Our desire as elders is that we will be a church who can ________________ no matter what we face, that God will be ______________ no matter what we face, and that the gospel will ________________ no matter what we face, as we face it together.

Galatians 6:2; 9-10.

Two options:

1. Grow ______________
2. Grow ______________

The commonality and family bonds we share in Christ ________________ all circumstances if we choose to obediently walk this road before us.

1. We can grow in unity even though we are apart thru _______________ for and _______________________ one another constantly (vv. 3-11).

Paul was _________________ and experienced ____________________ with other believers, though distanced from them, thru praying for them.

Col. 2:5

As family, we ought to be __________________ of one another at all times no matter the circumstances.

For Paul, and a lesson for us, it is the people that matter, not stuff they offer or bring to us. People matter. The gospel matters. Growing in grace and knowledge and godliness matters, and nothing can stop joy and the unity that comes thru the gospel unless we _______________ to let it by being forgetful.

1 Thess. 5:16-18; Hebrews 7:25 

2. We can grow in unity even though we are apart thru seeking to _________________ the gospel no matter our circumstances (vv. 12-20).

Paul sees his circumstances as divine wood cutters ______________ the way for the gospel to reach places it would not have reached otherwise, and thus he can have joy even when circumstances were not preferable.

See Romans 8:28-30.

As we said with prayer, we must ______________ choose to use these times for the advancement of the gospel.