- SERMON
癤?
Life and Hardship
Psalms 119:67 (NIV)
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
Introduction
Our life is born for hardship. The whole process of our life is a series of hardship as we are born, grow old, become sick, and finally die. When I look back upon 70 years of my past life, I realize that I have walked along the path through the blurry fog of hardship.
Under the Japanese colonial rule, we suffered from forced labors and plunder. After Korea gained independence, we went through ideological collisions and social disorder for five years. And when Korean War broke out on June 25th in 1950, we struggled for survival. Why is our life born for hardship?
1. Life and general hardship
??1) Adam?셲 fall and the three calamities ??A life that inherited the three calamities (Ge 3:6, 17-19)
??2) The coming of Jesus and the fulfillment of threefold blessings (Jn 3:16, 3Jn 1:2)
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2. Glorious hardship
??1) Hardship that we voluntarily choose for the sake of the Gospel ??Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer
??2) Hardship that we suffer in place of others so that they may be rescued from their hardship
3. Special hardship (Jer 48:11)
??1) The discipline that breaks our thought and self-centered mind (Jer 35:17)
??2) The test that helps us grow deeper in faith and prayer (Job 23:10, Ps 119:67, Jas 5:13)
??3) The training to strengthen faith (1Pe 5:10, Ro 5:3-4)
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4. Things we need to do during special hardship
??1) Pray for God?셲 help (Ps 91:14-15, 34:19).
??2) Reflect on the reason for our hardship (Jer 36:3) (Ps 119:59-60).
??3) Submit ourselves to God (Hos 5:15-6:1).
??4) Think of the benefits of our hardship (Ps 119:71, Ro 8:17-18).
??5) Wait for God?셲 help until His time (1Pe 4:12-13).
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Conclusion
There is nothing strange about suffering hardship. It is all about life experience. When undergoing hardship, we need to fight if necessary, suffer, repent, and be broken. The way to victory is to be able to nestle in the arms of our God.