God is trustworthy even when you dont see your prayers answered or problems solved right away. Even some mature Christians react this way, as evidenced by Pauls words of reassurance to Timothy many years later. Our friends turn into enemies. If you trust someone, you feel comfortable being honest with them about anything. read more, Scripture: Philippians 1:3-7: Want more joy in your life? In times of doubt, remember His promises. Thomas Constable has a very helpful word at this point: When trouble comes, Christians often react by doubting that they are where God wants them to be; they often think that they have done something wrong and that God must be displeased with them. read more, Scripture: Some people go through life as professional victims, always talking about how they have been mistreated. Picture someone driving down the highway in a convertible. How many times have we heard the first part of the text quoted? To say that is to say nothing more than the words of Romans 8:28. You will view them differently because you believe that God intends through them to give you a great benefit that could not come any other way. How does the devil tempt us in hard times? God calls you to give thanks. This message teaches us what to do when we find ourselves in difficult situations. read more, Scripture: Philippians 1:12-18, Denomination: Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. (Cited by James Montgomery Boice in his Romans series.). Children get hooked on drugs or alcohol or sex. Good News for Dealing with Difficult People. 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. But my belief in the love of God is not by inference or instinct. In this message, we learn that while trials and temptations are not sin, they can lead to sin if we dont stand firm in faith. It is understandable as this is a hugely unknown situation for all of us. 1-3a). ( 1:4,18, 25,26 You can talk about heaven all you want, but youll discover whether or not you believe in it when you stand by the casket of someone you love. Now, it is not because we disagree with anything that it says, its just that the book is so short that when you blink as you turn the pages in your Bible you miss it. If you dont run to the Word to remind you of truth in difficult times, it is easier for you to be led into lies about your life and who God is. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. 12. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. TRUST GOD IN UNCERTAIN TIMES | Hope In Hard Times But thats not what the Bible means. Words of Encouragement For Hard Times James begins with an exhortation about how to respond when hard times come. Youre able to confess to God when your feelings and beliefs are not lining up with His Truth. Matthew 5:1-12: Did you know there are divine blessings available to you? It is not pretending that everything is OK when it isnt. Evaluate where youve placed your faith and get practical instruction for building a faith that can outlast any storm. John 17:20-26: Are you dealing with a dispute, conflict, or falling-out? It's anything that people serve, love, desire, trust, fear, and worship that isn't God. (From the Bible Knowledge Commentary). How do you trust that God is good in these circumstances? Under pressure we begin to give in to bad habits, wrong attitudes, and then we begin the long slide in the wrong direction. This message explores important questions about your faith and commitment to God. read more, Scripture: Thats what perseverance looks like. When you find yourself in a valley or some dark place, such as a sickness or feeling depressed, a spiritual attack or a loss of some kind, its not the place you find yourself in that is important so much as the one who is with you. United Methodist. In a call from a friend. No! I want to begin this message by giving you some common contemporary types of difficult people you may encounter. The document with the active links can be found in PDF form at this web address: http://www.firstpresanchorage.org/Sermons.htm (The sermon is titled the same: "King Herods Early Release Program") The links are not active in this When your trials are over, you will come forth as gold. To trust is to believe in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of something. Psalm 23: God, Jehova-Rohithe Lord is my shepherd, knows where you are, and he will answer you. It seems that this is the deep theological response to all calamity. Do you have any idea what Ive just been through? It does sound rather idealistic, if not downright impossible. Consider these words by Roy Zuck: For the child of God, there are no accidents, only incidents. That may be the best one-sentence summary of Romans 8:28 Ive ever seen. Matthew 22: 15 22 / Why Is The Sky Blue? One day I joined him on Moody Radio for Primetime America, the program he hosted each weekday afternoon. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? FAS: What is the type of religion that would bring the most happiness to the individual who practices that religion? Until then, your faith is speculative because it is untested. Luke 21:5-36, Denomination: Walking closely with the Spirit will not only give you direction but will remind you that you are not alone. For the children of God, all things do indeed work together for good. Incidentsyes. 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. 1. Paul was a follower of Jesus and a leader in the early church. read more, Scripture: Jude 1:17-21, Denomination: But as xtians we have antidotes against har, Surviving Hard times Perhaps weve lost a job and feel that were not qualified to do anything. How comforting it is to know that the God of the universe is also paying attention to you. Darkness must flee. Jesus is never tolerant of sin, but always willing to forgive it. So, what do you do then? A victim says Why did this happen to me? while a student asks, What can I learn from this?. Raised in a Muslim family, Nabeel became a Christian after reading the New Testament and encountering the claims of Christ. When hard times come, its easy to blame God for our problems. to our ministers who preached and taught in my absence. 10 words of encouragement during hard times Ive learned that you can keep going long after you think you cant Not all positive change feels positive in the beginning. This helps you accept that God is bigger than you could ever understand. Everybody in life is bound to pass thru hard time. Jesus guaranteed His followers that they would face hard times (John 16:33), but He promised that He would always be with them (Matthew 28:20). Fear not, Christian friend. Trust or unbelief. The truth of Scripture frees you from the expectations of earning your salvation (John 8:32). Life can be going along smoothly for a season. The Bible says that God cannot lie. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (v. 1). 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. Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small, In all life Thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perishbut naught changeth Thee. (Walter C. Smith, 1867) 2. My parting words were the words of Jesus, Go and sin no more. She smiled and thanked me and said she needed to go and get some heroin or she wouldnt make it through the day. He does not always give you the big picture, but He will show you the next step. The Final Judgment Matthew 25: 31-46 25:40 WE have seen some athletes who have figuratively blown up locker I love the enthusiasm of the younger generation for the Word of God. Be honest. The word face has the idea of falling or stumbling over a problem. JUDE 17-21 Paul had set the example of joyfulness in difficult times. Idolatry is the worship of a false God. The phrase we were destined comes from a verb that means to put or to place. Its a very strong way of saying these hard times were placed here by God. They didnt happen by accident. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. Are you ready for a close, personal relationship with the shepherd? For the believer, the rod is like the word of God and the staff is the Holy Spirit. A) I read about a man that was sitting at home one evening when the doorbell rang! If you dont need this sermon today, put it in your back pocket because you will definitely need it tomorrow! Your friends and family are enjoyable. Sermon: Persevere in Obedience - Jeremiah 37, 38; Scriptures: Jeremiah 20:1-13. Choose to embrace the hope that is offered to you in Jesus. Church Of God. First, it is good to acknowledge that His character is good and trustworthy. Hard times make us seek answers. Psalm 23:4: Feel Alone? After 2000 years, his words still ring true today. Showing God in action in and through His people. The issue is really how the sheep (you) choose to respond to the shepherd. You can have an easy life, or you can have a deep faith. But thats how life is sometimes. They come when they come, and we have to cope as best we can. Sometimes Intro: People, by nature, are inquisitive. Exodus 16:13-14 Or someone you trusted may start spreading lies about you. (He told his conversion story in the bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.) 3. Daniel Speaks to Us Today Series The great danger is that we will try to short-circuit the process by running away from our problems. What kind of faith does he have in mind? We rejoiced. # WHO is a Diligent person? But during a period of loneliness, she fell in with a bad crowd and began to dabble in sin. But if you shift your focus to God, then you can find joy even in the worst moments of life. In the book of Romans, one of the early followers of Jesus, Paul, writes to believers about the present life. When I told my brothera medical doctorof my diagnosis, he was almost giddy with excitement, proclaiming, Great, God has given you a wonderful new platform to tell others about him! And he has been right, it is a great platform. When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus.