The cross of Christ reminds all of us the great purpose in His sufferings.  We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who also endured pain! There are countless people who walk in the miraculous, but why not all? Many ask God. “What are these miserable years for? Have You not heard the whole creation groaning sighs? Did not the woman’s tears of mourning wake Thee Lord?” His answer is not obvious. We must seek diligently while we suffer. An explanation of why is that Jesus suffered to give us an example of Hope in His promises. As we examine our hearts and it’s spiritual condition, we find it full or empty? Alas, many do NOT find a suitable reason, but a determined few find a Person.  Searched hearts, fully confessed, why do we yet suffer? Inquiring minds want to know why!  Why must I sit while others run? Does our suffering produce perseverance? Oh, Lord, Thy Word is the piercing light that aptly penetrates, slices, divides and reveals what You see in me. Merciful Savior, with a crucified flesh, I no longer live, my soul impaled, 💔 only the pure Spirit of God works to free my spirit for Thee. With less of me, more of You shines through. All glory to God.

To overcome and rule over the flesh is submission. Praise God for the Holy Spirit to help in times of temptation. Learn not to repeat the mistakes of our history. The more we know God’s Word; the quicker we recognize our will attempting to justify our own ways over His. What does God say about pride? He hates it. As we submit to the Holy Spirit, He quickly convicts us of the voice of our flesh, our selfishness, our preferences, our long held beliefs that are contrary to His Word. Pride comes before the fall of any person. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Be thankful in all things, always. Humble yourself, admit your thinking has been influenced by a dark spirit that seeks to destroy your faith in God. Hate and Love do not coexist. Empty yourself through repentance and allow the Word of God to do surgery, to penetrate and operate within your soul. His Word is active, sharper than a double edged sword. Read it and thank God for His patience, mercy and grace. Be His light and shine with purity for His glory.

Praise God for the mercy of oxygen, for the grace found in a smile. Praise God for the friend we have in Jesus, and His promise to give life to dry bones. List the glory of His ever present help in all things. A sunrise gives hope, a flower bursts in obedience, the rain washes, and fire burns away dross. Praise God for His life extending mercies. Rejoice and look at Jesus on the cross. He demonstrates that His crucified flesh allowed God’s will to be done. Crucify thy stubborn will so that His will can be done through you. The Word separates our soul from our spirit.  Our stiff necked ways and emotions then soak in His holy Presence.  Then His Spirit ministers to our spirit.

Thank Him for igniting your faith and humbly fall to His feet.  Consider the torture, pain, and rejection that He endured — for you. Some days, it feels like we are merely surviving ‘in Him’ rather than thriving as we abide ‘in Him’.  Wherever you are He is. Take comfort in believing that He will complete the work that He began in you — 1 Kings 19:10  ” I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” At times, we honestly feel helpless just like Elijah. Where did our help come from?  Was Elijah so preoccupied with his own fears that he forgot the fire that fell from heaven at Mount Carmel? In spite of witnessing this great victory, Elijah plunged into discouragement. Our flesh can easily ruin us with roller coaster emotions. It is a lesson for us to trust in God, not our feelings. Whenever we fret, fear, or worry about our desperate circumstances,  let God speak to you through His living, active Word. Ask the Holy Spirit for comfort, direction, or revelation. What was the lesson, the purpose, or the hope that Paul clung to in prison?

It is easy for our flesh to want to take over and hurry up the sanctification process. At times, we resist pain and complain. “Why must I suffer?” Some pray for a healing, and when God does not give them their wish, they reject Jesus, as their Lord in good and bad times. A consecrated FAITH is one that TRUSTS GOD even as we don’t understand the why, the lesson, or GOD’S greater purpose. Just believe His will benefits all who watch and marvel.

Job grew weary and spoke in anguish out of his tormented spirit. His flesh was clothed in maggots. Our Father’s promise was delivered unto Job, in his perfect timing. “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” Psalm 138:8 God’s steadfast love endures forever and He does not forsake the work of His hands. “I leave you peace; My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 Job complained bitterly from his soul and admitted “my life is but a breath” In view of eternity, the short time we are on earth, we will suffer, but thank God we will spend eternity in our glorified bodies. Lord Jesus, in our flesh, we worry and fret about many things. Forgive us for exchanging Your peace as we question Your purpose in our suffering. Deliver us Lord from any unbelief and fill us with Thy peace. Rom 8:18.

Why does God allow suffering? The truth is some have been appointed to suffer, some were born without arms or legs. Joni Erickson Tada suffers with great pain. Her love for Jesus, and trust in Him remains strong. Her courageous witness encourages the world that watches.  Hebrews 12:5 and following. “My child, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His child.” Our Father treats us as His beloved children. “For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Lean into the everlasting Comfortor. Know that Jesus intercedes in prayer for us. Hold onto faith in His plan and purpose.

Before we were born as a being into this world, the truth remains,  we had been a being in God’s heart. While we were enemies to HIM, he knew us, our misery, our madness, and our wickedness. When we wept bitterly, and viewed HIM only as a JUDGE and a hardened RULER, our FATHER viewed us as HIS children, His beloved, and HE yearned that we come to HIM.  He never mistook HIS chosen, but always beheld them as objects of HIS infinite affection. “The Lord knoweth them that are HIS.” Undisciplined children scream for what they want. Have we thought at times “Why doesn’t that parent spank that brat?” Do we not squirm and throw a tantrum when life does not go according to our will? How much more should we submit to God our Father and agree with His way and purpose in our pain. Have you met grown kids who rebel against any criticism or discipline — from a boss, mate, or friend? Those who rebel become unteachable as they question God’s Way.

Our Father disciplines those whom HE KNOWS for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. Do we readily crucify the desires of our flesh? Defiantly, we do what we want, and eat whatever we want. Do we easily deny our will to buy whatever we want? In the end, a life without discipline, becomes a life of tragedy and pain. God’s perfect plan is to prosper our souls, here and for certain in the everafter. Hebrews 10:11 “He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness.” A disciplined life produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained and purified in the hardships of life. God is love and He is not provoked, He keeps no record of wrongs, He bears all things, even our impatience. Our Father endures our questions, and our doubts with Grace. His love never fails, He wraps His purpose for our pain in a mystery that we may never comprehend.

1 Timothy 3:16 “Beyond all question, the MYSTERY from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Colossians 1:27 “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The painful truth is our Father told us that we WILL SUFFER, and in our suffering we bring Him glory. Speak words to encourage your friends who are suffering. We do not have all the answers. God has not abandoned those who love Him, and His purpose will be revealed, in His perfect timing.

As Job suffered his friend Eliphaz gave him a speech Job 5:12 “Anger kills a fool and jealousy slays the gullible. I would appeal to God – for He does great things. He traps the wise so the plans of the deceptive are brought to an end.” Job replies with “Wisdom belongs to God as no person can be more righteous than God, nor can a man be more pure than his Maker. Fools die without wisdom. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh.” Job 4:17 + 19:26 Job was a laughingstock to his friends by calling on God. “everything you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. Yet I prefer to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God. But you coat the truth with lies; you are all worthless doctors. If only you would shut up and let that be your wisdom.” Job 13:3 Job replies to his Eliphaz in chapter 16.

“You are all miserable comforters. Is there no end to your empty words? If you were in my place, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.” Job counters, Bildad.”How can a person be justified before God? Who can oppose God and come out unharmed? Who can ask Him ‘What are You doing?’ I could only beg my Judge for mercy. If I said ‘I will forget my complaint, change my expression, and smile, I would still live in terror of all my pains.” Job exalts God chapter 13. “Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways before Him. Yes, this will result in my deliverance, for no godless person can appear before Him.” We were called to overcome by the word of our testimony. Do we define ourselves by our hardships? Oftentimes, our identity is based on what we have accomplished or overcome. Let us praise God for what He accomplished on our behalf. For it was by His Grace that we were saved, nothing from ourselves.

“Don’t be afraid only BELIEVE, and be made whole.” Luke 8:50 ❤️ The Greek word SOZO is used over 100 times in the New Testament. SOZO translates to mean a spiritual and/or a physical healing. Our salvation includes the forgiveness of sins + deliverance from demons + physical healing. Sozo means to be “made whole” or “be whole”. Acts 14:9 The cripple had FAITH to be healed. James 5:15 “The prayer offered in FAITH will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.” In Luke 8:29 Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to “Come out”. Indwelt with the Holy Spirit we have the authority “in Jesus name” to command healing. READ Acts 14:9 + Isaiah 53:5. ❤️ “It is finished ” ❤️ We STAND FIRM and WIN the spiritual battle in Jesus name now…. or later. “Jesus healed all who came to Him” When I stand before Him face to face, I am confident that I will be totally healed of all infirmity, and I rely on that promised Truth. Until then, in FAITH I pray and trust God as I wait on the Lord.

God is faithful, God is grace, God is mercy – and we boldly come to the throne of Grace. Galatians 3:5-9 “Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your BELIEVING what you heard?” For now we strive to imitate Christ. We pray, we trust, we believe and suffer well while we wait. Psalm 77 builds confidence in a time of crisis. “I will remember the Lord’s works” Yes I will list His ancient wonders, and remember the JOY of my salvation. His power redeemed me from the pit. My God rained down manna as His provision poured out from heaven on an ungrateful people. He parted the Red Sea and His footsteps were unseen. Water gushed out of a rock in the desert, Lazarus was raised from the dead, the same God who chose me made the blind see, and the lame walk. I will reflect on all God has done and meditate on His Word and promises. Glory to God, His ways are perfect.

In Job 42 while in the midst of great suffering, Job is conscious of God’s holy Presence.  He is fully persuaded “surely I spoke of things I did not understand, Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.  We all know good people who have suffered greatly, yet they endured with thanks to God for the cross and courage. We are reminded that God allowed His Son to suffer, “they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him.” Mark 15:17

Knowing about Jesus, isn’t enough! We have to be KNOWN by JESUS. We must submit, surrender, and allow the Holy Spirit to know us, change us, renew our minds, lead us, teach us, comfort us, give us His understanding and wisdom.

“Adam Knew, Eve, his wife, and she conceived… And Adam,,, Knew his wife again,,, and she bare a son!” ~Genesis 4:1,&,25

JESUS, The Beloved, is, from infinite ETERNITY past, GOD! To infinite ETERNITY future, HE is GOD! Right now in this very moment, HE is GOD, The Alpha and The Omega. Without beginning or end. The eternal One. GOD is all-knowing (omniscient)! Yet, “and then, will I, (Jesus) profess unto them, I never KNEW you. DEPART from ME.” Matthew 7:23 NEVER, in all past, present and future! There’s a deep, intimate KNOWING that a faithful HUSBAND and a faithful WIFE have after years of marriage! KNOWING what each other is THINKING, sometimes WITHOUT audible WORDS, because the HEARTS are KNOWN by each other! We will not be able to fully KNOW JESUS, Our Beloved, fully in this lifetime. JESUS is infinite, humans are finite! JESUS wants us to pour our hearts out to HIM, and like a devoted spouse, speak well of our beloved JESUS to others!

The KNOWING, in our present day vocabulary will not work here, but going back to Genesis, it fits!

Harmonized