by Dr. Don Sisk

It has been my practice to read through the Bible at least once a year for the past 25 years. This year my wife and I are reading through the Bible together with the help of The Bible in a Year. Regardless of how many times one may have read the Bible, there is something new in it for every day. Recently I was particularly blessed by reading Acts 9. God had instructed Ananias to go to an infamous man by the name of Saul of Tarsus. Ananias understandably was reluctant, but God assured him that this was not the Saul of Tarsus that he had known before. He stated that he was now praying. Then God showed Ananias what He had in the future for this Saul of Tarsus who would later become known as Paul the Apostle.

In verse fifteen He says, “...for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.” What a glorious prophecy this is that one man would be chosen as the primary apostle to all the people in the world. He would have the opportunity on many occasions to stand before royalty. In addition to that, he would be used of God to bear the good news to His own people, the Jews.

In verse sixteen we read these interesting words: “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” As we read through the Bible, study Christian history, and look around us in this generation, it is very evident that God often uses times of adversity to manifest Himself in a special way.

We are quick to praise God for good health, enjoyable surroundings, good weather, prosperity, and pleasant circumstances. We should thank God for these things. However, the Bible tells us in Philippians 4 that we should give thanks to God for everything - not just the pleasant circumstances, not just the enjoyable situations, but everything - even for adversities. We often say, “In retrospect I can see that God allowed the adversities.” It is very evident that God often uses adversities in our lives to accomplish great things in His work.

I was recently with a pastor who was suffering with severe back pain. Because of the back pain, which was indeed an adversity, he checked into the hospital for an operation. While preparing the pastor for the operation, the doctor realized that he had a very serious heart condition. If he had not checked into the hospital because of the problems with his back, according to the doctors, he would not have lived very long before having a massive heart attack.

In a recent church service a lady was given a special award. Some twenty-five years ago she had a vital part in helping a young church get started. The church had located some property, but because they had practically no income and nothing for collateral, they were unable to get a loan. A man in that congregation had been killed by a drunken driver. His widow loaned the church $10,000 from the life insurance policy to purchase the property. She asked that this be an anonymous loan, and it was. Twenty-five years later in a thriving church that has seen thousands of people saved and many people called into various ministries around the world, this woman allowed the pastor to reveal to the church the source of the loan, and she was given a special award.

In the field of missions we honor and respect such men as Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, C.T. Studd, and Anton Anderson. In recent days we think of people such as the five young men who gave their lives attempting to reach the Auca Indians, and of John and Betty Stamm, Bobby Loving, Margaret Simpson, Jim Cooper, Chuck and Lora Matthews, Clifford Hayes, Joe and Tanna Collins, Gary Poch, Troy Deans, and the list could go on. These are people who suffered much and even gave their very lives in order for the Gospel message to be borne to various fields around the world.

This suffering for Jesus and bearing His name is not uncommon at all. Suffering may come in various ways. I think of the ways that Paul suffered:

He suffered mentally because of the misunderstanding of those who heard him. He was misunderstood by his own people, the Jews. He was misunderstood many times by his own converts. He was misunderstood by the other apostles. When you try to do right and your motives are questioned and misunderstood, it causes great mental anguish.

He suffered emotionally. We know practically nothing of his family. Did he have a wife? Did she leave him after he became a Christian? Did he have children? Through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Paul has given us some of the greatest teaching in the world concerning husband and wife relationships. He teaches us well about the relationship between parents and children. His teaching concerning employers and employees is of tremendous value. It is quite obvious, however, that he was not able to enjoy most of these wonderful relationships about which he so ably teaches us.

He suffered physically. He tells us that he was on at least five different occasions scourged and beaten forty stripes save one. In addition to this, he was beaten with rods. He was stoned. He suffered a shipwreck. He was robbed. He was constantly in great turmoil because of the harassment of the enemies of the cross. He suffered from hunger and thirst.

Eventually, he suffered the ultimate loss - the loss of his very life. He was beheaded by the Roman soldiers. Just before this he could say, “I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.”

In the course that God had ordained for Paul lay much suffering. When God calls us to a special task, we have no idea how much pain may be involved. We can be quite confident that it will entail suffering. However, we have the wonderful assurance that God will comfort us even in these afflictions. In II Corinthians 1:3 Paul says, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” In verse four he gives the reason for allowing us to go through these sufferings: “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

If we were never afflicted, we would never need comfort and we would never be able to comfort others. How wonderfully God uses every experience that He allows us to have.

While we praise God for good health, prosperity, and good surroundings, the Apostle Paul found a reason to praise God for affliction. In II Corinthians 4:17 Paul says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” In essence he is saying that for every affliction, there is an exceeding glory awaiting us.

It is my privilege as director of a large mission organization to see the tremendous victories that God gives through adversities. Many times I have prayed earnestly as to what to say to a wife whose husband has gone to be with the Lord or to a husband whose wife has gone to be with the Lord. On most of those occasions, I was greatly blessed to learn of the strength and grace that God had given to that remaining partner. Just recently it was my privilege to speak at the Deaf Baptist Fellowship of America. As I watched those people, most of whom had never heard anything on this earth, my heart was thrilled at the joy they manifested. Certainly deafness is an affliction, but God gives joy even in the midst of affliction.

We never know what avenue God may use to make us a blessing to others. Whether we are ordained of God to be a blessing to others through afflictions, or ordained of God to be a blessing to others through good health and prosperity, we should heed the admonition of the Apostle Paul: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Let us all pray that God will get glory from our lives in whatever means He chooses.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Roland & Sandra Simeonsson -  HAWAII - JAPANESE
Clyde & Joyce Simpson -  USA - NEVADA - HISPANIC
Don & Virginia Sisk -  GENERAL DIRECTOR EMERITUS