Pain & Suffering

In order to even begin to understand that God is in control of our lives we must realize that God’s ways and God’s thoughts are not like ours.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 5:11

I believe a huge part of the purpose of His Word is to enable us to see our lives through God’s eyes from God’s perspective instead of through our eyes or the clouded perspective of the world.

There are so many things in this world that are difficult to understand, explain, situations, troubles, seemingly random things come our way for which we look for reasons and for answers. I am certain no one could explain why Noah was building an ark when rain was totally out of the picture. However, it is during these times we must look to God and His word and not make up what we believe to be His purpose. We need to seek Him in all things and seek His purpose in all things. We can come to have peace in knowing His ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts and His will for our lives is far better than what we believe to be best.

True peace came into my life when God spoke to my heart and told me, He was in control of my life. To understand that is to understand our freedom in Christ. I think we have become so sin conscious of ourselves and others we cannot possibly live in the Freedom of Christ. Because of being so sin conscious we cannot possibly love ourselves and others. We are too busy with just that, that we forget what is really important..that Christ died on the cross for our sin. We are new creatures.

Let’s take a look at Job: Job’s entire family was killed except for his wife. Job had boils from the crown of his head to the souls of his feet. Job’s friends for hours told him to repent because they believed Job was being punished for sin. If you read Job you will see his sin was not counted against him. Although we have the luxury of seeing the entire thing between God and satan, Job did not. However, Job knew all of this was from God. Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job knew who was in control. He didn’t blame satan because satan was not in control of Job. Every example in the Word from the life of Paul to Joseph the son of Jacob to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself can only be explained by God’s sovereign purpose.

If we know and trust God, if we seek His face and believe what He says about us, as Christians, is true, than we are His child, that Christ paid the price for our sins completely and that we possess, already, eternal life.

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.)

My prayer for us is that we would take advantage of the examples God has given us to see our lives through His eyes and not our own. To build up our faith with the precious Word He has given us and that we would put any preaching, advice, circumstance to the test of the pure Word of God.

With much love,
Max and Tammy

Pain and Suffering

Oh what a subject, one that is widely disagreed upon. I am going to do my best to show you Scripture as to why I believe pain and suffering are a part of God’s divine purpose for our lives.

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 1 Peter 4

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 1 Peter 20 King James Version

20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 1 Peter 20 NIV Version

Would suffering be God’s design for our lives? Can we speak that way? Or should we speak of God working with what He is given? In other words, does God oversee and manage the affairs of the world so that we can speak of suffering as his will and his design or does he, rather, manage the world like a chess player who does not will the moves of his opponent, but can always check them and turn them for good? Does God plan the place of suffering in the lives of his children for good ends or is He always in the position of the responder to the pain that other forces give him to work with? (From the book “The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper)

I want to be clear on what I believe to be true. God governs the world and all that happens in it with a purpose and design for the good of those who love Him.

Some more Scripture:
Isaiah 46 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

Ephesians 1 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Matthew 10 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[d]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

Proverbs 19 21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 21 1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

Genesis 50 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Job 2 10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish [b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said
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For John Bunyan and others, the loving purpose of God in pain was one of the most precious truths in the bible and one of the most powerful experiences in their lives, including my own.

My prayer is that everyone reading this bread today would seek out Scripture and God concerning pain and suffering. That anyone suffering would seek God and ask Him to reveal His purpose in their suffering. That anyone suffering would find comfort in knowing that God intends it for good and for the saving of many lives. That we would find True Peace in knowing God is in control of our lives.

With much love,
Max and Tammy

Preaching the Gospel

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature Mark 16:15
And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere. Luke 9:6
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:15

Here is what God has shown me. If I were the only person on earth God would have still had to come in the form of a man who we know as Jesus Christ, His only Son, to die a brutal death on the cross, so that my sins can be washed away and spend eternity with Him in heaven…but it doesn’t stop there, to live my life here on earth for the One who loved me more than I can say. The day God drew me close to Him and asked me to be His child, my life has never been the same. I am a new creature. It is all about what He has done not what I have done.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 6:15

I want others to know that it was love that put Christ on that Cross to die for our sins so that we may be w/out sin in order to come before a Holy God. Jesus washed away our sin so that we are made Pure and Holy. Not that we have done anything but God cleansed us so that we may come before Him. I truly want others to know God as I know Him. To know His love and all that comes with it. Truly amazing.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6

My prayer is that all of us become more and more aware that God is in control of all things. Once we realize that God is truly in control, we truly begin to Love, as Jesus loves. We truly have a peace like no other. Ask God today to show you all things, all Wisdom, all knowledge. I pray that we ask for those things.

With much love,
Max and Tammy

Acts 17:11

I feel led to begin my week of writing on the subject of “learning the Word”. As bread writers we need to be very careful of what we write and make sure it is Scriptural. We need to make sure it is true to the Word. As readers of the bread we need to do the same. We need to take our writing very seriously and anyone reading the bread needs to do the same when reading. If you see error in my writing I welcome anyone to correct me and offer Scripture. That is what the body of believers should be doing for one another.

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2

I encourage everyone who hears someone speaking to them about Scripture and of God that you search out the Truth for yourself and to not take what anyone says as the Truth without personally searching the Scripture and seeking God.

My prayer is that we pick up the Bible and learn from God His Truth and to not take what someone says as Truth but to search the Scriptures daily. That we realize the Bible is God and when we pick up His Word we begin the best relationship we will ever have.

With much love,
Max and Tammy