1. Tim “TA” Adams IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY & SUFFERING

2. 5 TRUTH’S TO RECALL WHEN FACING ADVERSITY OR SUFFERING

3. ① FAITH JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD

4. FAI TH

5. JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH TO STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD, YOUR LIFE MUST FIRST REFLECT THAT HE IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN YOUR LIFE

6. o Romans 8:35–39 JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are

7. JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH …considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

8. JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH …nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35–39

9. o Romans 8:35-39 o 2 Corinthians 1:20 JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

10. “JESUS IS THE SUM AND SUBSTANCE OF ALL OF GOD’S PROMISES, BECAUSE HE IS THE FULFILLER AND THE FULFILLMENT.” Jack Hayford

11. o Romans 8:35-39 o 2 Corinthians 1:20 o Colossians 1:17 JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.

12. JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH & FULFILLS THE PROMISES OF GOD FAI TH

13. ① FAITH ② PERSPECTIVE 5 TRUTH’S TO RECALL WHEN FACING ADVERSITY OR SUFFERING SEEK PERSPECTIVE

14. o James 1:2 SEEK PERSPECTIVE PERSPE CTIVE Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

15. o James 1:2 o Job 5:7 SEEK PERSPECTIVE PERSPE CTIVE As surely as sparks fly up from a fire, so a man is born for adversity. He is born for trouble.

16. “WE FAIL TO SEE THE PLACE OF SUFFERING IN THE BROADER SCHEME OF THINGS. WE FAIL TO SEE THAT SUFFERING IS AN INEVITABLE DIMENSION OF LIFE. BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST PERSPECTIVE, WE FAIL TO SEE THAT UNLESS ONE IS WILLING TO ACCEPT SUFFERING PROPERLY, HE OR SHE IS REALLY REFUSING TO CONTINUE IN THE QUEST FOR MATURITY. TO REFUSE SUFFERING IS TO REFUSE PERSONAL GROWTH.” Henri Nouwen

17. ① FAITH ② PERSPECTIVE ③ MATURITY 5 TRUTH’S TO RECALL WHEN FACING ADVERSITY OR SUFFERING YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE

18. YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY

19. o Psalm 42:5 YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY David as an example: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior.

20. o Psalm 42:5 o Psalm 31:22 YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY David as an example: In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet, you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

21. o Psalm 42:5 o Psalm 31:22 o Psalm 77:9 YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY David as an example: Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?

22. o Psalm 42:5b Put your hope in God o Psalm 31:22b Hear my cry o Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord o Psalm 116:7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY David’s conclusion:

23. “STRANGELY, AMONG THE COMMOTION, FAITH SUSTAINS THE BELIEVER'S HEART -- ONLY THE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE PROMISES OF GOD CAN MAKE THESE TYPE OF CONCLUSIONS.” John Calvin

24. YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY

25. YOUR THEOLOGY MUST DICTATE YOUR EXPERIENCE MATU RITY FIND GREAT HOPE IN THE TRANSFORMING GRACE OF SUFFERING. FIND STRENGTH TO TRUST CHRIST. IT’S NOT OVER YET, BUT THE HOPE AND PEACE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US IN SUFFERING WILL ALWAYS BE THERE IF WE WILL OPEN OUR HEARTS AND HANDS TO IT.

26. ① FAITH ② PERSPECTIVE ③ MATURITY ④ GROWTH 5 TRUTH’S TO RECALL WHEN FACING ADVERSITY OR SUFFERING ADVERSITY AND SUFFERING SHAPE & MOLD US INTO THE IMAGE OF GOD

27. GROWT H

28. o Malachi 3:3 ADVERSITY AND SUFFERING SHAPE & MOLD US INTO THE IMAGE OF GOD GROWT H He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

29. o Malachi 3:3 o Zechariah 13:9 ADVERSITY AND SUFFERING SHAPE & MOLD US INTO THE IMAGE OF GOD GROWT H I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘they are my people’, and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’

30. o Malachi 3:3 o Zechariah 13:9 o Psalm 12:6 ADVERSITY AND SUFFERING SHAPE & MOLD US INTO THE IMAGE OF GOD GROWT H And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

31. THAT WE MAY BRING OUR OFFERINGS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD WILL DECLARE, THEY ARE MY PEOPLE AND WE WILL DECLARE, THE LORD IS MY GOD! Malachi 3:3 Zechariah 13:9

32. ① FAITH ② PERSPECTIVE ③ MATURITY ④ GROWTH ⑤ DELAY 5 TRUTH’S TO RECALL WHEN FACING ADVERSITY OR SUFFERING FULFILLMENT OF PROMISES ARE SOMETIMES DEFERRED

33. DEL AY

34. o Proverbs 13:12 FULFILLMENT OF PROMISES ARE SOMETIMES DEFERRED DEL AY Hope deferred makes the heart sick

35. FULFILLMENT OF PROMISES ARE SOMETIMES DEFERRED DEL AY

36. GOD IS ALWAYS THE INITIATOR

37. o Proverbs 13:12 o Hebrews 11:8-13 FULFILLMENT OF PROMISES ARE SOMETIMES DEFERRED DEL AY

38. THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE THINGS PROMISED Hebrews 11:13

39. “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

40. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6–9