Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:2-5

When you think about good and perfect – do you think about suffering? What words come to mind when you think about suffering?

How is suffering good? Do you complain in suffering? Do you try to pass your suffering on to others? Do you confess God’s Word in faith or walk in doubt and unbelief? Do you ever think God’s Word is not working?

Suffering: pain, anguish, misery, agony, torment, and affliction.

Do you know of anyone who has a degree is suffering? I don’t know a person who has mastered suffering. Trained specialists exist that help people manage pain. Pills and treatments can easy pain. However, complete healing removes pain from its position.

I personally know people who will take any pill or shot to stop hurting. Proven data shows people become addicted to drugs trying to make pain go away.

What is the solution? Did God make our bodies so complex that there is no cure for pain without addiction? Jesus performed many healing miracles in the presence of His Disciples. He asks His followers a question.

113 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. Matthew 16:13-20

Here we see Jesus identity revealed by Peter. The next thing He talks about is “Suffering”. Jesus is the Son of God – yet He is still in a human body. God gave Jesus to man as a gift. When we unwrap the gift we see suffering.

²¹ From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. Matthew 16:21

Can you envision the confusion of the Disciples? They have the revelation of who Jesus is – The One with ALL Power. Then their thoughts are redirected to injury, rejection, and pain.

I am sure Jesus suffering was a lot for His Disciples to digest. He had to make the suffering part understandable. In essence, Jesus was saying “All must suffer”.

• No matter who you are
• No matter who you serve or follow
• No matter what your title is
• No matter who your boss is or where you work
• No matter what political party you acknowledge
• No matter what nation or governmental order you support

ALL WILL SUFFER!

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:10-13

If any man will follow Me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow Me. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My name sake, he is the one who will save it. Luke 9:22-24

As Jesus discusses “Picking up your Cross” – He tells men the way to Salvation. Man has to die to sin. He cannot continue dwelling in sin and receive the blood covering of Salvation.

Losing life means dying to the old sin nature peeling off hell – from the soul. When a man loses his life in a spiritual sense, he does not die a physical death. Instead, he is reborn to the newness of life in Christ Jesus.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

People can pick up 1,000 crosses. If he/she has not confessed sin, repented, accepted Christ, and is baptized – they cannot follow Jesus. Any person unwilling to suffer hinders their ability of “Finding their way to the Cross”.

Endure suffering in this life. It is momentary and fleeting. We are soldiers in the army of the Lord. He did not enlist us to entangle ourselves with figuring out life. He chose us because of His great love – knowing that we all will pass through the stain of sin.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Take the Gift

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:16-17

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:16

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 5:22-24