Suffering is so normal to Christian experience that we should not only "think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which come upon us as though some strange thing happened to us," just the opposite. We should think it strange if we do not experience a measure of suffering. Christ and His people are "made perfect (fully ripened) through suffering." There are practically numberless ways to wrongly avoid suffering: adopting a victim disposition for example. So called Christian psychology very frequently encourages this very thing. Many Christian psychologists (Larry Crabb for instance) frankly scoff at the idea of the sufficiency of Christ and of Scripture just as much as Roman Catholics scoff at the sufficiency of Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. "The word of the Lord tried young Joseph until the time of his word came." Joseph didn't bail out as a victim though many modern counselors would have either advised him to or held him blameless for doing so. Consider Older Abram. He literally laughed in faith at impossibility--and saw stunning fulfillment. Not only so but he was crowned with the crown consisting qualitatively of life (James 1:12). Moses' flaw, recorded for our learning, was a failure to suffer well by faith: Numbers 20:12. Did you know there is such a thing as a uniform of the day for Christians to put on by faith (Colossians 3:12)?
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Pastor Dave Nicholes came to know the Lord while he was in the US Navy. He went on to seek Christian training from Tennessee Temple University where he met his wife, Joy. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Temple University, a master’s degree from Tennessee Temple...