Fretting—or worrying—is a sin. Don’t fight the battle alone. Whatever you're experiencing, Jesus knows, and He’s able to deliver you. The shepherd is always looking to protect his sheep. Perhaps we’re sick and feel as if we’ll never get better again. The words of encouragement can give true hope to someone and can make morale up. When he has tried me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). 4:15-16). Thanks for your interest! As I survey the New Testament teaching regarding trials, two truths stand out. But God never intended that you should walk through the lonely valley by yourself. He whispers in our ear that God has forgotten us, that he doesn’t care, and that he isn’t good. Were I to take away the pain, I might move too soon and block God’s work in your life. When hard times come, it’s easy to blame God for our problems. Trials will come but they are never to hurt you; rather they are to build you up. Satan tempts us to fall away during our trials. (part 10), Discouraged? Psalm 23:4: Struggling? Note two key words in the last phrase. Faith in God’s Word—that it is true no matter what happens to us. You can get the words of encouragement for a friend who is going through tough times of his/her life. This short message from the heart is for you. It shows you how you’re not alone, even if things seem overwhelming or you feel unsure of what’s coming next. From this passage I want to share with you five truths about hard times. Our text shows how Paul reassured them. Then she walked out of my office. I am glad to share it because it is truly encouraging. Or perhaps we’ve just gone through a divorce and we feel rejected and alone. All these things lead to the ultimate act of desperation where we give up our faith in God altogether. So rejoice and be glad and take comfort; you have no reason to fear. But that’s how life is sometimes. Brethren, it is common and natural to feel Isolated from God when we experience difficult times, however, the Bible assures us that God is present even when He seems far away! But what the enemy meant for evil, but God used for good. Allow your other senses to heighten. Some people go through life as professional victims, always talking about how they have been mistreated. That’s a revolutionary thought to some people. This message reminds us to remember the promises of God. That is why the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter in the KJV in John 14:26: "But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Fear not, Christian friend. Many of you know from experience the unrelenting pressure from circumstances that keeps you awake at night and saps your strength during the day. But during a period of loneliness, she fell in with a bad crowd and began to dabble in sin. A touch from the shepherd’s staff and the presence of his rod is reassuring to the heart. How does a Christian respond when hard times come? 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 God’s presence when things look bleak. Michael Thacker. Our trials often come with very little warning. First, trials are the common lot of every Christian. As I thought about the matter, I concluded that even if I had the power (which I don’t), I wouldn’t take the pain away or make the hard times disappear. So many believers struggle because they try to handle their problems alone. Faith in God’s Purpose—that he is conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. What a difference it makes to be a student and not a victim: A victim says, “Why did this happen to me?” A student says, “What can I learn from this?”, A victim blames other people for his problems. “For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. Things may appear impossible, but with God you’ll have the victory. (part 6), - Series: Inspire! I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless” (v. 5). In the first four verses of Ps. When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus. But I’ve noticed this about tough times… 4. Psalm 23:4: Struggling? “Jesus is never tolerant of sin, but always willing to forgive it. But you can control how you respond—in faith or unbelief, in humility or arrogance, in forgiveness or in anger, in hope or in despair. Encouragement in Difficulties 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, “I’ve 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. Failure—yes. Purpose: To encourage Christians when they face hard times by giving them truths that sustain. I have turned to the Bible many times when looking for support and hope, and I always found what I needed. 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. The following Tuesday he announced that he has been diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer and the prognosis is grim. When your trials are over, you will come forth as gold. We prayed, and I know it was a divine appointment. While we were preparing for the broadcast, he told me, “Ray, I heard something today that really helped me. Many of them are unbelievers who wonder if Christ is real. From the shadows they watch us as we suffer to see if what we have is real or not. It’s a story of Grace and God’s sovereignty over evil. That’s not possible as long as you focus on the trial itself. I personally have much more confidence in someone who expects trouble and prepares for it than in someone who goes through life singing “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” The truth is, every rose has its thorns, and the sooner we understand that the happier we will be. People would be lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasure instead of God; they would be abusive, unforgiving, and having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
We all encounter difficult seasons and circumstances in our life. In the hard times that we learn to persevere the Christian reaches upward towards God and outward towards the people of God In you were too look at Heb11, the people of faith there were born through adversity, each was tested, tried and found true and walked by faith. It’s dislodged by believing promises. A rod is a sign of power and strength to defend against attacks. Call on God, El Shaddai - The Lord God Almighty, the ultimate authority. 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 don’t want affliction. And further in the distance, others watch what we go through. Praise Him in the times of glory and Praise Him in the times of trouble. Need a little pick-me-up? Look Unto Me and Be Ye Saved, All the Ends of the Earth. As I am making notes to share with you, I received a call from a dear friend and it was a call of rejoicing even as someone we both know is walking through a valley. Paul knew that was a possibility, which is why he was so worried about these young Thessalonian believers. This short message from the heart is for you. 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 wouldn’t make it through the day. Luke 24:1-8: Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we can know the love of God. As Tony Evans has pointed out, everything that happens in the world is either caused by God or allowed by God, and there is no third category. People need to be encouraged today. Joyce Meyer - Encouragement in Difficult Times. Heartache—yes. Under pressure we begin to give in to bad habits, wrong attitudes, and then we begin the long slide in the wrong direction. You are not alone. Raised in a Muslim family, Nabeel became a Christian after reading the New Testament and encountering the claims of Christ. Description: Expounding on Deuteronomy 8:1-5, this sermon describes how God works to draw us closer to Him in the midst of difficulty in our lives. It says amazing things like: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? A student has no time to complain because he is busy making the best of his situation. A victim looks at everyone else and cries out, “Life isn’t fair.” A student looks at life and says, “What happened to me could have happened to anyone.” A victim believes his hard times have come because God is trying to punish him. It may seem so at the time, but it’s not really true. We are not stuck with only one emotional choice when we go through difficult times: Fear or despair or depression,. A student understands that God allows hard times in order to help him grow. Encouragement in Difficult Times | Everyday Answers - Joyce Meyer. Here Paul plainly says that we can overcome our trials by faith. When that happens, everything we believe will be put on the firing line. He worried that under pressure these new Christians would crumble and give up on God. A student asks, “How much of this did I bring on myself?”, A victim looks at everyone else and cries out, “Life isn’t fair.” A student looks at life and says, “What happened to me could have happened to anyone.”. But perpetual victimhood dooms you to a life of self-centered misery because you learn nothing from your trials. That was on Thursday. Difficult Times Psalm 27:1-6 . Remember the shepherd and the shepherd’s tools. A woman sat in my office and told me a very sad story. We have a great God who loves us more than we know. God has ordained that your trials are part of his plan to make you like Jesus. Words of Encouragement in Times of Trouble. The enemy must flee and death is swallowed up in victory. Jobs that were once considered stable are now questionable. Verses 7-8 reveal another way in which our trials are productive: “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. No one is exempt, no one gets a trouble-free ride to heaven. God’s Protection from Harm in These Crisis Times. Faith in God’s Character—that he is good and makes no mistake. She wants to be free but the pain of coming off heroin is so great that she cannot face it. 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 Lord’s 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. The noun form of the word difficult is difficulty, which alludes to trouble. What happened to her can happen to any of us if we respond wrongly to hard times. The valley of the This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA. All of us face those questions because we all go through deep trials eventually. Find rest in Jehovah-Rohi: There's power in the name! You are never alone no matter how you may feel. A victim believes his hard times have come because God is trying to punish him. This message encourages faith over fear and helps you understand and apply some promises of God to your life. Second, he tempts us to retaliate against others with anger and resentment. Maybe you've lost your job, are battling a chronic illness or your marriage is falling apart. A little here and a little there and eventually she began to experiment with drugs. Then I challenged her to become a woman of truth because the truth will set her free. Living by the truths in this message will enable you to enjoy God’s peace while those in this world panic. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright © 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. (He told his conversion story in the bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.) One day I joined him on Moody Radio for Primetime America, the program he hosted each weekday afternoon. For the believer, the rod is like the word of God and the staff is the Holy Spirit. Amen to God's loving and caring people as yourself. Paul is saying, “I can face my trials because I see how well you are facing yours.”. This sermon offers thanks and encouragement. “He knows the way that I take. A Message of Hope & Encouragement for Hard Times, Lessons From Revelation's 7 Churches (part 2) - Smyrna: A Call Not to Fear, Lessons From Revelation's 7 Churches (part 1) - Ephesus: A Call to Return to Your First Love. At one point I told her that if she didn’t make the decision to come clean, it wouldn’t be long before I spoke at her funeral. Try our selection of worship songs and sing along! Visit heartcrymissionary.com for more information, updates, and resources! In 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Paul warned Timothy of the difficult (also translated “terrible”) times that would happen throughout church history. Like Adam in the Garden of … When difficult times come, some people are a little reluctant as to whether they can stand under such pressure and burdens of life. Thank you for your words of encouragement and the reminder that The Lord will hold on to us when our grip loosens a bit. Maybe you've lost your job, are battling a chronic illness or your marriage is falling apart. The Bible is a fantastic book! The word of God and the Holy Spirit brings reassurance and peace to your soul. A student has learned through the problems of life that God alone is the source of all true happiness. There are no accidents with God, only incidents that are appointed by him for our good and his glory. Go get encouragement — faith-fueled courage. You may have heard Psalms 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). Life can be scary, especially during hard times. Haggai 1:2-11: Have you become distracted, discouraged, or dissatisfied? The Spirit can strengthen us to give thanks in our difficult times. But accidents? A victim feels so sorry for himself that he has no time for others. Let the Lord minister to you through the resources of the body of Christ. She was raised as a Christian and at one time had a strong faith in Jesus Christ. They want to know if what we say we believe is really enough for us in the hard times. But when she is high, she begins to talk about God. There is a fourth truth we need to remember when hard times come. Mark 15:22-27, 33-37: If you’re facing an impossible situation or you’re just tired of the constant flow of bad news, this message is for you! The issue is really how the sheep (you) choose to respond to the shepherd. Let me return for a moment to Nabeel Qureshi. In Habakkuk 3:19, after rejoicing in difficulties, the prophet says, “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” It is the Lord who enables us to rejoice in hard times… 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10: Does your life show evidence of faith? Whatever the issue you are facing, Joyce wants to share with you what could be the best news you've heard in a long time. Our hard times are designed to bring us closer to the Lord. Incidents—yes. Listen to the Spirit of God and press in. The tools of the shepherd are the rod and staff. Keywords: Joy, hardship, trust, faith, encouragement, endurance. What do you do when your world caves in? In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 Paul writes to some new believers who suddenly found themselves in great difficulty. Summary: A severe health crisis in a family member drove me deep into the Scriptures, where I found comforting words from God in that time of adversity. Everything makes sense in our understanding of a shepherd leading his flock to green grass and calm waters. Stop in your tracks and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. It reminds us again that we grow stronger as we lean on each other. The staff is used to correct, restrain, and pull to safety. You may feel alone. In fact, a form of this word, parakletos is used for the Holy Spirit. There is much fear and concern not only about the future, there is fear of the here and now. A student understands that God allows hard times in order to help him grow. (From the Bible Knowledge Commentary). Disappointment—yes. Located minutes from downtown Pleasanton, in the San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay. Title: FINDING THE MOTIVATION TO CARRY YOU THROUGH TOUGH TIMES Text: Nehemiah 2:11-20; 4:1-23 Introduction: Adversity makes men…prosperity makes monsters. Genesis 14:18-24: God, El Elyon - The Most High God, will fight the battle for you. Remember God’s Love. 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. No accidents! Perhaps we’ve lost a job and feel that we’re not qualified to do anything. That’s probably why the words, “Don’t fret”are recorded three times in the first eight verses of Psalm 37. The rod is used to protect and drive the enemy away. When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus. 1 – Trusting God When You’re Alone in the Gap (4.18.10) 2 – Trusting God When the Brook Dries Up (5.9.10) 3 – Trusting God When the Food Runs Out (5.16.10) 4 – Trusting God in the Valley of Death’s Shadow (5.23.10) 5 – … Find your hope in Christ, there is one other kind of faith should and... 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