Trusting God's Faithfulness Through Life's Seasons

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound faithfulness of God and the importance of trusting Him through every season of life. We began by reflecting on the lyrics of a song that reminds us of God's past faithfulness as a foundation for our present trust. This trust is rooted in the understanding that God is unchanging and ever-present, as emphasized in Isaiah 43, where God promises to be with us through all circumstances. We often find ourselves asking God for deliverance from our trials, but perhaps a more transformative prayer is to ask God to develop us through these challenges. This perspective shift is grounded in the assurance that God hears and answers our prayers, as stated in Proverbs 3:5-6, urging us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and acknowledge Him in all our ways.

We also discussed the mission and vision of our church, Granite United, which is committed to expanding God's kingdom by planting more campuses and reaching out to communities. This mission is driven by the belief that hope has a name, Jesus, and that we are called to share His life-changing message with others. Our church is not just about filling rooms but about impacting regions, nations, and the world through church planting and missions. This commitment is fueled by a "holy discontent," a desire to never settle for the status quo but to continually seek God's truth and align our lives with His Word.

Furthermore, we delved into the Apostle Paul's example of perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges and persecution he faced, Paul remained steadfast in his mission to preach the gospel. His life exemplifies the call to push through difficulties rather than push away, understanding that our lives have a divine assignment. This assignment is to share the wonderful grace of God, knowing that God is for us and that His grace is sufficient for every trial we face.

Finally, we extended an invitation to those who have not yet crossed the line of faith to turn their lives over to God and begin a relationship with Jesus. This decision is not about religion but about a personal relationship with the Savior, who offers forgiveness and a new start.

Key Takeaways:

- Trust in God's faithfulness is essential, especially during challenging times. Instead of asking for deliverance, we should pray for development, knowing that God is with us and has a purpose for our trials. [41:52]

- Our church's mission is to expand God's kingdom by planting more campuses and reaching out to communities. This mission is driven by the belief that hope has a name, Jesus, and that we are called to share His life-changing message with others. [44:34]

- The Apostle Paul's perseverance in the face of adversity teaches us to push through difficulties rather than push away. Our lives have a divine assignment to share the wonderful grace of God, knowing that God is for us. [01:06:57]

- Crossing the line of faith is about entering a personal relationship with Jesus, not about religion. It involves acknowledging our sin, turning to God, and following Christ. This decision offers forgiveness and a new start. [01:13:02]

- A "holy discontent" drives us to never settle for the status quo but to continually seek God's truth and align our lives with His Word. This discontent fuels our commitment to God's mission and message. [01:02:35]

Youtube Chapters:

[0:00] - Welcome
[40:07] - Trust in God's Faithfulness
[41:52] - Prayer for Development
[42:55] - God's Presence in Our Lives
[43:48] - Relationship with Jesus
[44:34] - Church Mission and Vision
[46:56] - Holy Discontent
[48:16] - Authority of God's Word
[49:38] - Imperfect People, Perfect God
[51:11] - Perseverance Through Trials
[52:08] - Sharing the Gospel
[55:29] - One Message for All
[56:10] - Assurance of Salvation
[01:02:02] - Holy Discontent and Mission
[01:06:57] - Divine Assignment
[01:13:02] - Crossing the Line of Faith
[01:17:18] - Upcoming Events and Closing

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Isaiah 43:1-2
- Proverbs 3:5-6
- Acts 20:18-24

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Observation Questions:

1. In Isaiah 43:1-2, what promises does God make to His people, and how do these promises relate to His faithfulness? [40:07]

2. According to Proverbs 3:5-6, what are we instructed to do with our hearts and understanding, and what is the result of following this instruction? [41:52]

3. How does the Apostle Paul describe his mission and perseverance in Acts 20:18-24, and what challenges does he face? [01:06:57]

4. What is the mission and vision of Granite United Church as discussed in the sermon, and how does it relate to the concept of "holy discontent"? [44:34]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the promise of God's presence in Isaiah 43:1-2 provide comfort and assurance during difficult times? [40:07]

2. What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all your heart, as stated in Proverbs 3:5-6, and how can this trust impact our daily decisions? [41:52]

3. In what ways does Paul's example of perseverance in Acts 20:18-24 inspire believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite adversity? [01:06:57]

4. How does the concept of "holy discontent" challenge believers to seek God's truth and align their lives with His Word, as discussed in the sermon? [48:16]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How can you shift your prayer from asking for deliverance to asking for development, trusting that God is with you? [41:52]

2. Consider the mission of Granite United Church to expand God's kingdom. How can you personally contribute to this mission in your community? [44:34]

3. Think about a time when you felt like giving up on a task or mission. How can Paul's perseverance in Acts 20:18-24 encourage you to push through rather than push away? [01:06:57]

4. Identify an area in your life where you feel a "holy discontent." How can this feeling motivate you to seek God's truth and make changes in your life? [48:16]

5. If you have not yet crossed the line of faith, what steps can you take to begin a personal relationship with Jesus, as discussed in the sermon? [01:13:02]

6. How can you ensure that Jesus is not your "best kept secret" and actively share His life-changing message with others? [01:09:12]

7. Reflect on the idea that God has a divine assignment for your life. What steps can you take to discover and fulfill this assignment? [01:06:57]

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Faithfulness in Trials
In life, we often face trials that challenge our faith and patience. During these times, it is crucial to remember that God's faithfulness is unwavering. Instead of solely seeking deliverance from our difficulties, we are encouraged to pray for personal development through them. This shift in perspective allows us to grow spiritually, knowing that God is with us and has a purpose for our trials. Trusting in God's faithfulness means acknowledging His presence in every season of life and believing that He is working for our good. [41:52]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: Think of a current challenge you are facing. How can you shift your prayer from asking for deliverance to seeking development through this trial?

Day 2: Expanding God's Kingdom Through Mission
Granite United Church is committed to expanding God's kingdom by planting more campuses and reaching out to communities. This mission is driven by the belief that hope has a name, Jesus, and that we are called to share His life-changing message with others. The church's vision is not just about filling rooms but about impacting regions, nations, and the world through church planting and missions. This commitment is fueled by a "holy discontent," a desire to never settle for the status quo but to continually seek God's truth and align our lives with His Word. [44:34]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: How can you personally contribute to the mission of expanding God's kingdom in your community or beyond?

Day 3: Perseverance Through Adversity
The Apostle Paul's life is a testament to perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges and persecution he faced, Paul remained steadfast in his mission to preach the gospel. His life exemplifies the call to push through difficulties rather than push away, understanding that our lives have a divine assignment. This assignment is to share the wonderful grace of God, knowing that God is for us and that His grace is sufficient for every trial we face. [01:06:57]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: Identify a recent situation where you felt like giving up. How can Paul's example of perseverance inspire you to continue in your divine assignment?

Day 4: Crossing the Line of Faith
Crossing the line of faith is about entering a personal relationship with Jesus, not about religion. It involves acknowledging our sin, turning to God, and following Christ. This decision offers forgiveness and a new start. It is an invitation to experience the transformative power of a relationship with the Savior, who offers hope and redemption. This step is not just a one-time decision but a lifelong journey of growing closer to Jesus and living out His teachings. [01:13:02]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: Have you crossed the line of faith? If not, what is holding you back from starting a personal relationship with Jesus today?

Day 5: Embracing Holy Discontent
A "holy discontent" drives us to never settle for the status quo but to continually seek God's truth and align our lives with His Word. This discontent fuels our commitment to God's mission and message. It is a divine dissatisfaction that compels us to pursue deeper spiritual growth and to make a meaningful impact in the world. By embracing this holy discontent, we are motivated to live out our faith authentically and passionately, always striving to reflect Christ in our actions and decisions. [01:02:35]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What areas of your life reflect a holy discontent? How can you channel this discontent into positive action for God's kingdom?

Quotes

1) "And what God has done in his past should be fuel for our present, and the second part of that is that's why I trust him. See, God is faithful, and the truth is a lot of times when life happens and we go through things, and we talked about this today a little bit, that we want God to deliver us, and can I just say this, based on God's faithfulness, that he's the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and as Matt said a few minutes ago, that if you're in Christ, you are a child of God, somebody say amen, then Father's made a promise, and that promise is this, that I'm just, I'm going to be with you." [41:52] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "Sometimes we just need to slow down and realize that God's preparing for us and in us what he had, you know, preparing us for what he has for us in our future, and so instead of praying, God deliver us, we need to start praying, God develop us. Not just God deliver me, God develop me in the midst of this, and why can we pray that? Because I sought the Lord, he heard me, and he answered me, so I know what God has done, so therefore I'm going to trust him for what he's doing." [41:52] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "We are committed to extending to others. Can I get an amen? And so I love that. But my prayer is that God will give us a holy discontent. And what does that mean? You know, it means this. That we. We at Granny United would never settle, spiritually settle for the status quo. See, we really do believe God's word is truth. Amen. We believe God's word. It's what frees people. We believe it's the written Word of God that leads us and points us to the living Word, and His name is Jesus." [48:16] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "If it's God's Word, it's God's will. If it's God's will, it's God's best. The Jesus said in John chapter 10, I've come to give you life, give it to you more abundantly, but make no mistake, there is one who's come to kill, steal, and destroy. So if God has abundant life for me in the here and now, in the when and then, because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, can I get another amen? I want to know what God's Word says, and I want to align my mind to the Bible." [49:38] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Life happens, man. And sometimes it's just brutal. Sometimes in our minds, it would just be easier to quit. Because following God takes real discipline. If you don't believe that, read the book of Hebrews. People are like, I just thought it'd be easier following Jesus. Wait till you read the Bible. Read Hebrews chapter 11. It's going to cost us something to follow Jesus. Because light shines in darkness. We're sought. Matter of fact, we live in a day and age where Romans chapter 12, it's always been in existence since Genesis chapter 3. But we live in a day and age where evil is called good and good is called evil." [51:11] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "And if you read the book of Romans, you continue to read Paul's writings, there's a sense that my heart's desire is that my family, my friends, and my communities would come to know God. And so he says, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit's got my heart. I've had all I can stands and I can stands. He says, I'm bound by the Spirit. Like there's nothing I can do about this. This is my holy discontent. My family doesn't get to die and go to hell knowing there's a way to go to heaven. This has got me, man. This consumes me." [01:02:35] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "And here's the thing when it comes to us, you know, God will and does allow things that come into our life never to hurt us. Remember the same knife that cuts the surgeon uses to heal. And what we've got to understand, and we got to come to grips with is this, can I trust God with my, with the story he's developing me, developing in me, in my life for things that I'm not even aware of that's down the road. You see, you're all going to go through things. We all do. We all go through things." [01:06:12] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "My life is worth, nothing to me unless I use it for doing what gang? Now listen to this assigned me by the Lord. One of the things I've been teaching our church for years, and I know you're sick of hearing it, but I'm going to say it again because I have the mic and you don't is that we've been saved on purpose because you know, saved on purpose for purpose because God's got a great purpose for you. Amen." [01:06:57] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9) "And I love the word wonderful. It's just not God's grace. It's the wonderful grace of God. Why? Because Paul knew how jacked up he was outside of God's grace. And if you read many of the other writings that Paul wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul was like, my mind is blown that God loves me with an unfailing, unconditional love because I know me. And he says, I don't care what's ahead in me." [01:09:12] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10) "And Jesus said, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. You want to get back to the Father? John 14, 6, you must come with me. That's what he said. If you're here today, say, I'm not in a relationship with God. That's okay. That's why you're here today. But now you have a decision to make. Are you ready to cross the line of faith? Step away from religion, turn the direction of your life, and start following Christ." [01:11:40] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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