Have you noticed conflicting teaching and thinking? We gasp for hope as we pray for Jesus to return or rescue us from earthly suffering, but we also quietly fear escalating evil and global suffering. Our thoughts fill with odd tensions. Everything will be fine. This will blow over. Jesus will take this away. But, in the next fleeting thought, what if things worsen? How will we cope? Care for our families? Do you feel “unpeace” or discontentment rising in your thoughts? Are you wondering if our great God has somehow left His throne or if it all might be just “slipping past Him?”
Perhaps this conflict is stirred up by our annoying accuser Satan. How we need to cling to (and study) the whole of Scripture, especially as we suffer. Let’s both listen so carefully to our “Teacher of truth’s” voice there, for the father of lies is deceitful. The enemy is trying to make things worse in our thoughts!
But Who is the only way, TRUTH, and life?!
False teaching
Our enemy also subtly works through false teachers who “bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them” (2 Pet. 2:1).
What does our Teacher of truth tell us?
Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves (Mt. 7:15 CSB).
If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness,
he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words (1 Tim. 6:3-4 CSB).
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn. 4:1 CSB).
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4 CSB).
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens (Eph. 6:12 CSB).
The church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
to guide, sustain, and cherish,
is with her to the end;
though there be those that hate her,
and false sons in her pale,
against both foe and traitor
she ever shall prevail.
Help us remember Your teaching of truth, grounded in the gospel
Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out (Jn. 12:31 ESV, emphasis added).
He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him (Col. 2:15 CSB, emphasis added).
Through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were
held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15 CSB, emphasis added).
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.
The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:13-14 CSB).
When the Son of Man comes in his glory…he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25:31, 33-34 ESV).
We don’t need to fear suffering or death, as forgiven and sealed believers in Christ, sheep who follow Jesus Christ, forever saved from sin’s punishment, clothed in His righteousness alone, by God’s gracious gift of faith, into our inheritance of eternal life with Him!
It will “be OK” for His sheep…even if things worsen.
Hallelujah! Praise God! What an amazing reality, all from and through and by our Teacher of truth, Jesus Christ!
Our Teacher of truth is the great God who is over Satan!
Can you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine (Job 41:5, 11 ESV).
For he commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out! (Lk. 4:36 CSB).
I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Is. 46:9-10 ESV).
What a comfort to consider Satan as a whining little puppy on God’s leash, as our great God works out His kingdom purpose. Hallelujah!
‘Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious
shall be the church at rest.
Lifting my eyes to my beloved Jesus, my Teacher of truth, my treasure, my hope
I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in heaven (Ps. 123:1 CSB).
Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me (Ps. 23:4 CSB.)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do (Eph 2:10 CSB).
He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ (Phil. 1:6 CSB).
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine (Is. 43:1 CSB).
In all these [sufferings], we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom. 8:37 CSB).
Yet she on earth hath union
with the God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
Material adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2022
Singing praise to my Faithful and True Teacher of truth, trusting Him in any suffering
Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid; for the LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation (Is. 12: 2 CSB).
This week’s professionally curated playlist gift helps us sing praise and adoration to our beloved Lord Jesus, our Teacher of truth. No matter what tribulations we may suffer, our faithful God will help us endure with strengthened trust, as the Holy Spirit reminds us of Scriptural truth and brings peace and strength for another hour. Let’s praise our Jesus who’s already won this battle for us, as He sustains us by His true Word to become “more than conquerors!” Praying that the resources below might help you, just as He is helping me trust Him through serious illness right now.
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Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character in our Suffering
