When Suffering Leaves Its Mark, Part 3

From the beginning of time until now. People have struggled to understand the mysteries of suffering is been the catalyst for countless questions down through the ages, such as why would a loving God allow his children to suffer in this one does God punish us for our sinful choices by inflicting us with illness today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll will address these questions as part of his teaching series called clinging to hold he's written a new book by the same title later in the program will explain how to receive a copy of the five foundational fact that I want you to remember number one there are two classifications of sin original sin, and personal sins, pouring original sin, and personal sins.

Original sin represents the condition in which we are born we are sinners at birth and that is what prompts acts of sin are personal sins. Now the second statement original sin introduce suffering sickness and death to the human race third statement sometimes there is a direct relationship between personal sin and sickness.

Sometimes there is a direct personal relationship between personal sin and sickness. A person becomes sick because of sin in their lives.

On occasion, that's true.

Sometimes there is no relationship between the two. Sometimes there is no relationship between personal sins and an individual being sick or disabled another turn ahead to John chapter 9. Here is a story of the ministry of life of Jesus regarding a man with congenital blindness. He was born without site.

He's a man born blind. What a disability. Jesus comes upon him as is walking along, he sees the man who is been blind from birth. Please observe the dialogue that follows Rabbi. His disciples asked him why was this man born blind was it because of his own sins, or his parents, sins look at the answer from Jesus, it was not because of his sins or his parents, sins. It was neither Jesus answered this happened, so the power of God could be seen in him is not God's will that everyone should be healed.

Another reason those who teach that it is they teach that is usually found in Isaiah 53 verse five by his scourging we are healed would take that portion of the verse, and the spirit over all of life and they then offer you healing if you look simply come to me and I will make it happen for you. Please always integrate every verse are part of a verse with its context.

It is all in a context of the spiritual life, not physical ailment. Otherwise, all who believe in Jesus would be physically healed. But in fact all believe in Jesus are spiritually healed all who trust in the Lord Jesus and claim him as Savior of their lives are cleansed.

I go back and see again.

It is not God's will that everyone should be physically healed if it were, we would all be healed, but it is not licit if you will, without turning. I'll save you the effort of turning the several examples of prolonged infirmities that were not healed, found in the Scriptures, a man named a powerful die dose was sick to the point of death, Philippians 225 through 27. The verses tell us of the man named E.

Pepper.he was not healed he was sick almost to the point of death, and recovered. There's another man named prof. He must TROPHY US unusual name trough MS is named in second Timothy four verse 20 Paul writes in his last letter to Timothy. I left trough. He was sick at Miletus. I left him sick. The apostle who had miraculous gifts walked away from profit was leaving him sick.

God did not healing Timothy was not healed of his stomach ailments. First Timothy 523. The new living Bible says you were sick so often drink a little wine for your stomach's sake. In those days wine was used in a medicinal way to cleanse that which was inferred, take a sip of wine every now and then for the sake of your stomach because you were so sick Timothy. We never read of Timothy's being healed as valuable as Timothy was as an apostolic delegate to the work of the ministry. The classic example. Second Corinthians 12 seven through 10. The apostle Paul with affording the flesh. Three times I prayed that it would be removed.

Word the word Ford means take something very pointed and painful sharp. That would bring physical illness, all kinds of guesswork is going to do what it was. We don't know what it was but whatever it was God's answer came back all three times. No, no, no. Praying, and he died with the thorn in the flesh never healed because it was not God's will to heal all of the Ford. Whatever it was getting. It is not always God's will that we be healed of sickness I battle the congestion problem for the last five weeks.

I want to say five years seems like it is been going on and on and on and on and on and on and I prayed and I've asked the Lord for relief take it take he's lifted is lifted is lifted is lifted. There's been no healing yet. I'm still blowing, still snorting still coughing. The congestion is there.

I don't know why I I you know when you're sick you, you bring up every possible sin you can think of and you run out of and you still don't get well I don't know why so you never lose anyone the ministry rest with God.

Leaving with him.

Do not tell sick people. They will get well.

Do not tell people in wheelchairs they need to be out of the wheelchair begin my message next week with the story will find hard to believe regarding Johnny Erickson totter in the thing she is heard from the wheelchair from well-meaning people who are just convince their sins and her life as she dealt with them sufficiently should be out of the chair. Please how insulting. How indelicate some horses of Alberta walked back in the plane and say something like that that dear man lying there between life and death.

The Lord leaves us in needy situations, for various reasons.

One of my mentors Bruce bulky reminded us in one of our wonderful Hebrew classes that he has lived long enough to say more often than not, you never know why you never know why God didn't bring relief your wife died in his wife lived that couple was killed in the plane crash in this couple survived this neighbor lost a son that neighbor raised all four kids to be adults.

That's a good neighbor. So is this one. Why Joe wrote his entire book without question, wouldn't written all over those 42 chapters. It's a mystery. Your respect for God will grow when you remember that much of what he does is mysterious or the death of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments. How unfathomable is ways. Romans 1133 unsearchable unfathomable mysterious. I close with words from second Corinthians chapter 1. Look with me.

Second Corinthians 1 want to show you these simple reasons that Paul points out, if you must have some reasons we go through times of illness and I reviewed these over and over again during days of my own sickness or the sickness of loved ones whom I care about very much. Second Corinthians is the most autobiographical of all Paul's works. You learn more about Paul personally in second Corinthians, and second Timothy than any other book.

Any other letter so we read of something he went through and he learned in the difficulty of it. Three lessons so if you wish to put this in the margin of your page. Do that as well.

Look at verse three. Second Corinthians 1. All praise to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful father. The source of all comfort is the first reason he comforts us in all our troubles. All our sicknesses strokes, broken bones, cancers, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's. All of our sicknesses. He comforts us in all of that look so that we can comfort others when they are troubled were able to give them the same comfort God gave us first reason you have a heart that reaches out to those who were going through a similar situation in God uses what you went through to comfort those who are going through it now. Who better to comfort the one who loses a child and someone who's lost a child who better to understand the debilitating sickness than the one who is going through debilitating sickness. Who better understands the special needs child and one who has special needs child to minister to one who has a special needs child. Comfort is transferable and if you didn't go through it. You wouldn't have it to give something remarkable about people who go through pain.

My son used to have a little sign on the wall of his office. That said, I've learned never to trust the words of anyone who is not going through serious pain in his or her life pretty wise words. Pain teaches us deep, deep thing.

Now go to verse eight we think you want to know, dear brothers and sisters about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia he revealed something here.

He never mentions anywhere else in all of his letters look at it we were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, this is Paul the apostle we thought we would never live through it.

Your Bible reads we had the sentence of death in ourselves, in fact, we expected to die, but as a result we stop relying on ourselves and learn to rely only on God. Reason number two going through times like this teaches us not to rely on ourselves.

You're not needy you are when you get really sick. What it means to lean hard on the Lord. When the bottom drops out of your life. Sickness develops that within us when our hearts are ready to receive it. Joe finally learned. He knows the way that I take when he is tried me, I will come forth as gold. My foot has held his steps is we have a captain not declined, neither have I gone back from the command of his lips.

I was steamed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. I would rather have truths from God than a feast at the table.

I've learned to rely on him by going through it with him. So we learn to comfort others. We were not to rely on ourselves in verse 11. You're helping us by praying for us then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. We learn to give thanks in everything.

That's the third lesson and is a good one.

We learned that bitterness is not the answer.

We learned that complaining does not help. We learn rather thank you Lord for not relieving me of this. You have some reason that is beyond my imagination to figure out. That means you care for me like I never realized before. Thank you for being to be what no one else can be. Thank you that sadness may come through the night but joy comes in the morning.

Thank you for your relief. Thank you for sustaining me Philip Yancey in his magnificent 1977 book, where is God when it hurts rights. These closing words in that book. Where is God when it hurts, he is been there from the beginning.

Designing a pain system that still in the midst of a fallen rebellious world equips us for life on this planet.

He has used pain, even in its grossest forms to teach us asking us to let it turn us to him.

He has stooped to conquer. He has left us. He is let us cry out and echo Job with louder and harsher fits of anger against him, blaming him for world we spoiled. He has allied himself with the poor and suffering. Establishing a kingdom in their favor which the rich and powerful. Often Sean.

He has promised supernatural strength to nourish our spirit, even if our physical suffering goes unrelieved. Please listen to these words, he is with us now ministering to us through his Spirit, and through members of his body who were commissioned to bear us up and relieve our suffering. He is waiting, gathering the armies of good. One day he will unleash them. The world will see one last explosion of pain before the full victory is ushered in that he will create for us a new incredible world and pain shall be no dear father we bow before you are great God, our God of ministry on our God of grace our God of magnificence, God of power and again we lay ourselves before you quick to admit we know only so little of why things happen and why things end as they do, but all of this only deepens our confidence in you and your will quiet our hearts before you silence are complaining and turn our thoughts to your word for direction and hope and reassurance in the blessed name of Jesus I pray all God's people said amen amen I can almost hear the collective sigh of relief coming from our audience around the world as Chuck Swindoll reminds us that our sovereign God is in control.

You're listening to Insight for living, Chuck titled today's message when suffering leaves its mark. It's the second of 12 studies in a brand-new teaching series called clinging to hope to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org will Chuck is written a brand-new book by the same title and its available to you right now Chuck has a way of stripping away the layers of complexity in helping us see the heart of the matter in clinging to hope he validates our emotional weaknesses while at the same time, replacing them with solid biblical counsel, not platitudes or clever statements that you hang on your refrigerator timeless truths from the Bible for anyone dealing with disappointment, discouragement or disputes will greatly appreciate Chuck's latest book called, clinging to hope that you can purchase a copy today by going to Insight.org/hope for, so if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 for the season will go down in history as one of the most contentious periods on record with nations at war with each other heated debates on how to solve complicated global problems. Against this backdrop of hopelessness. We are so grateful for our monthly companions and all who support Insight for living with contributions, your gifts, and a fresh breeze of God's grace and hope into places that are overcome by fear. So would you measure the impact of Chuck's teaching on your life and to Scott Proctor to share this Bible teaching with others who are desperate for hope. We invite you to join us in this worthy mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ, to give a donation today.

Call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or you can give online@insight.org/you've heard him teach about the holy land using word pictures to make us feel like were actually strolling through the old city learning about Jerusalem is fascinating for sure but see the land of Israel with your own is is life changing. In fact, is absolutely magnificent. And now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and the gracious hosts and experts assembled by Insight for living ministries. Join us on an unforgettable 12 day tour March 5 to the 16th 2023 at special sites along the way, I will teach from God's word will worship at the Mount of Beatitudes and share the Lord's table at the garden to impact will the sale of the Sea of Galilee together and will visit places where Jesus walked and talked to learn more, call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along the sacred sites and seeing the Bible come to life for your very mark your calendar for March 5 through the 16th 2023 and make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events Insight for living ministries toward Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend Bill Meyer join us. When Chuck Swindoll describes when God heals body and soul Friday on Insight for living in the preceding message when suffering leaves its mind was copyrighted in 2019 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited