Willing to...Suffer (and find Joy in it)?

In my last post I looked at Willing to...Serve? pointing out that churches have many areas in which they need help and that we should do everything we do "as to the Lord". I also pointed out that when we serve, we follow Jesus example, learn humility and share God's love.

Following on from that post, this post is going to look at whether we are Willing to Suffer? This may seem a strange way to follow on but I believe it is a biblical principle. Here are a couple of scriptures to back up my point.

Jesus was a SUFFERING Servant

Isaiah prophesied before Jesus was born that he would be "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain." Isaiah 53:3.  The writer of Hebrews also says "so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood." The main purpose of Jesus walk on earth was to do the will of God, his father. For this to happen, Jesus had to suffer being rejected by men, betrayed by his disciple, having nails driven in his hand and thorns in his head as well as the incommunicable suffering of bring forsaken by his father. Jesus had immense suffering. If as Christians we believe that Christ is our perfect example then we cannot pick and choose what areas of Christ life are applicable to us. Christianity is not about "whatever suits me best and fits in with my life", but it is about saying "Jesus humbled himself to earth, suffered for me indescribable pain on the cross, for me. My only response can be to follow him and hand over to him every single area of my life". 

Very briefly, it is also worth looking at the suffering which the apostles and early christians went through in establishing the church. Many were crucified and imprisoned, stephen was stoned and some were exiled. Is it just coincidence that the people Jesus chose and commanded to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," - Matthew 28:19 also ended up suffering for that calling? Definitely not. We NEED to be prepared for this. Why?

We To are CALLED To Suffer

Paul in his letter to the Philippians says "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him" - Philippians 1:29. From this we can take that it is part of our calling that in following Christ, we follow him even in suffering. This doesn't mean that each of us will be crucified, the suffering may take many forms. You could suffer financially, spiritually, emotionally or even physically.

In Paul's letter to Timothy he calls him (and us) to "not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God." - 2 Timothy 1:8. So there is a direct link that can be made here. If as a Christian we are ashamed of the gospel, slow to share our faith in Christ then we will have an easy life but also an ineffective one. However, if we accept the call to boldly proclaim the gospel which brought us to salvation then a bi-product of that is suffering. It will happen. So how are we to view this suffering...? 

Joy, Joy, JOY!

Let me start by saying this is so much easier said than done. To find joy in suffering requires a total dependence on God and a realisation of what awaits you at the end of this life. But yes, we are called to be joyful in our suffering.

In Colossians, Paul says "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you" -  Colossians 1:24. He also encourages us to "join with [him] in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God." - 2 Timothy 1:8. Why should we be joyful in suffering? Because even in our suffering we are glorifying God and for those who glorify God, he will honour. We should also be joyful in our suffering because we know that, no matter how much people may persecute us, a greater day awaits us after this life. A day when Jesus will "wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain" - Revelation 21:4. If we can manage to look past our suffering and look to the glory that awaits us, we will be able to find joy in our trials.


Paul goes even further and tells us that we should consider the suffering we receive as a gift. In that Philippians 1:29 verse he says "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him". When we receive a gift, we enjoy it and are thankful for it and we should even treasure it.


If we can get this mindset into our heads it will make suffering so much more bearable. Always ask yourself the question "Jesus gave his life for me and suffered so much for me, am I willing to suffer for him?"


Below is a video by John Piper on suffering. This video was sent to me a month or two ago and it has really stuck with me.

Suffering Silently with your Sin: 5 Reasons to Share

Probably one of the top five problems amongst christians and churches today is how we deal with and look at sin. So many of us try to hide it, cover it up and pretend that it doesn't exist in our lives. Of course, when sin comes up as a discussion we will say "I sin all the time and I know my sin displeases God" and we are right to say that. But so often we are vague and sketchy about our sin when discussing it with other people. Why is this the case? I suppose the simple answer is found in the gospel of John "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." - John 3:19 . Yes as christians we are saved by Christ’s blood which covers all our sin, but we still sin and the sinful nature's reaction is to cover it up and pretend its not there. So here are five reasons to break this mould and to share your sin with those closest to you.

1. Accountability

The first thing to mention when searching for someone to have as a one to one accountability partner is that they need to be a christian, a close friend and dependable. Once that person has been found it's important to be completely honest with them. Pauls instructions for Christians living in Ephesians 4:25 say “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.” If honesty is lacking in the relationship then the accountability sessions will be fruitless. However, once you share openly and honest with someone, they will then be aware of your particular sins and be able to look out, rebuke, encourage and correct you.

This is probably the hardest part of the whole process. We don’t like being completely honest about our sin and we like to cover things up. I know that is one of my traits and it has been a massive battle to face up to some of the things I’ve done. But take it from someone who has been through that fire, the rewards are life changing.

2. Study Together

One of the key ways of tackling your sin is studying with someone. This can be really useful as you can look at scripture in reference to sin or even the particular sin that you are struggling with. Studying God's word has a direct effect on tackling sin. David writes "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" in Psalm 119:3. See the link, when we study, meditate and keep Gods word it can keep us from sinning. God's word also gives us instruction in what to replace our sin with in Romans 6:13 "Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness."  If we realise that we need to completely submit ourselves to God, willingly and gladly, then sin will have much less of a foothold in your life.

3. Pray Together

After studying, its always great to pray with each other and continue praying for each other as the week goes on.  Sometimes it can just be a great encouragement and spur you on not to sin when you know a brother or sister in Christ is praying for you. We can also pray that God would help us to see our sin as He see's it. We know that God despises the sin that we do and that Christ has died for that sin. When we realise the anguish and pain it brought our Saviour, our desire should be to turn from it. James also encourages us to help each other in this. In chapter 5 verse 20 he says "Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." Praying with each other means that you can lead each other to confessing your sin before God which in turn means you can both...

4. Lead each other to the Gospel

This is probably the most beautiful part of being accountable to someone. There can be times when you feel so weighed down and buried by sin that you cannot lead yourself to the cross and forgiveness. There have been so many times when I've felt like my sin was just too big for Jesus to deal with. There have been times when I've felt like I've hurt so many people in so many ways that there is no way God would want to hear from me. By God's grace, at these times he has always provided someone to give me a wake-up call and point me to the gospel. They'’ve brought me verses such as Ephesians 1:7 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace" and Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,". My personal favourite is Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, that's how far God has removed our sins from us". God, because of the work of Christ on the cross, has banished my sins as far away as possible from me. He remembers them no more and I am clothed in the perfect life of Christ, a saint.

5. Understand Grace Better

The ultimate experience of this is that you have a deeper understanding of Gods grace which in turn leads to falling more in love with him. When we understand grace more then the more we will be gracious to others. Paul tells us to "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6. When we are more gracious to people, the more likely they will be to confide in you and the more likely you will be able to help them and build people up for the kingdom. Also, see how the process has come around full circle. We started off struggling with our own sin, and now we have come round to a position where we can help and guide other struggling christians.

So if you struggle with sin realise you are not alone. I have never met a christian who doesn't struggle with sin. Find a good christian friend, be open and honest and lead each other to the cross and the blood that washes us whiter than snow. 

5 Reasons to Read the Bible.

Recently, I've found myself having really blessed and great personal worship with God. These times always focus around the Bible. Usually I read two or three Psalms followed by an old testament chapter with commentary (currently I'm in Micah) and then a new testament chapter followed by meditation on it and then writing down my thoughts. After this I go through my prayer diary and finish off with singing some songs.


The Bible is central to the active christians faith. Tozer said that "The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian." But why is this the case? What's the reason to read the bible? Well there are many but here are five main points why I think it's important to read the bible.

1. A Closer Walk
The strength and standing of a christian is based on the strength of their relationship with God. To have a great relationship with someone then you must spend time with them, find out about them and find out what they are like. You need to find out what makes them happy, what disappoints them and what they expect from you. It is exactly the same with our relationship with God. He has given us all the information we need to know about him in the bible. The bible tells us that God hates sin. It also tells us in Exodus 34:14 that he is a "Jealous God", In Numbers 14:18 God is "slow to anger, abounding in love" but that he also "does not leave the guilty unpunished". God clearly tells the christian what he wants from them in my favourite verse, Micah 5:8 "And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Or as a famous hymn writer said... 


O for a closer walk with God
A calm and heavn'ly frame
A light that shines upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb

2. A Deeper Knowledge
Without reading the bible (the WHOLE of the bible) we will leave out characteristics of God and therefore not understand him as much as we can on earth. It is true that we will never ever fully understand God but this does not mean we become complaicant and apathetic towards knowing him. It means we should strive to know him as much as we can to please him. This can be done through the diligent and disciplined study of Gods word. David said "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" Psalm 119:11. It is worth recognising that in the bible, fear of God and knowledge go hand in hand with each other. Proverbs 2:4-6 says "and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD  and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."


3. An Effective Ministry
If you have a closer walk with God and a deeper knowledge of his Word then you will be more able in your service to others. When people come to you with problems or issues, a closeness to God and a familiarity with his word will enable you to recall scripture better and effectively and biblically help the person who seeks your advice. So often I know I've given bad advice to a brother or sister in Christ when my daily reading is suffering and I am far from God. I believe that when we are closer to God, we understand his heart more and therefore can give people better advice and support which is more in tune with Gods heart.


4. A Shining Light
When we have an effective ministry, we shine Christ much more in our lives. When we are closer to God it reflects in the living out of our daily lives. As people see this in our lives, some will despise you but some will crave after what you have. This in turn will turn people to seek after God and come to know him. Jesus calls us to be salt of the earth, a city on a hill and a shining light. He also promises that when we do this, others "may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16


6. A Constant Reminder
As a christian, the bible is a constant reminder of so many things. It reminds me that I am a sinner. Romans 3:23 tells me that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". This makes me weep, it makes me realise that even today the wrong that I have done offends God it upsets him. However, the very next verse reminds me that Christ has already paid the debt that I owed to God, so that I can have a relationship with him "and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" Romans 3:24. The bible reminds me constantly of my need for Jesus. It reminds me to confess my sin to God daily and also reminds me that daily I receive forgiveness "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin." Psalm 32:5. The best part is that the bible reminds me that I have a home, secured in heaven. A guaranteed citizenship on the golden shores of God's paradise, a place where peace and justice reign. A land where there "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain" Revelation 21:4. Hallelujah! Praise Jesus for all he has done!


All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

Worship - Being accurate in what we sing.

"Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever" - Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.1

As Christians, our lives should be lived out to glorify God above all things. Part of the way we do this is in our worship whether personal or corporate. This means the content of what we sing is of vital importance. There is some amazing way that the majority of humans can recall the lyrics of songs very easily. These words stick with us and so part of our theology is formed by the songs that we sing. There are loads and loads of great christian songs available to us both old and new.  However, we should make sure that we think about the songs we sing, checking the words to make sure that they are accurate and helpful. So many times I've sung songs not thinking about the words and then someone will point out a line in the song that isn't theologically correct. The question is what do we do with these songs?

My suggestion is that if there is just one line or word that is unhelpful or inaccurate that you attempt to replace it with something better. Here are some examples...

My Song Is Love Unknown
I love this song. The tune really fits the words and the majority of the words are beautiful. However there is one line which is unbiblical. The line, referring to Jesus going to the cross, reads...
"Yet cheerful he to suffering goes"
This is not a phrase found in the bible. Jesus did not go to the cross cheerfully. It was not a joyful experience for him. It was agony and tortue. Hebrews 12 v 2 tells us that because of the joy that was before Him, Jesus "endured the cross". Perhaps a better line would be...
"Yet willing he to suffering goes"

Hillsong - This is Our God
I love this song, especially the chorus as it explains the gospel quickly, simply and accurately. The only problem I have with it is the first line which says...
"Your grace is enough, more than I need"
Here, I can understand what the songwriter was trying to get at. She was trying to explain and describe the abundance of grace that we receive from God. The bible tells us that God's has given us "surpassing grace" -  2 Corinthians 9 v 14 and that he has given us "sufficient grace" - 2 Corinthians 12 v 9.  The problem is that the words "more than I need" suggests that there is grace left over which would mean that there is a waste of grace. God is not a God of waste, he gives us a huge amount of grace but exactly the amount of grace we need. A better line could be...
"Your grace is enough, it's all I need"

Hillsong - Hosanna
Again this is a song I really like. I think the lyrics (mostly) are great with a good tune as well. There is just one which I think is inaccurate. It's the line that goes.
"Break my heart for what breaks yours"
Again I can understand what the songwriter was trying to describe here. It's right that we should desire to have the heart of God, that we should live and long to do his will. The only problem is the description of God's heart breaking, this sort of line is also used in the song Filled With Compassion. The breaking of the heart has connotations with hopelessness. When a family member dies, people's hearts break because there is nothing they can do. This is not the case with God, with him all things are possible and therefore there is never a hopeless situation. I've struggled coming up with an alternative line for this song, the best I can think of is "fill my heart with what fills yours" but I'm not sure this sounds right when sung.

The other kind of songs are those songs which generally are unhelpful songs with more than just one line which isn't useful. I think that these songs should probably be avoided altogether because there are so many great songs out there for us to sing. For example...
Draw me close to you
This song doesn't mention Christ, God or the gospel. This is the kind of song I like to describe as "the boyfriend song". Basically, someone could be singing this to their boyfriend without having to change any of the words. If we want to sing a song based on drawing close to God then perhaps it would be better to sing This is my desire or I surrender All

I really don't want this post to come across as if we shouldn't sing anything or that we should only sing songs from a particular period. God has blessed us with fantastic songs old and new and we should sing songs from all ages. My point is that what we sing is important and we should read and think through songs before we sing them. I think it's beneficial because it makes us more accurate and improves our theology. Please feel free to disagree and leave any comments. Thanks for reading :-)

Seeing Jesus In Every Book Of The Bible

Below is a short video. I'm sure this boy had it scripted for him but it's actually very good. It made me think, "How do I see Jesus in the Bible?". This is obvious in the New testament because Jesus had already appeared, died and risen. There are even points in the Old Testament where it is easier to see the whisper and shadow of the Messiah to come. For example, you can see Joseph son of Jacob as a shadow of Christ. Both born miraculously and both hated because of their greatness as well as many other parallels. However, what happens when I turn to Numbers or Esther, how does Jesus appear there? Well this short video will help but it begs the question, "When I study the bible, am I searching, digging, excavating to try and see my Saviour?"