From the Body to the Body
Vital Words to the Body of Christ
from the Harvest Team at New Foundation Publications
We pray these words encourage you
in your walk to press into the Kingdom.
WHY DO WE SUFFER? WHY LORD?
Excerpts from "The Purpose of Pain" by Stephen Arterburn from his book "Surprised by God". As quoted in Focus on the Family Magazine, April, 1997, page 12
"... Why is that Christians, who are supposed to be committed to the truth, have been told --- either outright or subtly --- that they shouldn't struggle? This Sunday, from hundreds of church pulpits, a message will be preached: "If you will come to Christ, your problems will disappear because Christ is the answer. You will have a Christian home, and if you pray for your children, they will grow up to be wonderful Christians, too, protected by the hand of God."
If you expect the Christian walk to be a stroll through the park, think again. Becoming a Christian does not remove struggle from your life; in fact, it often adds to the struggle or intensifies it.
Some of the most committed Christians lived some of the most difficult lives. The great German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was martyred for his faith by the Nazis, said, "When Christ calls a person, He bids him come and die." The path that Jesus wants us to follow leads through the pain of the Cross. In fact, He tells each of us to pick up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23).
In my own life, suffering has taught me some of the deepest lessons of faith. For seven years, my wife, Sandy, and I waited for a child. We prayed and prayed and begged God, but nothing happened... With each passing month, our despair grew as we realized we would never have children. Finally, through circumstances only God could have arranged, we were able to adopt our daughter, Madeline. She has become the light of our lives. This child is even more precious to us because we know she is a direct gift from God.
Although our infertility problems seemed unbearable at times, the ordeal taught Sandy and me lessons we could not have learned otherwise. Pain was a powerful teacher because it forced us to understand that change and struggle were a necessary part of the maturation process.
Change is always difficult, no matter what the situation. Most of us love the status quo. We often grow comfortable and choose to ignore aspects of our lives that need improvement. But sometimes God asks us to make adjustments in areas we would rather just leave alone. Sometimes He asks us to change a career; other times, it's a change in our perspective about money or priorities. Change is never easy, especially after years of living a certain way. Responding to God's call to change can be painful because it often requires a transformation beyond what we thought possible. Nevertheless, what is impossible for us to achieve alone is possible through the power of God.
THE DEPTHS OF SUFFERING
There is still another reason God often allows us to endure heartache. Sometimes He allows our lives to deteriorate into a dark chasm of pain because He wants us to share in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul said, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings..." (Philippians 3:10). This last reason is perhaps the most painful, but it also produces the greatest Spiritual growth and understanding of God's nature.
If, in some small way, we can begin to understand the depths of suffering that Christ endured for us, then we will draw even closer to Him. In these agonizing times, we are invited to meet Jesus as a suffering Savior who willingly endured great hardship, even the pain of crucifixion, because He loved us so much. We can only understand this suffering love if we share in the suffering with Him.
I don't know anyone who would get excited about his life becoming more painful and difficult. We all want to stay on the easy path and not roll around on the pavement. But Biblical history and even our own lives show that more often than not, when we accept God's truth, we are in for a tough journey that will require a deep faith if we are to endure.
Yes, when we respond to God, things often get worse before they get better. But God has promised that if we trust in Him, He will turn our suffering into joy --- and refine our faith in the process. With endurance our lives and faith become deeper and richer.
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Excerpts from David Wilkerson: "Stand Still and See the Salvation of the
Lord!"
World Challenge, Inc. PO Box 260 Lindale TX 75771
The three most common words heard among Christians in times of crises are: "Lord, do something!"
It is totally against our nature as human beings to stand sill and do nothing when we face perplexing trials. In fact, waiting patiently for God to act is probably the most difficult thing about the Christian walk. Even devoted believers panic when the Lord doesn't move according to their timetable.
Our God is always searching the earth for a people who will trust Him in every crisis. Indeed, He often leads us into situations that are alarming, critical, difficult, in order to test us. He wants to see if we're willing to stand still and wait for Him to bring supernatural deliverance.
The Bible states very clearly: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in His way". (Psalm 37:23). The Hebrew word for "ordered" here means "prearranged, step by step, fixed, ordained by God." This means it is God, not the devil, who leads us into difficult places. We may cry out, "Lord, why are you allowing my crisis to continue?" But the truth is, not only does He allow our trial, but He does so deliberately. And that is hard for us to accept!
Yet God allows these hard things in our lives in order to produce faith in us. He is molding us into Godly examples of faith --- to be His testimony to an ungodly age.
I firmly believe every step I take is ordained by our heavenly Father. And if that is indeed true, then I can't believe God would ever lead me to the brink of a difficult situation only to abandon me. He wouldn't say, ""Okay, David, I've directed you up to this point. Now you're on your own!" No! God is absolutely faithful to His children, in every crisis. And He is always asking us, "Will you be one who won't panic --- who won't charge Me with forsaking, abandoning, and hurting My children?" Will you stand still in your crisis, and lean on faith, trusting Me to see you through?"
The Old Testament lists many times of testing for God's people. Perhaps the greatest example of these was the crisis at the Red Sea. How do we know God arranged this frightful situation to test His people? His own Word says so:
"Thou shalt remember all the ways which THE LORD THY GOD LEAD THEE these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no." (Deuteronomy 8:2).
This verse spells it out very clearly: "...all the ways WHICH THE LORD LEAD THEE..." It was God who led them to the Red Sea --- not the devil!
But why did God do this? The same chapter tells us: "...that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end". (verse 16). God was saying, in essence, "I was after something in you. I brought you into these situations so you could practice your faith. Only these kinds of circumstances could produce true faith in you!"
"He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger... (verse 3). In other words: "I gave you hard places, hungering places, thirsting places, places that were alarming, terrifying --- to see if you had a trusting heart!"
Rejoice in our God, who is our strength! He will make us to walk in the right way. It is all His work. And we must simply yield, stand still and see His salvation! The Lord promises:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10) Hallelujah!
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From the "Fruitful Vine" Newsletter, Issue: 36
The Fruitful Vine PO Box 183 Chesteville OH 43317 Email: Fruitfulvi@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/fruitfulvi/indexf.htm
WHY LORD ?
By J. Kirkpatrick
God's ways are higher than our ways. Is it possible that sufferings, trials and testings can be for good? God says that in Romans 8:28,
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.
HOW CAN THIS BE? It is very significant that the first word in the book of Lamentations is the word, "HOW"! The Hebrew word "how" in Lam. 1:1 is EYK, Strong's Number 349H. It is an interjection expressing satisfaction. Again, how could lamentations be an expression of satisfaction?
God's truths are unsearchable from our carnal understanding. Yet the Holy Spirit, our teacher, our comforter, chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. Could it be that when things are going along fine for us that this is hindering our walk with the Lord? The world may ask,
HOW COULD A GOD OF LOVE ALLOW US TO SUFFER?
But that is exactly what the Lord is showing us in the book of Lamentations. Suffering, indeed, is for our good and it helps to grow us into a mature person.
God's provision, therefore, is not for carnal, material satisfaction and happiness in our lives. It is the exact opposite. He stirs up our nest so that we will begin to perk up and ask
WHAT'S GOING ON?
God's provision for us is the exact opposite than what the world may think. God, in his infinite wisdom and love provides suffering, trials, testings, and persecutions to cause us to express "TRUE SATISFACTION". Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear?
"Eye hath not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those that love Him." Can you receive suffering, trials, testings and persecutions as a TRUE BLESSING from the Lord?
Could it be possible that the Lord stirs us up to get our attention so that we will begin to question worldly ideas and ideals that we think we must attain to?
Can we be as the eagle, who when stirred from its nest, rises above all situations?
Do you sometimes ask, "WHY ARE THESE THINGS HAPPENING TO ME?"
It is because God knows that sufferings will bring True Joy when the peaceable fruit of righteousness is brought forth in our lives?
We are promised True Joy through sufferings. Be strong and of good courage! You can overcome and you can change the old man. You can put off the old carnal flesh man and put on the true robe of righteousness. But it will only come about as we willing endure suffering, persecution, and the refining fires of His furnace. *** I Samuel 2:8.
WHY LORD ??? Why ???
BECAUSE HE LOVES AND CHASTISES EVERY ONE WHOM HE LOVES. HEBREWS 12:5-6
Why me Lord? Why am I going through such trials?"
"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." *** Isaiah 48:10
Do we question the Lord as Job:
"Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me." *** Job 10:8
Why Lord? Why?
To become God's precious jewels, His peculiar treasures who are able to stand when He appears we must endure suffering. Why? The brightness and beauty of gemstones can only be revealed to their fullest only after cutting and polishing. Their beauty may be greatly diminished, however, if they contain internal flaws or bits of foreign material.
Totally clean, high-quality gemstones are exceedingly rare, because minerals are usually formed in nature under stress. It is only by cutting, polishing, and being put through the refining fires that God's precious jewels shall shine forth in all their brilliancy.
HOPE FOR THE SUFFERING
"Why me, Lord, what have I ever done to deserve these sufferings I am going through?
God knows our heart's cry. God knew us from the beginning. He is preparing us to become a special people unto Him, His jewels in the earth.
God knows those who have cried out to Him, "O that I may know You, and ... the fellowship of Your sufferings..." *** Philippians 3:10c
"And our hope of You is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation." *** II Corinthians 1:7
The word "consolation" means "that which affords comfort and refreshment". God knows our heart's desire to become "Comforters" in the days ahead. And there is only one way to become a comforter, and that is for the labourer to endure the same hardships of those whom he will help, encourage and sustain.
"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." *** I Peter 5:10
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits." *** II Timothy 2:6
God knows that it is only through suffering that we will become those precious vessels, strong enough to be used in bringing deliverance to others.
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
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.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" *** I Peter 4:12-17
We need to cry out to God, "Yes Lord, yes, to your will and to your way. I will trust you and obey." Jesus, our example, had to cry out,
"Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." *** Luke 22:42
The cup of Jesus' suffering was poured to the full, yet the Father knew His heart. What is our heart's cry? Are we crying out, "O That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." *** Philippians 3:10
Why are we being put through so much?
The durability of God's precious jewels depends on its toughness, its freedom from a tendency to break, cleave, or otherwise separate its hardness, its resistance to scratching and general abrasion. Only through trials, testings and sufferings will we become God's peculiar treasures in the earth. Only through sufferings can we become the husbandman who will comfort others because we have first become partakers of their sufferings.
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MY FAITHFUL
By F Moore, NB
Yea...many are called. Yea, they are called and called
and called...but few are chosen.....
Yea, I say few are chosen.....FEW.
But where are the faithful out of these chosen ones?
For it is not enough to be called and chosen.....
You must be faithful!
You cannot come to Me if you are not called.
You cannot enter Me is you are not chosen. And BE SURE...
You cannot abide in Me if you are not faithful.
Where are the faithful ones?
Out of the few that are chosen, where are the faithful?
They are not in the crowd.
They are not on the avenues.
They are not slumbering in the bed.
Where are the faithful?
Look behind the closed door.
See! There is the faithful one.
In his closet....
Alone.....Alone with Me.
This is where My faithful is hidden.
This is where he is.
But.........
There is a wonderful secret. A delight.
For My faithful do not dwell in houses made of wood,
But they abide in Me.
Then surely I am the closet in which they are hidden.
Yes......... My faithful are hidden in ME.
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We would like to hear from you, sharing your calling in God, and what the Lord is speaking to your heart in this last hour of time. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Email us at: Vitalwords@aol.com
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