Dear Christian brother (or sister),

We have received your recent letter and were greatly distressed to hear about your situation there in your country.  Please feel free to share your concerns with us at any time; we are very glad to listen and to pray.  We are receiving other letters from your countrymen in which they, also, are troubled and discouraged, unto despair.  We have felt that way ourselves in the past.  In John 16:33 Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world....")

However, we have been praying steadily for you ever since receiving your letter.  Have you begun yet to feel the effect of our prayers?  Has God begun to move for you in any area of your life?  Please let us know when He does.

We grieve for you in your trials and, more importantly, God is grieved for you.  In the book of Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 15 we learn that Jesus, our High Priest, is "touched with the feelings of our infirmities," and 1 Peter 5:7 says:

Please do not look to any human beings as your "last hope" -- look to Father God alone.  He is a "father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5), as we also are finding, having recently lost both of our fathers.  We are only frail human beings ourselves who are also looking to Father God to meet our own needs.  How comforting is the Scripture found in Psalm 27:10, "Though my father and mother forsake me (whether by willing neglect or by unwilling death), THE LORD will take me up (as father)."  In addition, be encouraged by this Scripture found in Romans 15:13, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
 
Click the following links for information to help you believe God for miracles of healing for you and your family, as well as information to help you believe God for financial provision.  If Christians can just learn to trust God and to believe for the miracles they need in life, this knowledge will become more valuable to them than money in the bank!

Although we do not have the answers to all of life's problems, we do know the One who does!  Brother, do not lose heart!  Whatever you do, do not give up!  Your family needs you to be strong.  As Jesus prayed for his disciple Peter, so are we praying continually for you -- that your faith does not fail (Luke 22:31-32).  All answers are to be found in the person of Jesus and in His Holy Word.  "There is nothing too hard for the Lord!" (Genesis 18:14 and Jeremiah 32:17+27)  As a follower of Jesus, you have all of Heaven's resources at your disposal, waiting to be used in any and every desperate situation. In the Bible (in the book of Isaiah 30:18), God says to you:

          "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!"

The question of why bad things happen to good people (and, likewise, why bad people often seem to prosper) is an ancient mystery and has been asked since the beginning of time.  Of course, there is no easy answer to this apparent injustice.  Yes, you are right:  we as Christians must always comfort ourselves with our hope of Heaven and the mansion and treasures we have laid up there.  In our Heavenly home we will be rewarded for all of our tears and sorrows here on earth, as long as we remain faithful to God now.  Not so with the wicked!  See how the psalmist in Psalm 73 was also bothered by the seeming injustice of life.  Note especially Ps.73, verse 2 and verses 13 and 14.  But, then, look at verses 16, 17 and 27 and also at verses 23 to 26.  By the end of the Psalm, the Lord had helped the writer to put everything into perspective once again.  (See also Psalm 37 and Malachi 3:13-18)

You may be suffering for any number of reasons.  For instance, we live in a fallen world, caused by the original sin of Adam and Eve.  That means that all alike -- the righteous as well as the wicked -- will experience pain.  Notice in Matthew 5:45 the Bible tells us it "rains on both the righteous and the unrighteous."  But take heart, in Romans 8:28, God comforts us by saying, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  God uses even tragedies, disappointments and the ill will of others to work toward our ultimate benefit if we wait expectantly to see God accomplish it.  Notice what Joseph in the Bible said in Gen. 50:20.

Sometimes God allows us to suffer in order that we can be of more use to Him.  We suffer ourselves so that later we can turn around and comfort others who are suffering.  Our trials work a deep compassion and love in our hearts for those who are hurting.  Note this Scripture (2 Corinthians 1, 4):   "...the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God."  God intends for believers to help "bear one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2) and to be tangible expressions of His love here on earth.

Godly men in the Bible have also suffered deep trials and discouragements.  This is a normal part of life.  Notice Elijah in the Old Testament in 1 Kings 19:4 and in the New Testament how Paul suffered greatly.  In 2 Cor. 1:8-11 and 2 Cor.7:5-6 we see some of this.  The Bible exhorts us in Romans 12:12 to "Rejoice  in hope; (be) patient in tribulation; (and) continue instant in prayer."  But, be encouraged!  Winter is not forever!  This difficult season in your life will pass.  The sun will come out again.  Note the story of "Job" in the Bible.  In the end, he was given twice as much as he had before his time of testing.

In 1 Cor. 10:13 we are comforted by this promise, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."  Also, 1 Peter 2:19-21

In 1 Peter 1:6 we see that grief and trials are permitted in Christians' lives as tests to prove our faith and bring "praise, glory and honor" to Christ.  And James 1:2-4 says trials develop our faith, perseverance, and necessary Christian maturity in us.  See also Psalm 105:19 KJV again how Jospeh was tested.  Also see 1 John 2:14.

Another possible reason for suffering is that the devil may be attacking you because you were actively engaged in the work and spread of God's Kingdom.  We are engaged in a great spiritual war and struggle for mens' souls, and the devil is not going to give up ground without a fight!  (Ephesians 6:10-18)  Although the devil may frustrate those he feels threatened by, He can never do anything to us that God has not allowed.  He is no match for God!  Trust God, but also bind the devil in prayer.  See 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7-8; and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.  Lastly, in your prayers, by faith cover everything you have with the blood of Jesus for protection, just as the Israelites covered their door frames in Exodus 11:7+13 with the blood of the sacrificial lamb to keep out the destroyer.

No doubt there are yet other explanations for why Christians suffer -- such as persecution for their faith, sin in their lives, taking the communion cup and bread unworthily (1 Cor.11:27-32), etc..  However, brother, the most important thing you must do now is to make sure you have a Bible (if you don't have one, click HERE for an online Bible), and then saturate yourself with God's powerful Words. As you pray and believe the promises of God (please click HERE to learn how to do this), especially those that pertain to your particular situation(s), in due time the negative circumstances in your life will begin to turn around.  Note some wonderful words of comfort from Isaiah 30, verses 19 and 21:

          "O (my child)...you will weep no more. How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you....Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it....'"

And another encouraging Scripture found in 2 Chronicles 16:9:

You may have heard of the story in the Bible about Moses and Pharaoh and how the Hebrew people escaped cruel slavery in Egypt. You can read about this in the book of "Exodus". As you read this book of the Bible, you will read how God punished the Egyptians with plagues because they were oppressing His people and would not release them. Notice, however, that the terrible judgments and plagues God sent fell ALL AROUND the Hebrews, but not ON them. They fell onto the Egyptians, but did NOT fall on God's chosen people. For instance, in Exodus, chapter 8:22 and Ex.9:4 and Ex.9:26 and Ex.10:23 we can see that God's chosen people were spared various judgments, though they fell all around onto others.

So, too, brother, we will agree with you in prayer that, in the future, though others all around you suffer misfortune after misfortune, YOU and your household will be blessed by God.  If you will love and serve God and trust His Word more than the way your circumstances are looking, He will not let you and your household be destroyed.  He will hold you up and, though you may experience yet more trials, sooner or later you will pass through the fire and the flood (Isaiah 43:2) and will rise like cream to the top!  (See Deuteronomy 28:1-14.)  Just hold on and trust Him and persevere for as long as it takes (see "Special Conditions For A Miracle, the section "Don't Give Up!").  Hebrews 6:11-12 tells us, "...And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."  Pace yourself in trusting God; demonstrate endurance and length of spirit.

As you move out to deal with your situations the best you know how, the same Mighty God of Israel who moved so powerfully on behalf of His people Israel will guide you and will move on your behalf, too. We will be praying for you that there will be "light in the land of Goshen," for you (as in Ex.10:23), even if all around you is darkness and disaster. (See Isaiah 60, verses 1 & 2)

Make sure to give God what you owe Him -- your "tithe" (i.e. 10% of your income.  This gift goes to your church or ministry that is doing the Lord's work; see Malachi 3:8-12).  Also, be generous with what you have, as the Scriptures say, such as in Psalm 41:1:

There are many, many more wonderful promises in God's Word, and many other things that could be said.  However, we shall end by saying this. To inherit God's blessings, we must  1) be a born-again Christian;  2) not be in sin against God, but must be obeying what He says in the Bible as much as we know how;  3) gather with other born-again believers to encourage each other in the faith; and, lastly, 4)  praise and worship God for His greatness, goodness and love -- even before we see His deliverances from trouble.  This praise will delight the Lord, defeat the devil, and  hurry your needed answers home to you!

Please let us know how you get along, brother.  We want to know how and when the good Lord Jesus acts on your behalf.  Remember, we are praying for you that "though a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, it will not come near you (Psalm 91:7)."  May you and your family rest in the shelter and shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).  He loves you all very, very much.