I think you missed the entire point of Elisabeth Elliot’s devotional. Our ability to know Him IS only through suffering- HIS suffering on the cross made the way for us. Also, there are many verses discussing the topic of suffering as believers. God uses our suffering for His glory-that’s not the same thing as INFLICTING suffering like some cruel abusive father. Suffering in this human body and this world is inevitable, but when we surrender our suffering for His glory-He does marvelous things with and through our sufferings.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:19
I would only add that I would leave Elisabeth Elliot's devotional ALONE. A woman that defies Scripture and takes her small children into the jungle to 'evangelize' the same tribe of people who murdered her husband is not to be held up as a godly example. That God protected her and her children, and extended mercy to the tribe is because He is good, not that she is. What would everyone have said if the tribe also murdered her and her children? Would we be reading her devotionals, or would we be reminded that the Scripture says that MEN were sent by the church, often leading a wife with them as they went? Could it have been that if Jim had originally had his wife and children with him that the tribe might not have seen him as a threat? Even then, though, sending women and children into harms way for the sake of the Gospel is nowhere taught in Scripture, which does relate God's design and will for every aspect of our faith and practice.
But Jesus calls all Christians to be a witness for Him, not only men.
Men are given leadership roles, but that does not mean women are exempt from sharing the Gospel. God calls women to share the Truth with others just as He calls men. I don't have to be a pastor in order to share the Good News.
Moreover, it is not a good idea to say just because a person did one thing that may have been unwise or inappropriate that all their work is void. We do not write off Proverbs or Ecclesiastes or The Song of Songs even though Solomon multiplied wives and was drawn away to worship false gods. We do not ignore the Psalms even though David committed adultery with Bathsheba.
Even if what Elizabeth Elliot did was wrong (and I don't think it was), that does not mean her teachings are wrong. I have read some of her stuff, and it lines up with the Bible. The test for teaching is not a person's character or past, but rather the Bible. If it lines up with the Bible, then it is fine. And this devotional does line up with the Bible.
I just don’t think as Christians,— are we to try to cause suffering for others. The world already seems full if it, and Satan relishes it. John 10:10
I admired Elizabeth who used her talents as she believed she should. Other males and females have and subsequent generations were blessed, even when their work seemed unfruitful at the time….(thinking of a story in Korea, I think, where walls wet wallpapered with Scripture
So, God wants you to suffer? Really? It's His will for people to be sick? It's His will for people victimized by other people's sin to suffer? No. Suffering is not God's idea. It's ours. Our first parents chose to disobey, breaking the world and God's heart. God in His infinite mercy made a way so that we would not suffer eternally, that we could know Him, and that our lives could be blessed through obedience and fellowship with Him. As a parent, the idea of inflicting pain on my child so he could know me better is abhorrent. What are you really saying? Everything that happens is NOT God's will. He allows for our free will choices and unintended consequences, and is sovereignly able to make all things work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. That is the beauty for ashes. His will is that none should perish, and when He came, He looked with compassion on the people, and healed them. If suffering was required for knowing Him, He would have left them as they were, left us all without redemption with death and hell. Suffering is a fact of life, but it is not God's original intent, and He is going to remove it one glad morning, because He is good.
I think you missed the entire point of Elisabeth Elliot’s devotional. Our ability to know Him IS only through suffering- HIS suffering on the cross made the way for us. Also, there are many verses discussing the topic of suffering as believers. God uses our suffering for His glory-that’s not the same thing as INFLICTING suffering like some cruel abusive father. Suffering in this human body and this world is inevitable, but when we surrender our suffering for His glory-He does marvelous things with and through our sufferings.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:19
I would only add that I would leave Elisabeth Elliot's devotional ALONE. A woman that defies Scripture and takes her small children into the jungle to 'evangelize' the same tribe of people who murdered her husband is not to be held up as a godly example. That God protected her and her children, and extended mercy to the tribe is because He is good, not that she is. What would everyone have said if the tribe also murdered her and her children? Would we be reading her devotionals, or would we be reminded that the Scripture says that MEN were sent by the church, often leading a wife with them as they went? Could it have been that if Jim had originally had his wife and children with him that the tribe might not have seen him as a threat? Even then, though, sending women and children into harms way for the sake of the Gospel is nowhere taught in Scripture, which does relate God's design and will for every aspect of our faith and practice.
But Jesus calls all Christians to be a witness for Him, not only men.
Men are given leadership roles, but that does not mean women are exempt from sharing the Gospel. God calls women to share the Truth with others just as He calls men. I don't have to be a pastor in order to share the Good News.
Moreover, it is not a good idea to say just because a person did one thing that may have been unwise or inappropriate that all their work is void. We do not write off Proverbs or Ecclesiastes or The Song of Songs even though Solomon multiplied wives and was drawn away to worship false gods. We do not ignore the Psalms even though David committed adultery with Bathsheba.
Even if what Elizabeth Elliot did was wrong (and I don't think it was), that does not mean her teachings are wrong. I have read some of her stuff, and it lines up with the Bible. The test for teaching is not a person's character or past, but rather the Bible. If it lines up with the Bible, then it is fine. And this devotional does line up with the Bible.
However, Sarai, Hagar, Shiphrah, Puah, Rebekah, Rahab, Deborah, Abigail, Ruth, Esther, Mary,
I just don’t think as Christians,— are we to try to cause suffering for others. The world already seems full if it, and Satan relishes it. John 10:10
I admired Elizabeth who used her talents as she believed she should. Other males and females have and subsequent generations were blessed, even when their work seemed unfruitful at the time….(thinking of a story in Korea, I think, where walls wet wallpapered with Scripture
So, God wants you to suffer? Really? It's His will for people to be sick? It's His will for people victimized by other people's sin to suffer? No. Suffering is not God's idea. It's ours. Our first parents chose to disobey, breaking the world and God's heart. God in His infinite mercy made a way so that we would not suffer eternally, that we could know Him, and that our lives could be blessed through obedience and fellowship with Him. As a parent, the idea of inflicting pain on my child so he could know me better is abhorrent. What are you really saying? Everything that happens is NOT God's will. He allows for our free will choices and unintended consequences, and is sovereignly able to make all things work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. That is the beauty for ashes. His will is that none should perish, and when He came, He looked with compassion on the people, and healed them. If suffering was required for knowing Him, He would have left them as they were, left us all without redemption with death and hell. Suffering is a fact of life, but it is not God's original intent, and He is going to remove it one glad morning, because He is good.