WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE

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Alberta Robbins
5 years ago
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1 WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE

2 What can you do when you are in trouble?

3 Paul was in trouble. - He was in prison. - He faced a possible death sentence. - His ministry partners had deserted him. - The churches he planted were threatened by false teachings.

4 2 Timothy 4:16-18 (NIV) At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

5 What can you do when you are in trouble?

6 1.YOU CAN COUNT ON GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength

7 Paul had good reason to be assured that he could count on God s presence when he s in trouble. When Paul was discouraged in Corinth, the Lord came to him and encouraged him (Acts 18:9-11). After he was arrested in Jerusalem, Paul again was visited by the Lord and encouraged (Acts 23:11). During a terrible storm, when Paul was on board a ship to Rome, the Lord had again given him strength and courage (Acts 27:22ff).

8 No matter how much trouble we are in, we can always count on the presence of the Lord in our situations. Psalms 27:10 (NIV) Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

9 Joshua 1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

10 Death, distance, or darkness cannot hide you from God. Psalms 139:7-10 (NIV) Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

11 Why is God so far away from me? or Why am I so far away from God?

12 When you feel most lonely in your struggles, do you know that God s face is turned towards you?

13 2. YOU CAN COUNT ON GOD'S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.

14 Through Paul s situation, God's message was preached. people who needed to hear about Christ heard.

15 Psalms 138:8a The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever

17 STEVE SAINT & MINCAYE

18 There is nothing no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment, but as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is. - Pastor and author Alan Redpath

19 Are you able to discern God s purpose for the troubles you are in today? Do you believe that God can redeem your situation and eventually make it work for good?

20 3. YOU CAN COUNT ON GOD'S PROTECTION OVER YOUR LIFE The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.

21 Anyone facing a life and death struggle can be comforted and encouraged knowing that God will bring each believer safely to his heavenly Kingdom.

22 John 6:39 (NIV) And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

23 Prayers of Haitian Christians quoted by Eleanor Turnbull (veteran missionary to Haiti) in the book God Is No Stranger : Lord, In Christ, we are a grain of corn in a clear bottle. Satan comes like a chicken and pecks for the corn, but never reaches it. Lord, How glad we are that we don't hold you, you hold us.

24 The final destination is not influenced by what you see and hear along the way.

25 If you want to be distressed, look within. If you want to be defeated, look back. If you want to be distracted, look around. If you want to be delivered, look to Christ. If you want to be delighted, look up!

26 Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

27 "Crises of every kind will find us But these crises enter our lives not just as challenges to us to retain our balance and stability, but as invitations to stretch our hearts and minds Every crisis includes within itself an invitation for us to move from being good people to becoming great people. Ronald Rohlheiser

Seeing My Problems as God Sees Them

Seeing My Problems as God Sees Them Where can I go from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You're there. If I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn and if I settle