“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
??Romans? ?5:1-5? ?NKJV??????????????
1st Point “Stop asking why and start asking what”
The realities of life really aren’t realities until we go through some things. We often ask why when we are going thorough the trials of life. God why are these tings happening? Why aren’t you there? These are real questions that come from an individual that has real problems, and this stands as an everyday reminder that life will happen. This is a tactic from Satan himself to get you to doubt God. Doubt is the enemies tool to discredit God’s faithfulness. Tribulation brings doubt to the believer and brings him/her to a place that he/she will question God’s faithfulness.
When we take a look in the book of Genesis in chapter 3 we see the enemy persuading Eve to question God at His word.
Genesis 3:4-5
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
“You shall not surely die.”
Eve had a failure of faith, she doubted God’s plan for her life. As some of us do as well. We begin to questions God’s integrity when we feel as if we are being deprived or when we think God is holding back from us, and so we begin to listen to the liar of all liars and this begins to mess with our minds and our hearts. Doubt is a terrible seed of wickedness that will help us look at God in an unworthy manner.
Doubt opposes faith, here we have a standoff between God’s faithfulness and the enemies lies, which would you choose to believe? The mind is the devils playground when left tp wonder and question God at His word. Satan has full access when we allow him to play in it. And so faith Christ and the plan of God for our lives must be a settled decision, it must be a solid unmovable fort. Because without it we displease God.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
There are two roads that are presented to us in times of trials, hardship, travail and uncertainty, the road of doubt that will allow us to fall from God’s grace and turn our backs on Him believing the enemy at his lie or the road to God maturing us in this faith that as we are journeying through this arena called life He is equipping, teaching and helping us grow in Him through hope, faithfulness, and joy in Christ Jesus.
Faith makes you diligently seek God. When you do not diligently seek after God you lack faith. This is a failure of faith. Eve had a moment of her faith failing her as did many others in scripture. This stands true even for us today. There are times that we too fail in the arena of faith.
Even in that God is not done, He is the restorer of those who love Him and His peace will be bestowed upon those who love Him and seek after Him, and He is our help in times of trouble. We often ask why are we going through this as oppose to what is God trying to teach me from this? All about processing trails. And processing God through your trial.
2nd Point “Having peace with God through your tribulation”
We seek after many things that fail our troubled hearts in time of trail and uncertainty, we look for the relief from all the strain and stress and we are desperate to get free from the ties of hopelessness and need help to no avail, when we place out hope in worthless fancies that do not help, Many people today are seeking peace through fruitless means. They turn to pleasure, drugs, alcohol, immorality, wealth and other dead end avenues. It’s like a staircases that leads to nowhere, pursuing such paths will never bring peace. Instead we find peace when we follow the path that God has given us in His Word. Those who keep the law of God in their hearts and obey it in their actions add peace to their lives. Rather than seeking peace as an end, we should seek to follow Christ. When we do we will find that peace comes as a side effect that we receive from Him.
“we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
I believe one of the main avenues to keeping your mind and your heart right with God is knowing that He has plans to bless you and sustain you.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us this truth and helps us to understand that His plans are greater than ours.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
He also gives us a security blanket to be consoled in when He tells us in Hebrews that He will always be there for us.
Hebrews 13:5
Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.
Knowing this truth is like knowing that you are about to face a situation but you know that your dad is there to help you out no matter what. That protection, that security that you feel is unbeatable and reassuring. Having the peace of knowing that no matter what the situation is God has your back, Peace is something everyone is seeking after, peace of mind, peace of heart, peace at life, but reality stands true this morning that the only peace that we can truly receive is the peace that comes from the Prince of peace Jesus Christ.
And now we are faced with these problems and it is evident these problems are not just going to go away, these problems are stressing you out, they are consuming your rest, your health is at risk, there are mind battles that are raging every moment of your day, what do you do? Who do you go to? Who do you call out to?
Psalm 9:9-10
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
When in moments of hardship and uncertainty it is God we are to seek after, the all knowing and all knowledgable God of Heaven in Jesus Christ.
The safest place in all the world is in the will of God, and the safest protection in all the world is the name of God.
3rd Point “Hope never disappoints”
Psalms 84:11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
This hope in the very word of God that we read that we believe that we have is the hope written for us to embrace, this hope is sure it is true and it is God. We are in need of hope, every person on planet earth looks for hope, some look in things that fail them but the God of heaven, through the name of Jesus Christ never fails those who love and seek after Him.
When in despair and sorrow there is a need for hope, there os a desire for things to get.better and for us to come out with a victory. We want to be joyful people, we want to smile and talk of the good times, but how will you ever recognize good without going through the bad. See I’d rather serve God through the storm than not have Him and get wrecked in the storm.
God wants to bless your life, the Bible tells us so this morning, like a good father He does not want to withhold anything from you.
Psalm 9:18
But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
Gods plan for you is full of life and hope and inspiration, it is full of good things and not of evil, it is full of His grace and favor for you.but you will never step into this promise if you never seek after Him as one searches endlessly for treasures. God is a good father a good God a holy and just God whose resources for those who love Him are endless. No trouble should keep you from the one who spoke to the raging sea to calm down and be still, see when we are going through these storms is when we could cry out to our Father in Heaven and He will with His words calm the raging sea in our defense.
Exodus 15:2
“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. ”
This hope we have in Christ never disappoints because it stands true and defeats all who oppose it. Child of God trust in the Lord and call on His name for He is worthy to be glorified and praised, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
How you process God through this life is how you will be able to either see God move on your behalf or refuse God to be your God. The only way to process these things properly is if you actually know this wonderful God that I preach this morning, in the name of Jesus Christ. Processing God through the trials.
