Tag: suffering

Matthew Devotionals

I must tell Jesus

For some reason, verse 12 really struck me today.

Then [John’s] disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus. (Matthew 14:12)

After burying John, his disciples’ first thought was, “We must tell Jesus.”

Why?

I suppose one reason might be to warn Jesus about Herod. (Luke 9:9)

But just as importantly, they knew Jesus cared about John.

I wonder, though. Did they know Jesus cared about them? Not this general, “Jesus loves everybody.” But, “Jesus knows my grief, and he cares about me.”

What about you? Do you know Jesus really cares about you? Again, not this general, “Jesus loves everyone,” but “Jesus really does love me.”

When you go through trials and hard times, is your first response, “I must tell Jesus”?

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me;
He ever loves and cares for His own.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. — Elisha Hoffman

Tags Bible Original, faith, God's love, Jesus, John the Baptist, suffering, trials

Acts Devotionals

Necessary?

Post author By Bruce
Post date May 22, 2024
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After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22)

Necessary.

It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom?

I was thinking on those words today.

Why necessary?

Well, what Paul is not saying is that we somehow earn admittance into God’s kingdom by suffering hardship.

But it is necessary in the sense that it’s unavoidable. It’s unavoidable because we live in a world broken by sin. And it’s unavoidable because we have an enemy in Satan who is hostile to us.

But it’s also necessary in that God is putting us through a refining process.

He’s teaching us what’s truly important, and unlike what many people in this world think, an easy life is not. Nor is living for yourself and indulging in your sin.

Trusting and following God is what’s truly important. Because his way leads to true life.

Peter understood that truth. He said,

Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin— in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Paul understood that truth. He not only taught it to the new believers. We see in this chapter that he lived it. He modeled it.

So as Peter said,

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.

Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

That’s the heart of a warrior of God.

I love the words of John Newton in the song “Amazing Grace.”

We don’t sing it so often at my church, unfortunately. I wish we did.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, grace, suffering, trials

Matthew Devotionals

To be like Jesus

A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. (Matthew 10:24-25)

I think all Christians would say, “I want to be like Jesus.”

And certainly Jesus would be thrilled that his people have that kind of heart.

But to be like Jesus is not always easy.

The whole context of the above verse is that people will sometimes reject the gospel and treat us as badly as they did Jesus.

So I suppose the question is: Are we okay with that? Do we so want to be like Jesus that we are willing to accept the good with the bad?

Lord, I do want to be like you. And I recognize that being like you does not mean that life will always be fun and easy. Sometimes I may have to suffer as you did. There may be times that I will be rejected as you were.

But Jesus just having you in my life is enough. And if I can be like you, that will be enough for me.

Tags being like Jesus, Bible Original, Bible verse, persecution, suffering

1 Peter Devotionals

Living as exiles in Babylon

Post author By Bruce
Post date August 29, 2022
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She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings. (1 Peter 5:13)

During our summer series at my church, our pastor was going through the book of Daniel.

And as I have been reading through 1 Peter, I can’t help but wonder how much the book of Daniel was in Peter’s mind as he wrote this book.

He calls his readers exiles in this world (1:1, 2:11), just as Daniel and his friends were exiles in Babylon.

Peter himself considered himself to be in “Babylon.” (Babylon, by the way, was often used as a code name for Rome in Peter’s time.)

Daniel had a living hope, namely the hope of resurrection. (Daniel 12:2, 13; 1 Peter 1:3)

Daniel’s friends had their faith literally tested through fire. (Daniel 3, 1 Peter 1:7)

Daniel, in his test of faith, literally had to face roaring lions. (Daniel 6, 1 Peter 5:8)

You see the Lord hearing the prayers of Daniel and his friends while opposing their enemies. (Daniel 1-3, 6; 1 Peter 3:12)

You see the Lord exalting Daniel and his friends while humbling proud kings. (Daniel 1-5; 1 Peter 5:5-6)

When Daniel and his friends were suffering unfair treatment, you can see them doing a lot of the things Peter talks about (1 Peter 2:12-20, 3:13-17, 4:12-19, 5:6-10).

And finally, we see in Daniel the glorious truth that in this darkened world, our God still reigns. (Daniel 2:44, 4:34, 6:26, 7:13-14, 27; 1 Peter 4:11, 5:11)

We are exiles in this world. We don’t really belong here. And in this broken world, there may be times we go through suffering. But through our trials and struggles, let us learn from Daniel and Peter.

In short,

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.

To him be dominion forever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Daniel, suffering

Galatians Devotionals

In the fullness of time

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7, ESV)

Sometimes we wonder why God allows so much pain, suffering, and evil in this world. Ever since sin came into the world, humans have been under these things, and the words of that old carol resonate with us.

And in despair I bowed my head.
“There is no peace on earth.” I said.

“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

But in the “fullness of time,” at just the right time, God sent his Son.

His Son was born of a woman. He became human as we are. The pain, suffering, and evil we face every day, Jesus himself faced.

The law of God that we were unable to keep and were condemned by, Jesus lived under perfectly.

And then he went to the cross, taking upon himself the curse the law demanded, not for his own sin, but for ours. (Galatians 3:13-14)

And by taking that curse upon himself, he purchased us for God, not to be his slaves, but to be his sons and daughters.

Now for those of us who have put our trust in him, the right Jesus had to call God, “Abba, Father,” has become ours. We are heirs of God now, and coheirs with Christ.

And in the fullness of time, Jesus will come again. On that day, he will indeed be “Immanuel, God with us.” We will be his people, and he will be our God.

And when we see him, he will wipe away every tear from our eyes, “and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things will have passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4)

No, God is not slow in keeping his promises. For as that old carol concludes,

God is not dead, nor does he sleep.
The wrong shall fail; the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Christmas, evil, fullness of time, pain, suffering

1 Peter Devotionals

Saved with difficulty

Peter’s words in verses 17 and 18 really struck me, but particularly verse 18, where he says,

And if the righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and sinner? (1 Peter 4:18)

The ESV puts it, “…the righteous is scarcely saved…”

Have you ever considered the fact that all people who are ultimately saved are saved by the skin of their teeth? That means Billy Graham. Your pastor. You. And me.

We are not saved because of any good work we have done.

It’s not like God says to some people, “Well, we’ll add to Jesus’ work on the cross to what you have done and see where we are. Hmm…He took care of 80 percent and what you did is worth…40%. Hey, no problem! come on in.”

And it’s not like God says to others, “Well, Jesus took care of 80 percent, and you took care of 20 percent. Wow! That was close! You almost didn’t make it into my kingdom. You should have done more.”

Rather, God looks at us and says, “Let’s see, Jesus contributed 100% to your salvation and you contributed…nothing. Wow! You barely made it! Good thing Jesus took care of it all, isn’t it? Come on in to the Kingdom! Welcome!”

Of course I’m being rather facetious, but you get the picture.

We were saved only with great difficulty. But none of that difficulty was overcome by our own efforts, but by Christ’s when he died on the cross.

And that’s what we need to remember when we go through trials and suffering.

Some Christians go through trials and suffering as Peter’s audience apparently was, and they cry out, “It’s not fair! I don’t deserve this. I’m a good Christian! Look at all I’ve done for you! Why are you letting this happen to me?”

But Peter says, “No. You’re thinking is all wrong. You are only saved by God’s grace. You were barely saved, and that only because Jesus did all the work for you. He didn’t have to save you. But he did. And in so doing, he showed his faithfulness and love to you.

“So in the midst of your struggles, hold on to that truth. He is faithful. He does love you. So keep putting your trust in him, no matter what happens to you.”

Judgment, Peter says, begins with God’s household.

But his judgment on us is not a matter of punishment, but of discipline.

And the suffering we go through on earth is meant to help us see that there is more to life than this world. That true life is found in following him. (1-2).

So when we do suffer, let us not complain. Let us not cry out, “It’s not fair! I deserve better.”

Rather, let us “entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator while doing what is good.”

Tags barely saved, Bible Original, Bible verse, suffering

Acts Devotionals

But I did what you told me!

Post author By Bruce
Post date October 22, 2018
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According to verses 6-10 of this chapter, the Holy Spirit led Paul and his companions to Macedonia, and so that’s where they went.

At first, things went well, but eventually they were tossed into prison for casting out a demon from a girl.

If you had been Paul and Silas, what would you have done?

“God! What are you doing? You told us to go to Macedonia, didn’t you? We did what you said! Why are we suffering like this?”

Probably many people would react in just that way. But what did Paul and Silas do?

Without a word of complaint, they spent their time in jail praying and singing songs of praise to God.

What happened then? An earthquake hit breaking not only their chains, but the chains of the prisoners around them.

Not only that, when the jailer saw all this, he put his faith in Jesus and was saved.

God never promises us an easy life. He never says, “If you follow me, you’ll never suffer.”

In fact, he promises the exact opposite. (John 14:18-21, 16:1-4, 33; 2 Timothy 3:12)

But in all your suffering, remember this: Jesus is with you. And your suffering will not last forever. (John 16:33)

So don’t complain in your suffering. Rather, like Paul and Silas, sing songs of praise to God.

If you do, not only will your bitter chains fall off, but when others see you, like the jailer, they too may believe and be saved, their chains of sin falling to the ground.

But if you don’t believe God is good, you won’t ever do this.

How about you? What do you believe?

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, God is good, obedience, suffering

1 Peter

Facing suffering as a church

Post author By Bruce
Post date February 21, 2016
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Throughout this letter, Peter addresses Christians as they face persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ.

He addressed them first as a collective body of Christians throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. As the living stones who were all part of that one spiritual house that God was building.

Then he addressed individual Christians, the slaves, the wives, and the husbands.

Then he addressed them once again as that collective body of believers.

But now in this final chapter, I think he addresses them as individual churches. When the whole church is going through suffering, how should it respond?

It starts from the top and the example the leaders set. Peter tells them to be shepherds who really care for the flock, especially in this time of trial.

It’s easy in times of trial to look out for number one. But leaders especially are not to do that. Nor are they to lord it over their sheep. Rather, they are to put their sheep and their sheeps’ needs above their own.

I’m not sure, but I think perhaps Peter was recalling God’s condemnation of the bad shepherds of Israel in Ezekiel 34, the ones whom God had charged to lead his people, but who instead only lived for themselves.

And it’s possible Peter was saying, “Don’t be like those shepherds. Care for your flock. God will hold you accountable for what you do. But if you are faithful, then,”

When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)

Peter then addresses the young men, telling them to be submissive to those in leadership. (5)

It’s easy, especially for those who are younger, to think they know all the answers and to criticize those in leadership. But Peter says, “Submit. Your leaders may not always be right, but submit. Don’t divide the church through your pride.”

Then he said,

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. (5-6)

Like I have said before, in times of trial, it can be easy for people to turn against each other, particularly because of pride.

But Peter says, “Be humble in your dealings with each other. And more importantly be humble before God. And if you do so, he will lift you up out of those sufferings.”

Verse 6 is actually part of one longer idea found in verse 5. Humble yourself before God. Don’t think you can solve all your problems on your own. You can’t. Instead, cast your anxiety on him because he does care for you.

So many times, we can’t find peace in our lives because we fail to do just that. In our pride, we take all these burdens upon ourselves because we can “handle it.”

But God tells us, “Trust me. Humble yourself before me and lay these things in my hand. And I will handle it.”

Peter then tells the church to be on the alert. Satan would destroy them through these trials if he could. But Peter says, stand firm in faith. Remember you’re not alone in your sufferings. Other brothers and sisters are struggling too. So encourage one another.

He then concludes,

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (10-11)

And so we have come full circle. God has called you. He’s sanctifying you each day that you might become more like his Son. Part of that sanctifying process is the sufferings you endure. And God’s purpose in all things is that we might live for Jesus Christ.

But the thing to remember is we don’t have to do this in our own strength. Humble yourself before him. Trust him. And in the end you will come out strong, firm, and steadfast, to his glory.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (14)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, church, humility, suffering

1 Peter

Living for the will of God (Part 3)

Post author By Bruce
Post date February 20, 2016
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If there’s one thing that most people don’t think about when it comes to knowing the will of God in their lives, it’s that sometimes it’s God’s will that we go through suffering.

The more I read the New Testament, the more I feel that conclusion is unavoidable. But the other thing that I get is that through those sufferings, God is glorified and so are we.

And so Peter tells us,

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

Translation: it’s something that is actually normal in the Christian life. It’s normal when people reject you for Christ’s sake.

Why?

Because Christ was rejected too.

Peter says,

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (13)

In short, rejoice when you suffer unjustly, for Christ suffered unjustly too. But the day will come when he will return and his glory will be revealed. And on that day, all your struggles and suffering will be forgotten.

But even before then, Peter tells us,

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (14)

I can’t help but think of Stephen, facing his accusers just before he was stoned, his face glowing like an angel. (Acts 6:15).

Or of the apostles coming back from their beating at the hands of the Sanhedrin, praying, and then being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

When we suffer for Christ’s sake, the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit rest upon us. And Peter says we are blessed because of it.

So Peter tells us,

If you suffer for as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (16)

He then says something a bit enigmatic.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God.

And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (17-18)

What does he mean by this? I think it means that as Christians, God puts all of us through times of testing. But as we’ve seen in James, this testing is not for the purpose of destroying us, but of refining us like gold, making us more like Christ.

Nevertheless, the process is not pleasant. In fact, it can be quite painful.

But how much better is that than to stand in judgment before God when all your life you have rejected him?

And so though we may suffer for the will of God, know that it always is for our good. More than that, it will be to God’s glory, for when we come out of the fire, we will come forth as gold.

So Peter concludes,

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (19)

Are you going through a time of peace right now? Rejoice. Be thankful. But don’t be surprised if it doesn’t last, for we live in a broken world.

Are you going through suffering? Rejoice. Know that it is only temporary and it will not ultimately be for your destruction, but for your good.

But whatever the case may be, whether you are in times of peace or suffering, commit yourselves to your Creator, and continue to do good. And God will be glorified through you.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, God's will, suffering

1 Peter

The hope that we have

When people mock us for our faith, it can be disheartening. And when we are persecuted for our faith, it can be easy to ask why.

“Why does God allow this? Why does he let us suffer? And how long will we have to endure it?”

I think we can find at least some of the answers to that here as Peter compares our experience of suffering and persecution to that of Christ’s and Noah’s. He says,

For Christ died for sins once for all, the unrighteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the body, but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

In it, only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.

It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand — with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Noah was undoubtedly mocked and possibly persecuted for warning the people about the coming judgment, and the salvation that God was providing through the ark. He suffered for many years like this before the flood came.

Why?

Because God was showing patience, giving people the chance to repent.

Ultimately, they did not and died in the waters of judgment.

In the same way, many Christians suffer for Jesus sake, and that suffering may seem long. But the reason for this is that God even now is waiting for people to repent.

But just as judgment eventually fell on the unbelievers in Noah’s day, it will fall once again when Jesus returns to judge all people. And their judgment is certain. That, I think, is the point of Peter talking about the “spirits in prison.”

It’s a little unclear who these “spirits in prison” were.

Some think they were demons who had had sexual relations with human women. Others think they were the humans living at the time of Noah who rejected God.

I tend to think it’s the latter, but whoever they were, they are now in some kind of prison, apart from God, and awaiting judgment.

Some people think that when Christ went to preach to them, he was preaching one last chance at salvation. But as I said yesterday, the scriptures are clear that there is no second chance after death.

The word “preach” can also be translated “proclaim.” (The new NIV translates it “made proclamation.”)

And I think what Christ did was proclaim his final victory to those who had rejected God in the past, and to let them know that their fate is now sealed.

But just as Noah was saved through the waters of judgment, so all who put their trust in Christ will be saved through judgment as well.

Peter points out that this is one of the things that water baptism symbolizes, our salvation through judgment.

And that’s the hope that we have. That ultimately justice will come to those who persecute us and don’t repent. But more importantly, mercy and grace will be shown to us and all those who have put their faith in Christ.

But until that time, God is patiently waiting in order that he might show the mercy and grace he gave to us to as many people as possible.

Our suffering is but for a little while. So let us not lose heart. When we suffer for the sake of the gospel and of Christ, it will not be in vain. For Jesus is the king, with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him.

We may not see that now. But we will some day.

So remember the words of the writer of Hebrews.

In just a little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (Hebrews 10:37-39)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, judgment, persecution, salvation, suffering

1 Peter

Living for Christ that others may live

Post author By Bruce
Post date February 16, 2016
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Throughout this letter, Peter has been encouraging his readers to follow the example of Christ in suffering. To not be afraid of people, but to instead set apart Christ as Lord in their lives.

One thing that struck me as I read this is that one of our goals in living for Christ, even to the point of suffering for him, is that others may live. That others may find the life we ourselves have found in Jesus.

That’s why Peter tells us to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. Because when people see us being willing to even suffer for the sake of Christ, they will ask why, and that opens up a door for God to work in their lives. (1 Peter 3:15)

So Peter encourages us, “If it’s God’s will, then be willing to suffer for doing good, because by doing so, others may find their way into God’s kingdom too.”

He then shows how Jesus was the ultimate example of this in verse 18. He says,

For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

Peter’s saying here, “Don’t you see? It was through Christ’s suffering that the door was opened for you to come into God’s kingdom. So be willing to do the same for others.”

Then after reminding us of our ultimate victory through suffering (we’ll get into this tomorrow), he tells us,

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in the body is done with sin. (1 Peter 4:1)

In short, since Christ was willing to suffer in order that you may be saved, take on that same attitude. Be done with sin in your lives. Stop living for yourselves and your own comfort and start living for God. (4:2)

Peter presses on, saying, “You’ve wasted enough of your life living for yourself, indulging in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and idolatry.

“And all your non-Christian friends think you’re strange because your priorities have changed so much and you don’t want to join in with them any longer.” (1 Peter 4:3)

Not only that, but again, we may face mocking and persecution because we refuse to do so. But Peter reminds us,

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)

Judgment day is coming. People will be judged for rejecting Christ. And so Peter again reminds us of our mission while we are here.

For this reason, the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)

This is a little difficult to interpret, but I strongly doubt it’s saying that people get another chance after they die. Other scriptures argue against it (Hebrews 9:27, Luke 16:26).

What it seems to be saying is that there are people who now dead who had the gospel preached to them. And the reason the gospel was preached to them is that though they might die physically as all do because of Adam’s sin, nevertheless, they will find life with God forever.

And that’s what we need to keep in mind. A day of judgment is coming. We may be saved, but others aren’t.

What are we doing about them? Are we reaching out to them with the love of Christ? Can they even see a difference in us which makes them question why?

Or are we simply living for ourselves, not caring that many are going to hell each day.

God cared. He cared enough to send his Son for us.

The question is, do we?

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, God's kingdom, judgment, persecution, suffering

1 Peter

Living as servants of God (Part 2)

Post author By Bruce
Post date February 13, 2016
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I suppose one of the groups of people that had the hardest time submitting to authority were the slaves in Peter’s time.

One of the things that had to attract them to the teaching of Christ was the idea that “there is neither…slave nor free…for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

And yet, they were still stuck in a situation where that didn’t seem true. They were slaves of another.

Some had masters that were good and kind. But others had masters that were far from either. And sometimes these slaves were beaten for no good reason.

It would be easy in that situation for the slaves to feel like running away or rebelling.

But Peter told them,

Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also those who are harsh.

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:18-20)

In short, continue to treat your masters with respect, even if you feel that they don’t deserve it. In doing this, you prove yourself to be a true servant of God and he will commend you for it.

None of us, I’m sure, have to endure this kind of thing. Even people who have “slave-drivers” for bosses have the option to leave. Slaves in Peter’s day didn’t.

But there are those of us who are ill-treated by others for no reason. Even worse, someone who has authority over you may be treating you this way, and it may not be easy for you to get out of the situation.

It may be a parent. It may be a teacher. Or it may indeed be a boss in a job that you absolutely have to have. But whatever the case, you’re feeling beat down and can see no way out.

And it would be easy in those situations to show disrespect back to those who disrespect you. To abuse those who abuse you.

But to be a servant of Christ means to follow his example in the face of suffering. Or as Peter puts it, to “follow in Christ’s steps.” (21)

Christ, of course, was spat upon, slandered, beaten, and ultimately crucified. But in the midst of it all,

He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.

Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (22-23)

Why did he do all this? For us.

And he did this not so that we would continue to walking in sin, living for ourselves. But rather that we might, “die to sin and live for righteousness,” living as his servants and ambassadors. (24)

Once we had been going our own way, far from God, and making a wreck of our lives. But through Christ, he has healed our wounds, and we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (24-25)

So let us not go back to our old ways, inflicting wounds on those around us, even when they seem intent on inflicting wounds upon us.

Rather let us live as God’s servants, following the example Christ gave us, and being his representatives of light, even to those who abuse us.

Am I saying then that if your health or life is in danger to stay in that situation? Not at all. Get out of there. Protect yourself.

But in all your dealings with those who abuse you, treat them as Christ treated those who abused him.

And God will ultimately reward and bless you for it.

Tags abuse, Bible Original, Bible verse, Christ's example, suffering

2 Thessalonians

That God may be glorified in you and you in him

Post author By Bruce
Post date November 1, 2015
No Comments on That God may be glorified in you and you in him

Nobody likes suffering. And it’s easy to question why God allows it. But here we find some answers in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Thessalonian church was started in the midst of persecution. Paul was literally forced out of the city and it was very difficult for him to get back in, thus causing him to send Timothy to go for him and sending two letters to the church to encourage them.

This is the second of those letters.

What was the result of the suffering that the Thessalonians went through? We see the answer in Paul’s first words to the them. He said,

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

Despite all their sufferings, their faith grew and so did their love, just as Paul had prayed (I Thessalonians 3:11-12)

And because of this, Paul said,

Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. (4-5)

I kind of pondered that phrase, “All this is evidence is that God’s judgment is right.” What does that mean?

I think it means that God always does what is right, that he never makes mistakes. And so when he allows trials and suffering in our lives, he does so knowing that they will not destroy us, but instead will purify us so that we come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

This was proven true in the Thessalonians who were not destroyed by their trials, but came out with both stronger faith and love in their lives.

Because of this, Paul says, “Despite your suffering, know that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom.”

He then encourages them that though there may seem to be no justice in this world, God would judge their persecutors, and would give the Thessalonians rest.

It kind of reminds me of God’s words of comfort to the martyred saints in Revelation 6:9-11.

And Paul says that all this would happen,

on the day [Jesus] comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. (10)

I love this verse. When Jesus comes back, God will be glorified in us whom he saved and who lived for him despite many trials, not giving up.

At the same time, we will marvel at him who through his grace saved us though we were totally unworthy.

More, we will realize that the only reason we made it through our trials was because he was there with us all along, strengthening us.

And so Paul prays,

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (11-12)

Why do we go through suffering?

Ultimately it’s so that God may be glorified in us and us in him. And no matter what you go through, if you choose to continue to follow him, he will fulfill every good purpose you have and bless every act prompted by your faith.

And on the day he comes back, he will look at you and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant…Come and share your master’s happiness! (Matthew 25:21)

Amen. Come soon Lord Jesus.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, glory, suffering

2 Corinthians

Seeing beyond ourselves

As I was rereading 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, it struck me that Paul was truly following the pattern of Christ.

If Christ had merely been concerned about his own comfort, he would never have come to earth.

He would never have been born in a stable. He would never have lived in a poor carpenter’s house. He would never have gone days at a time without a place to lay his head. He most certainly would never have gone to the cross.

But he did. Why?

For our comfort and salvation.

We were miserable because of all the sin and evil in this world. More, we were headed for destruction. And because Christ saw all of that, he gave up the comfort of his life in heaven and allowed himself to become afflicted for us.

Paul saw Christ’s example, and he followed it.

For the sake of the Corinthians and all those he was serving, he was willing to go through shipwrecks, imprisonment, times of hunger and want, and persecution.

Why? Because he saw beyond his own comfort. And he saw the utter hurt and need of these people he was ministering to.

Even when Paul experienced comfort, his focus wasn’t completely on himself.

Rather, he saw it as being an encouragement to the Corinthians. That they would see that Paul’s troubles, hard though they were, were nevertheless temporary. That he found relief and God’s joy.

And so as they went through their own trials, they would have hope that just as Paul had found God’s comfort in his life, they would eventually find comfort as well.

With that hope, it would then give them the courage to endure any troubles that they suffered through.

It can be so easy to be self-centered. To, as I said yesterday, live like a sponge simply soaking up God’s love and to just live a comfortable life.

But God calls us to see beyond ourselves. To follow Christ’s example and be willing to give up our comforts, and even be willing to suffer that others may be saved.

If that’s ever going to happen, though, we need the eyes of Jesus. Eyes that see the utter hurt and need of the people around us. Eyes that drove Jesus to the cross.

Do you have those eyes?

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Christ's example, Christ's eyes, comfort, suffering

Romans

That we might have hope

Sometimes as we go through scripture, I think most of us wonder why God put all of the things he put in there.

For example, why did he put all the laws he gave the Jews in Exodus and Leviticus?

Or the stories of the awful things people did, stories of rape, murder, and so on.

Do we really need to read all this?

But Paul says something very interesting in verse 4. He says,

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

In other words, God puts everything in his word for a purpose.

Through the law, for example, we see pictures of the God’s holiness, his justice, and his mercy.

Through the awful stories, we see the sinfulness of man, and just how bad things can get when people walk away from God and do things their own way.

But we also see the grace of God working through the worst of situations to bring out something good.

We see how through times of persecution, God delivered his people. We see how even when God allowed his people to die in persecution, the peace he gave to them, even in facing death.

We see how through times of suffering, when God seemed far away, yet God was there all along and ultimately brought comfort to his people.

And because of all this, when we see evil in this world, when we go through suffering or persecution, we have hope to endure. We find the encouragement to keep on going.

And as we do, we find the same God that was with his people thousands of years ago, working in their lives, is still alive today and working in us now.

So whatever you’re going through and where you are in life, let us immerse ourselves in the Scriptures.

Let us remember that God is not dead, but is alive and at work in us.

And as Paul prayed,

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Hope, persecution, scriptures, suffering

Romans

Why do we have to go through suffering?

Post author By Bruce
Post date February 27, 2015
3 Comments on Why do we have to go through suffering?

As I look at Romans 8:16-17, it starts out very encouraging.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…

Who doesn’t like to hear that? We are God’s beloved children and we are now his heirs!

But then Paul continues,

…if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Suffering? I don’t want to suffer. What kind of suffering are we talking about?

Paul gives us some examples in verse 35: trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword.

All of us go through suffering in one way or another in this life. It’s absolutely unavoidable, especially if you are a Christian, because if you follow Christ, there will always be people that hate you for it.

But why do we have to go through suffering? Can’t God just take it away? Why does God allow suffering in the first place?

It’s a difficult question. Paul gives us a partial answer in verses 20-22.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:20-22)

Why do we see earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters? Why do we see birth defects, diseases, and death? Couldn’t God just take them out of the world?

Yes, he could. But he allows his creation to be subject to these things. Why?

Imagine a life without these things, where people sin as they wish, and there is nothing to shake them out of the complacency of their sin.

They would never see just how awful that sin is. And things would be even worse than they are today.

But what these things do is make people face their own mortality. It makes them face the fact that sin is in fact a horrible thing.

And it wakes up some to the point that they actually seek God and are saved.

So God subjects creation to these things with that hope in mind. That people will turn to him once again and find the true joy that only he can bring.

And when that full number has been reached, Jesus will come back and make all things new.

But until that day, Paul says the earth will continue to suffer birth pangs. Not death pangs, mind you, but birth pangs.

And through the suffering we see in this world, we’ll see many children born into God’s kingdom as they turn to him.

Nevertheless, the birth pains are still very real.

So are the sufferings we as Christians experience. Paul says,

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

We groan because of the sufferings we go through in this life.

We groan because of the sin that we struggle with in our lives day to day.

And we long for the day that we can be free from all these things.

But the thing to remember through it all there is hope.

Hope that we will share in Christ’s glory someday just as we share in his sufferings now.

Hope that that future glory will far outstrip whatever pain we go through now (Romans 8:18).

Hope that all things will be made new.

It’s a hope unseen. As Paul writes, hope that is seen is no hope at all. (Romans 8:24)

But as Paul also said,

Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)

So what do we do in the meantime?

Wait patiently. Because we can know with certainty that our hope will be rewarded.

How about you? As you go through the different trials in your life, is that what you’re doing? Are you waiting in hope?

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Hope, suffering

Luke Luke 18

Parable of the persistent widow: Keeping the faith through times of trial

Post author By Bruce
Post date July 30, 2014
No Comments on Parable of the persistent widow: Keeping the faith through times of trial

It would be easy from looking at just the first verse to think that Jesus’ point is simply that we should keep praying and not give up when God seems slow to answer.

This is most certainly true, but the type of prayer Jesus is talking about is very specific, and it hearkens back to what he was just talking about, the Last Days. Days of trial, days of trouble.

And while Jesus promises that we will not be judged for our sins when he comes back, he makes no promises that we won’t go through trial and suffering. And there will be times when we will suffer through great injustices.

This is particularly true of those who are Christians in the time of the Great Tribulation when Antichrist comes and reigns. And it is these people that Jesus specifically is talking about.

The Bible makes it clear that those who are Christians will be persecuted, and it would be easy during that time to wonder where God is. To wonder if he has abandoned us. To wonder if he still cares. To wonder if we will ever see justice for the all the persecution we endure.

So Jesus tells a story of a woman who suffered an injustice, and pleaded with a judge to give her justice. But the judge for a long time refused to listen.

In the end, however, he got so tired because of the woman’s pleas, that he gave in and gave her the justice she asked for.

Jesus is not saying that God is unjust and has to be badgered into giving us justice. In fact, he’s saying the exact opposite.

He’s saying, “If this unjust judge gave this woman justice because of her incessant pleas, how much more will God who is just give justice to those who are his own?”

You see another picture of this in Revelation 6:9-11. These saints who were persecuted and killed for Jesus’ sake never found justice during their lifetimes on earth. But God assured them that justice would soon come.

But it is hard to wait, especially when we are suffering. And so Jesus asks of us,

However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth. (Luke 18:8)

Some of you may be saying, “Well, I’m not going to go through the Great Tribulation. I’m going to be raptured before then, so I don’t have to worry about that.”

Honestly, I’m not so sure about that. I think it’s very possible we will have to go through the Tribulation. But even assuming that we don’t, how strong is your faith

When you go through hard times, do you start questioning God and his justice Do you start asking, “God, where are you Do you still love me Do you still care Why are you letting me go through this”

Or do you keep coming to God in faith, saying, “I believe in you. Even through all I’m going through, I will not let you go. I believe you will eventually bring me justice, if not in this life, then in the life to come.”

When Jesus sees you, does he see a faith that falters Or does he see an unshakeable faith

So as the writer of Hebrews encourages us, let us strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees. (Hebrews 12:12)

And let us never lose faith in the one who has proven himself to be faithful

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, faith, Great Tribulation, hardship, suffering

John John 9

Why did this happen to me?

Post author By Bruce
Post date June 4, 2014
No Comments on Why did this happen to me?

Sometimes, bad things happen to people, and they wonder, “Why did this happen to me? Is God punishing me for something I did?”

There are times when God will let us go through suffering because of our sin.

But I would say that most, if not all the time, it’s not so much that God is punishing you, as he is letting you reap the natural consequences of your actions.

Just because you are a Christian does not mean that you can sin and expect to escape the natural consequences of your actions. There is a price to pay for what we do.

We can hardly blame God if he does nothing to keep us from suffering those consequences. It’s how we learn, and it’s part of the process that leads to holiness. A refining by fire, if you will.

But there are times when bad things happen to us through no fault of our own.

In this story, Jesus and his disciples came across a man who had been blind from birth. And his disciples asked,

Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? (John 9:2)

It was a very common belief in that day that if you were handicapped, it was because God was punishing you. But this man was blind from birth, and so that provided a conundrum for the disciples.

Was this man blind because his parents sinned? Did God see that he was going to sin in the future and so he made him blind from birth? Did he somehow sin in the womb of his mother?

But Jesus answered,

Neither this man nor his parents sinned… but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. (John 9:3)

What was Jesus saying? He was saying that there are times when bad things happen to us, not because God is punishing us, but because God wants to do something glorious through us.

A woman named Joni Eareckson Tada immediately springs to my mind as an example.

She was a woman who in her teenage years had a diving accident leaving her quadriplegic. Many people have prayed for her healing over the years, and yet God never healed her.

But through her, so many people around the world have been touched, and not just people with disabilities.

God wasn’t punishing her. But through this accident, God’s work was displayed in her life in a way that would never have been done had she not had this accident.

Jesus said,

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)

While Jesus may no longer be physically present here on earth, nevertheless, he shines his light on us that God’s glory might be revealed to us. More, he shines his light through us that others may be touched as well.

So if you’re going through suffering, don’t wallow in your misery. Rather ask God, “Shine your light on me and let your light shine through me in the midst of all this.”

And if you do, God will be glorified in you and through you.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, God's glory, suffering

Matthew Matthew 10

Jesus: A sword that divides?

Post author By Bruce
Post date April 26, 2014
No Comments on Jesus: A sword that divides?

Jesus concludes his discourse on persecution by saying something a bit disturbing.

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” (Matthew 10:34-36)

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. How can he then say that he didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword that would turn even a person’s own family against him (or her)?

The thing to remember is that while Jesus is the Prince of Peace, that peace will ultimately come when he returns and he reigns over all. That time, however, is not now.

And so he reiterates his earlier warning, that people from your own family may turn against you for following Christ.

Sadly, I’ve seen this happen in Japan more than once. I knew of a girl whose father threatened to disown her and kick her out of the house if she continued with her Christian faith.

Following Christ can lead to discord in a family. The question is, how will we respond?

Do we hide our faith, though continuing to believe? I’ve known people who have done just that…and got into big trouble when they were found out.

But more than that, Jesus said,

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.

But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

Can you really say that you love and follow Christ if you deny him before the very people that you love?

Can you deny him throughout your life, and still call yourself a Christian?

I’m not saying there may not be moments of weakness. Peter certainly had them. He denied knowing Jesus three times. But in the end, he went to the cross for his faith in Jesus.

Jesus then said,

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39)

In other words, Jesus needs to be more important to you than family, and you need to put him first, no matter what suffering you may go through.

Because if you try to hold on to your family at the expense of Christ, if you compromise your faith to keep family peace, you’ll eventually lose them all in hell.

But if you are willing to lose them, if you’re willing to break up family peace because of your faith in Christ, who knows if your family and those you love won’t turn around and come to follow Christ?

The words I’m saying are not easy. But know that even if you lose your all your blood relatives, you have another family to help you.

People that will love you. People that will support you. People that will help you through the hard times.

That’s what the church is all about. Not a building. But a family.

So let us not compromise our faith for the sake of “peace,” even among family. Rather let us always put Jesus first. Only in doing so will we ever find true peace.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, family, picking up our cross, suffering

Luke Luke 3

But wasn’t I doing your will?

Post author By Bruce
Post date January 18, 2014
No Comments on But wasn’t I doing your will?

Sometimes, as we go through the Christian life, we go through hard times as a result of our own bad decisions.

I once went through unemployment, because though all the warning signs were there that my company was about to go under, I nevertheless ignored them and eventually went down with the ship.

But other times, we’ve done nothing but follow the will of God in our lives, and yet we end up in trouble anyway. And we ask God, “Why? Wasn’t I doing your will?”

That’s what happened to John the Baptist. It says in verse 18 that he was exhorting the people and preaching the good news to them.

We’ve seen in the passages in John that he was also pointing out Jesus to his disciples and telling them, “He is the one you need to follow.”

Not only that, he fulfilled his role as prophet by pointing out the sins of the people, and this is what ultimately got him in trouble.

King Herod (Antipas) had taken his brother Phillip’s wife for his own, and John publicly rebuked him for it. Not only that, he publicly rebuked Herod for many of his other misdeeds as well.

As a result, Herod had him thrown in prison. And there, John was left to rot.

We’ll get more into what happened to John in prison later, but it does bring up the question, “Why did God let it happen?”

Did John deserve to be in prison? No.

Could God have rescued John? Yes.

So why didn’t he? I don’t know.

And ultimately, we just have to accept that (if not be satisfied with it).

God does not promise that our lives will always be nice and comfortable if we follow him. He doesn’t promise that things will always go well.

Jesus, though he was perfect, was himself beaten and crucified. Hardly a comfortable situation. And if he who was perfect suffered, can we expect anything different as his followers?

Peter wrote,

But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:20-21)

What were we called to? Suffering for the sake of Christ.

What steps did Jesus take that we are called to follow in? The steps of suffering.

Am I saying that we should look to suffer? No. But don’t be surprised if it comes.

And if it does come, remember what the writer of Hebrews admonishes us,

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Herod, John the Baptist, prison, suffering

Psalms

Why is this happening to me?

Post author By Bruce
Post date July 6, 2013
1 Comment on Why is this happening to me?

“Why is this happening to me?”

Have you ever felt that way? The psalmist certainly did.

The background of Psalm 44 is unclear. Apparently, it was at a time when the people were trying to serve God and yet found themselves being defeated by their enemies.

And basically, they said, “We remember all the stories of how when we first came to Canaan that you were with us. All the nations here were driven out, not by our strength, but by yours, out of your great love for us.

“You’re our King. And like our ancestors, we put our trust in you, not in ourselves for our victory. You are the one we boast in. You are the one we praise.

“Why then, are you no longer with us? We go out to battle, but we fall. All those around us mock us, and we are disgraced.

“If we had turned our backs on you, if we had followed other gods, we could understand it. But we’ve done none of this.

“Why have you forsaken us? Why do you hide your face from us? Help us.”

In short, “Why is this happening to me? I’m trying to follow you. I haven’t turned my back on you? Why is my life falling apart?”

And no answer is given here. But there is a hope given in the book of Romans. In Romans, Paul quotes verse 22 of this psalm.

Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

And then he says,

In all these things (trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and even death) we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37–39)

God never promises us as Christians that we’ll never have hardship. He never promises that we’ll never go through suffering. On the contrary, he guarantees it. (John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12)

But no matter what happens to us, God promises to bring us through. And nothing can or will separate us from his love.

That’s where our hope lies.

So when you’re struggling, cry out to God as the psalmist did. But whether God seems near or not, whether he seems to be hearing you or not, cling to his promises.

Our feelings constantly change. Namely, there are times when we feel God seems close and times when he doesn’t. But God and his promises never change.

So as Paul wrote in another passage,

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Hope, suffering

Psalms

The God who understands suffering

Post author By Bruce
Post date June 17, 2013
2 Comments on The God who understands suffering

Our pastor was continuing his message series on suffering yesterday, and he made an interesting point.

“Just because God doesn’t ‘cooperate’ with us, doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist.”

That is, just because God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want, doesn’t mean that he isn’t there. Nor does it mean that he doesn’t care.

And that’s what I see in Psalm 22. Here, David cries out,

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:1–2)

But despite God seeming silent and distant, the psalmist affirms,

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.

To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (3–5)

In other words, “I still believe you’re there. And you are the same God that our ancestors trusted, and they were not put to shame. So I’m going to keep trusting you, even though I can’t see you or what you’re doing right now.”

Still, David pours out his troubles before God, but in them, we see something else. We see Jesus whom this psalm foretells.

It foretells his state on the cross (14–17).

It foretells his mocking, and the casting of lots for his clothes (7–8, 17–18).

And it foretells his ultimate triumph and the salvation and blessing that would come because of his sacrifice (22–31).

Jesus, himself, as he was dying on the cross, quoted this psalm and applied it to himself, when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

What can we get from this?

When we are suffering and God seems distant and uncaring, those feelings are just that. Feelings. And they are not true. God is there. And he does care.

David sings,

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (24)

God doesn’t make light of our sufferings. Nor does he ever hide his face from us. Rather, he hears our every cry. And he feels and understands our every pain.

How do I know? Because Jesus himself suffered. He too had feelings of abandonment by his Father. He too knew what it meant to go through pain.

And just as God used all that Jesus went through for his glory, he will use all our sufferings for his glory too, if only we’ll keep trusting him.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, forsaken, God's presence, suffering

Job

Suffering, humility, and grace

Post author By Bruce
Post date May 25, 2013
2 Comments on Suffering, humility, and grace

There are a lot of problems in trying to interpret Job, and one of the biggest problems is what to do with Elihu.

I’ve seen commentary that basically call him a big windbag full of hot air, which is why (they say) Job, his friends, and even God essentially ignore him.

And I’ve seen other commentators commending him, saying that his speeches were a precursor to God’s own confrontation with Job.

I’m more inclined, after reading everything, to go with the idea that Elihu basically said what was right.

I think the key verse for me is found in chapter 32, where it says of Elihu,

[He] became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.

He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. (Job 32:2–3)

What was he angry about? Two things.

First, that Job questioned God’s justice.

Second, that Job’s friends never refuted Job’s wrong ideas about God. All they did was say he was a sinner, and that God was punishing him for it. This without any shred of proof.

In chapter 33, he addresses Job’s complaints that God had made himself Job’s enemy for no reason, and that God wouldn’t answer Job’s complaints.

Elihu replies by saying God does speak; it’s just that many times, we aren’t listening.

Elihu mentions that God sometimes uses dreams to speak, perhaps referring to the nightmares that Job had been experiencing. The purpose of these dreams?

To turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:17–18)

In the same way, Elihu says that God also speaks to us through our suffering in order to chasten us.

Some commentators take these words as Elihu’s backhanded way of saying to Job, “You’ve sinned, and that’s why you’re being punished, so repent.”

But perhaps what spared Elihu the fate of Job’s friends was that he wasn’t saying the trials Job was going through were the result of some great sin he was trying to hide, but rather that God was using these trials to purge out the sin and pride latent in all of us.

And Elihu points out to Job that God was not doing this because he is our enemy. Rather, he loves us and is constantly working to save us. He tells Job,

God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times—to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them. (33:29–30)

What’s more, there’s an element of grace in all this.

In verses 23–25, we find an interesting passage where Elihu talks of a mediator that not only teaches a man what is right, but intercedes for him saying,

Spare them from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for them (33:24)

And because of that intercession, that person can pray and find favor with God. And when they do, they cry out,

I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.

God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life. (27–28)

Isn’t this the picture of salvation God gives us in the New Testament?

What I take from this is that God doesn’t allow trials into our lives for no reason. He allows trials to humble us, and to remind us that we are all sinners in need of grace.

And if we ever doubt his intentions as Job did, let us remember that it was God that found a ransom for us that saved us from death and hell. A ransom that cost his own Son his life.

So when we face suffering in our lives, remember that God allows it not because he hates us. Rather in his love, he will use it both to save us and refine us. And as Job himself said,

When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, mediator, suffering, trials

Job

A final defense

Job gives his longest speech here, and you could call it his final defense.

In chapter 27, he once again reiterates his contention that he is undeserving of all this suffering.

He then tells his “friends” that he hopes that they will someday suffer as they claimed the wicked do for making these false accusations against him.

And while he says these things in generalities concerning the wicked, by linking his friends as his adversaries, he’s indirectly saying to them, “What hope will you have when you are cut off, and God takes away your life? Will God listen to your cry?” (Job 27:8–9)

He then basically repeats back to them all the curses they said come upon the wicked.

Having done that, he goes on in the next few chapters to give a further defense of himself.

He talks about wisdom in chapter 28, about how though men can find precious jewels in the depth of the earth, the treasure of wisdom is beyond them without God’s revelation. They can’t even comprehend its worth without God’s help.

But Job says, “God has revealed wisdom to us. What is it?”

The fear of the Lord — that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding. (28:28)

We see here that though Job has his complaints, he does not deny what true wisdom is. He still holds fast to his fear of the Lord.

But over the next three chapters, he once again voices his complaint about why he is suffering.

He starts in chapter 29 by talking about how his life was before, how he had been well respected, and how contrary to his friends’ accusations, he had done what was right.

He had shown generosity to the poor, given mercy to the widows and the fatherless, and stood up for the weak and powerless. He had thought that because of all that, God would continue to bless him.

But in chapter 30, he talks about how God stripped him of everything. How everyone now mocks him, and how God now refuses to respond to his cries.

He then pleads his case from the latter part of chapter 30 through 31.

“Didn’t I help the poor? Didn’t I weep for those in trouble? Haven’t I kept my eyes pure?

“If I have done wrong, if I have been adulterous, or denied people justice, or failed to be generous with the widows and poor, if I made money my god, if I worshiped false gods, if I rejoiced over my enemies’ suffering, if I hid sin in my heart, then fine, punish me. I would deserve it.

“But I haven’t done anything! Here’s my defense. I sign it. Now if you have anything to accuse me of, just tell me already!”

I think if there’s one thing to get from all this, it’s this: Job’s friends were wrong in thinking that only the evil suffer.

But Job was wrong in thinking that just because he didn’t deserve to suffer, that he wouldn’t.

We’re living in a broken world filled with earthquakes, tornadoes and natural disasters. We’re living in a world filled with sickness and death.

We’re living in a world filled with broken and evil people. And as I’ve said before, what they do affects us.

We also have an enemy in Satan, and he has lots of help from his demons. They also have an impact in our lives.

And with us living in this kind of world, God never promises that we won’t suffer. On the contrary, he promises the exact opposite.

Jesus himself said,

In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33)

Note he says, “You will have trouble.”

Not, “You might possibly have a problem now and then.”

He says, “You will have trouble.”

And we have trouble for all the reasons I mentioned above.

You may be the wisest, most righteous person on earth. But it doesn’t preclude you from suffering.

Jesus was wisdom and righteousness incarnate. Yet he suffered. Are we above him?

Some people think Jesus suffered so that we don’t have to. But that’s not true. Jesus suffered that we might be redeemed. And Jesus suffered that one day all things might be made new.

But that day is not yet. And until that day, all we can do is wait in hope. But know that throughout whatever you may be suffering through now, that day will come.

Paul put it this way,

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.

But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:18–25)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, Hope, redemption, suffering

Job

The frustration of dealing with an invisible God

Post author By Bruce
Post date May 22, 2013
No Comments on The frustration of dealing with an invisible God

After being severely blasted by Eliphaz, in which Eliphaz for the first time levels specific (if completely baseless) accusations against Job, Job cries out once again for a hearing before God. He said,

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!

I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say to me.

Would he vigorously oppose me? No, he would not press charges against me.

There the upright can establish their innocence before him, and there I would be delivered forever from my judge. (Job 23:3–7)

Here we see Job once again defending his innocence and his strong belief that God was fair. That if he could only present his case to God, God would affirm his innocence.

But Job goes on to say,

But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. (23:8–9)

In other words, “Where are you God? In the midst of all my suffering, where are you? Why do you seem so much against me?”

And that is the frustration of dealing with an invisible God.

There are times in our trials that we nevertheless sense his presence and are comforted.

But there are other times for reasons we can’t understand and that God never explains when he seems distant from us. We pray, and our prayers bounce off of the ceilings. We read the Bible and it seems dry.

And we start to wonder like Job, “Why are you so against me? If I did something wrong, just tell me already!”

How do we deal with that? There are no easy answers.

The thing that impresses me about Job, however, is that throughout his questioning of God, throughout his feelings of abandonment, throughout his feelings of even being persecuted by God, he never once even contemplated walking away from God.

And in the midst of all his questions, complaints, and even bitterness, he would still come out with statements of faith such as,

But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (23:10)

And so despite all that happened, he continued to say things like,

My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. (23:11–12)

I think that’s the attitude we need to take as well. When God seems distant, when God even seems against us, we need to nevertheless cling to him.

We need to keep believing in his ultimate goodness. To keep believing that he is just. And to keep believing that though we may be suffering now, in the end, he will bring us forth as gold.

So let us not turn aside from him when trials come. Let us not walk away when he seems nowhere to be found. Let us not depart from the words he has spoken.

Rather, let us continue to treasure his words and seek him. And the day will come, as it did with Job, that we will find him once again.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, faith, invisible God, suffering

Job

The need for a mediator

In this passage, we see more of Job’s frustration bubbling over at God. On one hand, he recognizes God’s sovereignty in this world. But on the other hand, God seems so distant.

Job said,

When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

If he snatches away, who can stop him?
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ (Job 9:11–12)

Not only that, Job felt like God was torturing him for no good reason. He said,

Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.

He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.

If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? (16–19)

Further, it seemed like God was delighting in his misery.

When a scourge brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent. (23)

Ultimately, it seemed to Job that God was simply being unjust.

It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked’…

When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges.

If it is not he, then who is it? (22–24)

It’s easy to criticize Job, but considering all that he went through, I think most people, even the strongest of Christians, would feel that way.

Still, there is some truth in this chapter that would be well to remember. First, no one can stand before God and claim to be righteous. Job said,

But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? (2–4)

Many people think that they’ll be able to stand before God on judgment day and give a reasonable defense for themselves.

But on that day, he will lay out before us every evil thought, every evil deed, and even every incident where we failed to do what we knew was right.

And when he does, and we compare our lives to his holiness, we will know that there is nothing we can say to defend ourselves. All our excuses, all our logical arguments, and everything we could say will be revealed for the shams that they are.

Many on that day will find themselves saying the words of Job,

How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?

Though I were innocent (compared to others, that is, for no one is truly innocent), I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. (14–15)

Job knew he could not stand before God and be found innocent, and so he cried out,

If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (33–35)

He didn’t have that mediator. But we do. Paul wrote,

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

He also wrote,

Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

None of us can stand alone before God and be proclaimed guiltless before him. All of us deserve to be condemned.

But Jesus is our mediator. And he tells the Father, “I’ve paid for their sin on the cross.”

Now the Father says to us, “You are no longer condemned. Your sins are forgiven.”

Not only that, in Jesus, we have someone who suffered like we do. Unlike us, however, he was completely blameless, and yet suffered anyway.

So in Jesus, we have someone that understands our pain in suffering. He understands our confusion. He understands our feelings of abandonment. And he reminds us that he went through every emotion we’re going through.

As the writer of Hebrews wrote,

Because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

And again,

For we do not have a high priest (in Jesus) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15–16)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, high priest, mediator, suffering

Jeremiah

Because you trust in me

One of the nice things of trying to do things chronologically in this blog is that it gives me a better perspective of Biblical events and where everyone fits in history. It also causes me to speculate a bit more than I have in the past.

For example, it’s very interesting to me that Nebuchadnezzar ordered that Jeremiah be treated well.

From chapter 40, it’s made clear that he did so because he knew of Jeremiah’s prophecies that God was handing Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar because of Judah’s sins. The question that pops up then is, “How did Nebuchadnezzar know?”

The easy answer is that with all the exiles that had been taken to Babylon earlier when Jehoiachin was dethroned, Nebuchadnezzar had gained access to these prophecies.

But the question still remains, “Who told Nebuchadnezzar, and why did he believe the prophecies?”

This is pure speculation, but I have to wonder if it wasn’t Daniel.

He certainly had the respect of Nebuchadnezzar. He was considered the chief of the magicians and served in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. (Daniel 4:9)

And from Daniel chapter 9, we know that Daniel knew about the prophecies of Jeremiah.

I wonder if Daniel, when hearing that Jerusalem was about to fall, didn’t tell Nebuchadnezzar, “Hey there’s a guy named Jeremiah living there. He’s a prophet of the God I serve. He has even predicted Jerusalem’s fall to you because of their sin. Please make sure no harm comes to him.”

Like I said, this is pure speculation, but thinking about it now, it’s also purely possible.

At any rate, however Nebuchadnezzar heard about Jeremiah, he ordered his men to look after Jeremiah. And so they did.

Jeremiah had suffered through a lot through the reigns of the kings following Josiah. But because he had trusted in God, when Judah fell and all of its leaders were killed or exiled, his life was spared.

The same can be said of a man named Ebed-Melech.

When Jeremiah had been thrust into a cistern to die, Ebed-Melech was the man who had had the courage to approach Zedekiah to plead on Jeremiah’s behalf. As a result, Jeremiah was set free.

And so God told Ebed-Melech,

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.

But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’ (Jeremiah 39:16–18)

God was as good as his word and spared Ebed-Melech when the walls were broken through and Jerusalem was captured.

“Because you trust in me.”

Those words resonate with me. God promises that if we will trust in him, while others will suffer his judgment, we will escape with our lives. We will receive his mercy and grace.

This is not to say that we won’t ever suffer for trusting and following God. Jeremiah certainly didn’t escape it for much of his life. Many others throughout history have not only suffered, but died for their faith.

But in death, they found rest and reward.

That’s what faith is about. We don’t always see deliverance in our lifetime. We may go through many struggles because we follow Jesus.

But ultimately, faith says, “Even though I can’t see it now, I believe that in the end, all will be made right.”

That’s the faith Jeremiah had. That’s the faith that Ebed-Melech had.

That’s the kind of faith we need too.

As the writer of Hebrews said,

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, faith, suffering, trust

Isaiah

A temporary relief, an eternal hope.

Post author By Bruce
Post date September 16, 2012
No Comments on A temporary relief, an eternal hope.

These were prophesies made against Edom (Dumah) and Arabia. And these prophesies let them know in uncertain terms that disaster was coming to both.

In verse 11, the Edomites cry out, “What is left of the night?”

In other words, “We’re suffering! How much longer are we going to suffer at the hands of the Assyrians?”

The answer of Isaiah is bleak, “Morning is coming, but also the night.” (Isaiah 21:12)

In other words, “You will get a temporary relief from the Assyrians. They will be overthrown…but not by you. And their conquerors (the Babylonians) will make your life even more miserable.”

The people of Arabia would also suffer disaster, as they would be overthrown within a year.

“Boy, that’s cheerful! Thanks for the word, Bruce!”

You’re welcome. 🙂

But there is something to take from this. All of us go through tough times in our lives. All of us go through suffering. For the most part, these tough times come and go. Everyone has good times and bad times in their lives.

But for those without God, like the Edomites and Arabians, ultimately there is no hope. Darkness will fall, and they will go to hell for all eternity.

But for us who have Christ in our lives, we can know that in the end, there is a light we can look forward to. Paul wrote,

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us…

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we are saved. (Romans 8:18, 22–23)

Paul knew that our sufferings, though painful, are temporary. And so despite all that he went through in his life, he had hope. And so do we.

Our suffering will not last forever. So if you are struggling, if you are suffering, turn to God. Look to him. And know that even now, the Spirit of God is praying for us.

It’s precisely because God’s Spirit himself is praying for us that,

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, eternal hope, suffering, trials

Isaiah

The fall of our Enemy

This passage is a continuation of chapter 13, talking about the judgment that was to come upon Babylon.

And while I don’t believe that this passage is specifically talking about Satan himself (some people particularly associate verses 12–14 to Satan), a lot of what is said here about the king of Babylon can also be said of Satan.

Both desired to be raised up and to achieve power. Both desired to be like God. And in the process, they oppressed people and put them into bondage.

But both were cast down by God, and as the rule of the Babylonian king came to an end, so will Satan’s.

Isaiah said that on the day the king of Babylon would be cast down, the people would cry out,

How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!

The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.

All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing….

The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you – all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones – all those who were kings over the nations.

They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.”

All your pomp has been brought down to the grave. (Isaiah 14:4–7, 9–10)

In the same way, when Satan is cast down once and for all, there will at last be peace on this earth, and there will be great rejoicing.

When Satan is cast down into hell, all his power will be gone, and he will be like all the others in the lake of fire: a victim of his own sin and pride.

I think one misunderstanding that people have about Satan is that he rules in hell.

Actually, Satan is not in hell and he does not want to go there. Because when he goes there, he will not be king. He won’t even be a “prison warden.” He’ll be a prisoner just like everyone else there.

And people will look upon him in wonder, just as they did the Babylonian king and say, “Is this the one that shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the one who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go?” (16–17)

So what can we take from this?

Know that though Satan and his minions may attack you, and may make your life miserable at times, their time is short, and they know it.

Take hope in the fact that their time is coming, and at that time, all the misery you may be going through now because of all the evil that’s in the world will be at an end.

You will not suffer forever. You will not be at Satan’s mercy forever.

God has already started the work of salvation through his Son’s work on the cross. He has already set you free from your sins, and we have now been saved from sin’s power and sin’s penalty.

We have not yet been saved from sin’s presence in our lives and the hurt and pain it can cause. But that day is coming too. And on that day,

[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

So let us not get discouraged when we are faced with trials in our lives. Rather, let us rejoice. And remember that through Jesus, the victory has already been won.

Tags Bible Original, Bible verse, bondage, oppression, Satan, suffering