Christian Family Services Ministry

8-24-2019 – A Word to the Wise – THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING

Man has seemingly conquered many things, plants, animals, water, air, the moon, space, even the sun has been brought under the subjection of man. The strides in sciences and medicine are unbelievable yet with this great amount of knowledge man still suffers. More specifically the question that faces us is why Christians must suffer.

God is all mighty so why can he not prevent suffering in reality the question is not if he is able rather why suffering?

For the Christian there are four sources of suffering; himself, other men, Satan, and the Lord.

First and for most man suffers because of himself. The cause may be fear, ignorance, hate or the inability to cope with problems. For instance if man goes out and drives recklessly hits a bridge abutment an ends up in the hospital with a broken back its immediately apparent that he causes his own suffering and he alone holds the key to prevention.

One can say the same the same thing for the person eaten up with envy and greed. Eventually he ends up with heart trouble, or bone disease, and all kinds of problems. Once again the person is in charge and if he stops the suffering ceases. The man is the source of his sufferi8ng.

Just as man is a source of suffering for self he is also the source of suffering for others. This is can be seen in the problems plaguing our society, be it wars, human slavery, drugs, or other chemicals. Life can be brutal whether for the small child left homeless, or the battle over an insignificant piece of land or property.

So two great sources of suffering is man for himself, or for others.

But the third source of suffering comes from the evil one. Only a cursory reading of the book of Job educates us about the task of Satan to test and destroy us. I do not need to educate about him and the multitude of ways he wrings the very life and breath from us.

But the fourth source of suffering is our God. This is the true purpose of this lesson. Why does he cause his children to suffer? There are two main reasons.

The discipline of the Lord is a necessary part of his children’s existence. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the chastisement of God is for our own good and reveals that we are indeed children of his. Paul extends this conversation by telling us that if we suffer with him we will live with him. Why? Because suffering purifies us of the tendency to submit to fleshly desires which are so strong within us.

Are we to good to suffer? One may say when I became a Christian I thought it was a passport to an easy life. Hardly we see Jesus who made himself a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, are we better than he? I think not. At this point we are reminded of Hebrews 5:8 “Though he were a son yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” We are sons and like him we will suffer.

But the second reason we must suffer is because it is a means of testing. This is seen explicitly in the example of Abram and his son. One does not take lightly the thought of Abram offering his own son as a sacrifice. I imagined he suffered great mental anguish as they approached that mountain. However, there is no other way to know our own strength and weakness. Peter sums it up when he says “the trial of your faith being much more precious than that of gold that perishes though he be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

Thus we see Christians suffering, some by our own hand or of others, or the evil one, or to purify us to holiness. But in all of this we find a reason for hope.

Finally, in a round about way we might have answered the accusations of the critic who says “that if there is a God he would not let man suffer so much.” Jesus sums it up when speaking to Ananias about Paul, he says “for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” In just the same way so we suffer for Christ sake.

8-21-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Have you ever wondered what the pearl of great price Jesus refers to in Matthew 13:45? Jesus says that it is something for which a man will sell everything that he owns to purchase.

I have pondered for many years the answer Jesus hides in this parable. The parable just before it speaks of a man finding a treasure in a field and going and buying that field with all that he had.

There are not many things in life worth selling all one owns to buy it, or is there? I know many a soul who sell all they own and much not owned to buy drugs, alcohol, sex, or a host of other things. Cheap things without any true value. When purchased they bring no satisfaction, nor peace or joy.

Yet Jesus, says that there is something worth selling all ones worldly possessions, what is it?

I have no doubt that the Pearl of Great Price that for which I would sell everything is friendship with the Lord.

Do you have any idea what it would be like to be considered a friend of the Lord. This is a position held by very few in scripture. Abraham, Enoch, Elijah, Job, Daniel, David, Peter, James, and John, and Paul. The list indeed is short. The price is tremendous. We can only guess at the tremendous stress these men of God endured.

Yet, the reward makes the price but a small matter. Many think of heaven or even the grace of the Lord as a great prize, and yet this matter of friendship, the Lord having affection for us. Not just love. But to think that when He hears our voice, or beholds are presence, it brings the Lord great satisfaction.

This admiration is reflected in the reply the Lord gives to Satan when He says; “have you considered my servant Job…”

What feelings do you think were aroused in Job when he is writing his story down for posterity, as Job pens the words that reflect the heavenly conversation? “Have you considered my servant Job”?

True, a person may consider many things priceless, yet for a few, friendship with the Lord is the pearl of great price.