LEARNING HOW TO SUFFER (PART 3) SCRIPTURE: PSALM 1 CONCEPT: PEOPLE CAN CAUSE, HELP, HINDER OR INCREASE OUR SUFFERING, BASED ON HOW WE DEAL WITH THEM OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN PREACHING A SERIES ENTITLED, LEARNING HOW TO SUFFER . IN IT WE ESTABLISHED THAT SUFFERING AND PAIN, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS ARE A REAL AND IN MANY WAYS A REQUIRED PART OF LIFE. JESUS TOLD US THAT IN THIS WORLD WE SHALL HAVE TRIBULATIONS. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. NO PAIN, NO GAIN. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A CROSS FOR EVERYONE... THAT IT RAINS ON THE GOOD AND THE BAD, THE SAINT AND THE SINNER. THE IS AND THE AIN TS.
BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, WE CONCLUDED THAT WE MUST, AS BELIEVERS AND CHILDREN OF GOD, ALL KNOW HOW TO SUFFER. KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT AND HOW TO EXPERIENCE IT AS BEST WE CAN. IN PART ONE, WE NOTED THAT OUR FEELINGS HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH HOW WE SUFFER. WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. WE CAN NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BECOME PROUD AND FEEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN ALIENATED AND ALL ALONE DURING OUR SUFFERING. AND WE HAVE TO AVOID FEELING THAT OUR SUFFERING WON T IN THE LONG RUN MAKE US
BETTER. WE NOTED THAT OUR GOD IS THE GREAT RECYCLER AND HE CAN TAKE OLD STUFF AND MAKE IT NEW. HE CAN SAVE THINGS BY USING THINGS OVER AND OVER AND HE CAN TAKE THE MESS AND COMPOST THEM TO MAKE OTHER THINGS GROW. IN PART TWO, WE FOCUSED ON OUR ACTIONS AND CONCLUDED THAT HOW WE THINK, SPEAK AND SEE THINGS WILL GREATLY AFFECT HOW WE SUFFER.
TODAY, I D LIKE TO BRIEFLY DEAL WITH LEARNING HOW TO SUFFER AS WE DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE. ANYBODY WHO HAS EVER GONE THRU SUFFERING ALREADY KNOWS THAT PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH OUR SUFFERING. THEY CAN IN SO MANY CASES CAUSE US TO SUFFER. FAMILY ISSUES, CHILDREN IN CRISIS, MARITAL PROBLEM AND FRIENDS WHO TAKE US THROUGH THEIR MESS. PEOPLE CAN MAKE OUR SUFFERING WORSE, BY HOW WE ALLOW THEM TO INTERACT WITH US WHILE WE SUFFER AND HOW WE RESPOND TO THEM. IN OUR TEXT, THE PSALMIST SPEAKS OF THREE SITUATIONS ALL DEALING WITH PEOPLE AND HOW WE INTERACT WITH THEM. WALKING WITH THEM, STANDING WITH THEM AND SITTING WITH THEM. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKETH NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY. COUNSEL OF COURSE IS ADVICE. PEOPLE LOVE TO GIVE ADVICE. WHETHER YOU WANT
IT OR NOT. SOME FOLK HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY, BUT HAVE NEVER WALKED A MILE IN YOUR SHOES. SO QUICK TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AND HOW YOU SHOULD DEAL WITH WHAT YOU RE GOING THRU, BUT WON T EVEN TAKE THEIR OWN ADVICE. NOW DON T MISUNDERSTAND ME. COUNSEL CAN BE A GOOD THING. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT COUNSEL IN THE HEART OF MAN IS LIKE A DEEP WELL AND THE UNDERSTANDING MAN WILL DRAW IT OUT. Proverbs 15:22 (NIV) Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. GOOD ADVICE CAN ALWAYS HELP. BUT BE CAREFUL WHOSE ADVICE YOU TAKE. THERE IS AN OLD AFRICAN PROVERB WHICH SAYS, EAT THE FISH AND SPIT OUT THE BONES... IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN LEARN SOMETHING FROM ANYBODY. BUT DON T TAKE ADVICE OF PEOPLE THAT IS NOT POINTING YOU TOWARD S GOD OR DOES NOT INCLUDE GOD. UNGODLY ADVICE. DON T TAKE ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHOSE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO STAY MARRIED TRYING TO TELL YOU HOW TO STAY MARRIED. DON T TAKE THE ADVICE OF SOMEBODY WHO DOESN T HAVE A MAN, CAN T KEEP A MAN, TELLING YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ABOUT YOURS. DON T LET SOMEBODY WHO HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO KEEP A HOME, TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH YOURS. AGAIN, LISTEN. BE CORDIAL, BUT IF IT
DOESN T INCLUDE THE LORD OR IS UNGODLY, DON T TAKE IT. THAT S WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK BY IT. DON T FOLLOW IT. YOU CAN BEAR IT IN MIND. BUT IF IT DOESN T POINT YOU TOWARDS THE LIGHT. DON T FOLLOW IT. YOU RE ALREADY HURTING. WHY TAKE ADVICE THAT IS ONLY GOING TO CAUSE YOU MORE PAIN. WHY FOLLOW ADVICE THAT IS GOING TO LEAD YOU TOWARDS THE DARKNESS. BEING UNGODLY CAN MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD FOR A WHILE. BUT EVENTUALLY, IT WILL ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE. DON T WALK IN THE COUNSEL OF UNGODLY PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO TRY TO GET YOU TO RETURN EVIL FOR EVIL OR RAILING FOR RAILING. VINDICATIVE ADVICE, HOW TO GET SOMEBODY BACK OR HURT SOMEBODY WHOSE HURT YOU. GOD SAYS, VENGEANCE IS MINE, SAITH THE LORD, I WILL REPAY. DON T WASTE YOUR TIME THINKING EVIL THOUGHTS OR ALLOWING UNGODLY FOLK ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THEIR EVIL ADVICE.
WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, YOU DON T NEED WORLDLY ANSWERS AND WORLDLY SOLUTIONS. WE RE IN THIS WORLD BUT NOT OF IT. FIND SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE WORTH OF PRAYER. SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES GOD CAN STILL MAKE A WAY SOMEHOW. DON T TRY TO GET
DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO GET HELP FROM HEAVEN FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS ON THEIR WAY TO HELL.
SECONDLY IT SAYS, DON T STAND IN THE WAY OF SINNERS. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU RE SUFFERING, DON T HANG OUT WITH FOLK YOU KNOW ARE NOT BEING GODLY. YOU SEE, IF YOU EVER NEED GOD, YOU SHO NUFF NEED HIM WHEN YOU ARE HURTING. WHEN YOU SUFFERING, YOU NEED GOD TO SEE YOU AND TREAT YOU AS ONE OF HIS OWN CHILDREN, NOT A STRANGER OR FOREIGNER. GOD MAKES PROMISES TO THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHT. TO THE RIGHTEOUS. MANY OF ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE LORD SHALL DELIVER THEM OUT OF THEM ALL. NO GOOD THING WILL THE LORD WITHHOLD FROM THEM WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY. WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ARE FOLLOWING AND STANDING WITH. ASSOCIATION BREEDS ASSIMILATION. MANY A PERSON IS IN JAIL TODAY, WHO WERE CAUGHT IN THE WRONG PLACE, AT THE WRONG TIME, WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE. THE BIBLE SAYS TO FOLLOW PEACE AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD. WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, YOU NEED TO SEE GOD AND NONE BUT THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL SEE GOD. YOU DON T NEED TO BE STANDING OR HANGING WITH FOLK WHO CAN T SEE GOD AND AIN T
TRYING TO HELP YOU SEE HIM EITHER. NOW I DIDN T SAY DON T TALK TO THEM. OR BE NICE TO THEM. I DIDN T SAY DON T TRY TO ENCOURAGE FOLK WHO NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED. I M SAYING, DON T LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO DISCOURAGE YOU. BUT WHEN YOU ARE GOING THRU SOMETHING, TRY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO KEEP YOUR MIND STAYED ON THE LORD. ISAIAH 26.3. WALK WITH THOSE WHO ARE THANKFUL. WITH THOSE WHO INSPITE OF WHAT THEY RE GOING THRU, STILL TRUST AND BELIEVE IN GOD. YOU DON T NEED TO HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLK WHO ARE NEGATIVE AND CRITICAL OF EVERYTHING. ALL THEY RE GOING TO DO IS MAKE YOU FEEL WORSE AND FILL YOUR HEAD WITH MESS AND CONFUSION AND FILTH. NO, STAND WITH THOSE WHO S HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS THAN JESUS BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. WITH THOSE WHO ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO STAND UP... WITH JESUS. THAT S RIGHT A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS.
WHEN YOU RE SUFFERING, DON T FOLLOW ADVICE OF FOLK WHO LEAVE GOD OUT OR DON T BELIEVE THAT GOD IS ABLE. IN THE MIDST OF YOUR SUFFERING, DON T HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TRYING TO
FOLLOW GOD THEMSELVES AND SEEK TO LEAD YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAITH IN GOD TO WORLDLY ANSWERS AND RELIEF. BUT THEN FINALLY, THE PSALMIST SAYS, NOT TO SIT IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. CEV: sneering at God, NIV: MOCKERS, NLV: LAUGH AT THE TRUTH. DON T SIT WITH THOSE WHO ARE SCOFFERS OR LAUGH AT THE TRUTH OF GOD, OR MOCK THE THINGS OF GOD. SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN PAIN AND SUFFERING FIND THEMSELVES BECOMING BITTER AND BEGIN TO MOCK OR DISBELIEVE THE TRUTH OF GOD. THEY START PUTTING DOWN FOLK WHO TRY TO BE HOLY OR TRY TO BE IN CHRIST. YOU CAN TELL WHO THEY ARE, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT CHURCH FOLK. CRITICIZING EVERYTHING THEY DO AND QUESTIONING THEIR MOTIVES AND UNDERMINING THEIR INTENTIONS. SCOFFERS AND FOLK FULL OF SCORN. THEY RESENT OTHER FOLK WHO ARE WORKING IN THE CHURCH OR ARE WORKING WITH THE PASTOR. CALLING THEM NAMES AND LAUGHING AT PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TRY. YOU SEE PEOPLE LIKE THIS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND ALWAYS SEEK TO PUT DOWN OTHERS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD. TALK ABOUT THEIR PREACHER, PUT DOWN THEIR OWN CHURCH. TEAR THEIR CHURCH DOWN IN THE
STREET. NEVER HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT ANYBODY. ALWAYS FINDING FAULT. THIS IS WHAT SCOFFERS DO AND FOLK WHO ARE IN SCORN. THEY LAUGH AT THE TRUTH AND DENY GOODNESS. THEY CAN ONLY SEE THE WORSE PART OF ANYTHING AND ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT. NOT WHAT WORKED OR THE BEST PART OF SOMETHING. WHEN IT SAYS DOWN SIT WITH THEM, IT MEANS DOWN LET YOUR GUARD DOWN AROUND THIS CROWD. DON T SIT IN THAT SEAT. THE BIBLE SAYS, BE NOT DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED. FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP. WHEN YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN AROUND FOLK AND NOT COVER OR PROTECT YOUR HEART. THE BIBLE SAYS TO GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE. FOR OUT IF FLOWS THE ISSUES OF LIFE. DON T LET PEOPLE SOW GODLESS MESS INTO YOUR HEART. THEY CAN SOW THINGS INTO YOUR SPIRIT. THEY CAN SOW BITTERNESS AND FAITHLESSNESS. THEY CAN SOW DOUBT AND DISCOURAGEMENT IN TO YOUR HEART. AND CAUSE YOUR SUFFERING TO GET WORSE AND YOUR PAIN TO INCREASE. DON T DO IT. WHEN YOU SUFFER, BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO AND WHOSE ADVICE YOU TAKE. MAMA ALWAYS TOLD ME ALWAYS CONSIDER THE SOURCE. WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU STAND AND WHO YOU STAND WITH.
IF THEY ARE NOT ON THE LORD S SIDE, THEN THAT S NOT WHERE YOU NEED TO STAND. FOR IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD ON OUR SIDE... WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING, YOU DON T NEED TO RELAX AROUND PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU FEEL WORSE OR DON T HELP YOU LOOK UP UNTO THE HILLS.., WHO ALWAYS LOOK DOWN ON OTHERS AND EVERYTHING. WHEN YOU ARE GOING THRU A HARD TIME AND FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING, FIND SOMEBODY WHO MEDITATES UPON THE WORD OF GOD. NOT ABOUT WHAT SHE NAY NAY SAID. SOMEBODY WHO CAN TELL YOU WHAT GOD SAID OR ABOUT WHAT THE LORD CAN DO. FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL TRY TO GET YOU TO STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. GET WITH FOLK WHO HAVEN T GIVEN UP ON THINGS GETTING BETTER. FIND SOMEBODY WHO STILL BELIEVES THAT THE LORD CAN STILL MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY. YOU SEE GOD HAS PROMISED TO INSTRUCT US AND TO TEACH US IN THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD GO, HE SAID, IF IN ALL OUR WAYS WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATH. HE LL WALK WITH YOU AND TALK WITH YOU. I DON T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT ALL ALONG THIS PILGRIM JOURNEY, I WANT JESUS TO WALK WITH ME.
FIND SOMEBODY WHO LL TELL YOU, I KNOW WHAT THE DOCTOR SAID, I KNOW WHAT THEY SAID, BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT GOD SAID. SOMEBODY WHO WILL SAY, YEAH, I KNOW WHAT THEY DID, BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HE DID! HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS...BRUISED... CHASTISEMENT... BY HIS STRIPES. HALLELUJAH! WHAT DID HE DO: JOHN 3:16. HE PAID THE PRICE... FIND SOMEBODY WHO TELL YOU, JUST HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS, SOMEBODY WHO TELL YOU TO TELL HIM ALL ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES. SOMEBODY WHO LL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT HE LL HEAR YOUR FAINTEST CRY AND SOMEBODY WHO CAN TESTIFY THAT HE LL ANSWER BY AND BY. WHO TELL YOU THAT YOU LL FEEL A LITTLE PRAYER WHEEL TURNING AND KNOW A LITTLE FIRE BURNING. JUST HAVE, JUST HAVE, I SAID, JUST HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS... HE LL MAKE IT RIGHT! HALLELUJAH! AIN T HE ALRIGHT...! SOMEBODY WHO WILL TELL YOU TO ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING... SOMEBODY WHO LL TELL YOU TO DON T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUEST BE KNOWN UNTO GOD AND THE PEACE. THE PEACE. THE PEACE THAT
SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP YOUR HEART, SOUL AND MIND. GET WITH SOMEBODY WHO WILL REMIND YOU TO LIFT THE SAVIOR UP. WHO WILL REMIND YOU THAT HE SAID, IF I.... HE SAID, IF I... BE LIFTED UP.