Life is unpredictable and difficult at times, and that difficulty may persist for longer than you had hoped. Then, all of a sudden, life throws a curveball. (Genesis 12 and 20), Sarah, the most gorgeous woman by popular opinion, let her husband sleep with another woman and then hated her for it. Daniel was thrown into a lions den for his faithfulness to God, but God saved him from the lions and caused them to shut their mouths. 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, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. Noah built it by faith in God (Hebrews 11:7). I believe the Bible demostrates that even if we were perfect parents , (as God was to Adam and Eve), you can still have less than perfect kids as a result. In trust, you do not look for security in other things; you look to God to hold you securely in difficult circumstances. In a recent tour through the Old Testament, I have repeatedly seen that the featured people of the Bible have prominent dysfunction in their lives. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. Thanks, Ron. 30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,7 saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.. The Bible records ways God has responded in difficult times in the past. Thank goodness! God is present amid the bad times as well as the good. Well begin with Adam, Enoch, and Noahand end with Simeon, Anna, and John. Trusting God is not about ignoring your feelings or reality. 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Whenever you feel discouraged by your own flaws or mistakes, read the story of Jacob if you want to feel better about them. As a preacher, minister and now mostly a psychotherapist, I say job well done with your article. In spite of the fear she kept feeling, she was able to push through anyway because her faith in Gods purpose for which she had been chosen was stronger than her fear of what lay ahead. He trusted that God would. 3And he said to me, You are my servant,Israel,in whom I will be glorified.[a]4But I said, I have labored in vain;I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;yet surely my right is with theLord,and my recompense with my God.. I believe Deborah was able to believe and trust God in a way that can be hard for us to do. Amen and Amen! (view more) And he said, Who are you, Lord?And he answered: I am Jesus, whom you persecute. Yet the great faith they instilled in Moses paid huge dividends, as did the great faith they instilled in their older son, Aaron, and oldest child, Miriam. They would feel scared about being left alone. Thanks for putting this together for all of us. In spite of whatever demands were placed on her, she was motivated to serve the people despite whatever she had to do. Archeologists call it Jericho City IV. He is bigger than any of your circumstances. . West Virginia tops the list of states with the least healthy populations, while Hawaii ranks as the state with the healthiest residents. WebThe following example demonstrates the find methods for the List class. If He required perfection, nothing would get done. Jesus knew that he would not leave them alone. His lifespan probably covered almost all of the first century A.D. He served for several years as a college pastor in Colorado and in Christian service for most of the 1990s in China and Mongolia. Unlike Simeon, Anna had never felt more alive. Sadly, most Christians have not given an adequate answer to this question. He cares for your hurts. While Simeon was so happy he was ready to die, Anna probably was older. He is willing to work with us through our pain and defenses to transform us into someone new by overcoming our pain and defenses. 5. There is an intimacy between us and God that can only be achieved through our vulnerable prayers. 14For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your fathers house will perish. By faith in God, however, Noah obeyed and still is one of the most famous men ever. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. Church, Communication, Preaching, pastor, wake up, Cohabitation, illustration, Clarity, time is at hand, Homiletics, Awake, Dress Properly, adult children, Communication General, God's dwelling place, Pastor The Lord is walking with you every step of the way. I and my young women will also fast as you do. A [ b]Mikhtam of David. Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. (view more) Esther is one of the people in the Bible who understands this dilemma very well. (Genesis 27), Jacob, who out-wrestled God, was pretty much a pathological deceiver. Go toHow Do I Hear Gods Voice?to learn more about how to follow the Spirits leading. God called him to leave all his kindred and birthplace in order to take him, God protected them even from Bandits and Plague. 5 [ In the book of Romans, one of the early followers of Jesus, Paul, writes to believers about the present life. And when they cried out to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and caused the sea to come upon them, and it covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt.Then you were many days in the desert. (Joshua 24:1-7). Personally, I find this trend somewhat comfortingnot a justification for wrong-doing or unhealthiness, but at least a consoling depiction of the challenges we humans face. 3 You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. At least I can see how God can use a sinner such as I. The things that he can do are so much greater than what we can think and ask for. Psalm 131:1-132:3, 1 Peter 1:1-2:10, Luke 6:39-45, John 16:8-11, Tags: Wheres the edification in the list of warped examples? God knows you need somewhere to go when you feel unsure. The only other man who never diedagain, because God took himwas the great prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). Larry Moyer advises pastors to beware of five misconceptions of Gods Word that can adversely affect our outreach to non-Christians. It also frees you from the unrealistic scenarios that you run to in worry. Follow @listmaker. Does not theLordgo out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. For 120 years prior to the flood, Noah and his sons constructed a massive ark. Isaiah served as a prophet during a reign of four consecutive kings who ruled Judah from 791 B.C. 11Pleasedelivermefromthehandofmybrother,fromthehandofEsau,forIfearhim,thathemaycomeandattackme,themotherswiththechildren. God article though and like the points! In light of the messy lives of the Bible, let me leave you with three questions: 1. God is trustworthy even when you dont see your prayers answered or problems solved right away. Biblical Characters Who Doubted GodJob. Job doubted in God's goodness when God possessed Satan permission to destroy his livestock, servants, children and finally his health.Gideon. Gideon doubted in God's ability to help him win the war against the Midianites so he prayed for God to give him proof.Barak. Thomas. Everything up until then was preparatory for Abrahams greatest test of faith: sacrificing his beloved son, Isaac. (view more) In the face of those difficulties, God shares His will for you and how you should respond to them. But he never sinned and he never stopped trusting God (Hebrews 4:15). 13But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, foryour prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, andyou shall call his name John. archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore. Job was a good man who trusted in God God allowed Satan to test Job, and he lost everythinghis children, his wealth, his health. In her description of herself, Deborah described herself as the mother of Israel. Watering also manages to dissipate the dense cloud. In fact, God was always there for them. And thats after they had lived only six or seven decades. Remember who He has always been. Walk around it quietly six extra times on the seventh day? Mordecai, Esthers cousin and adopted father, asked her to speak up for her people on behalf of the Jews. And even if their voice is heard, it doesnt stop them. (Job 4:7 ESV). When you cannot see a resolution? Only one ancient city in all the world has walls that imploded into the city. WebThat means a list element of a List object does not have to be boxed before the element can be used, and after about 500 list elements are created, the memory saved by not boxing list elements is greater than the memory used to generate the class implementation. The lovingkindness of God endures all day long. 1 The Story of King David. In times of doubt, remember His promises. Abraham was one of the most important figures in the Bible. What remarkable trust in Gods sovereignty and providence! 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Kings, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Exodus 2, Exodus 32, Galatians 6:7, Genesis 12, Genesis 16, Genesis 18-20, Genesis 25, Genesis 26, Genesis 27, Genesis 31:19, Genesis 3:12, Genesis 35:21, Genesis 3:6, Genesis 4:8, Genesis 9:20-21, Hebrews 11, Hebrews 12:4, Hebrews 4:16, Job 2:9, Judges 16, Numbers 12, Numbers 12:13, Numbers 20:11. Jesus knows how hard it can be to trust him in hard times because he was tempted just like we are tempted (Hebrews 2:18). It is one thing to know the truth. You wont do this perfectly, but God is kind and patient with you while you learn to trust Him. Sarah (Genesis 18:1-15, Genesis 21:1-7) Humility is a prerequisite for trust. Great, Ron. Bible, Preaching, Culture, messy, Dysfunction, e Also by his designs the clouds stir around. Jehoiada lived to be 130 years old (2 Chronicles 24:15). Wait on Him to act on your behalf. Our past should not hold us back because God doesnt want us to be held back by it, and He wants to help us to move forward from our past. Dysfunction cannot be equated with our standing before God. We first see this when Joseph is sold into slavery. 2. Amram and Jochebed deserve our utmost respect. When faced with adversity, what do you do? By remembering Gods faithfulness in our times of waiting and choosing to live by faith ourselves, we can have hope during times of waiting. (Genesis 16), Lot, who lost his father early in life, had a serious problem with choosing the wrong company. His life easily breaks into two parts. Still, the idea of sacrificing Isaac was the ultimate test. He reminds them that He does not sleep or take a break. As a result, the world sees them as not being able to defend the authority of Scripture and thus the Christian faith. Jonathan Goforth had great enthusiasm and joy to be serving the Living God. Even more remarkable? He is always working in your life and in the world. 3 [ f]When I am afraid, [ g]I will trust in You. God is present and is making Himself known. Theres a reason they call it the Good Bookits great for getting us out of our bad spots and into better frames of mind.