Sermons tagged #Difficulty

In Psalm 34, our good God gave us four steps to cope with a crisis. Step 1. Decide to praise God throughout the crisis. (v.1-3) Step 2. Learn about God early in the crisis. (v.4-7) Step 3. Teach others in the middle of the crisis. (v.8-9) Step 4. Hide from the crisis in The LORD, follow His way, and wait it out. (v.10-22) What do most people typically do in a crisis? When tempted to call on others to see how great our suffering is, how can we learn to instead show them how great our God is? 1 Samuel chapters 17 and 21 If we give up hope, what, specifically, have we forgotten? Exodus 34:6-7 When trouble breaks our hearts, do we experience a closeness of God, or do we demand removal of the crisis? 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul's Midnight Praise Service_15 series The Life of the Apostle Paul Acts 16:25-40 In this portion of Acts, we find Paul was in one of the darkest times of his life. Yet, he kept his light burning for Christ, letting it shine before men.Paul and Silas had been preaching the Gospel and a crowd rose up against them. God's men were stripped, beaten with many stripes, and cast into prison in the maximum-security cells.This was their second missionary journey in the city of Philippi.And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. Paul was facing "midnight" circumstances at the midnight hour. This was a dark hour for him, having been falsely accused, the truth ignored, untried, beaten, in pain, and imprisoned. At his darkest hour, he prayed and praised God which are antidotes for trials. God allowed this dark trial in Paul and Silas' life to give them an opportunity to praise Him and be a witness to those in the prison. Paul focused on God and praised the Lord in the face of injustice, injuries, and illegal, inexcusable incarceration. God wants us to learn this, too. He wants us to learn to have joy no matter what circumstance we may face. The Spirit of God will convict every man who ever mistreats a believer. No man will ever escape His convicting power. God wanted the church at Philippi left alone so it could grow and become one of the great ministering churches in the first century. The disciples were released and delivered by the hand of God. God is able to deliver the believer through all trials, and He will deliver and work all things out for good until He is ready to take the believer on home to heaven.

The New Testament church is a godly suffering community – like personified Jerusalem – that keeps returning to The LORD our portion. Discovering and confessing how far we wandered from God. (v.40-47) Grieving and repenting with rivers of tears. (v.48-54) Pleading for and hoping in God's rescue and protection. (v.55-66) In what way are we like the ancient city of Jerusalem? When is it time to examine our souls? Psalm 139:23-24 Which kind of sorrow shows true hearts? 2 Cor. 7:10, Is. 29:13 Who is viewed as the scum of the world? 1 Cor. 4:13

Over who and what do Christians triumph? 1.1 Sin 1.2 Satan 1.3 The World 1.4 Afflictions 1.5 Death What is the ground of their triumph? What is the attitude of the victors?

When we suffer, we are to return to its Source, asking Him for comfort and aid. The LORD became like an enemy! (v.1-10) The LORD intended our suffering. (v.11-17) The LORD teaches us to cry out to Him! (v. 18-22) Why does God not stop all of our hurting right away? What is the undergirding principle for pain? Galatians 6:7 What is encouraging about our suffering? Hebrews 12:6 Of what else is God the source? 2 Cor. 1:3-9

Live Courageously Daniel 6:1-23 The world isn't always content to leave Christians alone. If they can't persuade us to join them in what they're doing, they will try to keep us from practicing our faith.Why would this matter to the world? Our actions shine the light of Christ and expose their darkness. When Daniel faced a similar experience, he wasn't intimidated Knowing the consequences of doing so, he continued to worship God and pray. Corrupt government officials oppose and persecute the prophet Daniel. As a result, he is thrown into the lions' den. Daniel in the Lions' Den, is one of the most well-known stories in all the Bible. Although Daniel was at least 80 years old at the time of this event, he continued to serve faithfully during the reigns of Darius, who ruled over Babylon, and Cyrus, who ruled over the empire .If we truly trust the LORD, He will deliver us through the trials of life. No matter what opposition or persecution we may face, the LORD will give us the strength to overcome—all because we trust Him. The LORD's power will carry us through any and all trials.

Opening Remarks: It is a blockade, a barricade, an obstruction, an obstacle, a hurdle, a difficulty. This is what the children of Israel faced in Joshua 6. Heb. 11:30 - By Faith the walls of Jericho fell, after they had been encircled for 7 days. Historical background and setting. I. When in Life Things Seem Impossible - (Josh. 6:1-5) II. When God's Plans are Followed - (Josh. 6:6-21) III. Because God Loves People & Keeps His Promises - (Josh. 6:22-25) IV. Barriers are Permanently Removed When We Trust God - (Josh. 6:26) Closing Comments: What walls/barriers are in front of you? Are things in your life at a standstill?

I. Security of forgiveness for the paralyzed. verses 1-4, Romans 3:24-26, I John 1:8-10, Hebrews 8:10-12. II. Sight for the blind. verses 4-7, John 8:12, Mark 2:2-5 and Matthew 5:3. III. Sovereign strength to endure through obstacles. verses 1-2, Mark 2:2-5, Luke 5:17-20, I Corinthians 10:13, Colossians 1:11 and James 1:2-4.

The Psalms are hardly ever characterized merely by abstract doctrinal truth but are most often saturated with human emotion and experience. They often intimately describe the struggle of the Psalmist's soul, baring his heart to God, the reader, and even to himself. As such, Psalms have proven to be a great source of encouragement for God's people. As you read Psalm 42, you will scarcely find a better description of a depressed individual. Psalm 42 describes a soul that is in an unhappy condition – what Martyn Lloyd-Jones refers to as "spiritual depression." A depressed Christian may seem like a contradiction of terms, as the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit is joy, which intuitively ought to overthrow depression. But a spiritually depressed Christian is real. While depression does not disqualify one from being a true Christian, depressed Christians are, however, missing out on a great deal and are very poor examples of the efficacy of the Gospel in the human life. Psalm 42 contains the remedy to begin to combat spiritual depression in verse 5 (repeated in verse 11). It begins by preaching to oneself: what business is it of yours to be downcast? Instead of being depressed, hope in God! Do you not remember who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do for you? Is He not my Helper and Rock of my salvation? Why so downcast, O my soul, put your hope in God!

Psalm 17 teaches us how to pray during times of difficulty, sorrow, and depression, and it shows us the way out of such things through the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope of the resurrection in righteousness.

This is a message for those who seem to be left "in the dark" by the Lord, an encouragement to people who are tempted to be cynical and jaded toward the Lord. Hear the prophetic voice pleading with you to trust God even in the dark. None who wait for Him will be put to shame!

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Pastor Joshua Hall laid out for us how we are to follow our Savior.

The life of Noah is the study of a hero of the faith (Hebrews 11). He was faithful in the face of a seemingly impossible task, that of being a preacher of righteousness to an evil, unrepentant generation, and building a massive ark. How did Noah stay motivated? His motivation was the same motivation that we need today in our Christian walk.

Pastor Jeremiah Gabbard | Acts 28:1-10

Sunday morning service 6/11/2023.