* For Christ's Sake: Think It Not Strange - II

. . . your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you

Deuteronomy 31:6

Peter tells us the life of a believer or follower of Jesus should prepare for suffering; should get it in our minds that we will suffer even as Jesus suffered:

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1

Apostle Paul comforts us through the testimony provided by Luke how God came to him in a vision and spoke these words:  

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.  Acts 18:9-10

That God ministered to him during that moment of weakness is just one instances that lets us know that despite what may come our way in terms of suffering tests, trials, tribulations, persecution, frustration, and fear in the way of people or situations, our faith should keep us fully persuaded:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

In the previous  blog, we began a list of 5 reasons why we suffer. We covered:

• Others around us 
• Circumstances of Life 
• Our Ministry

The last 2 reasons are listed below:

®        DIRECT SATANIC ACTIVITY:

Suffering can also enter our life as a result of direct Satanic activity.  

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  Luke 22:31

This is never more true than when you read the account of Job. This book begs the question, "Why do the righteous suffer?" God's testimony of Job was such that he was a righteous man (Job 1-2). 

• Job did not suffer because he had sinned, as his "friends" supposed. They believed if Job repented, his circumstances would change.  
• Job did not suffer because of anything he had done. Job was a righteous man. 

This was God's testimony of Job, Job's testimony of himself, and his reputation before man. Behind the scenes in the spiritual realm was the true cause of Job's suffering. There was a spiritual battle going on over the heart, mind, and allegiance of Job.

An important truth evident in Job's suffering is that nothing can enter the life of a believer without the knowledge and permission of God.  God, in His sovereignty either wills or allows everything in your life.

  

God does not cause your suffering. 

It is inflicted by Satan, 

but its limits are set by God.

God's power is greater than that of Satan, and you will experience victory every time if you continue to trust Him.

®        OUR OWN SIN:

The fifth way suffering enters our life, and unfortunately the reason we don’t want to admit, is because of our own sin and disobedience.  Jonah is an example of such suffering. In disobedience to God, Jonah headed the opposite direction from Nineveh where he had been commanded to go and preach repentance. He experienced a terrible storm at sea and ended up in the belly of a great fish because of his own sin of disobedience (Jonah 1-2).

Trouble should always be treated as a call to consider our ways and examine our heart before God. We may be suffering because of our own sin. The Bible reveals that God chastises those who live in disobedience to His Word. Chastise means to discipline, reprove, and correct:   

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Hebrews 12:11

God uses suffering to correct us and bring us back to His will for our life:

Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy Word. . .

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. . .

I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that THOU in faithfulness hast afflicted me.  Psalms 119:67, 71, 75

In these instances when we suffer due to our sin, keep this in mind, that there is a price to pay:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  Hebrews 6:7

Keeping in mind that there are 4 other primary reasons that we suffer; after careful examination remember, trouble is not necessarily a sign of being sinful. Keep in mind, the Bible also declares, 

"many are the afflictions of the righteous"   Psalms 34:19

When we suffer innocently and not because of our own sin, we should maintain a proper attitude towards suffering. The real test of our spirituality is how we respond in the day of adversity and distress:

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.   Proverbs 24:10

The Bible describes the attitude we should have when we suffer as a believer within the will of God: 

v      We should not be ashamed:  

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.   1 Peter 4:16

v       We should commit your soul (your suffering) to God, knowing He works all things for the good:  

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator.  1 Peter 4:19

v       We should be happy when you suffer according to the will of God:  

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.  Acts 5:41

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;   James 1:2

Apostle Paul, who understood by his own experiences, had this to say:   

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:   1 Corinthians 4:12

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,   2 Corinthians 6:4

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.    2 Timothy 1:8

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.   1 Thessalonians 3:3

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.   2 Timothy 4:5

v       We should not think it strange when you experience suffering:  

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when His glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy.   1 Peter 4:12-13

Apostle Paul summarizes the proper attitude toward suffering when he explains:   

For which cause we faint not; 

but though our outward man perish, 

yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: 

for the things which are seen are temporal; 

but the things which are not seen are eternal.  

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Be encouraged in Jesus Christ knowing that that 5th season, called 'due', will come:

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  Galatians 6:9

Remember, God lets us know

(Bible Studies) 

02/23/17
11/07/18
02/26/20

07/20/22

* For Christ's Sake: Think it Not Strange (Why We Suffer)

                            That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the 

fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable unto His death.

(Philippians 3:10)

Many believers today suffer through situations and the cares of this life without really understanding why. Some bow out of their relationship with God while others accept it with tired resignation as the life that they are to live as a Christian or a believer. Still others buck and kick against their suffering never understanding why they are suffering. Some even indict God and become angry with Him. Think about this, without a situation of suffering, you'll never come to know the power of Jesus in your life. Suffering can actually become an opportunity for the power of God to be demonstrated in our life.

The word of God is full of accounts of people, even Jesus, who suffered.  There are several reasons why we, as believers, suffer.  No one is raising their hand or signing up to suffer but yet, we must go through it in one form or another.  It is the disciple, Peter, who he himself suffered, tells us:   

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;   1 Peter 4:1

We often view suffering through our own limited intellect, but if you view it spiritually, you will see, for instance, in the life of Jesus, that it was the greatest demonstration of God’s power because it resulted in mankind’s salvation.  Jesus knew that He was to suffer greatly in order to complete His God-given assignment and prayed to His heavenly father:

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42

Apostle Paul, who most definitely suffered for his belief and assignment from God, understood the demonstration of God’s power behind the suffering.  In this instance, God spoke to his disciple, Ananias, and told him about Apostle Paul:

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.  Acts 9:16

 Apostle Paul spoke of his suffering, saying:   

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Because you are suffering through something; going through a test or a trial, whatever hard thing you may be experiencing, it is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed over as if you have done something wrong (although this may be the cause in some cases).  Because of our human reasoning, we never see power in weakness or failure. This is a strange attitude for people whose center of faith is the cross. Jesus experienced the resurrection after He had suffered.  Resurrection power came through the fellowship of His suffering.  Apostle Paul understood that.  He said:  

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable unto His death.  Philippians 3:10

For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.  2 Corinthians 13:4

If there is never any suffering, or problems or crisis in your life,  then there will never be a demonstration of true spiritual power.  Power turns what the world calls an ordeal into an opportunity for the demonstration of the power of God.  The glory of God is revealed in our suffering as we see a situation that could not be handled on our own work itself out through the demonstration of the power of God.

There must first be a clear understanding that God did not create suffering. It originally entered the world through man’s sin which was instigated by Satan (Genesis 3).  When man yielded to Satan's temptation and sinned, suffering entered the world. Sin, which resulted in all suffering, can be traced to its originator, Satan. Although there are different reasons why suffering enters your life, all suffering can be traced back to this original source. 

However, God can take suffering, which Satan intends for evil, and turn it for good to accomplish His purposes. Let me repeat this:  

It can actually become an opportunity for the power of God 

to be demonstrated in our life.

You will find in God’s word that it speaks volumes on our suffering, our problems, crisis, afflictions including illnesses, etc.  It lets you know that we will suffer in one form or another but all suffering, regardless of its nature is due to one of 5 reasons.  All suffering we face in life will come through one of these ways:

v      OTHERS AROUND YOU:

Suffering and difficult circumstances of life may come through others around us.

Examine the life of young Joseph as an example of this type of suffering. Through no fault of his own, Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers, was imprisoned falsely by Potiphar's wife, and was forgotten by those he helped in prison. But read his response. Joseph said: 

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. . . so now it was not you that sent me hither but God. (Genesis 45:5, 7)

v      CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE:

The second way suffering comes to us is through the circumstances of life. This is illustrated by the experiences of Naomi recorded in the book of Ruth in the Bible. She was blindsided with sorrow because of the death of her husband and sons. When Naomi experienced these difficult circumstances of life, she said, 

"No longer call me Naomi (which means blessed), but call me Mara." The name Mara means "bitter."  (Ruth 1:20)

However, Naomi did not let the bitter circumstances of her life cripple her.  She took measures to be closer to her God in her decision to return to Judah and was blessed for it in the end.

v       YOUR MINISTRY:

Another reason for suffering is because of our ministry for the Lord. The word of God speaks of suffering in the following ways because of your ministry:

• for His name's sake                  (Acts 9:16), 
• in behalf of Christ,                    (Philippians 1:29), 
• for the Kingdom of God           (2 Thessalonians 1:5), 
• for the Gospel                             (2 Timothy 1:11-12), 
• for well-doing                             (1 Peter 2:19-20; 3:17), 
• for righteousness sake              (1 Peter 3:14), 
• as a Christian                              (1 Peter 4:15-16), 
• and according to the will of God       (1 Peter 4:19).

Examine the life of Apostle Paul.  His was an excellent example of suffering resulting from ministry. Some people view suffering as a sign of failure or lack of faith. If this is true, then Apostle Paul had no faith and was the greatest failure in the history of the church.

When Apostle Paul was first called of God to ministry it was told of great things he would suffer for the sake of the Lord 

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.  (Acts 9:16) 

Apostle Paul's response to suffering was to endure "the loss of all things to win some for Christ." He wrote to believers:

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Philippians 1:29)

Apostle Paul was not alone in suffering for the ministry. The whole church suffered in New Testament times (Acts 8).   Hebrews 11 records the accounts of some of the cruel persecutions endured by the servants of God.   But some of these believers, who are also called men and women of faith, did not receive such deliverance. They were imprisoned, afflicted, tormented, and even martyred because of their testimony of the Gospel. 

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.  (Hebrews 11:36-40) 

We focus on living faith but God also reveals His power in dying faith. This is a faith that stands true in the bad times, not just in good times when mighty deliverance is manifested.

The encouragement today is to: 

Stand strong in your faith in God and know this one thing:  
Either God willed it or He allowed it.  
Either way, know by your faith in Him, that He will see you through it!

(Biblical Studies)

10/20/13

10/20/14
01/26/16
03/06/17
10/06/18
02/25/20

03/30/22

* Free Will, Self-Control & the Choices We Make

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.   

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  

Galatians 5:24-25

 

Our world today is so topsy-turvy sometimes it’s hard to tell if we’re coming or going.  On the one hand many freedoms; things that were previously taken for granted are being taken away while on the other hand morals and standards are so lowered that the moral fabric of our society will soon be a thing of the past.  The church, not the body of Christ, has become infected with worldly standards and has openly invited it into the place dedicated to the worship of our Lord and Savior.  How do we – the body of Christ – the believers of God remain above the fray and not succumb to what has become the norms of this world?  Apostle Paul tells us to walk in the Spirit, and let the Spirit bring order to our life.  

 

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  Galatians 5:16-17

 

It’s only in this manner – walking in the spirit – that we won’t fulfill the lust of our flesh.  When I read the epistles, I tell you; it seems as if we are actually living out the bible.  The struggles that the body of Christ went through to be righteous, the perverseness that existed back then; the sin that had crept into the church; we see it now.  I think about apostle Paul while he is addressing the Roman church.  He puts to rest the ideology that one can do whatever they please and then rely on the grace of God to cover them.  He asked them:  Is it good to persist in a life of sin so that grace may multiply even more?  He comes back with this response:   Absolutely not! [Romans 6:1-2]

 

That’s not to say that He doesn’t extend grace, because He does.  We thank God, I know I thank, God for the grace that He extends unto us.  Just think: even in biblical times sin grew and grew; but wherever sin grew and spread, God’s grace was there in fuller, greater measure. No matter how much sin crept in, there was always more grace. [Romans 5:20] In the same way that sin reigned, now grace reigns through God’s justice – because of His love for us – by the work of the cross through Jesus. 

 

I said that to say, don’t get me wrong, God does cover us in grace but not for us to take it lightly or for granted.  One reason God gives us grace is for us to express self-control; let our free will choose what is right, that choice that will align or keep us aligned in the Kingdom of God. It’s hard to imagine believers, anticipating the soon coming of the anointed one, who doesn’t strive for continual and resolute self-discipline, meaning those who allow their passions, tastes and desires uninhibited freedom to express themselves. Even though God has granted us free will, it wasn’t intended that we go after every shiny object we see, think about or feel.  That’s what the world does!  

 

The world has gone absolutely wild without any constraints.  It reminds me of the scripture where Apostle Paul tells Timothy:

 

®        the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people.

®        They’ll rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good.

®        Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God.  2 Timothy 3:2-4

 

And when we witness such a demonstration of any of these things in the church, it gives strong evidence that the person is not fully converted. If we act in the same manner, how are we the light?  Blind passion is not meant to be our guide.  Apostle Paul tells us that there are some things that should not even be named among us:  any kind of immorality, any demoralizing behaviors are inappropriate acts or topics of conversation for those set apart as God’s people.  [Ephesians 5:3]  Even our thought processes have to be pure.  This helps us to keep our self control intact so our free-will can make good, right choices.

 

If we, as believers, live guided by our animal passions, we’ll be bereft of the kingdom of God’s triple A assurance:  Activation, Alignment, and Authority. 

 

Apostle Paul reminds us of a wonderful truth of God; he lets us know that God has placed a powerful gift inside of us that exceeds the power of anything we may come against!  He told Timothy:

 

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.     2 Timothy 1:6

 

And further, John enforces our confidence when he reminds us:

 

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  1 John 4:4

 We can make right choices because we have something on the inside that is greater!

There are times when we seem to consist of a whole mob of desires, like week-old babies, blind of eye with mouths open, crying to be satisfied. It’s as if two voices are in us, arguing, "You shall, you shall not. You ought, you ought not."

But it’s God’s desire that we set our will:

®        against those appetites that can’t be bribed,

®          towards a reason that can’t be deceived and

®       above a conscience that will be true to God and His standards.

We either control ourselves using the courage, power and love of God's Spirit, or we’ll fall to pieces; giving in to the free will of our wants and desires.

Adam and Eve established the pattern for mankind in the Garden of Eden. All of us have followed it at one time or another, and then, conscience-smitten, we chafe under feelings of weakness. They – Adam and Eve – were tempted by the persuasions of Satan and the appeals of their own appetites for forbidden fruit; fruit that looked good to them. They succumbed, and they sinned, bringing upon themselves the death penalty and the birth of sin into the world.

Ponder this:  what is the use of appealing to men who can’t govern themselves, whose very disease is that they can’t, (we call it the ‘can’t help its)?  The conscience cries out both before and after they’ve done wrong:  "Who shall deliver me from this body of death?" It’s useless to tell a king whose subjects have overthrown him to rule his kingdom. His kingdom is in full revolt, and he has no soldiers behind him. He’s a king with no power.  This should never be the way of the believer!

Someone said, "If conscience had power, as it has authority, it would govern the world." Authority without power is nothing but vanity. Conscience has the authority to guide or accuse, but what good is it if our will is so feeble-minded that our passions and desires trample our conscience allowing our free will to race headlong on a collision course straight into the ditch?

Apostle Paul lets us know this truth of God:  

He did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. [2 Timothy 1:6-7]

The solution to this dilemma lies in our relationship with Christ.  We’re told to: 

. . .Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, 13 because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him. [Philippians 2:12-13]

This is the only thing that gives us complete self-control and allows us to make the right choice with the free will granted us by God, and it will not fail.  Jesus makes this wonderful promise of strength to those who trust Him: 

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!  Luke 11:13

Trust Jesus Christ, and ask Him to govern your life. Allow the Holy Spirit free reign in your life.  Ask Him for more of His Holy Spirit, so that you have the self-control necessary again, to make the right choice. Remember, this is a major reason that God gives us His Spirit. He will not fail in what He has promised because the request fits perfectly into God's purpose of creating sons in His image: 

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.   2 Timothy 1:7

If we will only go to Him and trust Him with ourselves, living in true communion with Him while we patiently exercise the gifts that He gives, our lives will be in step with what Apostle Paul experienced through his "thorn in the flesh":  

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Apostle Paul recounts a few of the deeds of the heroes of faith in ages past, He says: 

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.   Hebrews 11:32-34

God's love for us will fan His Spirit in us into responding in courage, strength, love and self-control. Our will becomes His will.  We won’t be on a topsy-turvy roller-coaster ride with our flesh, the world and the enemy.  He who brought quietness and tranquility to the raging maniac—the man in the tomb; the one that chains couldn’t hold—[Mark 5:1-15] will give us power over the one city which we must govern, which is ourselves.

We must not allow self-control to be belittled in our minds or to be of minor importance just because we are persuaded that "Christ did it all for us." Nor can we allow such a deprecation to lead us to abuse God's grace and His mercy.

Self-control is an attribute of our Creator that Jesus exemplified in His life and that Apostle Paul strongly exhorts us to exercise in ours. If we are to be made in our Father's image and take full advantage of the Kingdom’s triple A assurance:  activation, alignment, authority, we’ll yield our foot-loose, fancy- free will to God to glorify Him with our moderation in all things and with rigid resistance to sin.

Having knowledge of God without the practical experience of self-responsibility is not enough for entrance into the Kingdom. But with the help of God's divine power, self-mastery is produced.  We’re able to freely submit our will to God’s will.

The last fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5 closes the list of the fruit of the Spirit, just as drunkenness and reveling close the list of the works of the flesh (verse 21). The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another (verse 17).  Self-control is not gained by just suppressing, but by controlling the lusts of the flesh. Those who are "led by the Spirit" (verse 18), who "live in the Spirit" and "also walk in the Spirit" (verses 24-25) attain self-control and are on their way to fruitful growth in God's character and spiritual success.  We have activated the kingdom within us, we are in alignment with the patterns and principles of the kingdom and we have the authority to walk out the kingdom within us!  Remember,

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.   If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Galatians 5:24-25

(Sermonette)