WHY THE GODLY SUFFER----A LETTER TO A FRIEND.

COPYRIGHT � JANUARY 14, 1996 All rights reserved.
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L. Tyler, P.O.Box 620763, San Diego, CA 92162-0763
P.O. Box 734, El Centro, CA 92244
[email protected]

Dear friend,
  Please remember the point about 1 Cor. 10:13*, He
doesn't allow you to be tried more than you can bear,
because you are stronger, have a better understanding of
spiritual warfare and a deeper faith, the trials will be
greater--but never more than you can bear.  Consider the
trials of John the Baptist and all the apostles except John.
They all died violent deaths at the hands of those who hate
them, but never more than they could bear.
[1 Cor. 10: 12 So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he
fall.
13 No temptation has taken you but [what is] common to man; but
God [is] faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what
you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to
escape, so that you may be able to bear [it].]

       An exercise is no exercise if it doesn't challenge  you at the
point where you have to strain and go aerobic, sometimes
painfully.  The same with "spiritual" muscles, the trial has to
produce stress, strain and even pain for you to become
stronger, more capable, more useful and fruitful.  The
fruitful vine looks terrible when it is pruned, and it would
feel terrible if it could feel, but because it is pruned it has
the potential of being more fruitful, and I know you want
more fruit of the Spirit in your life.  I know that you want to
compassionately cherish God and others even more than you
do now, and that's how you get there.
       This life is boot camp and a war, which, thank God, is
shortened for our sakes.  Our resurrected life with Jesus
Christ is worth the struggle.  All of our experiences in this
mortal life can be used of God to prepare us to help, comfort,
teach, encourage, edify etc others better when we are given
the opportunity to be his delegated agents on earth as he
rules from Jerusalem in fulfillment of His promises to King
David.  To rule the earth with Him enthroned in Jerusalem
for a 1000 years (Rev. 20: 2-7),  to walk around as His agents
enabled to raise the dead, open the eyes of the blind, to bind
up the broken limbs and hearts, to counsel the broken
hearted with wisdom inspired of God, to feed the hungry, to
clothe the naked, to free the captives, to teach in power the
lost how they can be found etc etc etc etc.  I can hardly wait!
       Please consider attending a Christian divorce/grief
recovery support group.  You are still deeply grieving inside
over your ex and those "saints" that so deeply and carnally
broke your heart.  I know that I desperately needed and
greatly benefited from the free one I attended at Del Cerro
So. Bapt. Church.    It was critical in my recovery and in my
readiness to be healed and in my learning how and where I
needed to grow, to  forgive my ex, and to prepare my heart
for my next. Many churches and ministries have free
support groups that are usually extremely helpful.  Please
call around for times and places and pray about attending
and let the Lord minister to you through the saints.
       But  why does He allow us to suffer, to grieve so deeply
and have hearts so broken than you can feel the  pain
throughout your chest, so depressed that it seems a struggle
to survive, grief so deep that you never know what will
cause the tears to flow next?  Here are some that I have
become aware of and they are all for our good. Please
consider them and, in each, ask if its goal was accomplished
in your life.

------WE HAVE SUFFERED, GRIEVED, BEEN HURT,
BEEN WOUNDED ----

�               1. So that we can know that we belong to Christ. If the
world hated Him, it will hate us too----if we live like He
wants us to live.
[2 Tim 3:11 . . . What persecutions I endured! But the Lord
delivered me out of all.
12 Yea, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution.;
1 Pet. 2: 19 For this [is an undeserved gift of loving kindness] , if
for conscience [toward] God anyone endures grief, suffering
wrongfully.  20 For what glory [is it] if you patiently endure
[while] sinning and being buffeted? But if you suffer [while]
doing good, and patiently endure, this [is an undeserved
gift of loving kindness] from God.   21 For were you
not called to this? For Christ also suffered on our behalf,
leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps,;
Mat. 13: 20 But that which was sown on the stony places is this:
he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy. 21
But he has no root in himself, and is temporary. For when
tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, he
immediately stumbles. 22 And that sown into the thorns is this: he
who hears the word; and the anxiety of this world, and the
deceit of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23
But that sown on the good ground is this: "he who hears the Word
and understands; who also bears fruit and produces" one truly a
hundredfold; and one sixty; and one thirty.]

�       2. Because we are followers of Christ, who was tortured
and executed by the world.   If they did it to Him, they'll surely do
it to us too.  All but one of the apostles were martyred.
[John 15: 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its
own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20
Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater
than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also
persecute you. If they have kept My saying, they will also keep
yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My
name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

�       3. So that evil doers will not come to God just to escape
from Hell and suffering in this life. He wants sinners to come to
Him because they love Him who first loved them, not because they
forgot to join the Noah's Ark Club and don't want to drown. The
promise that all who live godly in Christ Jesus is often enough to
scare away the superficial and shallow pretenders.   He allows evil
to happen to  His own children, to separate the wheat from the
chaff and so that we may find out if our faith is real, or just froth.
Noah's flood Genesis 6 + Rev. 21:27
[Mat. 13: 20 But that which was sown on the stony places is this:
he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy. 21
But he has no root in himself, and is temporary. For when
tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, he
immediately stumbles.
1 John 2:18 � Little children, it is the last time. And just as you
have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists
have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour. 19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of
us, they would have continued with us. But [they went out] so
that it might be revealed that they were not all of us.]

�       4. So that we wont miss (be homesick, want to look/go back
like Lot's wife did) this world's social-economic-political system
when we are in Heaven or ruling with Christ on earth.  To love the
world's social, political, and economic systems is to be God's
enemy.
[1 John 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16
because all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world. 17 And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who
does the will of God abides forever.;
Heb. 11: 13 These all died in faith, not having received the
promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded
of [them] and embraced [them] and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they who say such
things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland. 15 And truly, if
they had been mindful of that [country] from which they came out,
they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now
they stretch forth to a better [fatherland], that is, a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has
prepared a city for them.]

�       5. So that we can know how and why to choose between the
good and the evil.  We don't seem to be so inclined to do evil if we
know it is going to hurt, and hurt us specifically. [Deut. 30:15 �
Behold! I have set before you today life and good, and death and
evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to
walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes
and His judgments, so that you may live and multiply. And the
LORD your God shall bless you in the land where you go to possess
it. 17 But if you turn away your heart, so that you will not hear,
but shall be drawn away and worship other gods [self, money, sex
etc.] and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall
surely perish; you shall not prolong [your] days on the land where
you pass over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call Heaven and earth
to record today against you. I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, so that both you and
your seed may live, 20 so that you may love the LORD your God,  .
]

�               6. Because of our own sins.   Our Father Loves us enough to
discipline us.  Our Shepherd King Loves we sheep enough to use
His rod on us when we need it to see His way.
       1 Cor. 5 1 � Everywhere [it is] reported [that there is]
fornication among you, and such fornication as is not named among
the nations, so as one to [sexually] have [his] father's wife. 2 And
you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, so that he who has
done this deed may be taken from your midst. 3 For as being absent
in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already [as
though I were] present [concerning] him who worked out this
thing; 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are
gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our
Lord Jesus Christ; 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day
of the Lord Jesus.
     1 Cor. 11: 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of
[that] bread and drink of that cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks
unworthily eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many among you
[are] weak and sickly, and many sleep. 31 For if we would
judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are
judged, we are chastened by [the] Lord, that we should
not be condemned with the world.
Hebrews 12: 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which
speaks to you as to children, "My son, despise not the chastening of
the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him; 6 for whom the
Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He
receives." 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with
sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? 8 But if
you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you
are bastards and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of
our flesh who corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence. Shall
we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and
live? 10 For truly they chastened [us] for a few days according to
their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that [we] might
be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now chastening for the
present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those
who are exercised by it.]

�               7. To cause us to learn to be humble, to keep us from
thinking better of ourselves than is correct or appropriate.
[ 2 Cor. 12For I will speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone
should think of me as [being] beyond what he sees me, or hears
of me; 7 and by the surpassing revelations, lest I not be
made haughty, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be made haughty. 8
For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might
depart from me. 9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for
you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses,
that the power of Christ may overshadow me. 10
Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for
Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am
powerful.

�       8. To caution us against being arrogant or having ignorant
presumption in prayer, and to exhibit to us His all-
sufficiency in all the affairs of our personal lives.  If you
think there is some part of your life that you can handle
without God's help, and you are His child, it wont be long
before He lets things happen in that area of your life that will
bring you to your knees in prayer.
[Rom 5:3 And not only [this], but we glory in afflictions also,
knowing that afflictions work out patience, 4 and patience [works
out] experience, and experience [works out] hope. 5 And hope does
not make [us] ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out
in our hearts through [the] Holy Spirit given to us.         2 Cor.12:
7-10 SEE ABOVE]

�       9. To help and enable us to learn and acquire patience,
experience and hope in the compassionate cherishing of God in the
midst of trials and suffering. Rom. 5:3,4 SEE ABOVE

�       10.  Becasue of His Name- Because of His Truth - Because
of His Life - Because of the shining Light of His Truth, becauwse it
is an honor to be counted worthy of His sufferings if God permits.
[Acts 5:40  And calling the apostles, beating [them], they
commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41
Then indeed they departed from [the] presence of the sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be shamed for His
name. ;
Rom 8: 17 � And if we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of
God and joint-heirs with Christ; so that if we suffer with [Him],
we may also be glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared]
with the coming glory to be revealed in us.]

�       11.  So that we may have the honor of being glorified
together with Him who suffered so greatly at the hands of this
world's social system. [Rom. 8:17 SEE ABOVE]

�       12. So that we may be perfected, completed, and matured
spiritually in our lives in Christ.
[Heb. 2: 9 But we see Jesus, who [was] made a little lower than
the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and
honor, that He by [the] grace of God should taste death for every
[son].   10 For it became Him, for whom [are] all things and by
whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to
perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings. ;
1 Pet. 5: 10 � But the God of all grace, He calling us to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, [He] will
perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish [you].

�       13. So that we may learn to Love Jesus and His Way enough
to obey Him even when it hurts.
[Heb. 5:7* [For Jesus], in the days of His flesh, when He had
offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears
to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that
He feared, 8* though being a Son, yet He learned obedience by
the things which He suffered. 9* And being made perfect, He
became [the] Author of eternal salvation to all those who obey
Him,;   Psalm 15:4

�       14.  So that we may be established, strengthened and
settled in Christ, pruned of all the dead wood in our lives.  [1
Peter 5:10 see above]

�       15. Because they hated and killed Jesus they will hate and
try to kill the Jesus in us.
[Lk. 6: 22 Blessed [are] you when men shall hate you, and when
they shall cut you off, and when they shall reproach [you] and
shall cast out your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of man. 23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For behold, your reward [is]
great in Heaven. For so their fathers did according to these things
to the prophets.; John 15:18,19 see above.]

�       16. To end at us the cycle of some of the hate and violence
in our lives, we being shock absorbers for the evil around us, so
that it will stop at us and we will learn not to pass it on.  He has
called us to turn the cheek, go the second mile and bless and pray
for those who curse and abuse us.
[Luke 6: 27* � But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do
good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray
for those who despitefully use you. 29* And to him who strikes
you on the [one] cheek, also offer the other. And to him who takes
away your garment, do not forbid your tunic also. 30 Give to
everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your
goods, do not ask [them] again. 31 And as you desire that men
should do to you, you do also to them likewise. 32 For if you love
those who love you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also
love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do
good to you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also do the
same. 34 And if you lend [to those] of whom you hope to receive,
what thanks do you have? For sinners also lend to sinners, to
receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing [in return]. And your reward shall be
great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the
unthankful and [to] the evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, even as
your Father is merciful.Matt. 5;
Romans 12: 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not
curse. . . . 17* Repay no one evil for evil. Provide things honest in
the sight of all men. 18 If [it is] possible, as far as [is] in you,
seeking peace with all men. 19* not avenging yourselves, beloved,
but giving place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine,
I will repay, says [the] Lord." 20 Therefore if your enemy
hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For [in so] doing
you shall heap coals of fire on his head. 21* Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good.;
1 Cor. 6: 7 Indeed then there is already a failure with you all, that
you have lawsuits with yourselves. Why not instead be wronged?
Why not instead be defrauded? 8 But you do wrong and defraud, and
these things to brothers.

�       17. So that our enduring and genuine faith may bring
praise, honor and glory at His appearing in the presence of all the
angels, demons, cherubim, seraphim and those with
Christ.
[Hebrews 12:1 � Therefore since we also are surrounded with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin
which so easily besets [us], and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of
[our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured [the]
cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne
of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such contradiction of
sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your
minds.
1 Pet. 1: 6 � in which you greatly rejoice, yet a little [while], if
need be, grieving in manifold temptations; 7 so that the trial of
your faith (being much more precious than that of gold that
perishes, but being proven through fire) might be found to praise
and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, . .]

�       18. So that we could experience God's solutions and
faithfulness and comfort for our griefs and trials so  we will have
learned how to share His comforting solutions with the
others He leads us to who are experiencing similar grievous
trials.  Preparation for ministry now and in the 1000 year reign
of Christ on earth.
[2 Cor. 1:3 � Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, 4 He
comforting us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in every trouble, through the comfort with which
we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of
Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.
2 Timothy2: 11 Faithful [is] the word, for if we are dead with
[Him], we shall also live with [Him]. 12 If we suffer, we shall
also reign with [Him]. . . .
Revelations 20: 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and
judgment was given to them. And [I saw] the souls of those who had
been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, and
who had not worshiped the beast nor his image, nor had received
[his] mark on their foreheads, nor in their hands. And they lived
and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

�               19. that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and you in Him.
2 Thessalonians 1: 3 We are bound to thank God always for
you, my brothers, as it is right, because your faith grows
exceedingly, and the love of each one of you abounds
toward one another; 4 so much so that we ourselves glory
in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith
in all your persecutions and tribulations which you
endure.
5 � For [this is] a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the
kingdom of God for which you also suffer,  . . . 11 �
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would
count you worthy of [this] calling and fulfill all the good
pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with
power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of
our God and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.

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