Pastor Quinn • February 18, 2024

Rethinking Trials, Tests, and Temptations

“If God loves us, why doesn’t he remove all the trials and tests and temptations that we face?” That question demonstrates the religious assumption that those things are bad. They aren’t. In the hands of a loving God, they are tools by which he refines our faith. He uses tests as a way to compel us to be less self-reliant, and instead trust in his strength. He uses trials to teach us that this broken world is not our true home. God even takes Satan’s temptations and uses them for our good.


Trials, tests, and temptations are not exceptions to God’s love. That’s a false assumption! These are examples of God’s love. Proof is that God allowed his beloved Son Jesus to face trials and temptations, so that he might be our perfect savior and substitute.

Imminent Arrival of the Messiah

By Pastor Quinn • December 14, 2025
The Messiah is an important person. You stand when he enters the courtroom. What he says must be obeyed. If you are the one on trial, his determinations make a big difference in how your life will continue. You might be quite nervous if the judge is about to arrive. John invited people to turn their nervousness to repentance. He says that the arrival of the Judge is imminent, and the kingdom of heaven is near! You are invited to hear John, repent, and believe the good news of the coming Savior.

Imminent Arrival of the Judge

By Pastor Quinn • December 7, 2025
The judge is an important person. You stand when he enters the courtroom. What he says must be obeyed. If you are the one on trial, his determinations make a big difference in how your life will continue.  You might be quite nervous if the judge is about to arrive. John invited people to turn their nervousness to repentance. He says that the arrival of the Judge is imminent, and the kingdom of heaven is near! You are invited to hear John, repent, and believe the good news of the coming Savior.

Resurrection/Hope

By Pastor Quinn • November 16, 2025
People think of “hope” as being an optimistic desire. “I hope it doesn’t rain this weekend” simply means that is what you want to happen. Your hope doesn’t mean that will happen. It might pour all weekend. Yet, that is the best the world can offer—an uncertain enthusiasm, a cautious anticipation. Optimism is the cause of that shaky type of hope. In a world as hard as this one, we need more than shaky hope. Jesus gives us better. He has given us the unbreakable promise of resurrection, a promise rooted in his own resurrection. More, he has given us the promise of eternal life in a breathtakingly beautiful heavenly home. What is the effect of Jesus giving us such promises? We are given a better type of hope . . . a certain hope. We watch and wait for the life that is to come, with the certainty that it will come. For Jesus has made a promise. And one thing Jesus never does is lie!
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