The Spiritual Condition of America, Politics, Culture, and Current Events Analyzed Through the Lens of Scripture. Welcome to the Alex McFarland Show. What is the purpose of suffering in the life of a Christian? Hi, Alex McFarland here. Welcome to the program.
This is a special program in that it wasn't really scheduled as I'm recording it and putting it in the queue, but I'm talking today about suffering and really the power of suffering in the life of a Christian because I have a big, big prayer request that I want to share with all of you regarding a very special family in our life that needs some urgent prayer. And I'll get to that in just a moment. But one of the most perennial apologetics questions that we ever get relates to the problem of pain and suffering. If you're a born-again believer, you are secure in Christ. Your sins are forgiven.
You're bound for heaven. You've put your faith in Jesus. And your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. No doubt about that. The Bible promises that if we put our trust in Jesus, we are secure in Christ.
And yet, that does not mean. That the life of the Christian is a pain-free life without challenges, stresses, that some of the most godly people I know are. Are people that have suffered, case in point? Johnny Erickson Tata, who has just represented the gospel exemplary around the world and yet for decades has been paralyzed. And early in her journey, after her spinal injury so many years ago, they fasted and prayed, anointed her with oil.
And it's like the Apostle Paul, where Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and he said, For this thing I besought the Lord thrice. In other words, three times prayed and said, God, please remove this thorn. And God told the Apostle Paul, My grace is sufficient for you. And, you know, there are many people I've met, and I've been in this place before, and I thought, you know, I could serve the Lord better. I could walk with the Lord more fully.
I would have a better experience if I could just be rid of this or that thing. And yet, even for some of the most faithful believers, The hard things remain.
So, what are we to make of this?
Well, honestly, And this is going to sound very counterintuitive. When we face hard times, I think in the fully orbed Christian worldview, it can actually be indicative of how much God loves us. Because as we navigate problems, From a godly point of view, It deepens us. It purges us of self reliance. It refocuses our heart, our life, our attention, our loyalty on Jesus.
I think we learn things about Christ's faithfulness that we might otherwise never have known. And really, that thing that we so urgently wish to be out from under may actually be the vehicle that God uses to take us where we want to be spiritually and emotionally, even physically, financially. I'm going to read a scripture in just a moment, 1 Peter 2. But first, I want to share a quote by Tim Keller, the late Tim Keller. He wrote a book on common objections to Christianity.
He and I had lunch in New York City a couple of years ago, and we talked about we each had a book of the same title, The Ten Most Common Objections to Christianity and How to Answer Them. I gently reminded him that mine came out first. But he was a great pastor, and he was a bit of an apologist as well. But Tim Keller said this: Christianity teaches that against Buddhism. Suffering is real.
against the idea of karma, suffering is often unfair. See, karma says, Oh, you're getting what you deserved. You did something wrong in a past life. And you know, I even hear Christians talk about karma these days. And it is not a karmic universe, I assure you.
It is a theistic universe led by an all-wise, all-good God. Keller said against the idea of karma suffering is often unfair, and against secularism suffering is meaningful.
Now listen to Tim Keller's summation. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly, it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine. I really agree. And let me just say, down here in this fallen world, you are going to go through some times of suffering. It doesn't mean God doesn't love you.
It doesn't mean God has abandoned you. It doesn't necessarily mean that you're in sin or you have some unconfessed sin in your life.
Now it may be, but the Bible tells us if we suffer, we are not to suffer as a transgressor.
So, one thing, if you're going through suffering and you're wondering why, why me, God?
Well, search your heart, search your life, and make sure all is well, and there's not some realm of your life that you've withheld from God, there's not some known Area that you're resisting the Holy Spirit's Correction on, but let me read from 1 Peter 2:21 through 25. and we'll talk about the power of suffering. in the life of a Christian. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, says the Apostle Peter, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth.
Now that's a quotation from Isaiah fifty three. Of course, the Lord Jesus had no sin. There was no deceit found in his mouth. Verse twenty three of First Peter two. And while being reviled, he did not revile in return.
While suffering he uttered no threats, but entrusting himself to him who judges righteously, and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For by his wounds you were healed. for you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Well, that's a powerful statement, and it says that we have been called to suffering.
Now, our suffering is not what purchases our forgiveness. No, it was Christ's suffering on the cross, and some just paradoxical things. things about this first Peter 2 21 through 25. passage We are called to suffering. It says, For hereunto ye were called.
Really? For what reason?
Well, like I said, it contributes to our Christian growth. It is a witness to those around us. It really, really is. I've talked to so many people who have shared stories about, you know, I'll say, how did you come to know the Lord? And they say, well, I had a friend, and they went through this terrible thing, and I watched them.
They trusted Jesus. They rejoiced in their day. And uh it was such a powerful example to me that I realized I needed this quiet strength and power. that comes from Jesus. And of course Our example is Jesus.
It says in the 1 Peter 2, 21 through 25, verse 22, 23. He's our example. He suffered for us. He had no sin, he never did sin. When he was beaten and falsely accused, he uttered no threats.
But Jesus, our example, the Saviour, the Son of God. trusted himself to the one who judges righteously If you are in the middle of suffering, trust yourself. to the Heavenly Father. He's with you, he's got you. He does all things well.
Now stay tuned, we've got a break, and I've got a Biggest prayer request ever, and I need you all to pray.
So stay tuned. We're back after this. Fox News and CNN call Alex McFarland, a religion and culture expert. Stay tuned for more of his teaching and commentary after this. Producer Mike for the Alex McFarlane Show, listen to this.
Alex is the Christian voice we need right now. I love listening to him, and the guests he has on the show are just amazing. I highly recommend his podcast. Great words, Alex.
Well, we give God the glory. We thank the listeners for kind sentiments like that, but we give God all the glory. But, folks, please listen in, spread the word. You're spreading the gospel. Tell others about our programming, and we sincerely thank you.
Do you know prayer is the nerve that moves the muscle of God? Hi, Alex McFarland here encouraging you to download our free PDF of 31 Days of Prayer for Our Nation. Discover how consistent prayer can transform your heart and our nation. These are times of uncertainty, people need hope, and specific prayers get specific answers.
So go to alexmacfarland.com and download the free PDF of prayer, and I challenge you to make this next 31 days a time of powerful prayer. Uh He's been called trusted, truthful, and timely. Welcome back to the Alex McFarlane Show. Welcome back to the program. Alex McFarland here.
We're talking about suffering. And uh we are in I Peter two twenty one through twenty five, it speaks of Jesus. It says, Hereunto you were called, because Christ suffered also for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who Jesus, when he was reviled, he reviled not again. In other words, he didn't return.
Evil for evil. But when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. Jesus, verse 24 of 1 Peter 2. His own self bore our sins in his own body on the cross, that while we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray, but you are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
Amen.
So we're in a journey of suffering. Look, you've trusted Christ, you're a Christian, I hope.
Well, that doesn't mean that As a Christian, you're guaranteed to be absolved from health issues, financial issues. Unemployment Family and marriage issues, even the most faithful of Christians suffer things. And let me say this: suffering doesn't necessarily mean you're being attacked by the devil, although it could be. And it doesn't mean that God is maliciously, sadistically inflicting things on you. God is not bad, God is not cruel.
God is a good God. And it doesn't necessarily mean that you've got unconfessed sin. Although you may. I mean, that's the. You know, first thing, is there sin in your life?
But. Down here in this world, it is a fallen world. And the Lord Jesus Christ said, In this world you will have tribulation. It's just part of being in a fallen world. But Jesus said, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
That's John 16:33. Jesus said, I've told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer I have overcome the world, said Jesus.
So we're just down here. Hey, if you're cleaning out a bathroom, it might smell bad. You know, if you're out working in the fields, there's going to be dust and pollen. We're in a fallen world. The Bible says there are these three dynamics at play the world, the flesh, and the devil.
And so we put our trust in Jesus to be saved. But then we also must daily hourly. every moment put our trust in Jesus to navigate the joys and the stresses, the mountain peaks and the valleys of everyday life.
Now I want to share a prayer request with you, and I just want to ask all of you to pray for my longtime friend, mentor, colleague, Professor doctor Gary Habermas.
Now you've heard me reference Habermas so many times, he is the world expert on the resurrection of Christ. And he is also an expert on ancient evidence for the life of Christ. And recently, we've had him on, and he's got a four-volume set, four-volumes. 800 pages each, more than 3,000 pages of evidence for Jesus, the proofs of his physical resurrection. And I was so blessed 35 years ago, you know, to be at Liberty University.
I was working on two graduate degrees. Habermas was the leader on my thesis committee. And just, you know, even then. you know, decades ago, he was just such a revered Professor at Liberty, and as we started the Truth for New Generation conferences around the country. 27, 28 years ago.
Our ministry, I give God the glory, but we really kind of pioneered apologetics, worldview conferences. Attendance ranges from 500 people to more than 5,000. And so dozens of times I've had Gary Habermas come and speak. And he just is amazing. He was one of my professors.
I cannot overstate You know what a wonderful, wonderful Christian man he is.
Now, many of you that know his story, he was very instrumental in leading Lee Strobel to Christ. And Strobel wrote the book, The Case for Christ, which has sold millions of copies.
So God has used Gary Habermas in a great, great way.
Well, his wife, Debbie, 30. thirty one, thirty two years ago, died of stomach cancer. I was in graduate school and I remember that um one day I was in his office and he said, Please pray for Debbie. She's got a stomachache that just won't go away. and she was found to have stomach cancer, And they had small children at that time, and within just a few short months, his wife Debbie died.
It was very. Very hard. Time. And of course many people You know, we wondered how could this great apologetics leader, this defender of the faith, as far as we all know, just a fine, fine Christian man, and he is. And yet his wife died.
But he Walked with Jesus, praise God, and eventually remarried to a wonderful woman named Eileen Habermas. and they've been married thirty years.
Well, a couple of days ago doctor Habermas and I were on the phone. And I said, Dr. Habermas, the articles we're going to write, the Cove, it's great to talk with you. How are you doing? And he said, Well, not too good.
That's what he said. and I sort of in my heart Thought, oh no, oh no. His wife, Eileen, has got pancreatic cancer. They just learned this days ago. Pancreatic cancer is bad news.
And he said, Please pray. And they are just such godly people. And I know we have so many things. Every one of you has issues on your heart and burdens. I know that.
But I just would ask because Gary Haber Mas asked us to spread the word and if all of you would please pray for Eileen Habermas The wife of Gary Habermas. And as I say, he and I are to be at the Cove this summer. And he said to me, he said, Look, I will be with you at the Billy Graham Center in July, the Cove. And by the way, he and I will be in the April issue of Decision Magazine. But I just, to the Alex McFarland Ministries audience, the Truth for a New Generation, all of our youth in our camps, from My heart.
I'm asking you to pray for me. From my longtime friend and colleague, Gary Habermas and his dear wife, Eileen, we're asking God for a miracle. that God would heal her. And uh God is in the business of doing those things. But, you know, the thing that is such a a testimony, they say, and we all would say, as Paul said, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
And do you know troubles and burdens and Tests they really are indicative of God's love for us because we grow in the Lord, we get crowns in heaven, and honestly and we've got to take a break and we'll be back but the way you navigate the the troubles of life. They really are, as you process this from a godly perspective, trusting Christ, testifying, growing in the Lord, you are. enhancing what your experience in heaven will be like. Because you're going to hear those words, well done. And you're going to get crowns in heaven.
So we'll come back and we're going to talk more about preparing in the good times to walk with Jesus during the tough times. Stay tuned. We've got a brief break. We'll be back. I thank you for listening, and I thank you for your prayers on behalf of Eileen Habermas.
Fox News and CNN call Alex McFarland, a religion and culture expert. Stay tuned for more of his teaching and commentary after this. Hey, producer Mike here for the Alex McFarlane Show. You know, Alex just released his 21st book. It just came out: 100 Questions on Prophecy and the End Times.
And he's here with me in the studio. Alex, tell us about it.
Well, people everywhere are telling me they love this book. I want to ask a favor of the listeners. Folks, this will help, I assure you. Would you go into your local Barnes Noble bookstore? Find a Barnes Noble and go in.
If they don't have my books, would you special order yourself a copy in the Barnes Noble store? The new book, 100 Bible Questions on Prophecy and the End Times, fresh research, published by Broadstreet. Please go into your local Barnes Noble and ask for this and all the other books I've written. It will help spread the word, grow our sales, and get the gospel in the hands of others. And I thank you for doing this to spread the gospel.
Uh He's been called trusted, truthful, and timely. Welcome back to the Alex McFarlane Show. Welcome back to the program. Alex McFarland here. We'll resume our look at the value.
And the opportunity presented by suffering. But as we continue, I want to encourage everybody to please be in prayer for our very busy schedule for 2026. As you know, we're on the radio seven days a week, we're on television two nights a week, basically to the entire Western Hemisphere. And then we do our youth camps. We've got the Equipped Summer Youth Camps coming up.
More than 1,200 students will be in youth camps and a couple of youth conferences this fall. And my 21st book, I Give God the Glory, it's being circulated. What's interesting about the book, 100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times, among the people that seem to be most enthusiastically reading it are teenagers and young adults because they want to know who Jesus is and where the world is going. And so all of these things and more, then we've got our Conversations That Matter conferences again. This summer in the theaters of Myrtle Beach.
We'll be doing a big session on how to reach Muslims for Christ. We'll be doing a segment on evangelism. And we'll be doing a segment on Law and the rise of the transgender activist and really how this plays out. And our Constitution, as I've taught for years, literally through all 50 states, I've taught that our Constitution is based on natural law. not special law, natural rights, not contrived special rights.
And really the Gospel is obviously the most important thing, how people b can be saved. But I would say the second most important battle that our nation faces right now, besides winning the loss to Jesus, is the battle for the preservation of the US Constitution. And it is imperative that citizens But also elected officials understand that the Constitution only makes sense if we affirm. Morality, that is natural law. Folks, we are doing a very necessary work, and I value your prayers.
And we need your financial support. If you would even today become a partner with us, as we every year we're seeing around 7,500 people a year come to Faith in Christ, mostly young people. And then we interface regularly with elected officials, media leaders, pastors, try to equip and encourage. You can give securely online at alexmacfarland.com. It would really help us if you would invest in this ministry.
And then, of course, you may mail a tax-deductible contribution just to AMM. as in Alex McFarlane Ministries, P.O. Box four eight five, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, two seven three one three. and we promise to handle it faithfully, fruitfully, and effectively, and we thank you.
Well, before the break, I was talking about my dear friend, doctor Gary Habermas, his wife Eileen, who's been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And you might ask yourself, well, why? Why would a valiant man of God, an incredible world-renowned defender of the faith, Face this, a potentially terminal illness. When his first wife died in a similar way, as well.
Well, you know the verse where Job says, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. And that's the posture of the Habermas family. Nevertheless, we want to stand with them in prayer. And, you know, really, only the Christian worldview. can make this promise.
not the promise that you'll never have hard times. Or even tears, tragedies. But what the Christian worldview uniquely can and does promise is that because Christ paid it on the cross, and sin has been defeated, death, the grave, Satan, the fall of Genesis 3 has been addressed, and right now, still, We are in this period called the Church Age in a fallen world. But I assure you, Christ is coming back. Acts 1, verse 11.
This same Jesus will return. The Bible tells us in Isaiah that every hill and every valley, every crooked path will be made straight. Atheists have said to me I look at the world I'll never forget I was debating an atheist in South Dakota at Black Hills State University. He said, I look at the world and I say things ought not be that way.
Well the good news is A merciful All-powerful Savior has looked at this world and said things ought not be that way. That is why we serve the Jesus who says, Behold, I make all things. Things new. You know, the 1 Peter 2, 21 through 25 says, Jesus bare our sins in His own body on the cross, the tree, that we being dead to sins should live under righteousness. By His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53, 6. and r is a present tense verb. Not even will be, although we will get a glorified body one day. I truly believe that in the name of Jesus we need to have fervent faith and believe God for the miracles we need. We believe God for the provision we need, the guidance, the protection, the restoration.
Even yes, the healing now, we can ask for it and we can confidently, in Jesus' name, claim it for ourselves. Yes, we can. And the paradox is I mean, you think about it, when Jesus was reviled and blasphemed, he didn't lash back. The Bible says that as a lamb before the slaughters is silent, He went forward. went to the cross, trusting the Father.
And so let me conclude. And again, I want to preemptively thank you for your prayers for Eileen Habermas, but the productive power of suffering. It says, for you were now that's a past tense verb, were. not any more. But you were like sheep going astray.
But now are returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls. You see, suffering. It's not random. You're not careening through this world, untethered, abandoned, orphaned. No, it is purposeful.
And the sufferings that we go through are redemptive because the titles for Jesus in the Bible, Lord, God, Messiah, Christ, Son of God, Son of Man, Savior. He is all those things. He is our example as well. and we follow Jesus. We look to Jesus.
And these hard times, whether it be health, finances, family relationship, job. career stress, depression, temptation, regrets, self doubt, and certainly one of the severest trials comes through sickness and health issues. But Think about this. If we lay it before the feet of Jesus. And we say, Lord, I trust you.
I believe you. And Lord, my times, even my body and my health, it's in your hands. The Bible says we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. And today, no matter what you're facing, if all is well and you're healthy and happy and holy, praise God for that because. You know, tomorrow might turn the apple cart upside down.
But right now, certainly. You have needs. There are those around you that have needs.
So lay it before Jesus. What a joy to know that in this life we are saved through Jesus, we grow through Jesus, and in the life to come, besides a glorified body and a mansion in glory. You're going to get crowns. for how you navigate life in a Christ honoring, obedient way. For the Christian, it's like my friend Barry Maguire says of Maguire's car wax.
He was in a very tough place, and he and his wife came on Romans eight twenty eight. That says, for we know that all things work together for the good. It means ultimately. And Barry McGuire, he is the most joyful human I've ever known. He said, The secret is nothing bad can come to God's children.
Now there might be some tears to day, but But listen. With Jesus, nothing bad can touch you. You're a child of the king. Rejoice in that and this day and every day let's Manage it, live it. for Jesus and with his help.
He will never leave or forsake you. Christ is with you. Rejoice in that. Alex McFarlane Ministries are made possible through the prayers and financial support of partners like you. For over 20 years, this ministry has been bringing individuals into a personal relationship with Christ and has been equipping people to stand strong for truth.
Learn more and donate securely online at alexmacfarlane.com. You may also reach us by calling 1-877-YESGOD and the number 1. That's 1-877-Y-E-S-G-O-D-1. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you again on the next edition of the Alex McFarlane Show.
