There is much suffering of God's children that we can find no cause for except that of God's glory.   Search as we will we find no earthly reason for the affliction of some of the most consecrated saints except that through their sufferings God is glorified.

     When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said, "This, sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4)   When Christ healed the man that was born blind, His disciples asked Him who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?   Jesus said, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:   but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:3,4).   Here it is made clear that affliction and suffering may be for His glory and not for the sins of those good people or that of others.

     If Jesus Christ, the immaculate Lamb of God, must suffer, can even the most saintly expect to escape?   Yea, God laid upon Him the iniquity of us all, the greatest suffering ever known.   "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; he hath put him to grief." (Isaiah 53:10).   Notice that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.   God was not pleased to have Him suffer for suffering's sake alone but for our eternal good.   God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to suffer and die for them.   Yes, our Lord was a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief.    Christ believed in suffering as the will of God.   It was plain to Him in the Scripture that the servant of God must suffer.   This was all familiar to Him.

     Therefore suffering did not take Jesus by surprise.   It was by this that He must be perfected.   So He sought not to escape suffering, but to glorify God in it.    He knew all things about it and what sin had brought on this world in the way of suffering, but to become a perfect, all-sufficient Redeemer He must drink the dregs of the cup of suffering by experience in His own body.    In this way alone could He be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and meet our every need as lost men.   He must become the perfect Son of man as well as the Son of God.   He was in all things made like unto His brethren and tempted in all points as we, yet without sin. It was through the flesh and His suffering in the flesh that He became the perfect Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. (Romans 8:3,4: Hebrews 2:9-11).

     Therefore if our Lord must suffer to the eternal praise and glory of God and for our good and eternal salvation, is it not a blessed privilege to be chosen to suffer for God's glory?    Christ is now back in glory, exalted to the right hand of God, where the men of the world cannot see Him and His perfect life which was the express image and glory to God. (Hebrews 1:1-3)   But blessed thought and fact~~the Lord has not left Himself without witnesses in this sin soaked world.   In a limited way He has multiplied Himself here a million fold.   He said to His desciples, "Ye are the salt of the earth," "Ye are the light of the world," and "Ye are My witnesses."   Now the light shines brightest where the globe is cleanest of smoke and dust, so the purest of saints in a frail and suffering body may shed forth the brightest glory for His name.

     No, God is never pleased to need to chasten or afflict His children.   He loves them too much for that.   But He sees beyond the agony, pain, and tears to our felicity and His eternal glory.

     We must remember, too, suffering is one of the means of purifying the saints, and bringing them to where He may present them to Himself "not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." (Ephesians 5:27)    Oh how glorious to be found pure, spotless and unashamed at His appearing for us!

     There is one other stage for the saints in suffering.   It is a high and glorious one that few ever attain to.   "And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." (Romans 5:3-5)

     Too high this goal, we say.   How can I ever attain to glorying in tribulations?   In the passage quoted above we find the secret of glorying in tribulation.   Read it and re-read it till the meaning soaks in, for it is there, and Paul had found this secret and was glorying in tribulation.   Let us read the long list of sufferings found in the 11^th chapter of Second Corinthians.   In the 27^th verse he says, "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."   He says also in the 30^th verse, "If I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern mine infermities."   He tells us in the 7^th verse of the 12^th chapter of his thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him.   "Lest I be exalted above measure."

     Oh we proud mortals!   How a little success and glory turns our heads till our Lord is forced to humble us or set us aside.   The Lord would not rid Paul of this affliction of the flesh, but he gave him something better, a promise of something more blessed, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

     Here now comes out the apostle's glory.   "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.   Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:   for when I am weak, then am I strong."   Paul had come to know that suffering for Christ's sake and His glory made the power of Christ rest upon him.

     To learn to glory in tribulation we must learn to bear about in the body the dying of our Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body. (II Corinthians 4:10)   Remember, too, that suffering in Christ's behalf is a bestowal, a precious gift of Christ from heaven.   Why not then glory in this gift? (Philippians 1:29)

"To:   King's Addition Baptist Church, and Supporters of King' Addition Baptist Mission, Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada,      

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 10:19:51 +1100      

Dear Brethren,      December has seen the continuation of our efforts to move to Fort Smith.

     During the processes involved of applying to move to Canada legally, it was discovered that the Mission work in Fort Smith had never been registered with the Canadian Government, as is required by Canadian law.

     Consequently, as informed by the Canadian Government, we cannot legally move forward to the work until all the appropriate paperwork is in order.

     After enquiries to the Canadian Government, I was informed that I could visit Fort Smith at any time, but that I would not legally be allowed to preach, or carry out Mission work until all legalities and documentations are in place.

     As things stand at this point, I am praying about flying to Fort Smith in the next few weeks anyway, to try to expedite the process of having the Mission registered, and applying for our documentation that would see us being able to move to Fort Smith and officially continue the work that Bro. Mowris started 27 years ago.

     I can't begin to explain the frustrations that we feel as a family, and thank those that are willing to encourage and support us during this difficult time.

     If anyone wishes to see any, or all, of the communications from the Canadian Government, I am only too willing to forward them to you.

Emmaus, PA

     I just received word that Bro. Milton Martin was taken to the hospital with an irregular heart beat.   In the process of running tests, the doctors discovered that he also has leukemia.   They will be performing a bone scan to determine what stage the leukemia is in. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and strength and peace for Bro. Martin at this time.

I just talked with my mother and they are expecting Dad to return home Friday morning the first.   The heart shock therapy worked well and he is hoping to get a good night's rest.   The prognosis on the leukemia is that it is one of the least aggressive types and that he should be able to deal with it for the moment.   We will try to update more as soon as he gets home.

To all that have been praying for my father, Milton Martin, our heartfelt thanks.   After they did the shock therapy on Thursday, he immediately started recovering.   He went home from the hospital on Friday. He is being monitored for heart medication balance for the next few weeks.   He will visit the oncologist on Wednesday to get some more diagnosis on the leukemia.   He was planning a trip to Mexico on January 17th, but that has been cancelled.   Right now, he is feeling normal except for some exhaustion. He and my mother have spent the past two days resting.   Once again, thanks to everyone for your prayers.

Letters To The Editor

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