3. IF God loves me…

4. Job + Health + Relationship

5. God Loves Me IF…

6. Why…?

7. Moralism!

8. He's punishing me…

9. He's punishing me… (Jesus took all our punishment)

10. I'm not good enough…

11. I'm not good enough… (Good luck with that!)

12. That's not fair, God!

13. (Who said God is fair?) That's not fair, God!

14. Every hardship is an Opportunity to Grow in your faith And become what you were Created to be

15. What you don't get to choose: What you get to choose:

16. Your Response Determines God's activity In your life

17. 4 3 Reasons: - Trial - Discipline - Circumstances of Life 4 3 Reasons: - Trial - Discipline - Circumstances of Life

18. Where we gonna get grub?

19. Where we gonna get grub? Jesus said this to test him, for he knew what he would do - John 6:6

20. Worried, scared of the crowd Anxious about what to do

21. Worried, scared of the crowd Anxious about what to do Jesus said this to test him, for he knew what he would do - John 6:6

22. Peirazo- tempt, try, test

23. Peirazo- tempt, try, test Satan: tempt with the goal of causing failure and sin

24. Peirazo- tempt, try, test God: Test with the goal of Causing the Growth Of your Faith

25. 5,000 Fed with 5 + 2

26. Disciples Learn: Things are tough We're in need Jesus has got this!

27. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds Peirazo!

28. …for you know that the testing (proving) of your faith produces steadfastness.

29. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

30. The trial contains a gift, An opportunity to become What you wish you were

31. Careful: Shortcut the process

32. Complain my way through it

33. Don't turn it into a "Poor me!"

34. Don't get bitter

35. God may not have caused it But the trial is evidence That God is working In your life

36. Don't miss the blessing Because you're busy Cussing the problem

37. Marriage…not fair!

38. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith… - James 1:2-6

39. Your Response Determines your blessing

40. Don't curse what God is using to bless

41. Every hardship is an Opportunity to Grow in your faith And become what you were Created to be

42. IF you choose to Respond in faith…

43. 3 Reasons: - Trial - Discipline - Circumstances of Life

44. The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

45. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

46. If you are not disciplined— and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Proof of God's love

47. Which Parent…?

48. 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 spirits and live!

49. They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

50. 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 - Hebrews 12:6-11

51. Options - Ignore - Get angry - Justify

52. Options - Ignore - Get angry - Justify Seek, Confess, Repent, Grow

53. …it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it

54. Willful, ongoing sin God needs to weed it out - Conviction - Messages - Discipline

55. Continued to lie to customers Customer came back angry Threatened to sue Lost job Repented instead of ignoring

56. Hardship= Search Heart

57. 3 Reasons: - Trial - Discipline - Circumstances of Life

58. Creation: Idyllic

59. Fall: Cain kills Abel

60. Fall: Cain kills Abel What did Abel do wrong? Is that fair?

61. Affected by The Fall: Free Will Nature Health

62. As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

63. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Moralism

64. Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him…"

65. Not everything that happens Has a Spiritual reason But everything that happens Has the potential for Divine Purpose

66. …Jesus spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”

67. So he went and washed and came back seeing - John 9:1-3, 6-7

68. Who sinned? No specific sin But Circumstances of Life In a Fallen world

69. Circumstances of Life Creates Opportunity For God to Show Up

70. Based on our Response

71. Every hardship is an Opportunity to Grow in your faith And become more like What you were Created to be

72. I can't control: Their behavior Nature's brokenness My own Fallenness But I can choose my response

73. - God's not punishing you

74. - God's not punishing you - It's not about being Good enough

75. - God's not punishing - It's not about being Good enough - God is absolutely unfair

76. For many of us Hard times are how we Come to know Jesus