The Purpose of Pain and Suffering

By Carole

I have a severe knee problem - dislocating knee cap- that was made worse after labor and delivery. Running around my home after a toddler, and caring for a newborn has it's own challenges. But now I have a lot of pain, and I can't walk normally. This caused me to cry out for God's strength, and led me to the following question:

Why does God use pain and suffering?

It easy to say that God has a purpose in pain and suffering, especially when you're not in pain. I always believed this- and I still do- but now in the midst of the struggle, I find myself asking why. Why does use pain and suffering? Why can't he use the comfortable easy path? The Lord is showing me that it's because of the war against our flesh.

God loved Jacob, so He wrestled with him and broke him. God loved the Israelites, so He made them wander in the dessert. God loved Paul, so He blinded Him on the road to Damascus. God loved the world, so He sent His Son to suffer and die and take our punishment, the atoning sacrifice- as it is written, "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered..." (Heb 5:8)

Suffering is the tool the Lord uses on earth to bring us to Himself, and to make us more and more like Him. Our flesh is still sinful, so it must be conquered. More and more I'm seeing how blessed I am when I'm weak, because His strength is so much stronger than mine.

Consider the following verses:

"Woe to you who are rich , for you have received your consolation." (Luke 6:24)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 5:3)

"Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry." (Luke 6:25)
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matt 5:6)

"Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." (Luke 6:25)
"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." (Luke 6:21)

May the Lord continue to break us, working in us the fellowship of His suffering, that we may be conformed to His beautiful image.

A New Start

Sorry for not posting for so long. I just gave birth to my second child, Naomi Zyana on August 13. My oldest is seventeen months, so I'm pretty busy:) Children are such precious blessings from God, and I'm seeing how he's using them both to sanctify me more and more each day, making me more like Him. I'm learning a lot about patience and realizing how much God's word and Spirit are sufficient for my daily walk.

A few words of encouragement that helped me today-

The way is narrow (Matthew 7) which means there is only one way to walk it- seeking Him daily, hourly, moment by moment. There are many ways of the path, leaning to our own understanding. But if we stay on the narrow path, we will find rest. In Him is life and peace.

Veggie Tales "Dave and the Giant Pickle" was another unexpected source of encouragement :) Bob the Tomato shares that with God all things are possible, meaning whatever God wants you to do, you can do. Simple wisdom for children taught me profoundly that I can rely on Him to give me the ability to be a Godly wife and mother.

I hope this was encouraging to you -

In Christ,
Carole

Is Modern Feminism Compatible with Christianity?

By Carole

This discussion arose from an excellent dialogue I’ve had with a good friend. We discussed the implications of Feminism, and questioned it’s role in the church, and whether or not Christianity and Feminism should “coexist” as it so often does in our churches. The first part of this discussion deals with a comparison of the Feminist worldview and the Christian worldview. (Please note that this barely scratches the surface of the differences; I included what I consider the most important distinctions)

(Feminism- the rejection of gender differences, and the pursuit of role equality in domestic, social, political and economic settings.)

Feminism (F) vs. Christianity (C)

F: Self-actualization

"Choice has always been the power of feminism...to create a society where women can live a full, self-determined life." (Ali P. Crown, choice is the power of feminism)

C: Self-denial

“"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matt 16:24) "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." (Luke 9:24)

F: Anti-Family

“the women who ‘adjust’ as housewives, who grow up wanting to be ‘just a housewife,’ are in as much danger as the millions who walked to their own death in the concentration camps…” (Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique)

C: Pro-family

But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. ( Mal 2:15 ) "...that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." (Titus 2:4-5)

F: Against submission to husbands

"Feminists agree that male dominance within the families is part of a wider system of male power, is neither natural nor inevitable, and occurs at women's cost." (Myra Marx Ferree, Beyond Separate Spheres: Feminism and family research)

C: Submission is God ordained and His order

"Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:22) Also see: Col 3:18.

F: Identity in Self-fulfillment

"...women are victims of a false belief system that requires them to find identity and meaning in their lives through their husbands and children. Such a system causes women to completely lose their identity in that of their family." (Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique)

C: Identity in Christ

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

Making Christmas about Jesus Christ

By Carole

Does it seem that the Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, elves, snow flake stickers, and all the stuff is hitting the shelves earlier this year? Or maybe I'm just growing tired of the continuous commercialization of this sacred holiday. One thing is obvious Christmas is no longer about Jesus Christ. It's about hedonism and idolatry, worshiping material possessions while paying homage to the jolly red-suited man.

We need to reclaim this holiday for ourselves, and not give into the cultural pressure that so easily entangles us.

I'm not suggesting we protest. Nor am I even suggesting that we voice ourselves among the secular community. They cannot and will not celebrate Christ, why should we make them? They do not know Him, but we know Him. I think we should quietly follow what we know to be true, teaching our children to believe in Christ, not in Santa Claus; learning to love giving rather than receiving, singing praise instead of jingle-bell carols.

Let us do the one thing that is needful this Christmas and sit at the feet of our Lord, rather than the base of the tree. Let us open His word, rather than dozens of presents, and let us worship Him and Him alone.

Merry Christmas in Christ!! May the Lord show you every spiritual blessing you have in the heavenly places with Christ, that is greater than any earthly gift.

Biblical Submission in Marriage

by Carole

I confess that submission is a truth for me to embrace in scripture. At least in the marriage context. While submitting to Christ carries it’s own difficulty, I don’t have trouble admitting that I need to submit to Him. But recognizing the need to submit to my husband is half the battle. Christ is perfect, Christ is God, etc. But my husband, as wonderful as he is and as much as I love him, is not God. However, this perfect God commands me to submit to my husband, as to Him. As much as I hate to admit it, I am not submitting to God if I don’t follow this command. I’ve done this study to learn the importance in following the Lord in this area.

Why is submission so difficult in marriage?

Pride. I think that I would do a better job. In reality, I could never do a better job because it is not my job to do. It is the husband's job to lead. My sister shared this thought with me: self-worth in our society is wrongly associated with the one who is in charge and commanding. But did not our Lord Himself submit? Christ Himself washes the disciples feet, saying: a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. (Luke 13:16) Here is the truth- we are all nothing apart from Christ.

Our war is not flesh and blood, but with spiritual evil. Marriage is God’s picture of Himself, His love for us. He uses the marriage union to represent His relationship with us His Bride. Marriage is the core of society, healthy marriages means healthy families, which in turn means a healthy society. I think this is the reason it is so difficult- it’s so important. Aside from our own misguided will, the spiritual attack comes in to destroy the family, adding an additional challenge in this area.

Why should I submit to my husband?

The first reason is that God commands me to. Jesus says: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” (John 14:21). God’s commandments on submission: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22-24) “Let a woman learn silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.” (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Instead of qualifying these verses, let’s understand what they mean.

Rebellion is as witchcraft. I am speaking from experience. When I refused to submit to my husband, we argued about everything. It was not my husband who wrote these commandments, but the Lord. By disobeying Him in this area, I could not enter in to the fullness of His joy. He did not create marriage to be a burden and difficulty, but to be a wonderful blessing. Well, I was allowing the Devil a foothold by rebelling, and our marriage was not pleasing to the Lord. This will slowly deteriorate the marriage until things you never thought possible- things that only happen to “other” people- can come in.

What is biblical submission?

The attitude of submission is more than just following directions. It’s a lifestyle of meekness and gentleness, and reverence.

Let's look at the Ephesians 5:22-24 verse in depth:

Submit to your own husbands - unique within the marriage bond; we do not submit to all men as we submit to our husbands.

As to the Lord- when we submit to our husbands, we are doing it for the Lord to honor His commandment.So we must do it from a heart of gladness and cheerfulness, not grudgingly (how would we feel if our husbands grudgingly loved us as Christ loves the church? I have found that this happens more when I’m not respecting and submitting to him. We make it easier for our husbands when we submit as to the Lord.)

The husband is head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. This is a statement of fact. He does not need to earn this position or be elected to the office. He is head because he is a husband. This is simply the role and the order that the Lord establishes. We must respect his office and position. Remember that he is accountable for the family before the Lord, and he will be judged accordingly. While all men have different gifts and abilities, their wives can either encourage them in their role or be their greatest hindrance to biblical leadership.

Just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. How is the church subject to Christ? Let’s meditate on this a bit. The church is to do what Christ says, to follow Him. We as wives, likewise, are to do what our husbands say, and to follow them. They are the leaders in our home, which means we are their followers. In what? In everything. The Lord knows that this is the key to an amazing marriage. We are to deny ourselves anyways, what better place to start than in marriage?

How Do We Arrive at Truth?

By Melissa

On the day of Jesus' crucifixion, in John chapter 18, we see an interesting exchange. Pilate is questioning Jesus' about His identity because he is trying to determine if Jesus is worthy of death. After Jesus reveals to Pilate that he is a King, He tells Pilate why He came into the world. John 18:37 reads: "You say correctly that I am a king For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate responds with a question that I think that we all have asked at one time or another in our lives. In verse 38 when he responds: "What is truth"?

Many today are still on the hunt trying to define what truth really is. There are three main approaches that people tend to employ when dealing with the subjects of knowledge and how we can arrive at the truth (epistemology). For the sake of argument, I am not including relativism. Relativism is the belief that there is no absolute truth and that truth is relative to each individual person. So for instance, what is true for me, may not be true for you. Not to go down a rabbit trail, but this is a self refuting statement because in order to impose that there is no absolute truth is to affirm an absolute truth, namely that there is no absolute truth (if that makes any sense). The point is that I as a person have no bearing on what is & what is not. We merely discover truth & do not determine truth. For instance, someone may not want to believe that I am married, but that has no bearing on the fact that I am married. For the purpose of this discussion however, we will focus on the three perspectives that do point to the fact that there is absolute truth and that truth is knowable.

The first method that people employ when dealing with the subjects of knowledge and truth is rationalism. Rationalism holds to the view that knowledge starts in the human mind. There is an emphasis on thinking and ideas because after all, our minds are the source of all truth. Rationalism falls apart; however, because there is a built in assumption that our minds have the capacity to know everything. In other words, if we can't think it with our minds, then it can't really be. Therefore, there is no such thing as the unknown. The unknown simply represents those things that we have not explored with our minds yet. This view fails miserably because things don't exist merely because we can invent them with our mind. For example, gravity was not discovered by Sir Isaac Newton until the 1600's, but does that mean that gravity did not exist before then? Certainly not. Rationalism is a valuable tool for daily living, but are we willing to ultimately say that no truth exists outside of us? Truth and natural laws exists regardless of our awareness of them or lack thereof.

The second method that people employ when dealing with truth and knowledge is empiricism. Empiricism can be summed up with the phrase "seeing is believing". In other words, all that we can know is what can be determined by the use of our senses- what we see, hear, feel, taste and touch. Scientific experiments start from this perspective. However, this method is also limited because we can't reproduce events from the past. Neither can we see these events occurring. For example, none of us were around to see the Revolutionary War take place, but no one would question its' occurrence because of the historical evidence. But if I was applying the empirical method in this case, then I couldn't be certain that the Revolutionary War actually occurred because I wasn't actually there to see it happen. As I stated earlier, scientists approach experiments from an empirical perspective. Don't get me wrong, this is highly effective in dealing with observational subject matter (things that we can observe today in nature or in a laboratory). However, when dealing with forensic science (when scientists try to determine what happened in the past), empiricism falls short. Not to get off on another rabbit trail, but it's amazing how some scientists, who hold strongly to the empirical model, try to make dogmatic claims about the theory of evolution, when they were not around the supposed billions of years ago to see these supposed chemicals supposedly randomly arrange themselves together into a self-replicating molecule that supposedly was the spark of all life. There is a bit of hypocrisy there. Anyway, empiricism is useful, but ultimately it falls short, because truth then is limited to what we can see, hear, touch, taste and smell. Again, this leaves no room for the unknown or the past.



The third perspective is what is known of as revelatory knowledge. This would describe the Christian view of knowledge. This view holds that truth does exist outside us and is revealed by Someone also on the outside. You see, God is a transcendent Being, which means that He exists above and beyond His creation. However, rather than remain outside, He has penetrated within His creation to reveal truth to us. There are two clear ways that God has revealed Himself to mankind. The first is through general revelation, which is through nature. Romans 1:20 declares: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse". So through His creation, we can clearly see that there is a Creator. Nature would include all of the created world so this would include our minds and our conscious, which point us to truth as well. Secondly, God also reveals Himself more specifically in His Word, the Holy Bible. Ultimately, we can know things about God from nature such as the fact that God is all-powerful, eternal and immaterial, but there are some truths that one will only ascertain by reading the Bible such as the Doctrine of the Trinity. When I say this, I am not saying that people can't know anything apart from God's Word. For instance, even atheists know that 2+2=4. So one can know particular truths even if they do not read God's Word. However, to know ultimate truth, the foundation on which to build one's life, you must come to realization of who Jesus Christ is & be in His Word. We use both Rationalism and Empiricism in our daily lives so they are not completely wrong, but rather are just incomplete because they are dismissing how knowledge works as a whole in the context of revelatory knowledge. To hold that all that we can know is what we can see and/or what starts in the mind is limiting and inconsistent. In the counter-examples that I pointed out earlier, there are things that we can know that can not be ascertained through Rationalism or Empiricism, yet it is only when we approach the subject of God that these views are leveled as the ultimate standard of knowledge.

The reason it is so essential to believe in God as the Source of knowledge is because as an all- knowing Being, God’s knowledge is comprehensive and exhaustive. He alone is aware of the breadth and depth of His own knowledge which equates to all knowledge. “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?” (Isa. 40:13-14; cf. 1 Cor. 2:16; Rom. 11:34).

So what was the answer to Pilate's question. What is truth? Jesus tells in John 14:6 that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one can come to the Father, but through Him. This is not a passage that we want to glance over abruptly. You see, Jesus was telling us that how we approach the subject of truth holds eternal consequences. It determines where we will spend eternity. My prayer for you is that you may know the truth and that the truth will set you free. I would like to close with words of one of Jesus' last prayers recorded in John chapter 17. He is praying on behalf of his disciples because He is about to be arrested, murdered and they will be alone, but He had been faithful to teach them the words of Scripture during their three year journey together. Verse 17 reads: "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth". His Word is truth. If you've never studied God's Word, I challenge you to do so. As you read the pages of Holy Scripture and as the Holy Spirit illuminates your understanding, you'll come face to face with the real Jesus.

If God is so good, why is there evil?

By Carole

This is a real question in the midst of the human struggle. I think as Christians, we sometimes feel embarrassed to admit that we ask questions like this. It’s easy to live intellectually satisfied by the knowledge that God is good, and yet experience some emotional uncertainty when something tragic happens, like a family member dies. I admit I’ve questioned God’s intentions at much less than the death of a family member. Sadly, it is the problem of evil and suffering that causes many to walk away from God. The argument from a non-christian goes something like this (paraphrased from the book God’s Problem, by Bart Ehrman, who himself left Christ because of the problem of evil):

If God is sovereign, this means he is in complete control. If God is good, that means he does not cause evil. A good and sovereign being cannot exist if there is evil in the world. There is evil in the world, so either God is not sovereign, God is not good, or God does not exist.

Here’s the problem with Ehrman’s argument. It’s not just that there is evil in the world, there is evil in me. If God deals with the evil in the world, the way Bart Ehrman wants- get rid of it, destroy it- He would have to destroy every person. He would have to destroy me and you, for the evil in us. The fact that God allows the evil in the world is to give us time to repent and turn to Him so He can cleanse us, before He ultimately judges the world.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)