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I Didn’t Sign Up for This!

Dealing With Life’s Trials

April 12, 2020 • Bro. Lynn Schuyler

**James 1:2-4**  *My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.*

**1Peter 1:6-7** *Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ…*

**Hebrews 12:1-2**   *Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.*

**Romans 8:28** *And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.*

1. Trials are a part of life… for everyone; we should expect them - James uses the word “when”… “when ye fall into divers temptations…”
2. We need to understand that God is in control; He is sovereign! Nothing can touch a child of God without His permission. Job didn’t suffer because he was a sinner, but rather because He was holy. God doesn’t always cause the trials we endure, but God always uses them for our good and His glory!
3. God uses tests and trials to produce “patience”, i.e., endurance, to the end that we will be “perfect and entire”, i.e., complete!
4. We must trust God’s plan. We must not rebel, but rather LET God use this test to bring about His purposes. God doesn’t use trials to break us, but rather to make us!

Nehemiah: A Passionate Builder

July 20, 2022 • Bro. Matt Morales • Nehemiah 2

A Great Promise

May 18, 2022 • Bro. Matt Morales • Genesis 15:7–21

Genesis 15:7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. Genesis 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Genesis 15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Fight the Good Fight… Because He Did!

April 17, 2022 • Dr. John Waterloo • 1 Timothy 6:11–16

There will always be The Good Fight, because… * We have already confessed faith in Christ! — We have signed up and taken our oath. * He’s coming back for US! — One day we will not need to fight, when He appears. 1Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1Tim. 6:13   I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.