Suffering

http://www.believingstudy.com/articles/27/1/Suffering/Page1.html

Gary Hall

I was raised as a Roman Catholic and intended to become a priest after I left school, but the Lord had other plans for me. In 1973, at the age of 17, I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour at the headquarters of the Liverpool City Mission. This immediately caused problems regarding my family. My mother and father were against what they called my "change of religion". The situation came to a climax when I arrive home one evening from a Christian friend's house only to be met by my father on the doorstep with the words, "You don't live here anymore". So at the age of 18 I would have been homeless but for the kindness of friends. One cannot rely on the goodness of others for too long, so I decided to move into a local boarding house. What I saw and experienced there cannot be written here. Eventually, after spending time living rough and in the Salvation Army hostel, I found my own apartment. I had fallen away from the Lord for two years at this time. My thoughts went back to my childhood desire to become a Roman Catholic priest. I made enquiries and found that the only real option for me was to become a monk in the Franciscan Order. The Saturday before I was due to leave for the monastery in Guildford, Surrey, I pleaded with the Lord, asking, "Lord, is it your will that I should become a monk like St. Francis?" That evening I attended a tent meeting in a local park. A preacher from Northern Ireland, Derrick Bingham, was teaching from the book of Nehemiah. During the service the preacher turned to my direction (there were about 500 people present) and said, God does not want you to become a monk like St. Francis of Assisi." Here was my answer from the Lord. From that moment I made a complete break from the Catholic Church and have come to see it as the biggest cult that this world knows. In 1979 I joined a church, The Mission, in the neighbourhood where I was living. From the moment I walked through the door of that small building I knew that I was home. The godly lifestyle and inspired teaching of Pastor Charles Bolton (promoted to glory 12 December 2003) and his wife brought me back to my first love for Christ. The church had no young people, but I never once felt that I was out of place. These people obviously loved the Lord. In my desire to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ I began to give leaflets out in Liverpool City Centre. Many a Saturday afternoon was spent witnessing to those willing to stop and listen. On one Saturday in late Autumn 1979 I was approached by a girl with an Irish accent. She asked if I was a Christian and where the church I attended was located. The next morning the same girl was found at The Mission. To cut a short story shorter, six months later on March 29 1980, we were married by Pastor Bolton at The Mission. Margaret, my wife, also comes from a Catholic background, but was soundly converted to Christ and from the errors of Rome whilst visiting relatives in New York in the summer of 1979. (You may find her personal testimony one day on these pages.) In 1986 Pastor Bolton retired from the ministry at The Mission. The leadership of the church was handed over to me. To be very honest I did not fully understand what this would entail, but the Lord has been good and has led me each step of the way. Through the Lord's power we have been used to reach many hundreds of people, though our fellowship is actually small in number. In 1988 we changed the name of the church to Living Word. I am convinced that God is about to pour out His Spirit in revival one last time before the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ (see my article on Revival on this site). This revival will not come via the charismatic movement, it will not come from Toronto or Pensacola, it will not come from the ecumenical movement or the so-called Churches Together - these movements are bankrupt of the truth and the Spirit of God. This final revival will come as a result of the true believers in Christ Jesus getting right with Him. The revival will include a return to the Authorised King James Bible. My great desire is to see people coming to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, to see backsliders returning, and to see the church of Christ revived. Though I have many failings I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of my heart. I am willing to serve Him wherever and whenever He sees fit. The word of God is the delight of my life for I'm still amazed after all these years just how fresh and new The Holy Bible is each day!

By Gary Hall

Published on 10/10/2007

All those who have true faith in Jesus Christ are the children of God, but we are meant to heirs also. As heirs we inherit everything that God has promised us in Christ, even if we undergo severe suffering for His name.

Suffering

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:16-18).

Introduction

Suffering may not be a pleasant topic to think about in today’s lukewarm church, but Christians throughout the ages have suffered for the cause of Christ, and continue to do so, especially in Islamic countries. Satan has always used persecution and suffering to destroy the church, but in fact it has the opposite effect. He thought the crucifixion of the Saviour would wipe out the truth, instead the disciples went out and won thousands to Christ. He has used governments to limit what churches can do and say, but the true church has always become stronger. He sought to burn believers and their Bibles, but Christians became more determined to speak of Christ and produce more Bibles. He has inspired corrupt versions of the Bibles, but the faithful uphold the Authorized Bible. The Foxes Book of Martyrs tells many tales of suffering and death by the early Christians.

However, not all suffering is for the faith. We speak of suffering with the flu or a sore back. We think that we are suffering when the car does not start in the morning, or there is no milk left for a cup of coffee. In fact very few of us actually suffer for Christ today in this nation. Nevertheless, when the ungodly rule, the righteous feel the pain. “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man” (Psalm 71:4)

Faith in Christ

Paul tells us in Philippians 1:29 that if we have faith in Christ then it is highly likely that we will be persecuted for it, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” In light of this text we must question what we are doing wrong if all are speaking well of us. “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!” (Luke 6:26).

Surrender to Christ

We must be surrendered to Christ by living holy and godly lives. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). This means that we must be surrendered to do His will even if it does involve deprivation. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). How can we claim to be followers of Christ if we are unwilling to stand with Him no matter what comes our way? “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).

This surrender included the willingness to risk losing everything we have to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

Prepared by Christ

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind”

(1 Peter 4:1). No one enjoys suffering, but we have to accept the inevitable if we seek to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude :3). In times of relative peace and safety believers ought to build themselves up in the Lord. By reading and studying the Scriptures we are preparing ourselves for times of suffering. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude :20-21).

Truly trusting Christ

“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”

(1 Peter 5:10). Instead of destroying what little trust we have, the Lord can use suffering to increase it. We are inclined to think that perfect trust give us the ability to face any form of suffering, but suffering itself can strengthen our resolve to serve God even more. Whenever we suffer for the Lord it gives God an opportunity to strengthen us in our spirit, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16).

In 1 Peter 2:23 we read that Christ “was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” In the same way, we must commit ourselves unto God despite what we might be enduring. Those who do so will find themselves becoming more bold in their witness for Christ, and like Paul can testify, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

Conclusion

Though we naturally avoid suffering and persecution, we ought not to have any fear regarding it. If we continue to love and serve the Lord, we will find that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Very few, if any, of those who served God in the Old and New Testament lived a life free from problems, persecution and strife, but those who put their trust in the Lord found the strength to continue to stand for God. We can be assured that the One who strengthened the prophets and martyrs will stand by us in our hour of trial too.

More sermons and studies can be found at www.LWBC.co.uk