07112010_faith under fire

7/31/2019 07112010_Faith Under Fire

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Faith Under Fire

2 Thessalonians 1:1-5


2/22

2 Thessalonians 1:4

'Therefore, among God'schurches we boast about your

perseverance and faith in all thepersecutions and trials you are

enduring.'


3/22

Transforming Trials to

Triumphs and Burdens toBlessings


4/22

2 Thessalonians 1:1

'This letter is from Paul, Silas,

and Timothy. We are writing tothe church in Thessalonica, to

you who belong to God our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ.


5/22

God Factor

God Factor in David:

The Israelite army said ofGoliath, hes too big itsimpossible for us to defeat him;David said, hes too big itsimpossible for me to miss him.


6/22

God Factor

God factor in Gideon:

1 + God = Majority


7/22

God Factor

God Factor in the Apostles:

Acts 4:13 'When they saw thecourage of Peter and John andrealized that they were unschooled,

ordinary men, they were astonishedand they took note that these menhad been with Jesus.'


8/22

2 Thessalonians 1:2

'May God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.'


9/22

Grace - Undeserved favor; not

because you love God butbecause He loves you

Peace Not the absence oftroubles but the assurance ofthe presence of God


10/22

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

'[3] Dear brothers and sisters, we canthelp but thank God for you, because

your faith is flourishing and your love

for one another is growing. [4] We

proudly tell Gods other churches about

your endurance and faithfulness in allthe persecutions and hardships you are

suffering.'


11/22

Result of their experience:

Their Love was Abounding

Their Patience was Increasing

Their Testimony was HelpingOthers


12/22

Persecutions

andHardships

Abounding

Love,

IncreasingPatience,

PowerfulTestimony

=G o d F a c t o r


13/22

I. Faithfulness to Gods Call

John 15;16 'You did not choose

me, but I chose you andappointed you to go and bear

fruitfruit that will last. Then the

Father will give you whatever youask in my name.'


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I. Faithfulness to Gods Call

John 15:2 'He cuts off every

branch in me that bears no fruit,while every branch that does bear

fruit he prunes so that it will be

even more fruitful.'


15/22

"God never uses anyone to agreat degree until He has broken

that person completely."


16/22

II. Firmness in Gods Service

2 Thessalonians 1:4 'We proudly tell

Gods other churches about yourendurance and faithfulness in all the

persecutions and hardships you are

suffering.'


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II. Firmness in Gods Service

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 '[1] And now,brothers, we want you to know about thegrace that God has given the Macedonian

churches. [2] Out of the most severe trial,their overflowing joy and their extremepoverty welled up in rich generosity.[3] For I testify that they gave as much as

they were able, and even beyond theirability. Entirely on their own, [4] theyurgently pleaded with us for the privilegeof sharing in this service to the saints.'


18/22

A saints life is in the hands of God like

a bow and arrow in the hands of an

archer. God is aiming at something the

saint cannot see, but our Lord continues

to stretch and strain, and every once in awhile the saint says, I cant take it

anymore. Yet God pays no attention;

He goes on stretching until His purposeis in sight, and then He lets the arrow

fly. - Oswald Chambers


19/22


20/22

Promise of Provision

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation

has seized you except what is common

to man. And God is faithful; he willnot let you be tempted beyond what

you can bear. But when you are

tempted, he will also provide a way out

so that you can stand up under it.


21/22

Promise of Presence

Romans 8:38-39 [38] For I am

convinced that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons, neither thepresent nor the future, nor any powers,

[39] neither height nor depth, nor

anything else in all creation, will beable to separate us from the love of

God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


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Promise of Purpose

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 [3] Praise be tothe God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the Father of compassion and

the God of all comfort, [4] who

comforts us in all our troubles, so that

we can comfort those in any troublewith the comfort we ourselves have

received from God.

07112010_faith under fire

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