MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE : DRAW INSPIRATION FROM GOD IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY
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OUTLINE
1. PASSION
2. PEACE
3. POWER
4. PROTECTION
5. PRESENCE
6. PROMOTION
7. PURPOSE
THE MESSAGE
MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE : DRAW INSPIRATION FROM GOD IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY
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1. PASSION
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We must draw inspiration from the passion and the love of God in times of adversity. The Lord loves us with an everlasting love. He shows compassion on us like a father does towards his children. He will deliver us because we love Him. The Lord disciplines those whom He loves and we must not doubt His love during such times.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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JEREMIAH 31:3
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
PSALM 91:14-16
"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
PSALM 103:8-14
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
HEBREWS 12:5-11
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
2. PEACE
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We must draw inspiration from the peace of God in times of adversity. Our God has power over every storm that may blow in our lives. He can calm every storm and bring peace into our lives. We must not be weak in faith and become fearful in times of adversity. The Lord will crush satan under our feet . We can put all our cares upon the Lord and enjoy His peace which transcends all understanding.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 8:23-27
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"
ROMANS 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3. POWER
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We must draw inspiration from the power of God in times of adversity. Our God is strong and mighty in battle. He can destroy the weapons of the enemy and make wars to cease. When God arises He will scatter His enemies and cause them to flee.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 46:6-11
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
PSALM 24:8-10
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory. Selah
PSALM 18:47-50
He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,
who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name.
He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
PSALM 68:1-3
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.
As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
4. PROTECTION
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We must draw inspiration from the protection of God in times of adversity. The Lord watches over us without ceasing and protects us from all harm and danger. He will preserve us even when we pass through difficult trials. The Lord will protect us from hidden snares and traps.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 121:1-8
I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
ISAIAH 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
PROVERBS 3:26
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
PSALM 91:3
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
5. PRESENCE
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We must draw inspiration from the presence of God in times of adversity. The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. His presence will go with us and grant us rest and peace. He will remember us even when we are in a low estate. We are never alone because the Lord is always with us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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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.
EXODUS 33:14
The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
PSALM 136:23-24
to the One who remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever.
6. PROMOTION
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We must draw inspiration from the promotion of God in times of adversity. The Lord lifts us up from the dust and seats us in the highest places. Our promotion comes from the Lord. He will pull down the wicked and exalt the righteous. The Lord will comfort us by increasing our honour.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 113:7-8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.
PSALM 75:5-10
Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.’ "
No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man.
But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.
As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.
PSALM 71:20-21
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
7. PURPOSE
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We must draw inspiration from the purpose of God in times of adversity. The Lord has a purpose for our lives. He has began a good work in our lives will carry it on to completion. We must be focussed on fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives . Like clay in the potters hand so are we in the hand of the Lord. We must submit our lives in the hand of the Lord so that He can fulfill His purpose. When the Lord is in control of our lives , He will make everything work for good .He will even turn evil into good . We can trust in Him to take care of every situation and work them out for good.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PHILIPPIANS 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
PSALM 138:7-8
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
JEREMIAH 18:1-6
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD :
"Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message."
So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.
But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
ROMANS 9:19-21
One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ’Why did you make me like this?’ "
Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
ISAIAH 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
GENESIS 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
ROMANS 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
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