Join us for an enlightening discussion as Dr. McGee tackles the age-old question: Why does God allow His children to suffer? Through personal anecdotes and scriptural insights, we explore the transformative power of trials and the various reactions Christians might have. Encouraging stories from around the world reinforce the message of perseverance and faith in the face of adversity, as believers learn to see God’s purpose in every situation.
Why does he discipline his children? These are good and honest questions that are often asked through tears. So as we make our way through the Bible, Dr. J. Vernon McGee offers his perspective, saying, God just doesn’t let you be disciplined for no purpose in the world. There’s always a reason, and we can discover what that purpose is. In our last study, we learned seven reasons why God allows us to suffer. And in this study, we’re going to learn four possible reactions. If you’re in a trial right now, Hebrews 12 has an important message. Dr. McGee has been there too. Here’s a quick intro from him on that period of time in his life.
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There is a word that I want to make clear to you at this time. I took the tape that I made before and listened to it. That tape I made at the time that I’d had two operations. My trouble had been misjudged by a doctor that I’d had. And therefore, I had to have two operations. And very candidly, I was feeling very low. And I came to this passage of scripture at that particular time, right after it, when the doctor permitted me for the first time to make tapes. And up to that time, I never thought I could make a tape on the discipline of the Lord. Well, I made it. And right now, I don’t think I could make it again. And so I’m using this that came out of a real experience that I had, and I trust that it will be meaningful for you and will indeed have a message for you also.
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I appreciate Dr. McGee’s sincerity, don’t you? And after reading so many wonderful letters from our fellow listeners over the years, I’ve seen how one person’s story often helps someone who’s struggling with the same thing. So if you’re struggling, I sure hope that these letters encourage you to press on. A faithful wife in St. Paul, Minnesota writes this. At present, I’m caring for an ailing husband who causes me to become tired. But after 60 plus years of prayer, he finally and joyfully knows the Lord as his Savior. Praise the Lord for the souls that are being won for him through your radio program. Tell others not to give up hope. Yes, if you’re praying for a loved one to come to Jesus, don’t give up hope. And then here’s a word. This is from a listener in Henryville, Indiana. She says, He is our only hope for healing our very ill sons. I look back and can see God’s hand in my life preparing me for what I now have to go through. I wish I had not wasted so many years worrying about earthly things. My husband and I listen to your program together every evening. And then finally, a listener of our Marathi program in the state of Maharashtra, India wrote this. My son is suffering from a dreaded disease. Four of the children in our area have died due to the same disease. Very depressed, I came across your program. When I heard it, my heart was filled with joy. I felt like I had discovered something new. I believe with all my heart that our Savior, Jesus Christ, came to save sinners like us. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I believe that Jesus will heal my son from sickness. Well, we’re confident that God can and does heal. And we also are confident that God works all things together for good for those who love him, to them who are called according to his purpose. Even when it’s hard, Dr. McGee has more to say about that in our study. Let’s pray. Thank you, Father, for your grace and your mercy and the healing that you bring to people’s lives. It’s for your glory, Lord, that we lift up to you those who are suffering and ask for a clear sense of your nearness. We thank you, Lord, for working out your purposes in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen. Let’s go to Hebrews 12 on Through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McKee.
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Now, friends, last time we left off at the ninth verse of the twelfth chapter of Hebrews 12, And we were in this section where he is encouraging the child of God to go on and endure for the very simple reason that God does not send trouble to us as evidence of his displeasure. It may be one of the main reasons God sends troubles to us is to discipline us. And the word, as we’ve seen here, The word chasen means child train. And child train refers to children, the technon word they choose. And then weos refers to full-grown sons. And all of us need to be disciplined of the Lord. And as we said last time, we believe that God helped me up here and wouldn’t let me do the 12th chapter of Hebrews, wouldn’t finish it until I had this experience with hepatitis and I still am not free from it. But I am able now to move about. And my doctor gave me the permission to make one tape a day or two tapes every other day. And I’m grateful for that. That’s all I ask the Lord to let me do. And he’s heard and answered my prayer. And he’s heard and answered the prayers of many of you others. And I’m convinced that the Lord has been chastening me, that he’s been disciplining me. I mentioned seven reasons that God’s children suffer last time. And I think that if you’re an intelligent Christian, that when you are in trouble, if you’re not sure why it’s come, go to the Lord. Talk to him about it. And I’m sure that he’ll get a message through to you and let you know why that you’re in trouble. And the reason may be that he’s not judging you. A judge judges us. He does that. That’s punishment. But he’s also our loving Heavenly Father. And he disciplines his children. In fact, he made it very clear, if he doesn’t discipline you, we’re an illegitimate child. Now, when I was a boy, I got in trouble and several other boys. And I saw one morning my dad crying. coming across the school yard. And when he got to the school, you know that there were several hundred children there. You know who he was after? He was after his son. And he took his son and disciplined him. He didn’t discipline those hundred other children. They weren’t his children. If they had been, they’d been illegitimate. But he disciplined the boy that’s his boy and the boy that he loved, my heavenly father. Because my earthly father died when I was 14. And it took me a long time to get another father. And that father is my heavenly father now. And he does the same thing. He disciplines. And now this is important for God’s children to know. And it’s to help us endure. Now he goes on here and he says, furthermore. We’ve had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence. Believe me, I listened to my dad. I hadn’t heard about the new psychology that you don’t pay any attention to your parents or that they don’t discipline you. My dad disciplined and I listened to him. Now he says, if we listen to our earthly parents, shall we not much rather be in subjection under the father of spirits and live? Now, I want to tell you, if you listen to your earthly father when he disciplines you, you better listen to your heavenly father. And he makes a suggestion here, and I think it’s only a suggestion. He says, you listen, you be in subjection to the father of spirits and live. Now, what do you mean by live? Live it up? Well, I think that he meant to live the Christian life in all its fullness. But there’s also the negative that’s there. And that is the Heavenly Father disciplines in a very severe way sometimes. There is a sin under death. And that is a sin that a child of God can commit. And sometimes the Heavenly Father calls his child home. We’re going to see that later on when we get to the epistle of 1 John, that the heavenly father sometimes takes a disobedient child home out of this world because he’s disgracing him. Now he says, you better listen to your heavenly father. He’s doing it in love. But if you possess him going on, he may take you home. If you want to live and live it up down here. My friend, that’s the thing that I settled with the Lord when I had cancer. I said, oh God, I want to live down here. And he was good to me and he’s let me live. And then when I had this last trouble, I went to him again and I knew that nothing is There are a lot of things wrong in my life. I’m sure not perfect. If you think I’m perfect, ask my wife. She can tell you differently. But I want to say to you that I want to live. And my Heavenly Father, I found out, he was just disciplining me. And I was learning a lesson. And he did it in love. And it changes the whole picture. Now, verse 10, for they, that is the earthly ones, they verily for a few days chasing us after their own pleasure. My dad died when I was 14 and no more was I under his discipline. And I think sometimes he got a little angry with me and vented his anger on me. But even then, but he did it for our profits. that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now, my dad did it for my prophet, I’m sure, but my heavenly father, he does it for my prophet down here. Now, when you listen to verse 11, and I want now to see what should be the reaction of a Christian to the discipline of God. And there are several reactions you can give. Verse 11, for instance. Now, no chastening for the present. seemeth to be joyous. And I’m willing to say that it not only doesn’t seem to be joyous, it isn’t joyous, but grievous. That is the experience. Nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Now, he wants us to profit by it in order we might be a partaker of his holiness. And I believe, friends, that there’s no way in the world to make you a full-grown, and I think that’s the main thought and holding this year, a full-grown child of God, living in fellowship with him, except through the discipline of God. Now, down here, why may I say that he disciplines us, and no chastening at the time is fun, but afterward, we’re told, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Now, God just doesn’t let you be disciplined for no purpose in the world. Just like the man that was in a funny farm. And there was a visitor there one day, and this man was beating himself on the head with a baseball bat. And so the visitor went up to him. He says, why in the world are you hitting yourself on the head with a baseball bat? Well, he says, it feels so good when I quit. Well, my friend, God just doesn’t do it to you. So you’re going to feel good after it’s over. Now, there is a purpose, always a purpose in the discipline of God for you and me today. And my friend, that is something that I want to dwell on now for just a few moments, because I think, again, I’m in a spot where it’s very, very important indeed. Now, what is your reaction when God disciplines you? Well, actually, there are four things that are mentioned in this passage of Scripture here. And I’ll have to go back and pick up the others that I passed over. Back in verse 5, he says, And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint. when thou art rebuked of him. Now, he mentions here, the first thing you can do, you can despise that. That can be your reaction. That is, that means that you treat it lightly, that you get no message from it at all. You become, I would say, a fatalist. Well, everybody has trouble. I’m having trouble. And it’s not meaningful to you. You don’t get God’s message in it at all. You just treat it lightly. You don’t recognize the fact that your Heavenly Father’s disciplining you in all of this. Now, that’s one reaction. You can just absolutely ignore it altogether. And a great many do that. They just take it in stride and say, well, yes, I’m sick. Everybody gets sick. This happens to the human family. And they don’t see any purpose in it at all. Now, that’s one reaction to it. Then he mentions here something else, nor faint, you see. And there are those that take that viewpoint. I would say this is the crybaby reaction to it. You begin to cry and say, why did this happen to me? It’s not worth living the Christian life. I have served the Lord, and now he’s let this happen to me. And you just faint away. And there are a lot of saints that take that attitude. I have been absolutely overwhelmed because I have received, since I’ve been sick, over a thousand, in fact, several thousand letters from people all over this country and out of this country, throughout the world. And some of these people, they’re lots worse off than I am. And some of them made me feel ashamed of myself. They’ve been on beds of pain for months and several for years. And they write the sweetest letters that you’ve ever seen. And they come from folk They’ve got a real victory. I’ll be very frank with you. I hear about these meetings where people go and they’re healed and they talk about great victories. You want to know where the great victories are being won today? Go to the hospital or go visit some dear saint that’s been on the bed for months, years maybe, and listen to them talk. They make me ashamed of myself. I’ll tell you that. You can faint, though, but these people don’t faint. I tell you, the Lord is strengthening them. Now, he has another message here, and this is a dangerous way because it’s so close to that which is true. And that is, you can endure it. Well, somebody says, that’s what he says, if ye endure chastening. Yes, but these are the super-duper pious saints. I like to speak of them as like the Indian faker. And I think they’re a fake or two, but a different kind of one. Over in India, he crawls up on a board filled with nails and he lies down. He doesn’t have to lie down there, but he does it. And a lot of saints today, they accept this in a passive way. Oh, this is the Lord and I will endure it. You know, he never asked you to take that pessimistic, that super pious attitude toward your trouble. Why don’t you go to him and ask him, Lord, why did you send this to me? There’s a lesson here, and I want to learn the lesson. And not accept it in that passive manner. And I’ve had a few letters like that. Oh, this is something that I have endured, and I’ll just go on enduring it, you know, in a passive way and complaining all the time. Now, here is the fourth one, and he mentions that here in verse 11. He says, Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceful fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Now, you can be exercised by. Did you ever take setting up exercises? I play golf on a golf course where there’s a man I’ve got more or less acquainted with him. He jogs around the course while I play golf. And he does that to lose weight. He is inclined to be a little chubby. And so he’s doing that to lose weight. He exercises, you see. Now, I’ve thought of that in recent days. Are you exercise when you get in trouble? when you have to suffer, when your problem comes to you, even when an enemy comes across your pathway. Have you ever stopped to ask God, why in the world did you let that fellow come across my pathway? And you know God does it for a purpose. God does all these things for a purpose. And the thing to do is to be exercised by. Paul said that he wanted to keep under his body. He wanted to exercise. Because he didn’t want to come before God’s presence someday and be disapproved. My friend, I don’t care where you are, who you are. It’s time you’re taking your setting up exercises. And I mean by that, the kind of exercises that are going to put you in a position where you don’t go like verse 12, wherefore lift up the hands which hang down in the feeble knees. Don’t walk around through life as a Christian complaining all the time. I used to have a friend that I learned to quit asking him how he felt because he always told me how he felt. And it took him 15 minutes to tell you how he felt. And I’ve never met him when he ever felt good. You see, going around all the time with his hands which hang down and his feeble knees. May I say to you, my friend, somebody’s watching you. How do you endure the trouble that comes to you? Do you endure it? By being exercised by, that’s the important way, and that’s the way we are to endure it. We’d say, my heavenly father, he’s chasing in me, and there’s a purpose in it. I want to learn the lesson. We start, you’re setting up exercises. One, two, three. One, two, three. Lord, I’d like to know why I’m suffering this way. Now, notice, he says, make straight paths for your feet. lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. And I’ll be very frank with you, I’ve never been quite clear just what he meant by this. Make straight paths for your feet. Are you to walk the straight path that the weak saint might follow in your footsteps? Or are you to walk the straight path? So that you don’t get in the habit of limping through life. And there are a lot of lame brain Christians today. They complain, they criticize, and they’re no witness for God at all. And yet they appear very superposed. Now he continues on here, follow peace with all men. Be encouraged and be at peace with all men. That is, with all that you can be at peace. Because some people just won’t be at peace. And holiness. Follow peace with all man, that is, with all Christian man. Make this a big cross-country race that we’re in today, where a lot of us are running the Christian life today. And holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Now, if that means that I’ve got to produce holiness, then I’m going to give up, because I don’t have any. But the peace that I’ve got came through the blood of Christ, being justified by faith. I have peace with God. And if I got any holiness, he’s been made unto me righteousness. And he is my righteousness. And that’s what I’m expecting to see. God, if I get in his presence, it’ll be just because Christ died for me. And that’s encouraging, friends. That makes me want to get out and run the Christian race. Now, he says, “…looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God.” Now, the grace of God is available. And all the grace that you need, God has plenty as a surplus of it. But you’ve got to avail yourself of it. Have you gone to him, Christian friend, and talked to him? Talk to him, oh yes, reverently, but talk to him like he’s your father and tell him about yourself. Tell him you need grace. I cried out to him for grace. Oh boy, did I need it. And I want to say to you, we all need grace. And it’s available, but you’ve got to apply for it. You’ve got to. Ask him for it. It’s available. Don’t fail of the grace of God. And if you do, I’ll tell you what will happen. Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and there many be defiled. You know, one critical, ugly saint in a church can just spoil a whole church. Just like one apple in a barrel of apples just ruins all of them. And that is the thing that can happen. And the thing to do is you’re to ask God for grace to endure whatever it is. And don’t become bitter, Christian friend, toward anyone or any circumstance, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Now, my time is up today, but I’m going to finish this chapter, hopefully, next time. So until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.
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As Dr. McGee said, when suffering comes, ask the Lord to give you a glimpse into the purpose for which he’s allowing this suffering in your life. Ask, how can I cooperate with you, Lord? If you want to explore this topic a bit more, why don’t you download Dr. McGee’s booklet, Why Do God’s Children Suffer? It’s available anytime at ttb.org. Another way that you can dig a little deeper in Hebrews is by downloading our free Bible Companion for Hebrews in our app or at ttb.org. And for those who have been waiting for our Bible Companions to be available in a printed format, wait no longer, my friend. We’ve heard your request. And you can now purchase Dr. McKee’s New Testament Bible Companions in softcover at ttb.org or when you call 1-865-BIBLE. Again, that’s ttb.org or 1-865-BIBLE. And when you get yours, why don’t you tell us what you think, especially if you’re using them for a small group study. They’re perfect for that. Now, as we go, I want to remind you that your letters, they really do mean a lot to us. So why don’t you take a minute and tell us how God’s helping you through your daily study of His Word. You can leave your note through our app. You can email BibleBus at ttb.org. Of course, you can always write that letter to ThroughTheBible, Box 7100.com. Pasadena, California, 91109, or in Canada, Box 25325, London, Ontario, N6C 6B1. You can also call and leave a message at 1-800-65-BIBLE. Dr. McGee once again reminds us to get our eyes off the church, off our organizations, and off any other person. And instead, let’s look to Jesus. Hear more next time as the Bible bus rolls along.
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All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
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