Life is Tough but God is Faithful

April 18, 2010 MW
Stockwell Road MBC
LIFE IS TOUGH but GOD IS FAITHFUL
II Corinthians 1:3-11
INTRODUCTION:
A. A Tahoma, Washington newspaper carried the story of Tattoo the basset hound some time ago. Tattoo didn’t intend to go for an evening run, but when his owner shut the dog’s leash in the car door and took off for a drive – with Tattoo still outside the vehicle, he had no choice. Motorcycle officer Terry Filbert noticed a passing vehicle with something dragging behind it. He commented that the poor basset hound was, “picking them up and putting them down as fast as he could.” He chased the car to a stop, and Tattoo was rescued. But not before the dog had reached a top speed of 25 miles per hour, falling down and rolling over several times.

B. Have you ever felt like Tattoo? Picking them up and putting them down as fast as we can – rolling around and feeling dragged through life. Life is tough. Life is full of stress and despair. How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t watch the news anymore. It is so depressing.” Many times we can relate to the words of Job, “Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”(Job 14:1). A father recently sent an e-mail to a preacher that read, “Pray for my two daughters they are going through a very rough time. Dad can only do so much…We need God.” What a mouthful! What we need is the help of God! Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Psalms 46:1, 121:1-2! God offers us the deliverance that we need…not only as a nation but also as individuals.

C. In our text, the Apostle Paul offers some of the sweetest words of comfort and encouragement found in the entire Bible. Paul tells the Corinthian believers of a real bad day he had in vs. 8-9, but notice the words of the 3 types of deliverance mentioned in v. 10…past present and future. He saved us, meaning that we have been delivered from the penalty of our sin (guilt included). He will deliver us which is a reference to being delivered from the presence of sin! But notice the words in the middle…and doth deliver! He delivers us now from the problems that sin creates in our lives! You see, life is tough but GOD IS FAITHFUL! Paul said in I Corinthians 10:13, “…God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

D. Notice the deliverance of our faithful God!


BODY:
I. THE PERSON OF OUR COMFORTING (vs. 3-4a)
Note: The word “blessed” in v. 3 is a reference to praising and adoring God and then he gives certain reasons for this. Paul reminds us that we praise God because it was his love that sent Jesus to the world to die on the cross for sin and that God is the father of mercies. Mercy is God not granting to us what we do deserve! Then he is identified as the father of all comfort and in v. 4 that he comforts us in ALL of our tribulations. The question at hand is HOW does God do this?
A. He Reminds Us of His Presence

B. He Recalls to Our Minds His Promises

C. He Rallies His People

II. THE PURPOSE OF OUR SUFFERING (vs. 4b-7)
Note: “Why”, is one of the most often asked questions to God! I am glad that the Lord is not like my geometry teacher in High School…I asked her daily, “Why do I have to learn this?” She tended to get frustrated with me! God doesn’t! We get frustrated though when we do not receive the answers we were expecting. The fact is that we may never know why things happen specifically but we can know some reasons for the trials we do endure. Many times God doesn’t make sense to us but when God doesn’t make sense know that God has a RIGHT a REASON and a REWARD! Here are some possible reasons for our trials…
A. To Gain Experience so We can Help Others v. 4b-5 Rom. 5:3-5

B. To Be an Example of How to Endure v. 6

C. To Further Spread the Gospel v. 6

D. To Be Identified with Jesus Christ v. 7

III. THE PRAYERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT vs. 11
Note: Paul concludes his thoughts with a note of thanksgiving. He had endured much but one thing that “helped” was the prayers of God’s people! Sometimes we make things worse by trying to counsel and by speaking. Just pray is the best thing we can do…to intercede on behalf of another.
A. Prayer Engages Us in Spiritual Warfare

B. Prayer Encourages Us to be Spiritual Aware

C. Prayer Acknowledges our Need of God

CONCLUSION:
This life is tough but God is faithful! Will you look to Him for your deliverance?