Like When Personal Questions God-ward Sometimes Go Unanswered?
“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone..” James 4:14 nlt
Ask and keep on asking. It's never wrong to ask God a pointed question knowing He doesn't owe us an answer. He answers me sometimes -- immediately, or when the time is right. His timing is perfect for his responses to our praying in faith.
Lots of people are suffering these days -- is this pandemic pretty much over yet? What will be next for us? Sometimes it’s hard to understand why we have to suffer when we’re trying to live right, help people and do right.
It doesn’t seem fair at times huh. We’ve all sinned and fallen short, but I know some really decent people who are suffering today.
Please know inside that many people that are suffering in our world today are not suffering due to their own sin.. though there are also many people suffering due to their own sins as well.
We wonder, “Why am I going through all this when other people are not going through this?” Sometimes I ask...
Why not me.. a believing sinner? That seems like a better question I can ask.
Today, I personally have far more blessings in my life than I actually deserve. I deserve the cross that Jesus took for me.
What is the passion of Christ -- how and why was that related to suffering?
Does Jesus or the Holy Spirit cause suffering?
Why does God allow the innocent to suffer?
Why did Jesus have to experience so much suffering?
Got some church-hurt like from mean posers and other types of hypocrites in a sick ..or in a healthy local church? So sorry about that. Hate that (not those who hurt, I pray they get saved) -- want you comforted and encouraged in Christ. In a healthy Christian church too. There are many.
What are some Bible verses about suffering?
Is suffering for Christ always going to be a part of being a follower of Christ?
What does the Bible tell us about the suffering of this present time (Romans 8:18)?
Why do saved sinners a.k.a. Christians suffer?
No matter how long Job actually suffered, it likely felt like an eternity to him. But Job was so patient and he endured to see God’s blessing after the painful test: “[The Lord] gave him twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10
Was it unfair for God to allow Job to suffer over what he suffered?
Why did Job's wife act so lame telling him to curse God and die?
What did Job's three friends have wrong, and what did they get right?
The patience of Job—why is Job famous for being patient?
Why is Jesus referred to as a man of sorrows in Isaiah 53:3?
How can a Christian cope while suffering with a degenerative disease?
Is God cruel? Nope. Some people are. Mr. Lu-Cifer (the devil) indeed is.
Is the “The Suffering Servant” prophecy in Isaiah 53 about Jesus?
Why do so many people have to experience terrible suffering before death?
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| Photos by Louis Galvez and Christopher Catbagan |
YES, SUFFERING IS A GIFT.. OF SORTS. YUP, A REAL GIFT SO PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES!
LET'S LOOK FOCUS ON GOD. LET’S CALL OUT TO THE SUFFERING SERVANT -- YES, JESUS CHRIST, WHO UNDERSTANDS. HE SUFFERED A WHOLE LOT FOR EACH ONE OF US. IF WE AS BELIEVERS SUFFER WITH HIM, GUESS WHAT.. WE WILL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM.
READ ISAIAH 52:13 THROUGH CHAPTER 53. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES CHRIST WITH GREAT CLARITY -- GOD’S PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD (ALSO SEE ACTS 8:26-40).
THE PROPHET ISAIAH TELLS US HOW CHRIST THE SERVANT SUFFERED FOR DOING GOD’S WILL WITHOUT ANY SPIRITUAL COMPROMISE, AND THEN WAS HIGHLY EXALTED BY THE FATHER. THAT’S HIS ORDER.
HUMILIATION AND THEN EXALTATION, SUFFERING AND THEN GLORY. LET’S GO THROUGH THIS PASSAGE VERSE BY VERSE. HERE BELOW ARE THE KEY THEMES OF THIS PROPHECY.
IT’S TIME TO CLEAN UP (vv. 11-12). Have you been forgiven? Cooperate with the Spirit now.
IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP ..AND HEAL UP (v. 1, 51:9, 17, ROM 13:11-14, LAM 3:22-23)
IT’S TIME TO GET UP AND DRESS UP (TO FULLY SUIT UP -- PUT ON CHRIST AS LORD v. 1)
IT’S TIME TO STAND UP STRONG, PRAY UP, AND SPEAK UP (v. 7-10)
IT’S TIME TO PREP-UP, EQUIP, AND FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH!
Maybe you’ve thought, “Why am I single when all my friends are married?” or “Why can’t we have children when my friend has five children?” or “Why do I have this horrible illness while all of my friends are healthy?”
One day all of our questions will be answered. One day God will restore in Heaven what we’ve lost in this life. The Bible promises restoration for people who have suffered. Speaking of great men and women of faith, a.k.a. world changers, Hebrews 11:35 says, “They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection” (NLT).
We put all of our focus on this life, but there’s an afterlife, and it will go on forever. This life on Earth, even if it’s long, is relatively short. James 4:14 says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (NLT). And then comes the afterlife.
Are you ready for it? For eternity? If you died today (and I am not wishing this for you), would you go to Heaven? Why do you believe what you do on that?
Living a good life isn’t going to get you to Heaven, because Heaven is not for good people; it’s for forgiven people. I’m not going to get to Heaven because I’m a preacher. Rather, it’s because I’ve put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord who died on the cross for me. Have you done that?
Being a Christian is having Jesus Christ come and take residence in your heart. The Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 NKJV). Have you received Christ?
Jesus is the ultimate solution for us all. He forgives freely. God loves you and He still has a good plan. Where else or to who else will you go? He can forgive anyone and raise them from the dead. Did it before and can do it again. Check it out in the Bible.
Are you hurting today? Pray earnestly. Praise and worship the Lord--ask Him to help you through all this.
I say pray earnestly for that hurting worried person in need, or for that inquirer.. that he or she might have courage and strength to be victorious in pain, committing himself or herself to Him who bore our griefs and our sorrows. Spend some time in the Scriptures: Psalm 23 John 14:1–6 Philippians 1:21 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.
Here are 20 more questions on suffering...
1. Does God the Father cause or allow suffering in your life?
What is the difference between God causing suffering and God allowing suffering?
2. What does God’s word tell us about the pain and suffering?
What is the best response from us.. I mean the Christian response to the problem of suffering?
3. Why do so many people have to experience terrible suffering before their death?
Why does God allow many believers to hurt deeply.. why is it painful right before some believer's death?
4. Why did Jesus have to experience so much suffering when he didn’t sin at all?
Was there any purpose in the horrible torture that Jesus endured?
5. Is suffering for God always going to be a part of being a follower of Christ?
Is suffering a universal fact of the Christian experience? Perhaps not every day that we are still here sucking air.
6. What does the Bible tell us about the sufferings of this present time (Romans 8:18)?
What is the clear meaning of Romans 8:18?
7. Why do church believers have the trial of suffering? Why do some have multiple trials and testings?
Why does a good God even allow a Christian to suffer? Didn't He take that in our place? Why does God allow suffering among His people at all?
8. Is the “The Suffering Servant” prophecy in Isaiah 53 about Jesus?
Is Isaiah chapter 53 the clearest prophecy about Jesus’ atoning sacrifice?
9. Why does God allow the innocent people to have troubles. Why do some really decent people suffer?
I don’t understand why God allows the innocent to be hurt by cruel thugs.
10. What are some Bible verses about suffering?
Prayerfully check them out. Are there any that I need to memorize?
11. How long was Job’s suffering?
How long did Job go through that mess? How much time passed between Job’s losing everything and God’s restoration?
12. Is God cruel?
God has never been cruel even one time. Does God have callous indifference to, or take pleasure in causing pain and suffering?
13. Why does God allow sickness?
Was Covid from a lab -- was it a bio-weapon? Not sure. What are some of the possible reasons why God would allow someone to get sick?
14. Is it wrong to want to die?
Can we ask God to take our lives so we can go to heaven? Can we ask God to use us to win lost hopeless souls among those wanting to die.. so they won't go to Hell? God, please use and keep us -- give clarity of vision so we can help others.
15. How can a Christian cope while suffering with a degenerative disease?
Can a Christian deal with it wisely? Yes. How can the Christian cope while suffering? HOW?.. I mean with a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s, or dementia, or ALS, or Cancer, or palsy?
16. Why is Jesus referred to as a man of sorrows in Isaiah 53:3?
Why is Jesus pointed to in the Bible as a man of sorrows ..that can help those hopeless with tears and sorrows? What is the meaning of Isaiah 53:3?
17. Jesus suffered and died for you, not cuz of his own sins. What was that all about?
Why is the suffering that Christ endured referred to as His passion?
18. What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions (Colossians 1:24)?
What does verse 1:24 even mean when Paul says he fills up in his flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. Huh.. fills up?
19. Do you hurt today? What is the doctrine of the impassibility verses passibility of God?
Is God in my mind impassible, possible or passible? What are the implications of the impassibility?
20. What does it mean to endure hardship (2 Timothy 4:5)?
One thing, this means you have some attacks and opposition from the evil one who knows that his time to hassle you is very short. He really doesn't have much time to work.
Where did you get hurt? Please tell me it wasn't in a church with prideful competitive people.. cuz that breaks Christ's heart. Pride is in the enemy's camp, it's not to be in church. Lord, we pray for unity, wisdom and love in spite of others who need to learn not to speak or act carnally.. yes, in spite of others with said faith instead of saving faith.
It hurts me to see people hurting, scared, in danger, and suffering illness. Have you felt some of that? Some seem so mature in dealing with it. I ain't there yet but want to learn from the One who suffered for me.
“O JOY THAT SEEKEST ME THROUGH PAIN, I CANNOT CLOSE MY HEART TO THEE; I TRACE THE RAINBOW THROUGH THE RAIN, AND FEEL THE PROMISE IS NOT VAIN THAT MORN SHALL TEARLESS BE.” —GEORGE MATHESON
Is there anything to gain from pain? Perhaps. Not so sure, but we can grow spiritually and get close to the Lord.. we can even learn from Him. We learn what is really so and what ain’t so during hard times. Remember there is zero spiritual growth apart from the living Word that is completely so (true).
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:2-3
Trials, tribulations, temptations and testings come and go. We can even praise, pray and glorify Him while in it. Now that would seem counterintuitive. How could I?
“Speak to the suffering, and you will never lack an audience. There is a broken heart in every crowd.” ~ Joseph Parker
Remember those who are suffering in hospital rooms or all alone in a dank sorta home. Many don't have any family members or friends left.
Seems Like There's Lots of Pain In The Pew -- In Too Many Pews. My wife Liney and I lost a son to Covid this year and it seems to take a long while to heal. I hear one never gets completely over it but Romans 8:28-29 is still in His Book.
God SO loves His kids and He gets it.. totally understands you and He can comfort!
In Pews There Too Sits A Broken Lonely Heart. But In Christ There's Hope for the Hurting. Lost or saved, he can heal. The greatest and most important miracle Jesus still does is to forgive and heal people spiritually. Turn, Trust. Come to Him now.
