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Rejoicing In SufferingRejoicing In SufferingRejoicing In SufferingRejoicing In Suffering

Romans 5:3-5Romans 5:3-5Romans 5:3-5Romans 5:3-5

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Have You Ever Have You Ever Prayed:Prayed:

“Thank you, God, “Thank you, God, for my problems.”?for my problems.”?

Have You Ever Have You Ever Prayed:Prayed:

“Thank you, God, “Thank you, God, for my problems.”?for my problems.”?

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List of Teen ProblemsList of Teen ProblemsList of Teen ProblemsList of Teen Problems

• Acne Acne • Boys Boys • Clobber (British for clothing)Clobber (British for clothing)• DietDiet• Exercise Exercise • FriendsFriends• Grooming Grooming • HormonesHormones• . . . . . . . . . .

• Acne Acne • Boys Boys • Clobber (British for clothing)Clobber (British for clothing)• DietDiet• Exercise Exercise • FriendsFriends• Grooming Grooming • HormonesHormones• . . . . . . . . . .

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List of Adult ProblemsList of Adult ProblemsList of Adult ProblemsList of Adult Problems

• Job problemsJob problems• Marriage in trouble Marriage in trouble • Car / Plumbing / Appliance broken Car / Plumbing / Appliance broken • Not enough moneyNot enough money• Can’t lose weightCan’t lose weight• Kid problemsKid problems• IllnessIllness• Persecuted because of your ChristianityPersecuted because of your Christianity

• Job problemsJob problems• Marriage in trouble Marriage in trouble • Car / Plumbing / Appliance broken Car / Plumbing / Appliance broken • Not enough moneyNot enough money• Can’t lose weightCan’t lose weight• Kid problemsKid problems• IllnessIllness• Persecuted because of your ChristianityPersecuted because of your Christianity

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University ProblemsUniversity ProblemsUniversity ProblemsUniversity Problems

• My parents got a divorceMy parents got a divorce

• I have no boyfriend/ girlfriendI have no boyfriend/ girlfriend

• Dealing with my boyfriend/ girlfriend Dealing with my boyfriend/ girlfriend

• I flunked a classI flunked a class

• I am sickI am sick

• I don’t know what I want to do with my I don’t know what I want to do with my lifelife

• My parents got a divorceMy parents got a divorce

• I have no boyfriend/ girlfriendI have no boyfriend/ girlfriend

• Dealing with my boyfriend/ girlfriend Dealing with my boyfriend/ girlfriend

• I flunked a classI flunked a class

• I am sickI am sick

• I don’t know what I want to do with my I don’t know what I want to do with my lifelife

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I don’t want any problems, Lord!I don’t want any problems, Lord!I don’t want any problems, Lord!I don’t want any problems, Lord!

• Not all problems are good, but good Not all problems are good, but good can come from problems.can come from problems.

• Think Romans 8:28Think Romans 8:28

• Not all problems are good, but good Not all problems are good, but good can come from problems.can come from problems.

• Think Romans 8:28Think Romans 8:28

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Romans 5:3-5Romans 5:3-5 3 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in Not only so, but we also rejoice in

our sufferings, because we know our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces that suffering produces

perseverance;perseverance; 4 4 perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.character; and character, hope. 5 5 And hope does not disappoint us, And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3-5Romans 5:3-5 3 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in Not only so, but we also rejoice in

our sufferings, because we know our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces that suffering produces

perseverance;perseverance; 4 4 perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.character; and character, hope. 5 5 And hope does not disappoint us, And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.Spirit, whom he has given us.

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Not only so, Not only so, Not only so, Not only so,

• Not only in the positive…..Not only in the positive…..• Not only in the positive…..Not only in the positive…..

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Romans 5:1-2Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have justified through faith, we have

peace with God through our Lord peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,Jesus Christ, 2 2 through whom through whom we have gained access by faith we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now into this grace in which we now

stand. And we rejoice in the stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have justified through faith, we have

peace with God through our Lord peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,Jesus Christ, 2 2 through whom through whom we have gained access by faith we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now into this grace in which we now

stand. And we rejoice in the stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.hope of the glory of God.

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We rejoice We rejoice in the hope in the hope

of the glory of God.of the glory of God.

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but but wewe –also –also rejoicerejoice----but but wewe –also –also rejoicerejoice----

• Who is “we”?Who is “we”?

• Paul, the Romans, and me?Paul, the Romans, and me?

• Also---in addition to the first thingAlso---in addition to the first thing

• Who is “we”?Who is “we”?

• Paul, the Romans, and me?Paul, the Romans, and me?

• Also---in addition to the first thingAlso---in addition to the first thing

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in our in our sufferingssufferings, because we , because we know that know that sufferingsuffering

in our in our sufferingssufferings, because we , because we know that know that sufferingsuffering

• θλῖψιςθλῖψις, , εωςεως, , ἡἡ literally literally pressure, pressure, pressing togetherpressing together

• Tribulations, problemsTribulations, problems

• Not all suffering is good, but it can lead Not all suffering is good, but it can lead us to rejoiceus to rejoice

• θλῖψιςθλῖψις, , εωςεως, , ἡἡ literally literally pressure, pressure, pressing togetherpressing together

• Tribulations, problemsTribulations, problems

• Not all suffering is good, but it can lead Not all suffering is good, but it can lead us to rejoiceus to rejoice

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produces produces perseveranceperseverance;;produces produces perseveranceperseverance;;

• How much does it take for you to give How much does it take for you to give up?up?

• Steadfast enduranceSteadfast endurance

• How much does it take for you to give How much does it take for you to give up?up?

• Steadfast enduranceSteadfast endurance

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4 4 perseverance, perseverance, charactercharacter; ; 4 4 perseverance, perseverance, charactercharacter; ;

• ProvennessProvenness

• Suffering proves that our faith is Suffering proves that our faith is genuine.genuine.

• Hardened like steelHardened like steel

• ProvennessProvenness

• Suffering proves that our faith is Suffering proves that our faith is genuine.genuine.

• Hardened like steelHardened like steel

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and character, and character, hopehope.. and character, and character, hopehope..

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5 5 And hope And hope does not disappoint usdoes not disappoint us, ,

5 5 And hope And hope does not disappoint usdoes not disappoint us, ,

• Psalm 25:1-3 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

• Psalm 25:1-3 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

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because God has poured out his because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.Spirit, whom he has given us.

because God has poured out his because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.Spirit, whom he has given us.

• An experience not an argumentAn experience not an argument

• Joel 2:26-29, “poured out”Joel 2:26-29, “poured out”

• Love and the Holy Spirit are often Love and the Holy Spirit are often connected.connected.

• An experience not an argumentAn experience not an argument

• Joel 2:26-29, “poured out”Joel 2:26-29, “poured out”

• Love and the Holy Spirit are often Love and the Holy Spirit are often connected.connected.

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ProblemsProblems

PerseverancePerseverance

Character /Character /ProvennessProvenness

HopeHope

Hope Does Not Disappoint Us

Because the love of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit

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Problems Prove Problems Prove Your Faith is Genuine.Your Faith is Genuine.

Problems Prove Problems Prove Your Faith is Genuine.Your Faith is Genuine.

• Can you thank God for your problems?Can you thank God for your problems?

• Do your problems teach you Do your problems teach you persistence and perseverance, thereby persistence and perseverance, thereby developing your character, giving you developing your character, giving you hope?hope?

• Can you thank God for your problems?Can you thank God for your problems?

• Do your problems teach you Do your problems teach you persistence and perseverance, thereby persistence and perseverance, thereby developing your character, giving you developing your character, giving you hope?hope?

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• Therefore go and make disciples of Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and of the Holy Spirit, 20 20 and and teaching them to obey everything I teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very am with you always, to the very end of the age.” end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 Matthew 28:19-20

• Therefore go and make disciples of Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and of the Holy Spirit, 20 20 and and teaching them to obey everything I teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very am with you always, to the very end of the age.” end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 Matthew 28:19-20

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Extra MaterialExtra MaterialExtra MaterialExtra Material

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