Suffering

For those of you subscribed to my old blog you will find you read this already. I have updated it after my pastor read it so please read it again.

We are going to look at different aspects of suffering and how it relates to the word of God. How non-believers use it as a reason to be ignorant. How with out the sufferings of this world The Bible would be wrong. How suffering is the call of the Christian. Christ’s suffering. How pain and suffering is used by God to draw both Christians and the lost to Him. The sufferings caused by sin. The suffering of a Christian stuck in sin and how to overcome it.

Suffering is evidence and proof The Bible is the word of God! You simply CANNOT use the suffering of the world as a reason God does not exist. However many surprisingly do. Throwing out intellect they war against their Creator and say an all loving God would never let the horrors of this world go on; therefore He does not exist. Sadly they are right, an all loving god does not exist. The fact is God is not ALL love like so many people are being taught in the church today. When you apply a bit of reason and read His word, you see that all this suffering indeed is part of His plan. A plan from a loving, righteous, holy, and just God; who made us for His glory. It's very clear for anyone to see, yet they choose not to. This spiritual blindness seems unfathomable, unless you read The Bible and find that these things must come to pass. It’s says men will become willingly ignorant before they will humble themselves and give up sin they love. 2Pet.3[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Now you may ask, "for what are they willingly ignorant"? You just go back two versus to find out. 2Pet.3[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, You see nothing covers up the suffering Christians are called to go through like the pleasures of sin for a season. If you are a Christian living in sin and struggling against it I am not talking to you, I do address you later in this writing. To those that are willingly ignorant walking after their own lusts; you are just quieting your conscience so you can have a good time on the road to hell. I know it sounds harsh, but in fact it is the very harshness of this that inclined me to take my time to write this to you. The motive is love and I am most sincere. The lusts a lost person indulges in are simply a painkiller. However the pain being killed is your conscience; and your conscience is alerting you that you are on the broad path to hell that so many take. It is the exact same suffering you are called to endure that you are turning off with the pleasures of sin. What would you say to someone who put a piece of tape over his check engine light and said "now I don't have anything to worry about"? I tell you brother if you love your sin so much and still believe you won't be sent to hell for your rebellion you have created a God in your own image. You have a created a god that won't judge you, that will not uphold justice and you are just as willingly ignorant as the man putting a piece of tape over his check engine light.

Just like most other excuses people use to not submit to Christ, the “suffering in the world” excuse is based on partial information. The sufferings are not some out of control thing that proves God does not exist. Suffering is a pivotal part of God’s plan. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Sin brought death and death mixed with sin and the fear of death brings suffering. Sinners create their own suffering and God uses that to try and draw men to Him. Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Jonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

Suffering for a Christian can truly be understood and even praised. If you truly trust Christ and His plan, you accept the suffering, because you know what comes out of it. What is that you ask? Something wonderful! Being made perfect, being established, strengthened and completely settled. 1Pet.5[10] But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. If you want to partake in Christ's glory, you must follow in His footsteps. The call for a Christian to suffer is a clear message of The Bible. In fact the contrast of not suffering for Christ is actually denying Him and that is very serious.

Christ suffered greater than any of us ever could. Getting a small taste of that suffering will make you more Christ like than any other means. It is no different than if you wanted to emulate any person on Earth; you do what they did. Like precious metals being purified by fire; going through the trials and fires of this life purifies us. You see God wants us to partake in Christ’s glory, He knows that we can't truly partake in the fullness of His glory with out experiencing a form of His suffering 1Pet.4[13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Here is some background information you may be missing from this puzzle and why suffering is the only answer. God has to judge our actions or He would not be just. He couldn’t ignore our sin and still be righteous. He must punish transgression or He would not be good. I for one am glad for this; I would not want to serve an unrighteous, unjust God! It would be horrifying. God cannot change; He is and always was. He did not create Himself and has certain qualities that He cannot change, not the least of which are being holy, good, loving, righteous and just. Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

How would you reconcile all that? If it were you would you have bothered to make anyone at all? Would you have made a race of puppets that cannot sin? There is no glory in that, for us or Him and remember the whole reason of our existence is His glory. What would you have done? You, having to remain just over a group of free-willed creatures that denied your authority and rebelled against everything you say? Would you have suffered and died for these rebels? Would you, being all powerful, come as a lowly servant and suffer and die for them? It pleased God to lay the punishment that has to come down on sin on Him, a brutal and torturous punishment. Would you have done that? You break His laws every day. Every time you have lied, stolen, used His Holy name to show disgust, looked with lust (you think that’s not so bad? imagine someone looking at your mother, daughter, sister, or niece the way you have lusted). Why did He do it? It was the only way He could reconcile Himself with us. We broke the law, and for him to remain just, good and loving, He paid the fine. He suffered and died for us while we were shaking our fists in His face. He does not need us, yet He decided to rescue us. If you were all powerful and could have anything you wanted, would you have bothered? Rom.5[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now if you want to partake in His glory than you to have to pick up your cross and follow Him all the way to Calvary. Repent of your sins (turn from them and apologize) and trust Christ. God will reveal Himself to you and your life will never be the same.

For those of you who have suffered tremendous loss and you don't know The Lord. You have hope! Trust in Christ now and repent of your sins. You will see one day how your suffering is part of a perfect plan and you are promised to have exceeding joy when it’s all revealed. All your tears will be wiped away it's a promise from God. If you decide to be bitter about your trials than it's a double loss for you. It's the ultimate tragedy. Don't pile on your earthly pain with eternal death. I beg you to consider what I am saying. I have no motivation other than the thought of you rejecting Christ's plan terrifies me greatly on your behalf. Your suffering will work together for good if you repent and trust in Christ! Rom.8 [28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. It's never to late to love The Lord; be called according to His purpose and claim His promise that ALL things in your life, even suffering and tragedy, will be used for a greater good.

While some sufferings are obvious. Death of loved ones, loss of income/jobs/your home, your health. All of these things can bring great suffering. One that is often overlooked is the battle of sin. Sin is a law that resides in your members. People who truly love The Lord and struggle with sin often suffer greatly as well. The guilt, filthiness, failure and one’s struggle with the assuredness of their salvation can all be tremendous burdens on their soul. Christian, rejoice, it's part of God's plan for you! 1Pet.1[6-7] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: The key is heaviness through temptation. When temptation calls suffer yourself not to partake, and if you do partake than suffer yourself that you did and repent of the action. Then you will be found unto praise and honor at the appearing of Christ. Stop fighting these battles in the flesh they will destroy you. You will not overcome sin with your own will. Eph.6 [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

We are saved by grace through faith, you hear that a lot, but do you believe it? Eph.2 [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. You cannot overcome your sin with your works. For starters if you were able to conquer your sin by reading the Bible more, praying more etc; than you would get the glory. It's God's victory not yours. His glory He let's you partake in it when you have faith and submit to His plan. If you have been trying to eradicate your sin by your will you are fighting a battle you cannot win. Don’t get me wrong Bible reading and prayer are the most important thing in spiritual growth. First you need to establish why you are reading and praying more. If it’s only to impress God then it’s an act of pride motivation. If it’s to gain spiritual strength from God to fight the battle with lust or drink or any other sin then it’s a good thing to do. REMEMBER THE BIBLE WILL KEEP YOU FROM SIN AND SIN WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE BIBLE.

There are many reasons a soldier of Christ can be left behind enemy lines. One is you are being left in until you realize you can't do anything about it, and only Christ can deliver so he gets the proper credit. Sin is a law that abides within you Rom.7 [21-23] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. The only thing that overcomes a law is a stronger law. Yes the law of sin lives in us, how do you overcome it? Rom 8[2-4] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The question is not “can you overcome your sin?”, the question is: “are you walking after the spirit?” Do you have the law of the Spirit within you which is greater than the law of sin? Your sin is overcome when you truly believe your sin was nailed to the tree with Christ and is dead. Have you ever pondered that the fact that your sin is still controlling you; not due to your lack of strength, but it is your lack of faith leaving you in bondage? Do you have the faith of Peter walking on water, or of him sinking? Would you die for Christ, or would you deny Him thrice?

It takes some longer to realize their freedom from sin than others. If you have been living in sin to the point where you are doubting your salvation let me encourage you. In caution I need to make a distinction first. If the thought of being left in sin sounds good to you so you can have your cake and eat it too this encouragement is NOT for you. You need to examine yourself to see if you are truly in the faith, and I suggest you stop reading this and do it right now. The Apostle Paul, dealt with a Christian, (calls him brother) that was having sex with his step-mother, Paul finds out that this Christian man wouldn’t repent of his sin and prayed that his flesh be turned over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh. He did not lose his salvation but do you feel Satan would kill this man quickly or take years of AIDS or some other disease? No one ever gets away with their sin. Christians need to understand that they are not exempt from a Holy God’s judgment.) 1 Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. (But be sure your sin will find you out)

However if you are broken by the law of sin, if you find yourself powerless to it. If you regularly find yourself weeping and crying out to The Lord to rescue you. Perhaps it even feels like there is no hope and God does not want you. The suffering that your sin will bring is strengthening and perfecting you. You also need to examine some other possibilities for being left in sin. God may need you to realize that there is nothing you can do in and of yourself to solve the problem. All pride has to be removed before he can rescue you. Another reason is you have yet to see the sinfulness of your sin; and until you do you are in danger of correction from The Lord. Rejoice, The Lord corrects those whom he loves. Prov.3[12] For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Repent and suffer with out the sin now and you won't have to suffer the correction, nobody ever likes a spanking! Being left in a losing battle of sin also helps you appreciate God's grace, love, longsuffering, patience, His sacrafice. It brings forth the reasonableness of Hell and your worthiness to go there. If you can't overcome your sin, do you honestly believe you are a wicked sinner that deserves to be tormented in Hell forever? But only thanks to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ you won't have to? If that thought bothers you, and "you really aren't that bad" you have some pride in your way, 1Pet5[5] ...Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.. The Lord may not be rescuing you until you can truly appreciate His gift and rejoice to the fullest with Him. Is it reasonable for you to agree that you are deceitfully wicked and on your way to hell with out Christ?

Rejoice in your sorrow. Use this time to appreciate an all powerful God who cares so much for someone as unworthy as you to actually die for you so you could share His kingdom and be a part of His glory. In the meantime every time you sin or are debating to partake in sin lay it at the foot of the cross! Say NO, and if the war and self sacrifice causes strife, struggle, depression, no peace; than gladly accept that fate and bring it to Calvary. Be patient, longsuffering, wait on The Lord and He will deliver you, it's a promise. Psalms 24[14] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Let me tell you, what a victory it is to go from being double-minded with no peace; to being like minded with Christ and have more peace and strength that you ever dreamed imaginable. It's not just something you can hope for. It's a reality, it's a free-gift for all those who want it and repent and trust in The Lord Christ Jesus.

You see suffering is quite a complex subject. Seeing the death and suffering of this world is clearly not a reason to think the God of The Bible does not exist. It simply reaffirms what The Bible says. Christians are called to suffer. All pain and suffering will be used for good. If you are not saved and are stricken with the suffering of this world, give it to Christ. Trust Him, repent from your sins, read The Bible and do it what it says. You will not be let down. If you are saved and are afflicted with suffering, rejoice. It likens you to your Lord Jesus Christ, and you have the promise that all the tears will be wiped away. If you suffer as a Christian lost in sin than examine yourself. How do you know you really believe? Stop using your own works, and trust in Christ's death where God said he crucified sin. Your sin died with Christ, and now you can live in the newness of life through His resurrection the defeating of sin and death. Rom.6 [3-11] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It goes by so fast

What are we doing here? What are we looking for? What is the meaning of all this? Our lives have become so self-consumed and I am not just talking about the worldly people that walk after the lusts of this world. Although this would apply to them, I am actually talking about Christians. I take that back; I am not talking about Christians... I am talking about myself. What are my motives for what I do? Who am I serving?

It’s hard to admit this, but sometimes I look at my children and see something I have never seen before. Whether it’s a laugh I didn’t know my 2 year old girl had. A thought I didn’t know my soon to be 4 year old son was capable of. A beauty in the eyes, much like her mother’s; that I didn’t know my 8 year old daughter had. Or the maturity of my first born 13 year old son that I lacked well into adulthood. All of these things fly at me and make me ponder, what are my priorities? I would love to say they are as so: God, then family, then my ministry, than work. However sometime I think I deceive myself and really the world still owns me. Is it really all about me still?

It’s funny when I was little I thought adults were like super heroes. They had it all together, especially parents. Now I realize parents are simply this; they are people with kids. I would love to say that because I am so busy in Bible study, prayer and meditation that those things slip past me. But right now I wonder if I am not the same level as the man who completely abandons all that love him to spend every free moment of his at the local tavern because he is only focused upon himself.

Yes I do trust in Christ. I hold Bible studies with my children. We get on our knees and pray to God as a family. I share my faith with strangers. I quit my job, in faith, not knowing how I will feed my family in the future to give more time to ministry work. I spend time writing blogs, giving The Gospel to strangers, handing out tracts, and sharing my faith with people. I will help anyone at any time hoping it will glorify my heavenly father. What does that amount too?

Sorry to indulge myself in a serious self-examination in this public setting, but I wonder if we can’t all benefit from some serious pondering of what we are doing and why. If I was truly serving The Lord wouldn’t I have been able to enjoy and appreciate these treasures that seem to slip by me? And not just these things but many more: my wife’s abilities to run this household, the want of my parents to see their son and grandchildren more, the needs of so many people that I come in contact with every day. If I was not so self-absorbed in the needs of Paul, couldn’t I be doing a better job in serving The Lord and therefore meeting the needs of those around me and appreciating the blessings He has given me?

Lord I pray you give me the ability to truly step outside of this world. To have an appreciation that I, Paul Merkt, am serving The Creator of all the Heavens and Earth. Help me understand the depth of your love toward me. Help me realize that you are in control of everything and truly know what is best for me. Help me to hand the reigns over to You and let me see how silly it is for me to try to work the bit in my mouth when you are willing to do it!

Maybe when I am not so consumed with myself, with this world, with my worldly needs; I will be able to better appreciate all the amazing gifts you have given me. Maybe, Lord willing, I will understand this has nothing to do with me and everything to do with You. Then I will be able to truly appreciate the gifts and purpose you have bestowed upon me. In the meantime I thank-you for your patience, longsuffering, forgiveness and the love that you have for me, Paul, a lowly servant; that You keep close to You despite my will.

Keep me in Your care for Your Name’s sake. I will ruin it on my own.