We have a temptation to think that if we are living in God’s will that we won’t suffer, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, God, in His sovereignty, allows us to go through hardship as a part of his greater purpose.

Main Points:

1. Sometimes hardship is part of the growth and development of our faith and spiritual growth. Other times hardship is a part of the testimony and ministry God wants to give us.

2. God calls us to endure difficulties for his name's sake, knowing that His grace is sufficient and that he will be with us and sustain us through it all.

3. Ask God for the strength to endure whatever hardship you are facing so that your testimony for Christ will be evident to others.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 - “have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

2 Timothy 2:3 - “You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 12:2 - “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

2 Timothy 2:10 - “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”

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Jesus left the glory of Heaven to come to earth and take on humanity. He came with one purpose that was to satisfy the justice of God. Jesus would come and die for us. He would become our substitute. We wouldn’t have to die for our sins because Jesus would die for us. He would shed his own life blood on the cross as payment for our sins.

Main Points:

1. Sin must be atoned for by death. Why? Because sin violates the righteous laws of God. God cannot wink at sin. He cannot overlook it. Sin must be accounted for and justice must be served.

2. In the Old Testament, God set up a system of animal sacrifices to atone for sin. It was a temporary solution until Jesus, the Messiah, would come.

3. The New Testament book of Hebrews teaches us that through the coming of Jesus, God put away the old system of animal sacrifices. Why? Because the final perfect lamb of God has come that takes away the sins of the world.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Hebrews 9:22 - “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

John 1:29 - "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

1 John 1:7 - “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Ephesians 2:13 - “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Revelation 1:5 - “…To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood.”

Romans 10:13 - “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

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Gentleness is the demonstration of strength and self-control. Life and its stress and pressure can tempt us to react with frustration and anger. It’s easy to fly off the handle and say things we don’t mean. We can project a false sense of strength by being brash and outspoken. But true strength keeps our spirit under control.

Main Points:

1. It’s possible that you and I could think of the character trait of gentleness and equate it to weakness. We might consider gentleness to be the opposite of strength and power. Yet, as we serve God, sometimes our greatest strength reveals a heart of gentleness to those in need.

2. The world around us doesn’t usually applaud gentleness. It seems to recognize those who speak loudly and forcibly in public and on social media. But God honors gentleness.

3. Gentleness involves humility and gratitude toward God. It is polite, restrained behavior toward others.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 4:5 - “Let your gentleness be known to all. The Lord is at hand.”

Galatians 5:22-23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Matthew 7:16 - “By their fruit, you will recognize them.”

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Unfortunately, one of the characteristics of humanity, even followers of Christ, is that our strength is exhaustible. We are not superhuman creatures. Our strength runs out and we face the common problem of weariness.

Main Points:

1. We’ve sometimes bought into a misunderstanding that in order for you and I to be strong we must have good conditions. However, it seems that most of our spiritual growth occurs when times are difficult. It’s in these hard times we learn God is faithful and dependable. It’s in these times we gain much-needed strength from the Lord.

2. What we decide to do in our times of weariness is critical. I’ve seen people who were tired, become discouraged, they failed to reach out for God’s strength, and eventually, they gave up on their faith – they quit. This is what the devil would like to have to happen to each of us.

3. While we must face the reality that all of us must deal with weariness, there is hope from the Scriptures of a deeper reality in which we can tap into the inexhaustible strength of God. It’s here that we discover a source of strength for those who trust in and wait upon the Lord.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 40:31 - “…those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Psalm 27:14 - “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

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Work out your salvation. Put your salvation to work. Let it be evident in every area of your life. Allow your salvation to transform your thinking, your attitude, your words, and your behavior. Let Christ be exalted in every area.

Main Points:

1. The forgiveness of our sins does not come through our own works and good deeds. In other words, we could never earn our salvation.

2. Works do not save us, but they are the evidence of our salvation. We do not work to be saved. We work because we are saved.

3. Having received such a powerful and gracious salvation from our heavenly father, we want to serve Him. We want to live the life of a believer he has called us to. We want to use our time, talents, and treasure to advance the kingdom of God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 16:30 - “What must I do to be saved?”

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Philippians 2:12-13 - “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

James 2:26 - “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

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The love of money is a heart issue. It’s called greed. Greed is one of the enemies of our hearts. Very quietly it slips in and begins to guide and direct our decisions. The Bible calls greed sin because it can lead us to push God out of our lives. Greed is dangerous because it blinds us to what is truly important.

Main Points:

1. The problem with the love of money is that it is never satisfied. When will you have enough? It doesn’t matter how much we possess, we still want more. The love of money can motivate any evil on this earth. There is no sin that cannot be committed for the sake of money.

2. Jesus identifies the love of money as a heart issue. Here is an important biblical truth: Satisfaction can only be found in Christ. Contentment can only be gained through a relationship with Jesus. Apart from living for Jesus, our hearts wander in search of fulfillment, only to never find it.

3. We rid ourselves of greed and materialism when we treasure Jesus above all things. He is our ultimate treasure. When we have Jesus we have everything we need. This is how we guard our hearts against the root of all evil.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 Timothy 6:10 - “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Luke 12:34 - “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

1 Timothy 6:6 – “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

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We discover that God cares about the heart. God wants us to love Him, value Him, and esteem Him above all things. When we serve the Lord out of sincere hearts, wanting to please Him, and wanting to give Him the glory, he rewards us only as a loving Heavenly Father can.

Main Points:

1. In Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount he speaks to the heart of what we do for God, not just what we do for God. We learn that it’s not just the act of serving God that pleases the Lord, but our motives matter to Him as well.

2. I believe this is one of the things that distinguishes Christianity from every other world religion. You see every world religion is about what you do. It’s about your work. Salvation is earned by your diligence to hard work and keeping rules.

3. In Christianity, it’s not that Jesus doesn’t care what we do, but he is more interested in those intentions that are hidden from human eyes. He’s after our heart.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 6:1 - “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16 - “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Psalm 26:2 - “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.”

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As we grow in our faith, we aspire to be Christians who know what we believe. Our beliefs have stood the test of time. These truths have become deep convictions in our hearts. We know them to be true because God has revealed them to us in His Word and by His Spirit. Others may choose to believe other things, but we live with the deep assurance of the truths of God.

Main Points:

1. Let me ask you, “Do you have a deep conviction about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you thoroughly convinced the Word of God is true? Are you letting the scripture not only inform your life but also change your life?”

2. Our faith is anchored in the steadfast character of God. He does not change. His Word is forever true. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Generations come and go. Seasons come and go, but the Word of God is the same forever.

3. You might be thinking, “Loren, why is it essential that we have a deep conviction about the Word of God?” It’s so common today for people to express the idea that they are open-minded. As if this is a virtue. They don’t want to seem dogmatic. They don’t want to appear rigid in their thinking and beliefs. But this is exactly what our enemy wants. Without conviction, we are prey to false teaching, idolatry, and falling away.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 Thessalonians 1:5 - “our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.”

Romans 14:5 - “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Romans 4:21 - “…fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

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