When Life Falls Apart
January 11, 2015 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: No matter the situation, God is in control; He will never leave us.
Focus Passage: Job 1:1 - 2:13
Supplemental Passage: …for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45b NASB)
Introduction: According to the Bureau of Standards in Washington, a dense fog covering seven city blocks to a depth of 100 feet is composed of less that one glass of water. That amount of water is divided into about 60 billion tiny droplets. Yet when those minute particles settle over a city or the countryside, they can almost blot out everything from your sight. Many Christians today live their lives in a fog. They allow a cupful of troubles to cloud their vision and dampen their spirit. Anxiety, turmoil and defeat strangle their thoughts. Their lives are being "choked by the cares of this world" (Luke 8;14). But "God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (II Tim. 1:7). Let's not let the fog get us down! "Let's live in the Sunshine! The Paper Pulpit.
I. Adversity from Within
a. Sometimes we do things that bring trouble on ourselves or our family
b. Bad decisions; selfish motives
c. We always want to blame someone else for our woes
d. We must take personal responsibility for our own actions
II. Adversity from Outside
a. Sometimes our trouble is because of someone else
b. Bad decisions; selfish motives
c. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32 NASB)
III. Adversity for the Glory of God
a. when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." (John 11:4 NASB)
b. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NASB)
c. But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, (1 Peter 3:14 NASB)
