SUFFERING FRUITFULLY
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Here are two people who have
cancer. They have the same type cancer. One has cancer in vain and the other
does not. Two women lose husbands to death and one is in vain and wasted while
the other is not in vain. Two people have a teenager that breaks their hearts.
One couple’s suffering is wasted and in vain and the other is not. Two young
ladies who have illegitimate children with one having heartache in vain wasted
and the other does not.
cancer. They have the same type cancer. One has cancer in vain and the other
does not. Two women lose husbands to death and one is in vain and wasted while
the other is not in vain. Two people have a teenager that breaks their hearts.
One couple’s suffering is wasted and in vain and the other is not. Two young
ladies who have illegitimate children with one having heartache in vain wasted
and the other does not.
Two teenagers go to college with
their dads and moms. The both have friends, church, and a pastor back home but
one is bitter and their suffering will be in vain while the other is not. Two
women go to college with their husbands and they live in undesirable
circumstances. They do not see their husbands as much as before. One is
suffering in loneliness and it is wasted and in vain while the other is not.
Two couples have children with deformities. One suffers in vain while the other
does not.
their dads and moms. The both have friends, church, and a pastor back home but
one is bitter and their suffering will be in vain while the other is not. Two
women go to college with their husbands and they live in undesirable
circumstances. They do not see their husbands as much as before. One is
suffering in loneliness and it is wasted and in vain while the other is not.
Two couples have children with deformities. One suffers in vain while the other
does not.
My admonition is do not suffer in
vain! I have observed in these 38 years of ministry heartache after heartache
of God’s dear people. I also have observed how people have taken it or not
taken it. It ultimately seems to fall in two categories. Those who suffer in
vain and those who do not suffer in vain but fruitfully! What is the
difference? In Romans 8:28 we have probably the most famous verse in all of the
Scriptures.
vain! I have observed in these 38 years of ministry heartache after heartache
of God’s dear people. I also have observed how people have taken it or not
taken it. It ultimately seems to fall in two categories. Those who suffer in
vain and those who do not suffer in vain but fruitfully! What is the
difference? In Romans 8:28 we have probably the most famous verse in all of the
Scriptures.
IT DOES NOT MEAN ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR YOU
I hear people who have heartaches
say well everything works together for good, which is just not true! All things
do not work together for good for you. What does it mean?
say well everything works together for good, which is just not true! All things
do not work together for good for you. What does it mean?
IT DOES NOT MEAN ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR CHRISTIANS
Neither does this verse mean that
because you are saved nor a Christian that all things work together for you
either. This is just not true!
because you are saved nor a Christian that all things work together for you
either. This is just not true!
IT DOES NOT MEAN ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE ONE WHO
LOVES GOD AND CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE
LOVES GOD AND CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE
It does not mean if you love God
and are called according to his purpose that all things work together for good
for you. It means that all things work together for good but it may be the good
of someone else!
and are called according to his purpose that all things work together for good
for you. It means that all things work together for good but it may be the good
of someone else!
Here is a deacon in the Bible
whose preaching. His name is Stephen. He is stoned to death and while Stephen
is being stoned I do not see anything good for Stephen here. Stephen is dying
and I see nothing happy about that. It did not work together for good for
Stephen did it? However there was a young man there holding the coats of those
who were stoning Stephen and his name was Saul of Tarsus.
whose preaching. His name is Stephen. He is stoned to death and while Stephen
is being stoned I do not see anything good for Stephen here. Stephen is dying
and I see nothing happy about that. It did not work together for good for
Stephen did it? However there was a young man there holding the coats of those
who were stoning Stephen and his name was Saul of Tarsus.
Saul of Tarsus saw the way
Stephen died and it pricked him and he never could remove himself for the way
Stephen died. Saul of Tarsus became Paul the Apostle that great preacher who
brought the Gospel to the Western world. Perhaps the greatest missionary who
ever lived came into existence because of bad that happened to the deacon
Stephen.
Stephen died and it pricked him and he never could remove himself for the way
Stephen died. Saul of Tarsus became Paul the Apostle that great preacher who
brought the Gospel to the Western world. Perhaps the greatest missionary who
ever lived came into existence because of bad that happened to the deacon
Stephen.
All things work together for good
for Saul of Tarsus because Stephen loved God and was called according to his
purpose. It does not necessarily mean that all things work together for good to
the person who loves God. Please do not misunderstand me for Stephen did not
have it real bad because he did go to Heaven but the way he went was not very
good.
for Saul of Tarsus because Stephen loved God and was called according to his
purpose. It does not necessarily mean that all things work together for good to
the person who loves God. Please do not misunderstand me for Stephen did not
have it real bad because he did go to Heaven but the way he went was not very
good.
IT DOES NOT MEAN ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD NOW
It does not say that good which
comes from your suffering will be in your lifetime. It does not say it will be
now, tomorrow, the next year, later in your lifetime or how long later. It
simply does not say what we want it to say!
comes from your suffering will be in your lifetime. It does not say it will be
now, tomorrow, the next year, later in your lifetime or how long later. It
simply does not say what we want it to say!
THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT LOVE GOD HIS SUFFERING IS IN VAIN
What a sad thing to have cancer
for nothing, or lose a loved one for nothing, or lose a teenage for nothing, or
to go through the jaws of death to deliver an illegitimate baby for nothing, or
to go to college for nothing? What a tragedy to go through sadness or a sorrow
or bereavement for nothing?
for nothing, or lose a loved one for nothing, or lose a teenage for nothing, or
to go through the jaws of death to deliver an illegitimate baby for nothing, or
to go to college for nothing? What a tragedy to go through sadness or a sorrow
or bereavement for nothing?
If you do not love God you suffer
in vain and your suffering is wasted. This love spoken of here is a godly love,
a deep love, and a deep abiding love, a deep commitment and a deep trust.
in vain and your suffering is wasted. This love spoken of here is a godly love,
a deep love, and a deep abiding love, a deep commitment and a deep trust.
THE PERSON WHO LOVES GOD TAKES SUFFERING AND USES IT FOR THE GOOD OF
SOMEONE, SOME WHERE, SOMETIME, AT SOME PLACE
SOMEONE, SOME WHERE, SOMETIME, AT SOME PLACE
You may not ever see it, know it,
or understand it but if you love God than your suffering will be for the
benefit of someone some where at sometime at some place! There is a word that
is missing from the Christian’s vocabulary and that is the word “unselfishness.”
Everything is centered on us!
or understand it but if you love God than your suffering will be for the
benefit of someone some where at sometime at some place! There is a word that
is missing from the Christian’s vocabulary and that is the word “unselfishness.”
Everything is centered on us!
A person who loves God and does
good God will take their suffering and use that suffering somewhere for
somebody, sometime, and at someplace in time.
good God will take their suffering and use that suffering somewhere for
somebody, sometime, and at someplace in time.
GOD PUTS THE SUFFERING OF A PERSON WHO LOVES GOD AND DOES THE WILL OF
GOD IN A BOTTLE FOR FUTURE USE FROM HEAVEN’S DRUGSTORE
GOD IN A BOTTLE FOR FUTURE USE FROM HEAVEN’S DRUGSTORE
In other words Romans 8:28
assures that not one ache, or pain, or sorrow, or heartache will ever be wasted
to the one who loves God and is called according to his purpose.
assures that not one ache, or pain, or sorrow, or heartache will ever be wasted
to the one who loves God and is called according to his purpose.
Now with that in mind it is not
as hard for you or me to suffer! If I stop and realize that some day this is
going to help someone, some day, somewhere, at some place then I can make it!
So selfish people can’t take it because it is all about them! Unselfish people
can take it! That is why you admire certain Christians who are going through
some awful thing in their life with a smile on their face and say I don’t’
think I could do that!
as hard for you or me to suffer! If I stop and realize that some day this is
going to help someone, some day, somewhere, at some place then I can make it!
So selfish people can’t take it because it is all about them! Unselfish people
can take it! That is why you admire certain Christians who are going through
some awful thing in their life with a smile on their face and say I don’t’
think I could do that!
The suffering that comes my way
may help my wife, my sons, my daughters, my grandchildren, my preacher boys,
and my preacher friends. If I love God and I am in the will of God and then I
suffer that means I am not wasting my suffering. I will not suffer in vain.
Hold it I will still suffer but it will not be in vain!
may help my wife, my sons, my daughters, my grandchildren, my preacher boys,
and my preacher friends. If I love God and I am in the will of God and then I
suffer that means I am not wasting my suffering. I will not suffer in vain.
Hold it I will still suffer but it will not be in vain!
You who are selfish and do nothing
but think of yourselves may I say in the first place you cannot escape
suffering. In the second place you will be miserable because you are selfish
and your suffering will not benefit any one including yourself.
but think of yourselves may I say in the first place you cannot escape
suffering. In the second place you will be miserable because you are selfish
and your suffering will not benefit any one including yourself.
God said if I love him and if I’m
in his will then when I do suffer he will take my suffering and bottle it up as
a medicine for someone else.
in his will then when I do suffer he will take my suffering and bottle it up as
a medicine for someone else.
Can you imagine going to Heaven
and walking through gates of Pearl, walking on golden streets, having a spell
enjoying Heaven, then looking down from Heaven, and watching God using your
suffering to help others.
and walking through gates of Pearl, walking on golden streets, having a spell
enjoying Heaven, then looking down from Heaven, and watching God using your
suffering to help others.
Revelation 13:14, “…and their works do follow them.”
However, those of you who do not love God, and I’m not speaking about a
fondness either, and those of you who are not doing good your suffering is in
vain and it is wasted on you! What a shame! You’re complaining, griping, finger
pointing, cruel words, and hateful attitude helps no one!
However, those of you who do not love God, and I’m not speaking about a
fondness either, and those of you who are not doing good your suffering is in
vain and it is wasted on you! What a shame! You’re complaining, griping, finger
pointing, cruel words, and hateful attitude helps no one!
Thank God, God sometime,
somewhere will use every tear I have shed, and some place for the good of some
one. Every hurt that I feel or have felt and every heartache will be used
someday for the good of somebody. No tear, no pain, no sorrow, no grief, no
bereavement, and not a heartache is ever wasted!
somewhere will use every tear I have shed, and some place for the good of some
one. Every hurt that I feel or have felt and every heartache will be used
someday for the good of somebody. No tear, no pain, no sorrow, no grief, no
bereavement, and not a heartache is ever wasted!
What a shame to sit there in a
rest home for nothing! What a shame to have cancer for nothing! What a shame to
have lost a loved one in death for nothing! What a shame to have suffered
physical illness for nothing! What a shame to have a physically handicapped
child for nothing! What a shame to be left alone as a mother to rear children
alone for nothing! What a shame to have a church split for nothing! What a
shame to be betrayed by so-called friends for nothing!
rest home for nothing! What a shame to have cancer for nothing! What a shame to
have lost a loved one in death for nothing! What a shame to have suffered
physical illness for nothing! What a shame to have a physically handicapped
child for nothing! What a shame to be left alone as a mother to rear children
alone for nothing! What a shame to have a church split for nothing! What a
shame to be betrayed by so-called friends for nothing!
Please understand this anybody
anywhere can love God, can do good for God, and be in the will of God if he or
she is a child of God. The tragedy is that no one is going to escape suffering.
Either you will suffer fruitfully or fruitlessly!
anywhere can love God, can do good for God, and be in the will of God if he or
she is a child of God. The tragedy is that no one is going to escape suffering.
Either you will suffer fruitfully or fruitlessly!