TIME OUT with Pastor Ben Talley - Romans 5:1 5

Morning y 'all My name is Benjamin Talley. I'm the associate pastor at Wooden Memorial Baptist Church, and this is another timeout so today Let me just encourage you there's a lot of people suffering a lot of people going through a heartache and troubles and hardships.

The Purpose of Suffering and How to Suffer Well

So I just want to encourage you through this you know the the The reason for suffering the The the way to suffer well You know the the attitude we should have in suffering and the purpose of suffering.

That's what I want to encourage you with today. So If you will turn to Romans chapter 5 We'll be going through verses 1 through 5 so It says Therefore since we have been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we We rejoice in hope of the glory of God not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance and Endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame Because God's love has been poured out Into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Justification by Faith and Peace with God

So this is therefore since we have been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been positionally sanctified Through our Lord Jesus Christ through his finished work on the cross through his life death and resurrection and So not only have we've been positionally sanctified, but we're going to talk about we are progressively Sanctified we we are continually being renewed.

We are continually sanctified It says in verse 2 through him. We also have obtained Access by faith under this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God we stand in God's grace.

We stand we don't sit down. We don't Run, we don't you know, we stand we stand secure in God's grace. We stand firm We we stand we we are secure. We we we are fixed in God's grace. Okay, we are unmoving unmovable In God's grace God is there with us in his grace.

He showers his grace on us verse 3. Not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings. Knowing that suffering produces character. Now, here we go. It says Suffering tribulation strife depression hardship.

Whatever it is. You know that a lot of people are depressed right now. Depression the word depression is not in the Bible but suffering. Hardship tribulation strife is that's how we look at depression biblically.

We look at depression as those words strife tribulation hardship all those Despair, you know words like that described depression and it says We rejoice in that. Knowing this is our mindset knowing that suffering whatever it is produces endurance.

It produces endurance equals it makes us able to stand. Makes us able to stand in the fire long standing in the fire long, you know, I think of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they're able to stand in the fire.

Why because Christ is there with them so knowing that suffering produces endurance as we suffer as we Suffer, we go through hardship as we go through depression as we go through Despair, you know as we go through those things.

What's up, Richard? What's up, Jenny? As we go through those things God is able to help us stand. We we are able to in some ways Get get, you know, you know in a way that we're able to Hang in there. We're able to withstand it and Stand firm so we're able to stand in the fire that tribulation that hardship that despair that depression Long we're able to stand in it long and then it says in verse 4 endurance produces character.

This is character that's proven. It's tested. Right. So as we endure suffering Endurance produces character. Right as we learn to endure as we learn to stand in the fire long this produces character. This is God's design for suffering so so it says a Produces character and character produces hope.

This is certainty of God's power in us remember hope is not a wishful thinking it is Certainty it is certainty of God's power in us and will. Okay of his will and of his of his power working in us. This is certainty of God working in a certainty of his promises coming to pass.

What's up, Kayla? So that's what this this character produces is hope. Right hope in God and it says in verse 5 hope does not disappoint us. It does not put us to shame. It will not put us to shame because as we see this happening as we Suffer as this produces character.

It also produces hope and this hope will not put us to shame. You know as we learn to walk with God as we learn to Endure in trials as we learn and see that God is producing character in us. We get overjoyed we think oh God is doing a work in me.

God is changing me and we see that change as we suffer and as we endure as we learn to endure. And as we see that change that produces hope and we and we see that there is hope that there is hope for me.

God's Purposes in Suffering

So then he says You know and another thing is God doesn't necessarily end our suffering right then and there God's not for the quick fix. If if a day to the Lord was a thousand years I Don't think he's gonna end suffering right then and there he's got a purpose through suffering he is gonna shape us and a mold us and and Complete us and work to perfect us through suffering.

That is his design. So then it says hope will does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us? Love is poured out overflowing.

Overflowing. What's up, Lisa? So That means that love his love is poured out Into our hearts his love is poured out into our hearts. So So not only do we see that suffering produces endurance But we also see that it produces character and we also see that it produces hope and we also see that his love is Poured out into our hearts his love.

His love is like none other his love is Unconditional he loves you and his love can keep on keep on going even in spite of our sin. In spite of our most filthy moments in spite of those moments when we feel the the the most the most wretched because of our sins.

We could be in the middle of our sin and he still loves us. Romans 5 8. But God still loved us, you know God in his mercy in his mercy. But God in his mercy still loved us and died for us. You know so God still Works in us by producing endurance character hope and love.

Encouragement, Prayer, and Closing

So let that encourage you today. That even in midst of your suffering you can have change you can have hope you can have character and you can have love. That's what God is producing in you. So be encouraged today.

God is good. And let me pray for you God. We thank you that you have a divine plan and suffering that you produce Endurance that you produce character you produce hope and you pour into our hearts your love Lord.

Maybe may we be aware of your love and your hope and your truth Throughout today and throughout the rest of this week Lord. We love you. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen. Man, love y 'all.