Believing In the Resurrection & The Complete Sovereignty of God

In Stock

Add to Cart

There are times in our life when it seems like God is either missing or being mean. Hardships, pain and struggle seem to come at the worst time and often, all at once. Where is God in the midst of such turmoil? Well, the good news is that He has never left, but He is using the darkness for something good in our lives. Of course, it doesn't seem like it at the time. This series explores the differences between our understanding of suffering and God’s real purpose behind it.

Messages Include:

• More Than We Can Handle – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
• The Storms of Life – Mark 4:35-41
• The Thorn in my Flesh – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
• Putting it to the Test – Genesis 22
• Believing in the Resurrection – John 11:20-25
• The Complete Sovereignty of God – Job 1:20-22
• The Complete Providence of God – Genesis 50:15-21
• Yet I Will Rejoice – Habakkuk 3:17-19
• God Hears Your Cry – Exodus 2:23-25
• Was Blind But Now I See – John 9:1-12
• The Blessed Reward of Struggle Part 1 – James 1:1-18
• The Blessed Reward of Struggle Part 2 – James 1:9-12

More Than We Can Handle (2 Corinthians 1:8-11) - There is an oft-repeated phrase in Christian circles: “God won’t give us more than we can handle.” However, God frequently allows the faithful to experience hardships beyond their endurance for the purpose of causing them to lean on Him for deliverance.

The Storms of Life (Mark 4:35-41) - When the storms of our life roll in, they become all we can see. When things are at their worst, it might appear as though God doesn’t care—as though He’s fallen asleep. But placing our eyes on the storm requires us to take our eyes off of the One who has it all under control.

The Thorn in my Flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) - Each of us has experienced the pain of a thorn, and getting them out can prove difficult. The circumstances of our life can be like that thorn, and it is sobering to reflect that God allows us to get thorns either to anoint us for work or to keep us from exalting ourselves in a situation.

Putting it to the Test (Genesis 22) - Our faith will be tested in a variety of ways while we strive to live in obedience to Him. Just like Abraham’s faith was tested when he put his son, Isaac, on the altar, many of us need to remember that obedience to God will itself be a test of our own faith.

Believing in the Resurrection (John 11:20-25) - It’s one thing to read about the miracles Jesus performed in the Bible and another thing to totally believe that Jesus has the power to raise people from the dead. He wants us to move past the theology found in the text and extend our belief to the One who calls Himself “the resurrection.”

The Complete Sovereignty of God (Job 1:20-22) - It’s no easy thing trying to understand why God allows us to suffer. Job reminds us that the Lord both gives and takes away and that all we have has made its way to us because He gifted it. Therefore, both blessings and sufferings come to us with a purpose from a sovereign God.

The Complete Providence of God (The Complete Providence of God) - Waiting on God’s timing can be a hardship unto itself. For reasons we might never understand, God leads us through trials, struggles and difficulties. However, when it is God who leads you into tumultuous waters, remember that His providence is sufficient to navigate you through it.

Yet I Will Rejoice (Habakkuk 3:17-19) - How do you respond when everything in your life is coming apart at the seams? Do you resign yourself to being miserable? Do you try to distract yourself from the miserable situation? As Tony Evans explains, Habakkuk responds quite differently in his darkest hour.

God Hears Your Cry (Exodus 2:23-25) - When your life is going smoothly, it’s easy to rely on your own strength to handle the day. It isn’t until life takes a bad turn that we tend to call out to God. But because He wants us to rely on Him all the time, He often leads us into a crisis to get us to look up.

Was Blind But Now I See (John 9:1-12) - The amount of suffering in the world cannot be measured, and every day we are reminded of those whose plight is much heavier than our own. It is sobering to remember that in some cases, suffering exists specifically to bring glory to the name of God, who heals for that reason.

The Blessed Reward of Struggle Part 1 (James 1:1-18) - The book of James asks each believer to “count it all joy when trials” come their way. But as Tony Evans points out, it’s not the trial that is the reason for our joy; it’s what the trial produces, namely endurance, which gives us cause to celebrate.

The Blessed Reward of Struggle Part 2 (James 1:9-12) - Did you ever consider that your humble circumstances—being poor, enduring long-term trials, etc.—was a reason to take joy in your “high position?” Because God has prepared your maturity and endurance through your trials, your ability to withstand future pressure is improved.