Several months ago the Lord allowed me to experience nerve damage in my spinal column that severely affects my legs and my hands. I'm experiencing pain like I never thought imaginable. I was quite athletic when I was young and I've played guitar for 50 years. Now, I'm mostly restricted to a recliner, except for occasional trips to the bathroom and when the Lord allows, I sit at the dinner table with my wife and kids. I'm permitted to play guitar, sometimes twice a month for about an hour at a time. Two hours when the Lord is generous. Why am I afflicted like this? In the beginning I asked the Lord the same thing. Several times. I'd like to go fishing with my wife and kids; or go for walks; ride bikes; or maybe a camping trip. I'd love to play love songs to my wife. She works full time because I can't. She is so worthy of love songs to be played to her. But, the Lord has a purpose for this. We don't know what it is, but I've long ago stopped asking why. If it's to punish me for sins I've committed, I more than deserve it. Regardless, God is good! He is So loving, merciful, and full of grace! I thank God for R. C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries. They have seen me through some very tough times and they don't even know it. With messages like this, but more importantly, the vast array of messages they have that teach us so much about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His love and mission for us. I praise God for this ministry.
January 26, 2018 Amen, Jim! I believe your beautiful, humbled, glorifying comment answers your question of why our LORD GOD, in HIS Providence and Sovereignty, has ordered your steps in your situation. My husband and I have both been forced into retirement before we wished to, because of the exact same physical issues as yours. What we've noticed is that we're praying all during the day and having these wonderful, spontaneous bible studies, and have grown much closer to one another IN Christ, with HIS Holy Word and Mind forming our conversations on issues and situations we never thought about before. I know that I don't have to say this to you, my brother, but keep clinging to our only Love and hope, our LORD GOD, Jesus Christ. LORD bless you and your entire household, Jim Williams!
Jim. Praise God for your comments about God’s grace and goodness in your suffering. Hearing it from someone who suffers serious pain and the loss of many of the pleasures of life is a great blessing and inspiration to me. God’s goodness in suffering is the greatest providence to defeat coveting and discontent. Thank you so very much for sharing, brother. Will pray for you and thank God as He completes His work in you.
Thank you Brother for your wonderful testimony. I appreciate your honesty. You are an encouragement to me, and I am sure other Christians who read this. God Bless You! I'll pray for your healing and if that is not the Father's will, for your comfort in Christ.
Jim Williams this is so moving to me thank you for your words and may god bless you with more hours of guitar sessions and maybe one day god will let you play love songs to your wife :) but for now keep praising him...our lord and savior !❤️
When I had the opportunity to meet him, he was ill but I got the opportunity to hug him and personally thank him for his contribution to the body of Christ. He was truly a humble man.
@@LaughingDisciple don’t troll on a channel like this , we can appreciate a great teacher of God’s word .. please don’t act holier than thou , we appreciate RC teachings , you choose a church for the teachings the pastor imbues
I wish I knew the answer to why I have to suffer repeatedly. I’ve gotten through horrible experiences, abuse, multiple severe illnesses, miscarriages and now I’m diagnosed with advanced stage cancer and I’m so young. I don’t know why I have to suffer like this. I thought I learned the lessons I was meant to learn. I’ve tried to use what I’ve learned for good and always help where I can. Why do I now have to suffer through chemotherapy, more surgeries and losing my security of home and a future of the one things I’ve wanted all my life - having children. Please pray for me.
I understand you, at least to some degree. I'm 18 and have suffered from constant pain and health issues since I was 12. It's incredibly hard - there are many things that I have been unable to do because of my pain. Most of my days are spent in my room. But, I can still do what the Lord has called me to - listen, learn, and fight for a heart that desires for Christ to be glorified above all things. All things I count as loss for the sake of knowing Him. It has taken me many years of questioning, anger, frustration, and discontentment to be able to say unshakenly: "Yes, He is good." These thorns, though they cut us and cause us to bleed, are a part of the rose. And one day, every thorn we've ever endured will be removed forever and we will get to fully enjoy that rose without any pain. Let us press on with endurance together, friend. The Lord is weaning us away from this world and preparing us for the one to come. And though it is agonizing now, the moment we take our first glimpse upon His face every second of pain will be a distant memory. Read Psalm 119:75. I'm endeavoring to be able to say that and fully believe it along with the psalmist.
What l have learnt from all my constant pain in life is that, many troubles will come in our way. One after the other but the Lord shall give us the strength and courage to walk in the hot fire while he comforts and directs our path until we rest from the unending sorrows of this world. Am at a point where l got my eyes fixed on to the finish line and l must run the race with faith in the lord nomatter how small l may remain with when l finally rest. I wont faint even when my heart and body fail me, l will still return to God for strength to complete my journey faithfully. Someday, l will look back and thank God who carried me through it all even when it feels like he is so far away currently.
Praying for Mirand. I’ve suffered with ME/CFS , Kuous and systemic Rheumatoid Arthritisfor the past 33 years. I empathize with you as most people cannot relate to our pain. People think I’m faking it because I look fine on the outside but feel as though I’m being poisoned and rotting on the inside. I’m so sorry that you do not have children. I do not either . After typing this I will pray for you . May Christ give you renewed strength to handle your suffering. I know what I just typed will not bring you comfort but I have to ask The Holy Spirit to please give you a break from suffering and restore your health. Don’t know if He will or not but we are supposed to ask. God bless you
I have experienced abuse and bullying all my life. This has affected me in so many ways. Please pray for me that I will heal and move forward from those experiences. 🙏🏽
I used to pray this with my twin boy's, when I raised them 15 years ago as a single dad....God is Gracious, God is Good, let us thank Him for our food and everything that we have and the safe day for our family, in your name Jesus, Amen.
I certainly needed this I just buried my father last Thursday, although I prayed like I have never prayed when he was hospitalized with Covid, but the LORD saw fit to take him. I have been grappling with this as the pain feels unbearable at times. I’m thankful for these sessions, God bless this network
I have listened to this twice. I heard things I had not heard the first time. Such a loss for us here still on earth that Dr Sproul has passed away. But, a wonderful thing for him. No more sickness is just one of the many blessings from Gods Love to this warrior. Thank you RC.
Powerful. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Nothing happens by chance, if you are a believer, everything is for a reason, everything is for your good.
this is a very comforting message especially in times of distress n deep sorrow in our lives but am encouraged to know that the ultimate good for our sufferings is to yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness.for He disciplines us for our good that may share his holiness(Heb12:10-12) . Thank you Ligonier for this resource
I can’t get enough of this teaching, but at the same time meditating on God’s goodness is overwhelming. I can see why we’ll be casting our crowns for eternity. Thank you, Ligonier.
He's one of the best Bible teachers there is, and on top of it, he can be funny, too! I've been listening to R.C. for many years. I have one of his books.
Today marks RC's 4th year in Heaven. May God bless His beloved Church by sending us faithful preachers and teachers who will not bow the knee to the world. Who will encourage us to stand and fight the good fight of faith. Let us all glorify God in the life of our departed brother R.C. Sproul. May God bless us all
Thank you so much for enlightening me about the teachings of God. So much helps me understand God more through these videos especially those in predestination which I don't recall being taught in my Catholic Religion.
I'm here because of adverse effects of COVID-19 Pandemic. We're now in the middle of crisis, so it's a blessing to be still thankful. God is indeed absolutely good in His purposive sovereignty.
Suffering for a christian with an adult faith is partaking in the Cross of Christ, being one with Christ... our call is to become like Christ... to do the Will of the Father... so nobody will be condemned for eternity. God bless Dr. Sproul and all you watching the video.
Concerning the suffering , we can't do much, yet God loves us with an everlasting love. Humans are too little and weak before God . We can do nothing without Christ. Pray, be patient and endure till the end. Hopefully, the blessed day will come soon. Amen.
So you'll be able to give God His due glory and worship when He delivers you. Being able to live forevermore in paradise in the presence of our Most Holy Father and Jesus Christ never having to suffer ever again we will understand how great He truly is.
Powerful words, very helpful to understand the mystery of the suffering and evil from a biblical perspective. Thanks for the consolation, and Happy 2022! A fellow little sufferer.
The LORD goes before us.Until u fully understand the cross u will continue to misunderstand suffering.When u can thank GOD for ur suffering...then u will know the CROSS
Anybody else notice that his background looks exactly like the set for America's Funniest Home Video's from back in the 80's and 90's? The Bob Saget days.
I wished RC Sproul would have written the book WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. Is a question that I hear time after time when people want to find excuses of why "they don't believe in God.
"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
I just want to know where the blessings were that accompanied my suffering as it was with Job. The fact that God was so generous to him overall despite a brief period of suffering makes the story of Job very unimpressive to me.
GOD will wipe away our tears!...have some had so many tears that thats not possible? Will someone remember, all the evil could have been stopped and not spoken of since the beginning! Eternity is forever compared to now, but we know God went years knowing he would create those who did not make it , will he one day do that to those who make it ,but keep it from them? God can punish whom he chooses to punish! And God can harden the heart and bring great illusions...so is it possible tears to joy is also illusion not now but then?...
As Job[e] said after his trials were over: "Lord, my ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you". -- The Bible It was through severe trials that God had elevated Job[e] to a higher level, where no longer could Satan or anyone else find flaws or weaknesses in him.
I think this is a great distortion of God’s character and the Bible’s teaching. Yes, Christians will experience suffering but it is because we live in a broken and distorted world. God can help us endure it and be with us in it, but God did not send it or cause it. But God can turn use the suffering for his purpose.
IF YOU LEARN THE WHOLE BIBLE, you will discover, WE HAVE DOMINON, JESUS removed our sins and laws, ordinances, we are of him and his life, WE ARE MADE HOLY, WE HAVE HIS
Thank God for this hope you have! God loves you so much and You deserve to live and enjoy every bit of your life. Like the eagle, fly towards the sun where the other attacking birds cannot follow. Immerse yourself in the the thought and knowledge of God's love for you. I celebrate your victory!
what do you suffer? God will help those who help themselves. God has given man everything it is up to man now to do what is good for it. do not expect God to personally help you. Help yourself and pray to God to help you.
As a believing Christian you have to understand that your spirit is no longer of this world and safe in Christ! If your in Christ your spirit is born again made new in him. Amen! Praise God! But your flesh, meaning your body and your mind are still in this fallin world and at it's core its is still fallin and wicked! When the spirit of God begins to live through us he immediately begins to wage war against our flesh, and yes he can even begin to make our body's and minds new too and reduce our sin in the flesh , if we stay alive long enough, but no one can be completely free from sin in the flesh! But Christ did it! We as believers need to yield daily to the Holy Spirit submitting to the lord, yielding all to him, so he can work on us and through us overtime, molding us and shaping us and making us fruitful in him, by the power of his spirit who dwells In us. I believe the devil can manipulate the mind and body of unbelievers. We see it all around us, but I don't think he can in a true believer. I lean more towards the idea that what some believers are actually experiencing when their mind seems to be waging war against them is actually not Satan but its your fallin flesh still trying to fight and do what it naturally does... Sin! A true believer can sin In the flesh, but he has an advocate in Christ! Praise God! If we feel the flesh and mind waging war we need to fight back and submit this to Christ. Paul made these things clear in Romans: 7. Its not our spirit who sins but the sin that dwells in us. I've personally experienced my mind waging war against my spirit at times with sinful thoughts that come out of nowhere almost as if they are not mine! That's because they're not mine! Since I am no longer of this flesh, but it's the sin that still dwell IN ME! The battle is to remember to submit it all to Christ believing he has the power to change you, praying constantly staying in touch with him.
GOD only know how to do right! Cause he is righteous! And Abraham understood that and negotiated with God! But God knew before he created them who they will be ! When Abraham took his son ,God provided the sacrifice! Could God have not created those he hates?...40 to 30, Abraham took a step of faith, 20 , will God not be angry if anyone was to ask God please dear God you know everything and everyone, you know the ancestors to all , couldn't you have decided to not create what you hate?..you knew in the beginning the end of times and those illnesses couldn't you have not created me? I beleive its such a great honor to lov and fear and worship God! Angels sing praise to God 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, shows us all God can create and give gifts of worship, and God knows the number of years he has decided the fate of those he hates so doesn't that effect the heart of God not just the moment he creates them Nd sends them to hell, remember God hated them and their ancestors the moment God decided the end times ! Would it be better and good to not create them rather then saying reason why they sinned? They sinned cause God created them to sin?as the thousands of thousands of years have past how many within the kingdom have hated those that do not exist? How many hearts and minds have God heard that hate who doesn't exist?evil ? GOD IS PERFECT! GOD IS LOVE ! GOD IS NOT ABLE TO SIN, BUT GOD CREATED THE ANCESTORS OF THOSE HE HATES? WHY CREATE THEM? ...
Let’s assume you are saved. But let’s say your grand parents were not. Had God not created your grand parents then you would not be born - right? If God had not created people that were unsaved there would be lines (lineages) of families that are saved and we know there are not lineages that are saved. And to take what you are saying a step further, there would be no unsaved people because God would not have created them - in which case Jesus would not have needed to come. You and I are not going to figure out everything about God. The moment you think you have it all figured out is the moment you can be certain you are wrong. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” + “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.”
We need to act in His Way... “Sometimes I want to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice when He could do something about it, but I’m afraid he might just ask me the same question.” ~ Baha'i Faith
Jesus said: "repent and believe the gospel." Stop trusting your works and put your trust in The Lord Jesus Christ and be born again before it's too late.
There were many Messengers of God before His Holiness Christ and there were Messengers after Him. God updates every 500 to 1000 years with the Return of a new "Spirit of Truth" in a New Messenger and Revelation.
@@francismausley7239 there's only ONE messenger you should be concerned with - The Lord Jesus Christ. What you do with him and his shed blood is the only thing that matters. Receive him before it's too late because one of these days, it'll be too late and you don't know when that is.
Curt, where do you get these ideas? It's time for man to "to set aside superstitious beliefs, traditions and blind imitation of ancestral forms in religion and investigate reality for himself."
@@francismausley7239 "it is appointed unto man once to die and after this, the judgment." "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." "Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
God is good, God is Love. But completing that task here on earth requires a LOT of pain, self denial, putting other before you. Nothing that we as human beings are able to do... Yes through Jesus Christ i can do all things for he streghtens me, but my emotional being must Die to complete that.
If God is good.. sounds the same question of Satan asking Jesus..If you are the Son Of God: Mt 4:1-11. The whole creation testify about God's goodness Ps 19. Your question gives the answer you are looking for: God is good. We are not. That is why the chaos in our world. For centuries God has been telling us what to do, to listen to him. but we constantly refuse to listen to Him. So here we are living our lives on our own. But He still keeps calling us to change and go to Him. Amen.
It's a hard thing that I barely understand. That the man was born blind so that Jesus would heal him. It DOES seem that my lessons come from hardships. What about little kids? I can only try to trust that all things are working out for good and that His ways are beyond my puny understanding. Sigh.
God is all good. God is all powerful. Evil exists. One of these things cannot be true and evil does exist. Hence God is good but not all-powerful and can't save us. Or God is all-powerful but chooses to do nothing making him as evil as the evil he allows. And if God was truly all-powerful and reason you can give for allowing evil, God could simply make it not so. Any kind of "good" that came out of evil, God could have made without the pain.
We suffer bequase there is a lak of the power of the Holy Spirit !! Most of us dont have the Spirit the way Jesus have and especially not the way Jesus said it how it should be ! Get real !
I accept what he says has religious and theological value, but as a matter of philosophy, it seems to be wanting. God is not only all good, but He's also omnipotent. So the "problem of evil" remains a mystery despite R.C.'s supposed explanation for it. The reason it is still a mystery is that, whatever lesson God wants to convey through suffering or whatever state of being the suffering is supposed to transform the believer into, God is omnipotent and so could have willed that knowledge or that wisdom or that state into being without any suffering. Omnipotence is the power to do anything, after all. Some will respond that that would drop us of free will, but it doesn't. Some children need to be burned before they learn not to touch a hot stove, but many other children learn that lesson without that suffering. The latter group of children do not lack free will. God created human nature. God is perfect and omnipotent, so therefore He could have created a perfect human nature that did not need to suffer to learn the lessons of righteousness, and, being omnipotent, He could have done it without robbing us of free will. The mystery is why the world doesn't seem to have been constructed that way, and it's why the "problem of evil" has been a theological conundrum since the days of Epicurus. (And that is not even to go into why animals have to suffer...as surely (it seems to me as a mere man) animals shouldn't have to suffer to pay for man's sins. Another, related, mystery.)
Blame your greatest grandma n grandpa and that wily snake. Blaming won't get you no where good. Blaming leads to hate and anyway, patience and acceptance of your circumstances plus knowing fully who it was that paid back that sin and understanding that he will get us back on his and our Almighty's plan which is filling this earth. Careful not to think because our 1st parents messed up means we now all get to go to heaven, skip our creators prior plan and we have satan to thank. Clueless thinking our Creators plan at the outset was foiled. He will not be swayed his prior plan just because of sin, that is what will be our teaching here on this earth plus all his spirit beings will now have learned from that issue.
Within the off-putting theology, men had to create an image of a devil, because without a devil "in the picture" ... the head god would have to be blamed for every nasty bit of suffering ... and that would just "not do!"
So why would God choose to know those who know God knew in the beginning whom he will love and who he will hate, then ,of course those who find put they were loves always rejoice when they get to heaven, but those he hates?...whom would say please God don't create them of course cause they have no chance, but also because that effects naturally all others and more importantly why not realize why not realize you God have chosen to create all you blame on those you create? In others words God is holy sacred and perfect ! And of course he loves Enoch and Elijah! But why go all these years knowing you will create those who you hate? And one day God will not create them, but wouldn't the truth be that God will always know what he has done? Hell will be filled for eternity with those who simply should not have been created! And everyone will one day know that while they live forever, how many were created and punished forever when God could have done in the beginning what he does at the ending, but in between suffering was not needed? Sin was not needed ! As a human if you knew the future children would go to hell forever , then wouldn't you not pro create? ...if animals knew they would be wild outside of garden of eden, they would be hunted killed and used for health for some and death for others? Why even procreate and why go 2 by 2 to Noah ark?...if angels watch and no that they were all created but since they are wiser then humans , wouldn't they not want war amongst their brothers?why not , not create the 1/3 who fall?
Pastor, you are a profound preacher of word of God. But are you open to be taught word of God by others?. May I also ask you if you would like to be applauded by men or Jesus Christ? Why don't you wish to be applauded by Jesus by showing how you practice, (and not preaching) all thre teachings of Jesus Christ so that He can confirm you for His great mission according to Mathew 28 20?. Doesn't He say there for His disciple who practice all His commands only can preach others to teach how to practice His commands?
THE END OF TEARS?? WHAT OF TEARS OF JOY?? PERHAPS IT IS NOT TEAR, AS WATER FROM THE EYES, BUT TEAR LIKE RIP, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE TARE... SO THERE WILL BE NO TARES IN THAT ONE WILL STILL HAVE TO TILL, SOW, AND HARVEST, BUT THERE WILL BE NO EVIL TO PLANT TARES Matthew 13:24 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
FOR WILL NOT THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH DO WHAT IS RIGHT?? Matthew 25:33 "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left". IS THE CHRISTIAN EXEMPT FROM THIS JUDGEMENT?? Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” YET NOW, Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
If suffering builds character,, why don't we just inflict as much of it as possible? Apologists always talk about a mysterious "greater good." They never mention what that is, though. Strange. An all-knowing, all-powerful god could just tell them what this "greater good" is
Imagine what you are suggesting. Imagine an infinite level of punishment and suffering given by an infinitely powerful God. Can you? This is what was inflicted upon Jesus Christ as he took the punishment for the sins of his people. We are not even capable of understanding the physical and spiritual punishment with which the father subjected his own son to. God never puts us through more than we are able to handle. Yet James 1:2-5 says to be joyful even in suffering because we know that it is creating within us, a stronger root in the rich soil of God's word.
@@kyleramirez2826 How could the suffering possibly be infinite? Jesus was only on the cross for a few hours. Many people have suffered with cancer for many months.
@@winstonjen5360 Jesus experienced the full wrath of God on the cross. It's not merely the length of time he suffered because, you're right, he was only on the cross for a short period of time. But the extent with which he suffered was far greater than anyone will ever experience. The physical and emotional suffering he endured was severe to be sure. But far worse was the spiritual suffering he willingly received for us. He took on the hell, punishment and separation from God the Father for the sins of every Christian who ever lived. We cant even begin to imagine the extent of that spiritual suffering he felt. Jesus' crucifixion was the most gruesome act in history and he did it willingly, for the love of the saints, redemption of sinners unto himself and for the glory of God. What an incredible, great, Holy God we have!
