COME AND I WILL SHOW YOU THE SUFFERING YET TO COME

How do we classify pain and suffering? Let us pray..." Most wonderful God, we come to You with thanksgiving in our heart for so much. Please help us to love You, serve you and represent You to a lost and dying world.Help us Oh God. We know nothing, can do nothing and are nothing without You. Open our eyes that we might understand what the Holy Spirit has to say about the sufferings of Jesus and the sufferings we must be washed in before The End. In Jesus sweet name we pray.....and all of God's people said...AMEN.

Who is the author of pain and discomfort? Where did it come from? Why God, why? These are some of the questions we may ask from time to time as our surrender to our Lord Jesus continues to grow and become stronger. As Christians we see suffering different than those of the world. Lovers of the world spend great fortunes protecting themselves from discomfort. They use words such as "bad luck" and "dealt a bad hand" when calamity strike. And sometimes they spend great energy going after the persons or things they think are responsible. Trying to make things right. Trying to protect their little world.

In God's Kingdom suffering may be a willing thing if we are carrying our cross. Or an unwilling thing if God chooses to chastise us over something that may be drawing us away from Him.

Maybe suffering will also come if we violate spiritual laws. The Word says God is not mocked. If we sow to the flesh then we will reap destruction. We may also open doors to demonic activity through certain sins such as rebellion. Regardless, God is always in control over the children whom He loves and gave His life for.

But there is a suffering we must all encounter before He calls us Home. It's called "the sufferings of Christ". Lets go back to the last supper if you will. Here we find Jesus pouring out His great love to the disciples. Taking them into the great mysteries of God if you will. The blood..the body. Jesus preparing them for His hour of suffering which was rejection (and in His case even unto death) because of the truth and character of God which He represented.

At that table sat an impostor. One whose heart was deceived with evil intentions. Judas sat and supped with our Lord. He listened to the truth. He witnessed the miracles first hand, yet his heart was twisted and did not receive. He chose to betray our Lord. Even on his way out the door to bring a death sentence to the world's saviour Jesus called him friend. The God kind of love even in the face of betrayal. The God kind of love even in the face of the most terrible of rejections. One from a friend.

This is the type of suffering which will come our way if we walk as we should. Not a physical cross that we carry, but a cross of self. What will self do when we are mocked, reviled, taken advantage of etc.

Oh dear brothers and sisters. Oh dear self...Kenny G. One morning soon we will wake up with the whole world in an uproar against anything and anyone holy. Will we choose to protect our flesh. Will we protect our Lord despite our flesh? Have a most blessed Christmas...Kenny G. signing off