https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/When-Hard-Times-Come.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Philippians 1:12-14<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. Life often goes in different in directions from what we expect.<\/p>\n
A. It had long been Paul’s desire to go to Rome to preach the Gospel – Acts 19:21<\/p>\n B. It seemed though that something always came up which kept him from reaching\nhis goal – Romans 1:13\n
C. It was his prayer that some way would be opened up to him – Romans 1:10<\/p>\n D. Things weren’t going well. Paul was arrested and held a prisoner in Judea. But\nthe Lord promised Paul that he would go to Rome – Acts 23:11.\n E. For two years Paul remained a prisoner. Eventually, Paul did go to Rome – in\nchains.\n F. The book of Acts ends after Paul spent two years as a prisoner. Though a\nprisoner, he was allowed to rent his own house – Acts 28:30.\n G. Being a prisoner did not stop Paul from teaching. In fact, he described himself as\nan ambassador in chains – Ephesians 6:19-20\n H. Though being a prisoner was probably not how Paul imagined he would see\nRome, yet the Gospel spread – Philippians 1:12-14\n
I. A disadvantage became an advantage.<\/p>\n
II. Disadvantages can become an advantage when they cause us to depend more upon God.<\/p>\n
A. Hardships help us learn that we need God <\/p>\n
1. We learn not to fear this world – Psalms 46:1-2<\/p>\n
2. God is our place of safety – Psalms 18:1-3<\/p>\n
B. Even in the darkest time of his life, Job confesses – Job 19:23-27<\/p>\n
C. Trials make us realize that our own abilities are inadequate<\/p>\n 1. Proverbs 3:5-6 – We cannot lean on our own understanding. Our abilities\nare too unstable.\n
2. Jeremiah 10:23 – We don’t have the ability to direct our own steps.<\/p>\n
3. In contrast God is able to far exceed our expectations – Ephesians 3:20-21<\/p>\n
D. Trials destroy pride and keep us humble. <\/p>\n
1. We should keep our perspective – Romans 12:3<\/p>\n
2. God lifts up the humble – James 4:10<\/p>\n
3. But He brings down the proud – Luke 14:11<\/p>\n
E. Trials drive us to pray<\/p>\n
1. Paul was tried to keep him from boasting – II Corinthians 12:8-10<\/p>\n 2. We are more fervent in prayer when we reach the end of our rope – Luke\n22:44\n 3. When we are starving in pigpens, we are more likely to think of the\nFather’s table – Luke 15:16-20\n 4. When our emotions are bruised and bleeding, we will more likely seek\ncomfort with the Father – Psalms 34:18\n
5. Cast our burdens upon God – Psalms 55:22<\/p>\n F. Disadvantages turn to advantages when they cause us to spend more time on our\nknees before God.\n
III. Disadvantages can become advantages when they cause us to be more compassionate.<\/p>\n
A. God wants us to be tenderhearted – Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12-14<\/p>\n B. Usually, only after our hearts are broken are they open enough to pour out\nsympathy for others – II Corinthians 1:3-4\n
1. Until we endure pain, we can sympathize, but it is hard to empathize.<\/p>\n 2. After walking barefoot down a rocky road, we have more compassion on a\nneighbor who must travel the same way.\n 3. Why did the Samaritan stop? Was it because he knew what it was like to\nbe ignored by the Jews? – Luke 10:33-34\n 4. A person who has always enjoyed good health, struggles to understand\nanother’s illness. If we never lost a loved one, we may not fully\nunderstand the grief of one who has.\n 5. If we never recognize our own sins, how can we be compassionate toward\nthe failings of others? – Galatians 6:1-2\n C. Disadvantages turn to advantages when they give us a greater capacity to be\ntenderhearted towards others.\n
IV. Disadvantages can become advantages when they cause us to long for heaven.<\/p>\n A. It is easy to fall in love with this world when we are picking lilies, but we long for\nheaven when we are pulling up thorns.\n
1. Paul’s life wasn’t easy – II Corinthians 11:23-28<\/p>\n 2. He longed to trade the tatters of this life for the robes of glory – Philippians\n1:21-23\n B. When our world is falling apart, we look for a city whose foundations are set by\nGod – Hebrews 11:10\n
C. When we are feeling low, we can seek the things that are above – Colossians 3:1-2<\/p>\n
V. II Corinthians 4:16-5:2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:12-14 I. Life often goes in different in directions from what we expect. A. It had long been Paul’s desire to go to Rome to preach the Gospel – Acts 19:21 B. It seemed though that something always came up which kept him from reaching his goal – Romans 1:13 C. It…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1095,952,463,1510,182,188],"class_list":["post-21269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-blessings","tag-compassion","tag-humility","tag-prayers","tag-suffering","tag-trials"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":68751,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-wrath-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":0},"title":"The Wrath of God (Hamilton)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 10:26-31 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Romans 1:18 warn of the wrath of God being revealed. How is His wrath revealed? II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God directly takes action \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in His wrath - Deuteronomy 29:23 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When people grumbled against Moses, God sent a plague -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20331,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/doing-our-duty\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":1},"title":"Doing Our Duty","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Please add an audio file by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 17:1-10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many denominations today struggle with the concept of obeying God. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oh, they give lip service to the concept, but they find it appalling that anything we do affects our salvation \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Most claim that all that is needed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":89110,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/in-times-of-trouble\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":2},"title":"In Times of Trouble","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel Download Audio","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14080,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/it-takes-effort\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":3},"title":"It Takes Effort","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: II Thessalonians 3:6-11 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How many of us truly enjoy working? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I, like many of us, dream of times when we can take a moment off and do nothing in particular \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Yet, I don\u2019t like to be idle for long. It grates on my nerves. II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In the beginning \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Man\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42123,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-some-depart\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":4},"title":"Why Do Some Depart?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 13:18-23 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When teaching someone about the gospel, it is hard not to invest a bit of yourself into the one you are trying to reach. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0You know the importance of being a Christian, and you care about the one you are teaching. If\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54490,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-importance-of-sorrow\/","url_meta":{"origin":21269,"position":5},"title":"The Importance of Sorrow","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Life doesn\u2019t remain the same - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There are different seasons, which brings different needs \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0No one likes to cry, but life isn\u2019t always going to be rosy. Sorrow has a place in our lives. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The wise know that we need\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21269\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}