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May 21, 2022 4:30 am
This week, Dr. Cheryl Davis teaches on God's grace, why we suffer, reproach and so much more.
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This is the Truth Network welcome to the weekend edition of Cheryl Davis daily on the station at 8:20 AM and 5:20 PM matters is a ministry project whose mission is to empower men and women in the Christian faith in the culture and marketplace of ideas using the Bible as a sacred trust of sharing the message of Jesus.
Learn more about the ministry of the project at www.projectmatters.com. Let's enjoy this week's Extended Edition as Dr. Davis teaches on God's grace why we have to suffer reproach that more I am Dr. Cheryl Davis and you're listening to truth matters. God will lead us into a period of suffering God will lead us into a period of suffering, spend a significant amount of time here because really I feel glad that we are all suffering to some certain extent, especially within the last 2 to 3 years in the pandemic.
A lot of us have experienced suffering that we never anticipated, but I feel like I need to spend some time here just a minister that extends better in suffering.
I really feel like the Lord is showing me and not feeling you have the suffering of the many women in this country and really I'm just like that I'm going into this realm are going this way to minister to those limits.
I do want to spend some time here really all of us have ashes in our lives. And when you think about some of us actually have an ash pile all of us have suffered or are suffering at this very moment. Job sat on the asked Powell and reviewed his loss.
Some of us are sitting on the asked Powell at this very moment you have suffered loss you have unanswered prayers you have wayward children you have sickness that is not healed. I mean really, it could be a number of things and in talking to many women, even at my own church and even with those that I work with on a day-to-day basis. There is a lot going on. A lot of us have a lot going on. Some of us really that have been sitting on the ash pile so long that you have to wipe the set off your face each morning to get ready for the world.
Yeah I been there done that.
I even asked the question why must we suffer, Lord, why does there even have to be – Powell but the answer to that question goes all the way back to Genesis. I just want to start their end of the six days of creation, God rested on the seventh and looked over his creation and saw that it was good in the garden of Eden men and women coexisted in purity with God. They communed with him on a daily basis. Many were deceived by the serpent and ate at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And immediately their eyes were opened and they experience spiritual death. Sin entered into the world as a result God's judgment on Adam and Eve occurred and suffering was born there judgment affected the entire human race and really affects us even today, suffering has become a constant force that will continuously multiply throughout time and will change every life to the end of the ages. Think about it the entire medical profession is dedicated to managing suffering, our police and justice systems are founded on enforcing laws to push back evil.
This type of suffering. I like to label viral suffering viral in the sense that sin is like a virus that infects all humanity and curses the earth.
Viral suffering is communicable and easy to spread and will be around until the second coming of Christ. This type of suffering is what Satan meant for evil Romans 828 tells us, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. What Satan meant for evil God can turn it for good. So what is our calling. We are called to God's glory. God can use your suffering to bring about his glory with any I'm going to say that one more time.
God can use your suffering to bring about his glory within you. Some of you are suffering not because of your own actions, but because God has willed this suffering into your life. First Peter chapter 3 verse 17 says, for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good and for doing evil. Now, suffering is the will of God, some suffering is the will of God. That's hard to hear. And that's not popular but it's true.
Some of you are suffering today because it is the will of God will make you feel any better, you are not alone. Jesus had to experience the same type of suffering. If you read Luke chapter 3 Jesus and John the Baptist identified as the Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world came to the river Jordan and was baptized by John. Baptism is a representation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at the point of Jesus baptism. It was a foreshadowing of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus identified with the grace of God by baptism. Jesus began with grace after his identification with the grace of God. He was called to God's glory, to fulfill his ministry as the Messiah before he began his ministry God suffered him for 40 days and 40 nights of intense suffering in the wilderness.
Luke chapter 4 verse one then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Being tempted for 40 days by the devil, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to suffer this suffering was necessary to perfect him so that when the garden of Gethsemane came in he had a choice between his will or God's will, he would surrender his will to God's will.
The wilderness trained him for the garden of Gethsemane and for the cross, father, into your hands I commend my spirit is Jesus being fully man and fully God was led by the Spirit to suffer to be called to God's glory.
We can be led by the Holy Spirit into a period of suffering in our lives.
Some of you are exactly at this point you have been appointed by God to suffer. You are suffering by appointment not by accident. Some of you listening today you are suffering by appointment not by accident. Like I said before, I had been there, done that. I suffered a God appointed reproach that lasted 15 years. Sadly I said on the ash pile so long that I was covered in soot. I had to clean myself up just to go into the world. I can't make up in my drawer at work just to fix my face because I would cry and pray all the way to work some days on my 45 minute drive. Honestly, I lost my hope a few times I gave up a number of times I was tempted by suicide. However, despite going through all that, I was still saved. I taught Sunday school the entire 15 year. The verse that I quoted constantly and really came to know is what the Lord told Paul in second Corinthians chapter 12 verse nine. My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
God's grace is sufficient for your suffering today.
A lot of Christians go through suffering and think they are less than because they suffer. I felt shame and at times I felt that I was not saved but what I learned is that because I am called to his glory.
I'm going to suffer. My heart had communion with God, and I asked to see his glory like Moses asked for a Mount Sinai and as I was preparing and studying for this you know the Lord really drew my mind back to when I first got saved and I asked the Lord for this. And the Lord showed me that he answered my prayer by sending me this 15 year period of suffering, so I want to encourage you and say that your approach will not last forever.
My reproach did not last forever. At times it looked like there was no end and no hope.
God showed up at certain times to give me just what I needed to complete the time of testing. The Holy Spirit will carry you through God's grace is sufficient for whatever situation you are in today. Romans chapter 8 verse 18 tells us, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. After you have suffered a while, God's glory will be revealed in you by perfecting you, establishing you, strengthening you and settling you. You see, not everyone that is a Christian is willing to accept the calling of God's glory. There is only a remnant of people that are willing to suffer by appointment to see the glory of God.
The majority of the modern day church wants blessings without sacrifice anointing without brokenness and peace without spiritual warfare you cannot shorten bypass or sidestep the will of God the Word of God says the will of God is a process and we find that in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse six for there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. If you shorten the process you devalue the product don't end up with the Dollar Tree version when you can have the Williams and Sonoma version and I don't know about you but if you gone into Williams and Sonoma. Those are for professional cooks. You know Dollar Tree you can buy a bowl and it's a one time use but Williams and Sonoma.
They have bows and cookware that are going to last into the millennium. James chapter 1 verse four tells us that and let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete, and lacking in nothing. Get the version that God intends for you. One last thing about God's glory is that you know this process is not a one time thing we have so much flesh to contend with, to be made into the image of God, but it takes a couple passes through the process and for many it took 15 years. So that's pretty fair that I had a lot and I had to contend with. Paul talks about this in second Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord just like a diamond has facets and the more facets.
It has the more brilliant it is God's glory is just like that the glory of God has so many facets, but our hearts have so many impurities and imperfections that we cannot even trust. Therefore, it will be glory to glory and process after process to bring about the glory of God within us and transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. So don't get discouraged or lose hope because the end result is worth it.
The Lord is not waste a moment of our sufferings, the Bible offers us a guarantee that if we complete the process.
We will achieve perfection. Philippians chapter 1 verse six says, for I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it to the day of Christ Jesus in my closing. I've shared a lot of information you may say okay what is all that have to do with me. But first I want to review what ever begins with grace will lead to God's glory. We are all called to God's glory, but God's glory is going to come at a cost it's not free. Your appointed suffering is that payment some of you listening today are in a period of appointed suffering. At least now you know you know you not to walk around in the dark. At least now you know that there is hope. You know, we are not subjected without hope.
We are subjected to Christ, in hope, I believe that you can suffer successfully or you can suffer better than your currently suffering with the right perspective.
Suffering does not have to destroy you when it is designed to perfect the company say that one more time with the right perspective. Suffering does not have to destroy you when it is designed to perfect the Philippians chapter 1 verse six, again, for I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, so the reason that I am even talking about this. The whole reason why even have the ministry is because that day of Christ Jesus is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The church today is still focused mainly on the Jesus who died on the cross, the suffering servant. This Christ is important. Please don't get me wrong, but we are not teaching about the Jesus who is the reigning king who is coming back to execute judgment on the earth. We are not teaching the Jesus of Revelation enough, the last act of grace on behalf of the church is the rapture.
There are no more events that need to occur before the rapture is to occur. Therefore, your appointed suffering is perfecting you for this day for no one knows the hour or the day, but God is preparing you for it. We need to be watchful. We need to be wise, we need to be willing.
Our robes need to be wiped and washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ is coming after a church without spot or blemish. Jesus Christ is coming after a church without spot or blemish. Judgment will begin at the house of God. Your suffering has purpose.
It will not go to waste. So understand that your appointed suffering today that you are building up eternal treasures that will go with you into eternity. So don't give up. Don't give out and don't give Van I hope that this message has bless you, thank you for listening to truth matters on Dr. Cheryl Davis into the weekend edition of truth matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis matters is a ministry project is teaching theology goes inside or outside of the church. If you want to listen to these messages on-demand project matters and click on the part just like Dr. Davis is also available to speak to your ministry church function can be reached by email shoulder. This project matters.com you like to send a letter versus project letters, PO Box 159 St. Paul's, North Carolina 2834 matters devotionals on weekdays eight 2520 was only of biblical bliss is equipped to encourage one another and bring the gospel because matters this is the Truth Network