Prepare for Worship | Perspective in Trials
Last Sunday, we returned to our study through Genesis with Part III, entitled “Promise Preserved.” Pastor Jason Finley preached from Genesis 25:19-34 and showed us that God preserves his promises through unlikely circumstances and undeserving people.
Read: Genesis 26
This Sunday, Pastor Jason will preach from Genesis 26 and will encourage us to trust God’s promises through trials. As you prepare for our Sunday gathering, consider these words from Milton Vincent, and find rest in the promise of God to use even our trials as a means for our sanctification through the power of the gospel.
Reflect: “Perspective in Trials”
More than anything else could ever do, the gospel enables me to embrace my tribulations and thereby position myself to gain full benefit from them. For the gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me. When I view my circumstances in this light, I realize that the gospel is not just one piece of good news that fits into my life somewhere among all the bad. I realize instead that the gospel makes genuinely good news out of every other aspect of my life, including my severest trials (Romans 5:1-5). The good news about my trials is that God is forcing them to bow to His gospel purposes and do good unto me by improving my character and making me more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Preaching the gospel to myself each day provides a lens through which I can view my trials in this way and see the true cause for rejoicing that exists in them. I can then embrace trials as friends and allow them to do God’s good work in me.
Vincent, Milton. A Gospel Primer for Christians. Focus Publishing. Kindle Edition.
“Perspective in Trials,” in A Gospel Primer for Christians, by Milton Vincent
Sing: Song List for Sunday
1. “All Creatures of Our God and King,” Arr. Sovereign Grace Music
2. “Every Step,” by CityAlight
3. “There Is One Gospel,” by CityAlight
4. “God of Abraham,” by Vertical Worship
5. “O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer,” Arr. Sovereign Grace Music