........................................................................................................................................................
Afflictions In Life
,
,
Larry Chkoreff
International School of the
Bible
Some
people go out of their way to pursue comfort and thus are experienced in
avoiding many afflictions, but not so with believers who are committed to
obeying and following Jesus.
While
I do not understand everything about why we suffer afflictions and have
challenges in our lives, there are some things that I have learned and that I
do know.
a. If we sow bad seeds in our lives, we can
suffer unnecessary afflictions.
b. Even if we do not sow bad seeds, afflictions
and challenges will come.
How are we to handle afflictions?
If we are walking close to the Lord Jesus in intimate fellowship with Him, He will give us peace during our challenging times.
If we are walking close to the Lord Jesus in intimate fellowship with Him, He will give us peace during our challenging times.
Often,
in my life, He will let me know personally that He is aware of what I am going
through and is walking with me. That in itself is great comfort!
The secret
Colossians 1:20 – “and by Him [the Father] to reconcile all things
to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made
peace through the blood of His cross.”
Sin
is the cause of pain and suffering in this world.
This
means that whatever evil challenge that confronts us, if we believe, we have
the potential of converting that evil into a "friend," or into a
blessing not only for ourselves but for others in this fallen world.
Of
course, we are not perfect, but if we continually confess our sin, He
continually keeps us clean.
Therefore,
if you believe this, all the pain, suffering and affliction must, by law,
become a blessing.
It
is not up to you to predict how the blessing will take place, it is only your
task to believe and worship God for His wonderful miracle that took place in
the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Paul knew about this
Colossians 1:24 - “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and
fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake
of His body, which is the church,”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - “And He said to me, ‘My
grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Notice
that Paul did not say that he merely endured his suffering and afflictions, but
that he actually rejoiced in them and took pleasure in them. Why could he
say this?
Paul knew the secret
Notice in Colossians 1:24 above, that Paul said that his afflictions were actually filling up those afflictions of Christ's that were lacking.
Notice in Colossians 1:24 above, that Paul said that his afflictions were actually filling up those afflictions of Christ's that were lacking.
Paul
also stated that his afflictions were working for the benefit of the Body of
Christ, the Church. How could this be?
While
I do not understand everything about this, I do know this, not only by
Scripture but also by personal experience.
Jesus
paid the entire price for sin on the cross and by His resurrection He applied
that to us. In that regard there was nothing lacking.
I
believe what was and is lacking is what is called vicarious intercession.
Our
afflictions in some secret way, when reconciled, bring others into the saving
knowledge of Jesus and into His Kingdom.
Look at Old Testament Joseph as an example
Joseph suffered greatly at the hands of his brothers and at the hands of the authorities in Egypt while he was a prisoner.
Joseph suffered greatly at the hands of his brothers and at the hands of the authorities in Egypt while he was a prisoner.
However somehow Joseph's testimony was, "But
God was with me."
When
he was finally delivered from prison and made prime minister over Egypt, he not
only was personally delivered and rewarded, but his afflictions caused God's
people, all of Israel to be saved.
That
is an example of what our afflictions will do if suffered in faith.
Now look at this entire passage in Colossians in this
context.
Colossians 1:19,20,24-27 - “19
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross
“24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up
in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His
body, which is the church,
25
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was
given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26
the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has
been revealed to His saints.
27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Notice
the end result that Paul had in mind through his sufferings, in verse 27.
He
knew that his afflictions would reveal to many that mystery that Christ
actually lives in them!
I
submit that often the only way that God can reveal that secret to many is
through our afflictions.
I
have some very specific personal testimonies about this that have amazed me!
About International School
of the Bible - ISOB
This is to summarize what God
is doing through International School of The Bible (ISOB) around the world.
All the Glory goes to God as we watch what He is doing!
Carol Chkoreff and Larry
Chkoreff never intended to start a ministry like ISOB. We were teaching
8th grade Sunday School at Mt. Paran Central and North Church of God since
1983. At the same time we were overcoming very challenging circumstances in our
lives. I ended up writing about our overcoming through God's direction
and path for these 8th graders. I am not especially qualified in
education as a writer. I have had no previous experience. Therefore, any
fruit from anything that we have written is totally to the glory of God and
from His grace and anointing. My writing style is not professional; it is
rather conversational, geared towards the simple.
Beginnings.
As we were ministering at
Mount Paran Safehouse (downtown Atlanta) in 1994-1996, we were asked to develop
discipleship lessons for the homeless people. As we did that, the Lord
spoke an unexpected promise to us through Psalms 68:11. "The Lord
gave the word, great was the host (army) of those that published
it." We had no idea what that meant. But now we do. Writers
write, printers print, but publishers distribute. The great host of
publishers that we see publishing our books, freely of course, "blows our
minds!" These "publishers" are mostly simple pastors
in Third World and persecuted nations.
Psalm 68: 12 says, "Kings
of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the
spoil." Carol and I have tarried at home, but we have seen the
"spoil." The Mount Paran Central missionary to Ghana,
Kingspride Hammond, who also worked at Safehouse while we were there, spoke a
prophetic word to me. He said that our discipleship school for the
homeless would someday be called International School of The Bible. I
laughed, sort of like Old Testament Sarah did!
No comments:
Post a Comment