We Suffer.. But Do We Learn?

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Heard daily on this station at 8 20 a.m. and 5 20 p.m. Truth Matters is a ministry of the Truth Project, whose mission is to empower men and women in the Christian faith to teach biblical truth in the culture and marketplace of ideas, using the Bible as a sacred trust of truth and sharing the message of Jesus. Learn more about the ministry of the Truth Project at www.projecttruthmatters.com. Let's join this week's extended edition as Dr. Davis teaches on God's grace, why we have to suffer, reproach and more.

Hello, I'm Dr. Cheryl Davis and you are listening to Truth Matters. God will lead us into a period of suffering. God will lead us into a period of suffering. So I want to spend a significant amount of time here because really, I feel led that we are all suffering to some certain extent, especially within the last two to three years in the pandemic, a lot of us have experienced suffering that we never anticipated. But I feel like I need to spend some time here just to minister those that are in suffering. You know, I really feel like, you know, the Lord is showing me and I'm feeling, you know, the suffering of the many women in this country. And, you know, and really, I just feel like that I'm going into this realm or going this way to minister to those women.

So I do want to spend some time here. Really, all of us have ashes in our lives, you know, and when you think about some of us actually have an ash pile. All of us have suffered or are suffering at this very moment.

You know, Job sat on the ash pile and reviewed his loss. Some of us are sitting on the ash pile at this very moment. You have suffered loss. You have unanswered prayers. You have wayward children. You have sickness that is not healed. I mean, really, it could be a number of things.

And in talking to many women, even at my own church and even with those that I work with on a day to day basis, there is a lot going on. You know, a lot of us have a lot going on. Some of us really, though, have been sitting on the ash pile so long that you have to wipe the soot off your face each morning to get ready for the world.

You know, I've been there, done that. I even ask the question, why must we suffer? You know, Lord, why does there even have to be an ash pile? But the answer to that question goes all the way back to Genesis.

And I just want to start there. At the end of the six days of creation, God rested on the seventh and looked over his creation and saw that it was good. In the Garden of Eden, man and woman coexisted in purity with God.

They communed with him on a daily basis. But Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And immediately their eyes were opened and they experienced spiritual death. Sin entered into the world. As a result, God's judgment on Adam and Eve occurred and suffering was born. Their judgment affected the entire human race and really it affects us even today. Suffering has become a constant force that will continuously multiply throughout time and will change every life until the end of the ages.

Think about it. The entire medical profession is dedicated to managing suffering. Our police and justice systems are founded on enforcing laws to push back evil. This type of suffering I like to label viral suffering. Viral in the sense that sin is like a virus that infects all humanity and curses the earth.

Viral suffering is communicable and easy to spread and will be around until the second coming of Christ. But this type of suffering is what Satan meant for evil. But Romans 8 28 tells us and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose. What Satan meant for evil God can turn it for good.

So what is our calling? We are called to God's glory. God can use your suffering to bring about his glory within you.

I'm going to say that one more time. God can use your suffering to bring about his glory within you. Some of you are suffering not because of your own actions but because God has willed this suffering into your life. First Peter chapter 3 verse 17 says for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Not all suffering is the will of God but some suffering is the will of God. You know that's hard to hear and that's not popular but it's true. Some of you are suffering today because it is the will of God.

But if this will make you feel any better you are not alone. Jesus had to experience the same type of suffering. If you read Luke chapter 3 Jesus whom John the Baptist identified as the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world came to the river Jordan and was baptized by John. Baptism is a representation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

At the point of Jesus baptism it was a foreshadowing of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus identified with the grace of God by baptism. Jesus began with grace. After his identification with the grace of God he was called to God's glory to fulfill his ministry as the messiah. Before he began his ministry God suffered him for 40 days and 40 nights of intense suffering in the wilderness. Luke chapter 4 verse 1 Then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness being tempted for 40 days by the devil. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to suffer. This suffering was necessary to perfect him so that when the garden of Gethsemane came and he had a choice between his will or God's will he would surrender his will to God's will. The wilderness trained him for the garden of Gethsemane and for the cross. Father into your hands I commend my spirit. If Jesus being fully man and fully God was led by the Spirit to suffer to be called to God's glory we can be led by the Holy Spirit into a period of suffering in our lives.

Some of you are exactly at this point. You have been appointed by God to suffer. You are suffering by appointment not by accident and some of you listening today you are suffering by appointment not by accident.

Like I said before I have been there done that. I suffered a God appointed reproach that lasted 15 years. Sadly I sat on the ash pile so long that I was covered in soot. I had to clean myself up just to go into the world.

I kept makeup in my drawer at work just to fix my face because I would cry and pray all the way to work some days on my 45 minute drive. Honestly I lost my hope a few times. I gave up a number of times.

I was tempted by suicide. However despite going through all that I was still saved and I taught Sunday school the entire 15 year period. The verse that I quoted constantly and really came to know is what the Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9. My grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness. God's grace is sufficient for your suffering today.

A lot of Christians go through suffering and think they are less than because they suffer. I felt shame and at times I felt that I was not saved but what I learned is that because I am called to his glory I'm going to suffer. My heart had communed with God and I asked to see his glory like Moses asked for on Mount Sinai and as I was preparing and studying for this you know the Lord really drew my mind back to when I first got saved and I asked the Lord for this and the Lord showed me that he answered my prayer by sending me this 15 year period of suffering. So I want to encourage you and say that your reproach will not last forever.

My reproach did not last forever. At times it looked like there was no end and no hope but God showed up at certain times to give me just what I needed to complete the time of testing. The Holy Spirit will carry you through. God's grace is sufficient for whatever situation you are in today. Romans chapter 8 verse 18 tells us for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. After you have suffered a while, God's glory will be revealed in you by perfecting you, establishing you, strengthening you, and settling you. You see not everyone that is a Christian is willing to accept the calling of God's glory. There is only a remnant of people that are willing to suffer by appointment to see the glory of God. The majority of the modern day church wants blessings without sacrifice, anointing without brokenness, and peace without spiritual warfare. You cannot shorten, bypass, or sidestep the will of God. The word of God says the will of God is a process and we find that in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 6.

For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. If you shorten the process you devalue the product. Don't end up with the Dollar Tree version when you can have the Williams and Sonoma version. And I don't know about you but if you've gone into Williams and Sonoma those are for professional cooks.

You know Dollar Tree you can buy a bowl and it's a one-time use but Williams and Sonoma they have bowls and cookware that are going to last into the millennium. James chapter 1 verse 4 tells us that and let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete and lacking in nothing. Get the version that God intends for you. One last thing about God's glory is that you know this process is not a one-time thing. We have so much flesh to contend with to be made into the image of God that it takes a couple passes through the process and for me it took 15 years so that's proof there that I had a lot that I had to contend with. Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 but we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Just like a diamond has facets and the more facets it has the more brilliant it is God's glory is just like that. The glory of God has so many facets but our hearts have so many impurities and imperfections that we cannot even trust it. Therefore it will be glory to glory and process after process to bring about the glory of God within us and transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. So don't get discouraged or lose hope because the end result is worth it. The Lord does not waste a moment of our sufferings. The Bible offers us a guarantee that if we complete the process we will achieve perfection. Philippians chapter 1 verse 6 says for I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. In my closing I've shared a lot of information and you may say okay what does all that have to do with me but first I want to review whatever begins with grace will lead to God's glory. We are all called to God's glory but God's glory is going to come at a cost.

It's not free. Your appointed suffering is that payment. Some of you listening today are in a period of appointed suffering. At least now you know you know you're not going to walk around in the dark at least now you know but there is hope you know we are not subjected without hope we are subjected to Christ in hope. I believe that you can suffer successfully or you can suffer better than you're currently suffering. With the right perspective suffering does not have to destroy you when it is designed to perfect you.

I'm going to say that one more time with the right perspective suffering does not have to destroy you when it is designed to perfect you. Philippians chapter 1 verse 6 again for I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. So the reason that I am even talking about this the whole reason why I even have a ministry is because that day of Christ Jesus is the second coming of Jesus Christ. The church today is still focused mainly on the Jesus who died on the cross the suffering servant. This Christ is important please don't get me wrong but we are not teaching about the Jesus who is the reigning king who is coming back to execute judgment on the earth. We are not teaching the Jesus of revelation enough. The last act of grace on behalf of the church is the rapture.

There are no more events that need to occur before the rapture is to occur therefore your appointed suffering is perfecting you for this day for no one knows the hour or the day but God is preparing you for it. We need to be watchful. We need to be wise.

We need to be willing. Our robes need to be white and washed in the blood of the lamb. Jesus Christ is coming after a church without spot or blemish. Jesus Christ is coming after a church without spot or blemish.

Judgment will begin at the house of God. Your suffering has purpose. It will not go to waste. So understand that your appointed suffering today that you are building up eternal treasures that will go with you into eternity.

So don't give up don't give out and don't give in. I hope that this message has blessed you. Thank you for listening to Truth Matters.

I'm Dr. Cheryl Davis. You've been listening to the weekend edition of Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis. Truth Matters is a ministry of The Truth Project, a North Carolina based ministry dedicated to teaching biblical truth and sound theology to those inside and outside of the church. If you'd like to listen to these messages on demand go to projecttruthmatters.com and click on the podcast link. Dr. Davis is also available to speak to your ministry group or church function. She can be reached by email at CherylDavis at projecttruthmatters.com. Or if you'd like to send a letter, the address is Project Truth Matters, Post Office Box 159, St. Paul's, North Carolina, 28384. You can hear Truth Matters devotionals on weekdays at 8 20 a.m. and 5 20 p.m. Until next time, let's all work together to teach a biblical truth to assist, equip, edify, and encourage one another, and bring the Gospel to the world, because truth matters.