Tag-Archive for ◊ suffering ◊

27 Sep 2023 Romans (Program #22)

Romans (Program #22) – Heirs of Glory (4)

Most Christians know and have quoted Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for good to those who love Him. Today we are going to find out what is that “good” that God is working for in every Christian’s life.

The value of Romans 8 is hard to overestimate in a Christian’s life.  It tells us in a practical way how we can experience the Spirit as the sanctifying Spirit – the Spirit of life in a practical way to make our mind life by setting our mind upon the spirit, to transform us in that life and even to bring that life into our mortal body.  more…

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09 Aug 2023 Acts (Program #45)

Acts (Program #45) – The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (11)

To suffer persecution on behalf of Jesus is not uncommon. Believers have experienced this glory from the first century. We may think that the Biblical pattern for such suffering is to bear it humbly, meekly, as a lamb led to the slaughter. The Bible does show us such examples, but there are other examples completely different attitude for the sake of the Gospel. We will see one such example on today’s life study of the Bible.

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13 Apr 2023 Luke (Program #44)

Luke (Program #44) – The Man-Savior’s Presentation of Himself to Death for Redemption (4)

One item that seems to interest all believers is the rapture of the Christians at the time of the Lord second coming. The prevailing thought among believers today is that the rapture rescues all the saved ones so that they do not have to pass through the suffering associated with the great tribulation.  But the Bible if you read it carefully just does not support such a view. Because it depicts aspect of the rapture taking place at different times. In history these passages had led to confusions, and strong disputing among the brothers and sisters in the Lord. We will touch some of this confusing matters today.  If the Lord is merciful, we would be brought into a clearer view of this very crucial matter.

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15 Mar 2023 Luke (Program #15)

Luke (Program #15) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in Galilee (6)

Have you ever noticed that shortly after introducing and baptizing the Lord Jesus, John the Baptist himself was imprisoned and held there until he was beheaded? But during his imprisonment, the Lord Jesus was healing and liberating many oppressed and suffering people. Yet for John the Baptist He offer no such miracle. Even pressed to do so by John and some of His followers. What He did offer to John, was a very unique word that outwardly seem to offer no help. But likely became an inner strengthening to John, even through his martyrdom. We will look at this case and two other interesting cases from Luke chapter 7.

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08 Mar 2023 Zechariah (Program #11)

Zechariah (Program #11) – The Prophecies of Encouragement (3)

Zechariah is one of those hidden treasures in the Old Testament. As a book of prophecy it does seem mysterious and rather vague to many readers of the Bible. But as with all Scripture, with the Spirit’s illumination and the right keys to unlock our understanding, it reveals marvelous treasures. The main treasure in Zechariah is how compellingly and marvelously Christ is revealed. We see Him as the Shepherd of God’s flock in chapters 11 through 13, as He comes in, in an intimate way to feed and supply God’s suffering people. But we also see how this One was fully rejected, attacked, judged and ultimately crucified as well.

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27 Feb 2023 Zechariah (Program #2)

Zechariah (Program #2) – The Visions of Consolation and Promise (1)

The New Testament tells us that Christ today is in the heavens as the Great High Priest interceding always for us continually before the throne of God. For all of us as believers, this is the most encouraging and comforting realization of Christ. But interestingly, this aspect of His ministry can be seen not just in the New Testament book of Hebrews but also in the Old Testament visions of the prophet Zechariah. In fact, the book of Zechariah is full of visions that reveal Christ in His sweet comfort, care and encouragement for His suffering people.

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15 Feb 2023 Amos (Program #1)

Amos (Program #1) – The Introductory Word, Jehovah’s Judgments on the Surrounding Nations, and His Judgments on Judah and Israel, and Jehovah’s Contending with the House of Jacob

There are many ways to look at and interpret human history. But if we study the divine record in the Bible, we can see a clear and on going pattern. And that is that for more than 20 centuries God’s people Israel had been under a kind of suffering, a chastisement at the hands of the surrounding nations.  At the same time God has been judging and punishing those nations for their excessive brutality toward Israel. And during these entire period beginning from the incarnation of the Savior, Christ had been increasingly manifested on the earth. This clear, concise summary of the past centuries is the topic and focus of most of the Old Testament books of the prophets. Amos is one of the Minor Prophets that continues this revelation.

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14 Feb 2023 Joel (Program #4)

Joel (Program #4) – On Joel (5)—The Four Factors in the Book of Joel

The Old Testament, Minor Prophet Joel is an interesting book. It was quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost and its’ prophecy concerning both the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the second coming of Christ are of great importance even to us, the New Testament believers.

The book can be summarized into 4 principles. These are the consuming locusts representing the 4 great empires of the human history and how they had been consuming Israel for more than 27 centuries.  The second principle is the suffering, that this is caused to Israel and how Israel had continued to endure under the suffering.  The third principle in Joel is that the Church, that’s us, God’s New Testament people are the beneficiaries of all these consuming and suffering.  And finally, the fourth principle is that of restoration. For all the suffering that Israel has endured there is a day coming when Israel will enjoy God’s full restoration.  This is Joel a wonderful and important book.

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10 Dec 2022 Jeremiah (Program #17)

Jeremiah (Program #17) – Jehovah as the Potter and Israel as the Pottery

The prophet Jeremiah found himself in a difficult almost impossible situation. On one hand, he himself was part of the nation of Israel. A nation that had rebelled against the Lord and as a result was suffering under the hand of Jehovah’s discipline and chastisement. Therefore, Jeremiah was suffering along with all his countrymen. Yet Jeremiah was unique in that he had faithfully spoken Jehovah’s word to Israel pointing out their unfaithfulness and warning them to turn back to the God who had so marvelously brought them into the Good Land. But this faithful speaking by Jeremiah was rejected by Israel and caused them to hate him and even further persecute him.  So it’s not surprising to hear this man of God crying out in anguish to the one person who would surely sympathize with him – his own mother. In chapter 15, the prophet said “Woe is me, my mother, because you bore me, A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land. I have not lent with interest, Nor have they lent to me; Yet everyone curses me.” But before his mother could speak a comforting word, Jehovah intervenes. And in the discourse that follows, we see that Jeremiah had a different view from Jehovah regarding the way that the Lord was dealing with His people, Israel.

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07 Dec 2022 Jeremiah (Program #14)

Jeremiah (Program #14) – Jehovah’s further Commission to Jeremiah (1)

The prophet Jeremiah was one with the Lord in many regards. So much so that during the troubling and tumultuous time in which Jeremiah lived, God used him as His own mouth. Bringing Jehovah’s direct speaking to the apostate and rebellious people of Israel. Yet despite being the Lord’s called and anointed prophet, Jeremiah also suffered greatly, sharing in Israel’s judgment. It’s understandable then at times he was given to complaining and bitterness. Yet the Lord was continually with him, comforting him and encouraging him not to speak “worthless things” as the people did. But to speak words that matched the preciousness of Jehovah and all that He had revealed to Jeremiah.

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