As I wrote these messages, three events presented themselves. The senseless murder of 26 people in CT. A 17 yr old died unexpectedly of a heart attack.[i] And a pastor was asked to resign after members spread half truths & embellished events that cast him in a bad light & misled God’s people.
We all suffer because we live in a world broken by sin. We understand suffering in the context of our own experience. What you will hear is my walk. These are things God has given in the tests of my life.
I’ve been a pastor 23 years[ii] & writing this for my children & their spouses to Glorify God in hardships that will come their way… eventually… & most likely several times.
Few suffer & glorify God. I’ve observed Christians leave the faith, wallow unduly in pity, & lose their joy. IF what is written in Scripture is true (And it is), our suffering should be diametric to the world. We should rejoice! But rejoicing doesn’t JUST HAPPEN because you’re a C’ian.
First we saw how important our view of God is to handle suffering in a Biblical manner. Now I will take you thru Scripture that has sustained me in the difficult times of my life.
What we believe about God & His WORD is important! I believe it because it is true. It isn’t true because I believe it. My goal is for you to “Rejoice IN THE LORD always” (Phil 4:4) Now Scripture…
Because “Your steadfast love is better than life” (Ps 63:3) is true, therefore…
Ps 139:16, “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.” SO… “Count it all joy… when you encounter various trials” (Ja 1:2) Now Ro 8:28, “God causes ALL THINGS to work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose…” (Scripture interpreting Scripture). Remember these things about God…
Gen 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? (The answer is NO!)
Jer 32:17 Ah, Lord God! It is you who has made the heavens & the earth by your great power & by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Mt 19:26 With God all things are possible.
Lk 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding & abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to the power at work w/in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. {As a result, I embrace the following}
(2 Cor 4:16-18) “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight (Death) momentary (A lifetime) affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Meditate on this deeply.
(Ro 8:15-17) “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if children, then heirs—heirs of God & fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Drive this deep into your spirit and be encouraged.
(Ps 31:6B-8) “I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice & be glad in Your steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul, & You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place…” Meditate and believe God (Not “IN God”)
(2 Cor 12:7-10) “To keep me from being too elated (Pride) by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, & calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong…” Put that in YOUR life context.
(2 Cor 1:3-5) “Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies & God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in ALL our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so thru Christ we share abundantly in comfort too…” Sunday requires Friday (crucify, rise)
(Ro 5:2-5) “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 & endurance produces character, & character produces hope, 5 & hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts thru the Holy Spirit who has been given to us… ” This is what God does in us thru suffering!
(Job 23:10) “He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold…” Press this truth deep into your heart. Assurance!
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Ps 119:67) & “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes (Ps 119:71) Suffering keeps us close & relying on God.
(Mt 5:11-12) “Blessed are you when others revile you & persecute you & utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice & be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…” What is the result?? JOY!
(1 Cor 10:13) “No (test) has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, & He will not let you be (tested) beyond your ability, but with the (test) He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it…” Believe God rather than our emotions when suffering…
(1 Pet 5:10) “After you have suffered a little while (Lifetime?), the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, & establish you…” Years vs eternity!
(1 Pet 5:6-8) “Humble yourselves… under the mighty hand of God so that in due time He may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Suffering will end…
(Ro 8:18) “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us…” This life is like a bad dream we one day will forget because God’s will manifest glory in heaven.
(Phil 1:29) “It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake…” Both salvation & suffering are gifts. Both make us more like Jesus!
(Eph 3:13) “I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory…” We don’t lose heart by remembering the 16 reason to “count it all joy WHEN… trials.”
(Job 13:15) “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him…” God is worthy of praise, regardless…
(Pr 3:5-6) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, & do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, & He will make straight your paths…” If God explained, it wouldn’t be by faith (Heb 11:6)
(Hab 3:17-19) “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail & the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold & there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.” Rejoicing & joy are IN GOD, not circumstances…
I conclude with seven truths about God with personal applications. It’s a message series I’ve written that come from: 1) Scripture, 2) Experience, 3) Observation. There are two titles. “Seven Things To Nail Down Before All Hades Breaks Loose” & “Hooks On Which I Hang My Hat.” These are things I believe at the end of the day… no matter what… that I will not abandon (With applications).
God is love: Nothing bad ever has, or ever will, happen to me. Evil, yes. Bad, no. Ro 8:28; 2 Cor 1:3-6; 12:9
God is good: It is impossible for me or others to mess up my life past God using for His glory. Ps 73:1
God is in control: God only allows into my life what is ultimately good for me. Ro 8:28; Dan 4:35; Is 46:9-10
God is just: Satan can only do what God allows. Ezra 9:15; Job 1-2
All God’s ways are perfect: I rejoice in every circumstance by keeping a heaven theology. Genesis 18:25; Col 3:1-4
God is trustworthy: I have great hope & peace, relying on God alone. Psalm 62:8 & Isaiah 42:3
God does not change: My salvation & faith in God cannot be lost. Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Lk 22:32
I know I’ve given you a lot to process. The way to do this is to read the Scripture over & over… SLOWLY. Thru prayer ask God to make His Word part of your mental & spiritual DNA. Listen to the presentations several times. Then take to heart the suggestions I will give you in the last session.
Song: “All I Have Is Christ”
Ron's Sunday Sermon 