In a call from a friend. Judge your circumstances by the Holy Spirit and by the Word of God. Her story demonstrates that simply having Bible knowledge cannot save you from the consequences of wrong decisions. From the shadows they watch us as we suffer to see if what we have is real or not. Were I to take away the pain, I might move too soon and block Gods work in your life. Thats the true Christian position. I would submit to you that the answer is no! The first statement reflects a high view of Gods sovereignty. Giving thanks fights the lie that everything is horrible. Christian/Church Of Christ. For more resources on trusting God, check out: The Bible has no contradictions. Babies are born with defects that cannot be corrected. PSALM 62:1-12 INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE HARD TIMES Haggai 2:1-15: Want to be closer to God? Let us therefore endure our trials with grace and courage, knowing that in the end the clouds will part and the sun will shine again. Do you love him? If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. It reminds us again that we grow stronger as we lean on each other. Often, this Psalm is read at a funeral and it is appropriate for that time; however I want us to consider that there are times that we need to be reminded of Gods presence when things look bleak. No accidents! He also wants you to come to Him simply to spend time with Him. So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. He shared this with a fellow believer as encouragement. Life can be going along smoothly for a season. When we read this epistle, we get a glimpse of Christianity in its earliest form. I can think of three obvious answers to that question. No doubt our main problem comes because we misunderstand the word joy. In contemporary parlance, the word is virtually a synonym for happiness. Get more articles, podcasts and videos to help you keep growing in your Christian faith. Everybody in life is bound to pass thru hard time. Today well learn about the remarkable offer of peace: Who is it for? I. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Haggai 1:1-15: Distracted? The situation can look so dark that not even a sliver of light can be seen to light your way. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. Faith in Gods Wordthat it is true no matter what happens to us. read more, Scripture: Dont trust your feelings! One day you are announcing a new book; a few days later you are fighting for your life. Find rest in Jehovah-Rohi: There's power in the name! We rejoiced. There is one other kind of faith that will help us in hard times. Some people may regard this as a negative, but to me it is a positive. Learn how to find comfort and strength even if things seem overwhelming or you feel unsure of whats coming next. The Coffin and the Christmas Tree We sent Timothy, who is our brother and Gods fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials (vv. Hell lead, protect, and guide you. They come when they come, and we have to cope as best we can. But those things alone are not reliable enough to base your life on. A victim believes his hard times have come because God is trying to punish him. You need only to look. Matthew 5:1-12: Did you know there are divine blessings available to you? I love the enthusiasm of the younger generation for the Word of God. James isnt talking about a natural reaction. It was not to be. Children get hooked on drugs or alcohol or sex. The Holy Spirit is your constant helper, pointing you to Jesus. Its meant to help you grow in faith and prepare your heart to focus on the real reason for the season: Jesus! It reminds you that He is trustworthy whatever your circumstances. And hard times can come as a result of our own sin, natural catastrophe, economic Do your daily decisions reflect Godly living? Try our selection of worship songs and sing along! A student understands that God allows hard times in order to help him grow. Idolatry is the worship of a false God. You also act on obedience (doing what God says in His Word) and trust that He will ultimately take care of the rest. Daivd shows us how to deal with difficult people as we see how he deals with Saul. Faith allows us to find our way through struggle the Many people reading this message are going through hard times right now. Serve those around you. She and her husband Jim joined a group of missionaries reaching out to the Auca Indians of Ecuador. Evaluate where youve placed your faith and get practical instruction for building a faith that can outlast any storm. These simple practices will help you see God outside of difficult things, which will establish trust in your heart that He will move in your circumstances. Psalm 23:4: Feel Alone? 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. Genesis 35:15-20, Denomination: What happened to her can happen to any of us if we respond wrongly to hard times. On our journey from earth to glory, we will face many difficult situations. In many parts of the world it is dangerous even to be a read more, Scripture: read more, Scripture: How, then, should we respond to these hard times that suddenly come to us? 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. Church Of God. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. 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. Thanks for your love and your Hard times are real for everyone regardless of who we are or where we are. The two-legged Bird Dog likes read more, Scripture: When times are good, it can feel easier. You lose your job. Pentecostal, Hard times are difficult times of life, a time that you hate to experience, not palatable with the flesh. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. First, trials are the common lot of every Christian. You will know beyond a doubt, Jesus is present in your situation and that you are not alone no matter how dark the valley or how lonely you may feel. When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus. Have you ever had a person in your life that was difficult to impossible to deal with? I have firm faith that my soul is saved by the grace and mercy of the Triune God, and not by any accomplishment or merit of my own. He is not disappointed or frustrated by your struggles, doubts or pain. Be strong and courageous? Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. A student focuses on helping others so that he has no time to feel sorry for himself. Heres what we need to know about the book. If you trust someone, you feel comfortable being honest with them about anything. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. So I decided to check out some other translations. Maybe its about starting over and creating something new. WebThere are seasons and times of uncertainty in our lives. You work hard, but you don't make progress. But if you shift your focus to God, then you can find joy even in the worst moments of life. This message helps us understand how and why we should live worthy of the Lord; plus, learn how to push back spiritual darkness and what brings endurance and strength. The word of God and the Holy Spirit brings reassurance and peace to your soul. Exodus 16:13-14 This weeks message teaches us how to live for Christ in a fallen world. Probably never heard of Patricia Christy, but she is a woman who found out the hard way that you cant run away from the problems of life. Difficult circumstances feel all-consuming Free Sermons and Sermon Outlines for Preaching : Instructions On How To Handle Difficult Times, If The Preacher Is Dead, The Sermon Will Be Dead, Chasing The Dream, Preaching Greatness, And Knowing Your Audience. You are not alone. God intends to put our faith to the test. Find Hope & Comfort During Hard Times: Inspire!, part 1, In a trial? Title: Having Joy in the hard things Titus 3:3-8, GOD hates LAZINESS. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Psalm 71 for When You Feel Like Everyone Is Against You. Becky Dvorak is the host of the dynamic teaching program, Empowered for Healing and Miracles, featured globally on the Its Supernatural! Marriages break up. The Passage: Job Did Not Sin with His Lips (2:9-10) As we enter this book 30 verses in, it's critical that we review what's happened up to this point. You are not facing these difficult times alone. Dont let your emotions rule your life; bring them to God so He can help you address them. He is in all of it. This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA. Or someone you trusted may start spreading lies about you. When life gets too difficult to bear, your inner strength can help you fight your toughest battles. But my belief in the love of God is not by inference or instinct. A student has no time to complain because he is busy making the best of his situation. Although he had come to minister to them, by standing firm in hard times they were ministering to him. All things do not work for the good for all people. Scripture: This text clearly states that only Gods people will reap this If we need any of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), it will be produced in us. 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. Thats not possible as long as you focus on the trial itself. Genesis 18:1-14. And those who are following ever so close to him. Heres why, along with some analysis digging into nine commonly presented contradictions. Everybody in life is bound to pass thru hard time. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident Interesting question. Trust grows as you look for Gods presence in what feels dark and heavy. It's anything that people serve, love, desire, trust, fear, and worship that isn't God. Philippians 1:12-18, Denomination: But it is true whether we believe it or not. And get 5 action steps for enduring Spend regular time with God. It is understandable as this is a hugely unknown situation for all of us. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. 2 Cor. You may feel alone. 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. First, he tempts us to doubt Gods goodness. James tells us that God does good things for the Christian during the bad times of life. The dross rose to the surface and was skimmed off, leaving only pure gold. Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Apr 29, 2010. based Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. To rain the manna and quails is not too hard. If my experience can help someone else, feel free to use this information. Thats what James is talking about. Which do you choose? Our hard times are designed to bring us closer to the Lord. Hard times make us seek answers. Unfortunately our troubles are never optional. You know quite well that we were destined for them (v. 3b).