CHURCHES

"Bad Things Happening to Good People: What Job, You and I Have in Common, and How We Can Pull it Through."™

Motivation, Inspiration, Religious [45 min]

In the 14 chapter of Mark, Jesus told Peter to watch Him for one hour. With that request came the famous admonition, in verse 38, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Although our spirits, our very souls may long for something, how often are we willing to do what we have to do in order to gain what has been promised to us? For the Lord Himself said in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." What are we so afraid of? Why does the loss of a job afflict so much pain in our adult minds? Why does the loss of a loved one makes us suffer so much? What you and Job have in common and how can we pull it through? Why, despite being given this Earth to live in, despite having families and so many other things impossible to quantify, do petty little things make us depressed? Why do we suffer? Most importantly, why must we endure?

Many times we don't understand why things happen the way they do. We make plans and they fail, we try to make sense of life and life makes no sense to us. The good news is that Jesus Christ has been watching over us all along; He has been taking care of us and giving us the experiences that are necessary for our growth. As He says in Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." In the end, things will turn out all right. If they haven't, it's because it is not yet the end.

Pedro will tap in these subjects as he gives a memorable speech about the trials and tribulations of life, and how we can overcome them. Pedro's life, that of being born to poverty in Brazil and achieving success in America, that of experiencing the ups and downs of life at their very sources, will make any audience emotional and take a deeper look inwardly at their own fears and trials. Pedro will make your religious audience believe that they, too, can reach unreachable and that all seemingly impossible tasks are possible through Him, "who strengthens us."

"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." -- Mark 13:31

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