Viewing entries tagged
trials
Suffering always feels wrong—like something that should be removed as quickly as possible. But what if God intends adversity to be His servant, shaping us for our good? This message looks at how we can lay hold of God’s surprising blessings when trials come.
Job 33:12-30
We can find ourselves in desperate circumstances where God doesn’t seem to be doing anything. It can make us doubly frustrated – both at the circumstances and God’s inactivity. This message looks at how we can activate our faith, avoid the panic, and rest in God's care when the storms of life come.
Luke 8:22-25
The Christian life is a lifelong marathon with plenty of ups and downs. The opening of the Letter of James offers us instruction for running and finishing this race.
James 1:2-12
We all have sins that are harder to dislodge than others. And some that we struggle to let go at all. The story of Joseph shows us that we’re not alone and reveals how God can work through our circumstances to set us free from the sins we cling to.
Genesis 43:1-15
We love to enjoy the present and look forward to the future, but it’s hard to move forward without dealing with our past. This message looks at how God surfaces issues in our past to help us break free from them their hold on us.
Genesis 42
PAUL SADLER | OCTOBER 1, 2023
Many people look at the lives of Christians and conclude, “Their lives don’t seem to be any easier so what’s the point of faith in God?” This message looks at the difference Jesus makes in the lives of His followers even when their circumstances don’t seem much different from others.
Genesis 41:1-16
We all face trials, and it can be frustrating when God doesn’t take them away. This message looks at how God uses suffering in our lives and what we can do to partner with Him.
James 1:1-18
We live at a time when we are investing more than ever in what’s superficial. But it has left us without an anchor to weather the storms of life. This message looks at what needs to change to build resiliency and authenticity in our lives.
Luke 6:43-49
We assume that if we do what God wants, our path will be smooth. Often, however, we face one obstacle after another. This message looks at what God provides to help us through the trials.
Exodus 5:20-6:9
When God feels absent in our trials, we face different kinds of temptations. Anger, doubt, and despair come easily to us. This message looks at how to deal with the silence of God and why we can trust Him when it feels like He’s not there.
We often find ourselves waiting for God’s help and wondering why. God could solve our problems instantly, but often He doesn’t. This message looks at what God is doing when we have to wait.
Many books and movies tackle the theme of coping with hardship. Usually, the take-away is that human willpower conquers all adversity. But most of us have come to learn that willpower has its limits. If we think that God might help, then we often struggle to understand how. This message looks at specific steps we can take to find hope in circumstances that feel hopeless.
In this passage, the king of Israel is powerless and the Syrian general is helpless. Ironically, the most powerful person is a Jewish slave girl. Although she’s been kidnapped, she knows the power of God and so lives with freedom and confidence.
When we begin to walk with God, we assume life will be good and everything will start going our way. But Satan is a real influence in this world, and he opposes God and all who would turn to him. This message looks at how to discern his influence in your life and stand against his attacks.
Sometimes our circumstances are too bitter for us to hope that things will ever be different. This message shows how God provides for our comfort and how we can welcome His involvement in our lives.
Trials are an unavoidable part of life. But they’re all the more painful when we don’t see them coming. For God’s people, the Bible describes both salvation and suffering as gifts of a gracious God who loves us. Understanding God’s purpose in trials can give hope and strength in the face of our challenges.
When difficulties hit, it’s easy to blame God and ask why He allowed them. But it’s only as we start asking what His purposes in our suffering might be that we begin to grasp God’s good plan for us.
The storms of life often take us by surprise. We feel abandoned by God and struggle to make sense of what’s happening. This message looks at how God meets us in those storms and can change us through them if we respond to the help that He gives.
