James 1: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2- 4

Tough Times We all have them. Most of the time, others cannot help. So, how do we handle them? Understanding tough times Biblical principles for handling Motivation for handling

Recognize What Tough Times Are James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Recognize What Tough Times Are James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Recognize What Tough Times Are James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Recognize What Tough Times Are James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Tough Times … are a blessing from God They are NOT sent to us from God for something bad we have done present us with an opportunity to strengthen our faith help us to become mature, complete Christians

How Do We Handle Them? God Speaking to us through: Paul: Galatians 6:9-18 Matthew: Matthew 14:22-33 David: Psalms 27:14 Hebrews’ author:Hebrews 13:5-6

Galatians 6:9 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Persevere; don’t quit; stand firm; be strong; keep your faith Pray for strength, a good heart and to stay the course; keep your faith Do Not Give Up

Galatians 6:10 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Our tendency will be to do the opposite Stay calm and consciously turn it over to God; keep your faith Do Good

Galatians 6:17 17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. Refuse to allow anyone or anything to gain control over you; you belong only to the Lord Jesus Christ; keep your faith Don’t let others use you for their ungodly purposes Let No One Cause You Trouble

Psalms 27:14 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Hasty decisions are almost always bad decisions Be confident that He will provide; we just need to be patient and attentive; God’s timing and ours may be different; keep your faith Do Not Make Hasty Decisions

Galatians 6:18 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Let your knowledge of God’s grace fill your thoughts. Matthew 14: "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Keep your eyes on Jesus; keep your faith Do Not Get Distracted

Hebrews 13:5-6 5 … God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Sometimes we may feel abandoned, but we are not; keep your faith Do Not Think God Has Forsaken You

I Peter 1:3-9 … In his great mercy he has given us new birth … into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade … In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith … may be proved genuine … for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Need Motivation to Handle Tough Times?

I Peter 1:3-9 … In his great mercy he has given us new birth … into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade … In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith … may be proved genuine … for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Need Motivation to Handle Tough Times?

I Peter 1:3-9 … In his great mercy he has given us new birth … into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade … In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith … may be proved genuine … for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Need Motivation to Handle Tough Times?

Tough times will come your way. They are not the result of anything bad you did. They will test your faith in God. Let Biblical principles guide your actions and reactions. Keep your faith. Your reward will be an eternity of happiness and good times !!! Summary