Liturgics - 9

3. Suffering for Training(Job, 23:10, James1:3)

 

Refining suffering is God's attempt to bless his people by educating and training them to have perfect faith and maturity of faith suitable for life in heaven (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 16,17, 1 Peter 5:10). The purpose of this suffering of refinement is to purify the inner pride and sinfulness of humans and to form a character of humility and obedience, thereby sanctifying people to resemble Christ. Job's suffering, the cause of which was unknown, was precisely this podium(Training) suffering.

 

So, Job confessed the meaning of suffering that he realized after paying a high price: “He knows the way I take; after he has tried me, I will come out as gold (Job 23:10).” Although there are differences in degree, it is a suffering that all Christians experience, so the suffering of Christians necessarily has God's deep sovereign meaning (James 5:13, Matthew 26:41).

 

In the end, trials are overcome through faith (1 John 5:4-5), patience (James 1:4), and prayer. Patience (Huffer Monet), the secret to suffering, is to place oneself under the Lord, a safe zone from trials and tribulations. Therefore, above all, he must persevere in suffering, discern the will of God (Rom. 12:2), and keep in mind the results of trials: “All things work together for good (Rom. 8:28).”

 

Apostle James reveals the purpose and intention of the refinement suffering permitted by God, “so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:3).” Here, “complete” means completion that has reached its purpose, and “equipped” means complete function. This refers to the state of medical recovery, and in military terms, it refers to the state of a fully armed soldier after training.

 

The goal is to learn patience through trials, to become perfect in faith through patience, and to achieve God's will by being fully equipped. Therefore, when an incomprehensible trial comes, before you ask the question of resentment, “Why me?”, you must look at God’s hand in refining me and humbly ask, “What should I learn through this test?” We must actively pray to become more like the Lord and become strong and courageous Christians.

 

Through the refinement of faith, one can finally develop a character of faith and become a person of love, freedom, laughing, compassion, and power and authority in any environment. Even if you lose everything during a test, you must keep your most precious faith so as not to lose it. Trials become an opportunity to evaluate where a person's standards of value lie. God's intention for testing is to remove useless things that are less important than faith and to strengthen faith, which is as precious as gold.

 

In order to make your faith stronger and wiser, you refine your faith as if you were smelting metal in fire, hitting it with a hammer, and immersing it in water. Thus, through refining suffering, God wants Christians to see everything with faith and think, speak, and act with faith. There are two types of tests: refinement and delusion. The test that God allows to evaluate, refine, and grow one’s faith is called refinement (Deuteronomy 13:3). This is to fulfill God’s good purpose. The result is beneficial to faith, a blessing, and leads to mission, so it is something to be welcomed with joy.

 

There is a temptation that Satan uses for an evil purpose to deceive Christians into sinning and falling away from the faith, and this is called deception. This is just as Satan deceived Eve by telling her that if she eats the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, she can become like God, the result is fruitless and causes her to give up and forget her faith and mission. These temptations of delusion must be resolutely rejected. However, the problem is that we cannot distinguish between refinement and delusion and are ignorant of the source, meaning, purpose, and results of testing. It is difficult for people with a win-win-punishment mind set to believe that God tests the righteous for the purpose of refinement.

 

1) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that comes to test you, as if something strange were happening to you (1 Peter 4:12).

 2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds; for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance have its perfect result, so that you may be complete and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4).

 

Hymn: Nearer My God to thee  

 

1. Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

E’en though it be a cross

That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

 

2. Though like the wanderer,

The sun gone down,

Darkness be over me,

My rest a stone,

Yet in my dreams I’d be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

 

3. There let the way appear,

Steps unto heav’n;

All that thou sendest me,

In mercy giv’n;

Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

 

4. Then with my waking thoughts

Bright with thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs

Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!  

 

4. Suffering for Mission(Phip2:8, Col1:24)

 

Missionary suffering refers to the suffering that must be endured to carry out the mission entrusted to us by God in an evil world, such as the suffering of Jesus Christ during his life on earth, the suffering of the redemptive cross, and the suffering of Apostle Paul for testifying to the gospel (1 Peter 2:20 -24). Loyalty until death requires love and obedience as the goal of suffering, and this missionary suffering is participation in the suffering of Christ (1 Peter 4:12-13). For faithful servants like prophets, suffering was a part of life.

 

The life of the righteous living uprightly and holiness in a sinful world is itself suffering (2 Timothy 3:12), and this is called Habakkuk suffering (Habakkuk 1:13). If you deny or avoid the mission you must fulfill as a Christian, you will only end up experiencing greater suffering like Jonah.

 

1) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).

2) Suffer with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3).

 

Hymn: Stand up, Stand up for Jesus  

 

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus

ye soldiers of the cross;

lift high his royal banner,

it must not suffer loss.

From vict'ry unto vict'ry

his army he shall lead

till ev'ry foe is vanquished

and Christ is Lord indeed.

 

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the trumpet call obey;

forth to the mighty conflict

in this his glorious day.

Ye that are men now serve him

against unnumbered foes;

let courage rise with danger

and strength to strength oppose.

 

3 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

stand in his strength alone;

the arm of flesh will fail you,

ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the gospel armor,

each piece put on with prayer;

where duty calls or danger,

be never wanting there.

 

4 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the strife will not be long;

this day the noise of battle,

the next, the victor's song.

To him that overcometh

a crown of life shall be;

he with the King of glory

shall reign eternally.

 

5. Suffering for Glory(John9:3, 11:4)

 

Glorious suffering is suffering for the purpose of God’s glory and to reveal God’s power and revelation. Good examples include the blind man in John chapter 9, Lazarus, the main character in chapter 11, and the illness and death of Aeneas and Tabitha in Acts chapter 9. It is suffering to reveal God’s great work through the great pain and wounds we experience. Ministry for others can also become ministry prepared to prepare us (2 Corinthians 1:4).

 

Therefore, we need to be willing to share our weaknesses and failures with others so that He may use them for the benefit of others.

Sometimes we must openly expose our weaknesses or wounds so that God can use them in the way He wants (2 Corinthians 12:9). If God had only used perfect people, no one would have been used because everyone has weaknesses and mistakes.

 

1) Jesus answered, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God might be revealed in him (John 9:3).

2) When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness is not a fatal sickness, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).

 

The sufferings include the testing suffering of faith that Abraham suffered, the disciplinary suffering of correction that David suffered, the refining suffering of sanctification that Job suffered, the missionary suffering that Paul faced during his mission, and the revealing of the glory of the Lord that Lazarus faced. We have seen that there is suffering for glory. What hardships have you experienced? The Lord did not promise us a world without suffering, but taught us to overcome suffering with Him (John 16:33). Consider the meaning of suffering.

 

①God’s blessings are wrapped in a cloth of suffering. Suffering is an inevitable gift of grace and love from God (Philippians 1:29, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 2 Corinthians 12:7-12).

②Suffering has a period (1 Peter 1:5-7, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

③Suffering has beneficial results (1 Peter 1:7, James 1:12, Deuteronomy 8:16). 

④Suffering is a means of judgment for non-believers, and training for refinement and sanctification for believers (Job 23:10). Through suffering, you realize what is more important, let go of what you want to throw away, and have simple faith.

⑤The suffering of Christians is suffering with the Lord (Romans 8:17-18, Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 43:10).

⑥This is the suffering for which the Lord served as a model (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 5:7-9).

⑦ It is a suffering that God is able to protect (2 Timothy 1:12, 2 Corinthians 1:4-5, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Corinthians 10:13).

These are the seven principles of overcoming hardship.

​

 

So now, check your attitude toward overcoming hardships.

①Do you recognize God’s sovereignty over suffering (Job 1:22)?

② Can you be thankful, knowing that even suffering is God’s grace and love (Psalm 136:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 2:29)?

③ Can you accept the results of suffering with joy, knowing that they are God’s blessings (1 Peter 4:3, James 1:2)?

④Have you thought about what the lesson of suffering is (Psalm 119:67, 71)?

⑤Are you confident of victory over suffering (Romans 8:28, 37)?

⑥Are you keeping your faith until the end even during hardships (2 Timothy 4:7)?

⑦Are you enduring suffering (Romans 5:34)?

⑧Are you praying during suffering (Philippians 4:6)?

⑨Are you praising and worshiping God even in times of suffering (Job 1:21)?

⑩Are you filled with the Holy Spirit right now (Ephesians 5:18)?

 

Suffering definitely has God’s deep meaning. We must believe that God is with us even in times of suffering and that He is working hard to achieve His purpose. The question is not how you are tested, but how you overcome. I hope you will overcome hardships and become an all-weather warrior of Christ who rises and wins like Ottogi (A toy that stands up even if you knock it over).

 

Find and read the words that promise victory in the following sufferings (John 16:33, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Isaiah 41:10, 1 John 4:4). “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all (Psalm 34:19).” I never thought that Deacon Stephen, Peter, or Apostle Paul might weakly deny the Lord and turn away even in the midst of trials, suffering, or the danger of martyrdom. And I wasn't worried.

 

This is because they believed that the Spirit of Glory was above them, who would always help them in their weaknesses when they needed it. “Beloved, do not regard the fiery trial that is coming to try you as though some strange thing had happened to you, but rejoice because you share in the glory of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed, you may rejoice and be glad, in the name of Christ. “If you are reviled, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:12-14).”

 

Hymn : Up, and Fight Against the Devil  

 

1. Up and fight against the devil, You whose sins are washed away!

Bold against the host of evil come and gather for the fray. See the

judgment coming closer, And perdition's awful Day, The Day is almost here!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! Glory! glory, hallelujah!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! For triumph drawing near!

 

2. Up and fight against the devil, You whose sins are washed away!

Ever nearer comes the tumult of the foe's immense array. Cast our

own offenses from us And the sins that so betray; Trust God and cast out fear!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! Glory! glory, hallelujah!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! For triumph drawing near!

 

3. Up and fight against the devil, You whose sins are washed away!

Jesus Christ is waiting open armed For all who trust and pray. He is

eager to assist you; Come to Him and don't delay. Come now, His call is clear!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! Glory! glory, hallelujah!

Glory! glory, hallelujah! For triumph drawing near!