concept, the thought occurs that counting it all joy when troubles come is not a natural response. Here are seven practical ways to trust God in your everyday life: Scripture, or the Bible, is Gods Word. Take a note card from the pew in front of you. Thats not possible as long as you focus on the trial itself. Introduction Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. Help families pursue the relationships that matter most. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Today well learn about the remarkable offer of peace: Who is it for? Babies are born with defects that cannot be corrected. Sometimes what you need to do is wait. He is always working in your life and in the world. Difficult situations are not new. Our hard times are designed to bring us closer to the Lord. Many people in Scripture even reference other parts of Scripture to encourage themselves and those around them. The Final Judgment Matthew 25: 31-46 25:40 Our perspective makes all the difference. God cares about them both. He will bring direction to you. But my belief in the love of God is not by inference or instinct. read more, Scripture: Or your husband may decide he doesnt want to be married anymore. # WHO is a Diligent person? It reads like a sermon or perhaps even more like a pep talk from a football coach. When Jesus was telling His followers that He was going to be killed, He knew that they would be worried. As I survey the New Testament teaching regarding trials, two truths stand out. To us, joy means the absence of all pain. She and her husband Jim joined a group of missionaries reaching out to the Auca Indians of Ecuador. Mystery Virus Causes Paralysis. read more, Scripture: SURVIVING DIFFICULT TIMES Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Everything that happens to us is either caused by God or allowed by God. But perpetual victimhood dooms you to a life of self-centered misery because you learn nothing from your trials. We are all in harms way. He wants to help you grow your faith. You can read the morning paper and (He told his conversion story in the bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.) Giving thanks fights the lie that everything is horrible. * The Faith allows us to find our way through struggle the How many times have we heard the first part of this text quoted? So He asked for help. As 1. 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 THE SCHOOL OF HARD "NOTS" Many of us want to trust God. #1 Sermon: John 10:1-10 Inspirational; Small Group Studies; Church Media. And get 5 action steps for enduring trials, tests, and persecution. Four years ago my Father-in-Law, Dr. W. C. Dobbs, pastor and professor, passed away. You can have an easy life, or you can have a deep faith. You can have hope because anything is possible. When the phone rings with bad news, when your son winds up in prison, when your best friend betrays you, when you lose your job, when your parents suddenly die, when life comes apart at the seams, then you discover what you truly and actually believe in the depth of your soul. We have been looking this month at the book of Philippians. Matthew 25:31-46. read more, Scripture: James 1:2-11, Nothing is too Hard for YHWH, at the right time he answers our prayers, Promise Genesis 18:14 - is there anything too hard for the Lord? Whenever I tell others about my rough road back to Christ from non-Christian relationships, the one question I am always asked is, What would have helped make my road back a little easier? My answer is, during my time of spiritual loneliness, if I had had a sister in Christ seek me out and tell me, Ive been there, I love you, and I can help you find your way back to Jesus, perhaps I could have been spared a lot more pain than having to discover the answers on my own.

Can You Own An Alligator In Georgia, Will Medicare Pay For More Than One Covid Test, Articles E