Loving God! Loving People! Loving Life! Message Notes The Struggle Is Real Part Five Life Church Smyrna December 31, 2017 10:30am Pastor Shell Osbon John 16:33b Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (NLT) 1. The Struggle Of Disappointments Genesis 11:30 Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children. (NLT) Genesis 12:1-2, 4 1 The Lord had said to Abram, Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (NLT) Genesis 16:1-2, 4a 1 Now Sarai, Abram s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her. And Abram agreed with Sarai s proposal. 4a So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. (NLT) Genesis 17:1-2 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am El-Shaddai - God Almighty. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants. (NLT) Genesis 21:1-5 1 The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3 And Abraham named their son Isaac. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. (NLT) Genesis 29:16-20 16 Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, I ll work for you for seven years if you ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife. 19 Agreed! Laban replied. I d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me. 20 So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. (NLT) Genesis 29:21-25a 21 Finally, the time came for him to marry her. I have fulfilled my agreement, Jacob said to Laban. Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her. 22 So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23 But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning - it was Leah! (NLT) Genesis 29:26-28 26 It s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn, Laban replied. 27 But wait until the bridal week is over; then we ll give you Rachel, to - provided you promise to work another seven years for me. 28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. (NLT) Jeremiah 29:11 I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (NKJV) Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (NKJV) Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV) The big idea: Your struggles are great but your God is greater!
part five John 16:33b Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (NLT) 1
Struggles can be the result of choices that we make but sometimes they are an attack of the enemy. part five 2
1. The Struggle Of Disappointments 3
Genesis 11:30 Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children. (NLT) Genesis 12:1-2, 4 1 The Lord had said to Abram, Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (NLT) 4
Genesis 16:1-2, 4a 1 Now Sarai, Abram s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her. And Abram agreed with Sarai s proposal. 4a So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. (NLT) Genesis 17:1-2 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am El-Shaddai - God Almighty. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants. (NLT) 5
Genesis 21:1-3, 5 1 The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3 And Abraham named their son Isaac. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. (NLT) Genesis 29:16-20 16 Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, I ll work for you for seven years if you ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife. (cont d) 6
19 Agreed! Laban replied. I d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me. 20 So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. (NLT) Genesis 29:21-25a 21 Finally, the time came for him to marry her. I have fulfilled my agreement, Jacob said to Laban. Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her. 22 So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23 But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning - it was Leah! (NLT) 7
Genesis 29:26-28 26 It s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn, Laban replied. 27 But wait until the bridal week is over; then we ll give you Rachel, to - provided you promise to work another seven years for me. 28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. (NLT) Jeremiah 29:11 I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (NKJV) Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (NKJV) 8
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV) the big idea Your struggles are great but your God is greater! 9
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