 Good morning everyone and welcome to today's weekly mentoring hour. Good to see you all I hope you all are doing well Can I request one of our students to lead us in the world of prayer, please? Yes, anyone feel free to unmute and pray Yes, go ahead Sanjay Yes, Sanjay, you may go ahead. Yeah, I see Sanjay has raised his hand, but no problem Pray and I'll get this started. Let's pray. Father. We thank you for today. We thank you for this time Lord, we honor you. We welcome you and I missed Holy Spirit come and have your way even as we Learn and study from your word father We give you all the glory honor power and praise and Jesus name amen Amen. Amen. So welcome once again. Good morning. I Am Roshan. I will be your host for today We have Pastor Jay Kumar today who will be sharing with us From the topic of suffering from the biblical perspective. So pastor Jay Kumar over to you Thank you Thanks first Russian. Thank you so much. Good morning, everyone. So good to be here once again Today, we are looking at this topic Suffering, you know, this is something that is I would say common to everyone Each one of us goes through it in some degree or the other for some it could be a maybe, you know, somebody teasing somebody You know calling us names, but for, you know, the other end of the spectrum It could be somebody losing their life for the sake of Christ, you know So it it's in various degrees but it's good for us to look at look into the word of God and Look at the biblical perspective of suffering. So this would help us to face suffering when we When we you know when it comes to us when it happens in the right way, right with the right mindset and also to discern, you know, why Why am I going through this? You know, why are we going through this? So this this topic actually it was a study which was done by Pastor Ashish in the year 2008 Here in APC Bangalore. So Yeah, I'm just sharing It was quite helpful for me personally. So I just thought we could look into that today. Okay, let me just share the screen Okay, so Yeah, just wait for it. Come on Okay, yeah, so when we look at suffering, you know, what is really suffering? It's a state of Us undergoing pain or distress or some form of hardship, right? So that is what we call a suffering and suffering affects us in all three realms of who we are You know, maybe in our spirit in our emotions in the realm of our soul And also physically, right? So we we go through suffering in all these three realms and also These are interconnected, right? So what happens in the physical? We go through that hardship. We feel those emotions and also it affects us In our spirit and so on so So all of us, you know in all these three realms we undergo suffering. Okay, so So to answer the question, you know, is is God The author of suffering right did God create suffering? Is he the author of suffering? Does he delight in me as this, you know, as a son and daughter, you know, does he delight in me going through suffering? So these are some things there's some questions that come to us, right? And we ask questions like why God, you know, why me? Why is this happening and so on? So if we To answer that it's it's good to go back to the original design Right, it's always good to go back to the design say, okay How did God create, you know, did he create suffering relief factor in suffering in when he created The world when he created everything when he created the The first human beings, you know, did did he factor in suffering? Okay, so when we look at When you go back to the original intent of God to understand God's heart With regard to suffering we see that now. This is what we read in Genesis 1 31 that after creating everything on the sixth day it says that When then God saw everything that he had made and indeed it was very good Right. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. So we see in God's creation in his design Now this is of course before the fall You know, scripture plainly states that he saw and he saw that it was very good and And that's how, you know, he he saw it. That's how he designed it and if we go to the you know the last book of the Bible in Revelation 21 we see this Here we see that Revelation 21 verses 3 and 4 says I heard a loud voice from heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men And he will dwell with them and they shall be his people God himself will be with them and be their God and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death No sorrow not crying. There should be no more pain for the former things have passed away. So, you know Before the fall You see this as God's design right at the end when redemption is complete We see this as God's intent. So so we we know that because of the fall and because of sin Romans 5 puts it like this. It says Romans 5 12 just says through one man sin enter the world and Death through sin right so sin entered and because of the outworking of sin the consequence of sin we see death and decay and suffering and so on so So we we can conclude that yes, this is not a suffering is not God's Intent now suffering is not part of the original plan and design of God Right, so that's something that we we need to keep in mind Jeremiah 9 24 also says, you know, that talks about what God takes delight in says I'm the Lord exercising loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these I Delight says the Lord so God's heart Really is is that in his in his design in his in his creation? It's not that man should suffer Right, so we so we know that suffering came into the world because sin entered the world and as an outworking of sin death came into the world and And and we know that death and decay and corruption everything Not only with man, but the entire nature itself, right? So what are some reasons why people go through suffering? Okay, let's look at some reasons Here are some reasons listed. We'll just go through these one by one The first one is bondage of corruption. Okay, Romans chapter 8 uses this phrase bondage of corruption It says that Romans 8 was 20 to 23 for creation itself Who for the creation was subjected to futility not willingly But because of him who subjected it in hope because the creation itself also will be delivered From the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with bird pangs together until now Not only that but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly waiting for the Adoption the redemption of our body. So we see this bondage of corruption. We see you know nature itself creation itself Growning under the weight of this Corruption so we see we can we can conclude that you know for man your disease and DK and you know We see that okay, man is growing old and there are limitations and weaknesses and all these things It happens because of the outworking of the original sin Sin that was that came into the world, right and also we see You know certain calamities not everything is You know orchestrated by God, you know when there's a storm and there's earthquake when there's a tsunami when there's you know All these things in fact actually in the insurance You know if you go through that it lists certain things as acts of God You know as if you know God is orchestrating this you know floods and everything But we see that it's because of the fallen nature of creation creation itself You know faults deep under the earth those tectonic blades You know fault lines being there because of which there are earthquakes and so on right so So we see that the bondage of corruption is one of the reasons because of which, you know, we that is suffering, right? Suffering also happens because of one's own actions, right? so I'm careless and I step on to the road or I drive in a careless manner then you know there is A mishap there is an accident and one suffers because of that, right? I want does not maybe prepare for the exams and write the exams, you know In a complicit manner and there is a consequence and suffering because of that So Galatians 6 verses 7 to 8 says that do not be deceived. God is not mocked for whatever a man sows He will also read for he who sows to his flesh will off the flesh Reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will off the spirit reap everlasting life So there is you know, and we are sowing to our flesh when we indulge in things which are fleshly in nature carnal in nature then there is a Reaping that happens. There is a consequence that happens and you know in the natural when we go and If you are careless and there is you know, maybe with money, maybe in relationships There are you know, we reap certain things so it could be because of our own actions So we can't again, you know blame God or we can't even blame the devil like because it's we made that choice We made that decision. Okay third one is Because we have an enemy who's a defeated for but he wants to deceive and He wants to oppress and so on so because of satanic oppression John 10 and verse 10 says the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy I have come that they may have life and they may have it more abundantly So the thieves agenda the Satan satanic powers powers of darkness the agenda is to steal and to kill and to destroy so You know, they do go around stealing killing destroying creating strife division You know, and you know, we see all these things conflicts and wars and and innumerable acts of violence and and sometimes we wonder, you know, why are people like this and We read about we read about the Isis and and so on and we see you know because Satan goes about doing this, right? And that's the agenda Okay Second Corinthians To lemon talks about, you know, the Satan's devices or Satan's schemes So saying we need to be careful. Let's Satan take advantage of us. Okay Then the fourth one it could be because of divine discipline now, God is our heavenly father and he If we are his children and he disciplines us so it could be Whenever there is disciplining, you know, maybe there is a withdrawal of certain things or you know, we go through certain certain seasons of Suffering, right? So it could be because of divine discipline and Hebrews 12 talks about that for whom the Lord loves He chases and scourges every son whom he receives now the Lord's primary way of disciplining is through his word and through his spirit and through the people of God, right? So through his he quickens his word through his spirit and he and he lovingly corrects us as a father would And he sends people but if we choose not to listen and if we will fully disobey Then we step, you know out of God's divine protection and we and we suffer, right? And they could be also divine judgment as we see in Acts chapter 5, you know, during that season of outpouring and and another You know outpouring and then special move of God and there is Disobedience and then there could be judgment Now if we it could be because of other people's actions and persecution, right? so first Peter 2 talks about how if One endures grief suffering wrongfully, which means that you've done everything, right? You know that then things that you know that you know that you need to do right. You've been doing it But despite that there is wrong being done. Okay, so the Bible talks about that and Verse 20 says that if you do good and suffer When you do good and suffer if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God Okay, suffering wrongfully suffering for doing what is right For righteousness sake, you know first Peter 3 14 if you should suffer for righteousness sake you are Blessed for the sake of doing the right thing for the sake of The cause of Christ, you know if there is a suffering that we go through then Bible says you are blessed Suffering for striving against sin again So you want to do the right thing you want don't do don't want to indulge in sin So you are making those choices to not to get into sin and there is a suffering that happens or you know Maybe from people So it could happen because of that as well and suffering as a believer as a as a Christian Where we are reproached for the name of Christ, right for the sake of Christ and and then also We could go through suffering. Okay very quickly when we go through suffering it builds character Romans 5 talks about that that tribulation produces perseverance which leads to building of character Right, so these are things to encourage us when we go through suffering Suffering makes us fruitful in the sense when the Lord prunes us to be even more fruitful And and the pruning could be withholding of certain things or cutting away of certain things and some things that are not useful and We experience pain and suffering and it's to make us more fruitful Also, there is advancing of his kingdom where Paul talks about that. Okay, so I guess we'll stop here and There's some more about how yeah, probably we'll just finish this as well While we go through suffering that we can the Bible talks us to maintain our joy not to lose sight not to lose focus Of the joy of the Lord to pray And also to keep our hope alive knowing that we are our suffering is It's not something isolated that it is experienced by every believer by the church around So there's something that we can do While we go through suffering Okay, so we'll stop here and if there are any questions You could ask and we will try and answer. Yeah, okay Thank you, Pastor Jay Kumar Yes, so We'll start taking questions now if you to have any questions regarding what was shared Please share them on the chat section and we will address them one by one Personal buster Jay Kumar while we are waiting for questions Would you like to share any instance from your life if there was a season where you went through challenges or difficulties where that season Built your character from like what you shared. Yeah, I wasn't expecting that Yeah, actually this was a season of This was a season of lack actually I think this was the early days of marriage and you know What we got was just enough to get by and And I remember I knew the promises and I remember one one particular day that there was just one rupee in my in my pocket and And I was wondering, you know, how would I fuel my bike if it runs out of fuel? I didn't want to borrow any money and so I don't know where exactly I'm just coming down and then And suddenly the Lord, you know quicken this song, you know It doesn't depend on the circumstance the strength of my arm or my voice It doesn't depend on the way I feel what I've made up my mind and I'm going to rejoice So, yeah, so there was a you know a kind of a season when we went through lack with the Lord made sure that we did not suffer any any major, you know need But the Lord was true to his promise, but it was a season where we learned to depend on God And on the grace of God and and on the fact that he is a you know provider Yeah, that was one and then also Yeah in the workplace when I worked the four different companies and When you make choices based on You know who you are as a child of God that you don't want to compromise You don't want to compromise in the sense. You know just your lifestyle. You don't want to drink You don't want to smoke the whole office is drinking smoking or you don't want to you know dump stocks on a dealer You know, you don't want to make a wrong promise and then sell something there was always a couple of precautions and You know ridicule and and so on but the Lord was so faithful even during that. I said God, you know I'm taking a stand because of you And the Lord made sure that I came around Yeah, so those two instances come to my mind. Thanks Thank you. Thank you, Pastor We have a question from Prince Says suffering and hardship is not God, but will God allow us to go through a session of suffering and hardship But will God allow us to go through a Session or assuming that's a season of suffering slash hardship Also, Ajax, would you like to respond to that? Yeah, actually Suffering for the sake of Christ that is something that we we saw which we see in first Peter and I think first Peter 2 First Peter 2 18 It says You know servants be submissive to your masters with all fear and not only to the good and gentle but also to the harsh But this is commendable if because of conscience towards God one end your grief suffering wrongfully, but it's quite possible that Like we go through that maybe an instance or a series of instances where Where we we go through that suffering wrongfully that is just one of the things that we see But it could also be you know suffering for the sake of the gospel Where yeah, it is it is very possible and but during that First Peter, I think it is James chapter 1 and verse 2 this you know, how we should face it That you know, we should count it all Joy when you fall into these kind of trials and these kinds of seasons And how we should face it. Yes. So the answer is yes and Also, the thing is this you know suffering and hardship is not does not come from God He's not the author of it, but When it happens the Lord uses it You know, there's no wastage of it. He uses it for our good He turns it on for our good when this character is built and when there's you know Perseverance and patience and and all these good things are built in us So that is what we see Okay So I look at I hope that's okay, Prince That answers your question I'm looking at Japhina's question. What about the suffering a person goes through when they're loved one a Young believer passes away and also why people who love Christ Sometimes pass away at a young age. Is that satanic oppression or God had only that much time? For that person to live Would someone like to answer that take that question? Any of the faculty? Okay, I'll just share a little bit, you know, there are too many factors Over there, you know, when a person passes away, is it illness? Is it something that they did? Is it, you know, so there are a lot of factors. Is it a satanic attack and all those things? So we cannot really, you know, come to a conclusion why this happens, but we know, you know, these are several reasons and and so And so to answer that question, you know, why do people who love Christ who are so passionate and zealous for Christ? Pass away at a young age, you know So we looked at some of these reasons right that we live in a fallen world There is this whole bondage of corruption where there's disease and so on and and also, you know Other factors, which we can't really blame people for, you know, we can't say okay, you open the door for this We can't do that, but there are these reasons But the only thing that we can We can say is that yes, we have the authority We have the revelation of the finished work of the Lord on the cross and these are things that that we can hold on and We can we can press in and expect to see a breakthrough in in somebody's life You know when they are going through this So that's that's something I Would answer that then Yeah Would anyone else like to add please? Just to add to that So, you know when when we talk about the length of life, why do they pass away at a young age? so One thing we must be clear is what God has given to us in his word That his will is that he and his promise is that he will satisfy us with a long life The number of our days we will fulfill Job says you know job five we will come to the grave at an old age Like a sheaf of corn. That's right. So So what is God's will God's will is a long life That is what we should aspire for keep our eyes on and believe God for and While we have all of these like, you know, all the past it must share then all these things that are in this world We have to fight against those things. So So if somebody dies at a young age We should not say that God took their life away or God only wanted them to live 10 years, you know, that's not Correct because what God has stated in his word. He's not going to contradict like he's not gonna say in the Bible I want to live a long life and for that person. Oh for you only 10 years for you 25 years It's not like that, right? What he said in the Bible. That's who he is. That's what he will that is He has said for those who believe in him that long life. I will satisfy you So it's wrong for us to say God took this person away. You know, God didn't take that person away prematurely You know, when the baby dies or somebody dies early God didn't take them away No, there are other factors That God that that we are facing here or not While we are grateful for whatever duration of life somebody has lived The word of God holds true. God wills a long life a full force of life But for other reasons they would have Their life would have come to an end prematurely early earlier than what God has expressed in his word Some of it may be satanic oppression, but we wouldn't say all of it, right? There are instances when it's disease and all of that and that's not from God But then there are the factors like that, you know, people are born. Maybe we're born with certain genetic problems and all of that Things of that nature. Yeah, what that has Thank you. Thank you, Pastashish If there's any other faculty who would like to add to the questions or Respond with an answer, please feel free to do so Okay Jeffy now, I hope that answers your question Okay, thank you We have a question from Shiv Kumar Why some people suffer for a longer period like many years how to be in faith during such long periods? Thank you for that question, Shiv Kumar Invite one of our faculties to respond to that, please Maybe I'll just share a few thoughts and then others are welcome to add to it. They should come up. What we need to look at is What is the Cause of the disease, the cause of the disease, the cause of the disease What we need to look at is what is the cause for that suffering. So, for example, if the suffering is because of a person's own actions, right, maybe they were not Yeah, I mean, whatever it could be, maybe they were not diligent in their work or something like that. And so there are consequences to it And let's say a person is suffering because of their actions, then the sooner that person takes corrective measures, the sooner they're going to come out of that self-inflicted suffering Right So in such cases, we shouldn't say God is making me suffer No, the real reason why that person is suffering or going through that situation is because of their own actions And the way to come out of that is to quickly take corrective action, get some wisdom, work on the solution, come out of it Right. Example, if somebody, a believer goes and borrows a lot of money Right. And they take huge loans Then they're under so much stress, financial stress is that, oh, I'm suffering. Well, what was the cause for that? God didn't put it or, you know, not even the devil brought it, but Hey, there was some wrong action How do you come out of it? Okay, take corrective action, you know, pay off as quickly as possible the loans Save money, pay it off And work your way out of it as soon as possible Right. So that's one scenario. Just an example Where if the root cause of suffering is one's own actions, the quicker we take corrective action, the better it is. The faster we'll come out of that Then there are cases where When God is working in us and he's preparing us for something and the process he's taking us through Is painful for us like that's what we've already shared So we are undergoing some form of suffering, meaning It's painful for us. Okay, I don't know if I should turn my video on It's painful for us, but What what is God doing? He is Working on us Preparing us. So in that case Uh, you know what we refer to as the kairos moment God is bringing us to that kairos moment when we are ready So in that situation The sooner we grow into what he wants us to is working in us for yielding yielding to his Work in our lives the faster it's going to be so or the shorter that that duration Is going to be right? So it's really a cooperation of us Working with God in growing into what he wants for us now Maturity there's never going to happen instantaneously Maturity and growing into you know in character It's never going to happen But we can quicken the pace by being more yielded and moving quickly with God Right. So that's another aspect. So Again, that's depend on us now There are other factors when there are people involved other people involved Or there could be you know other situations like sickness and disease And that's where you know, we need to be extremely patient. We need to stay firm in faith and journey through it so I just quickly answer the second part of your question How to be in faith during such long periods of time? The bible teaches us certain principles, you know one is we definitely have to stay rooted in God's word To we need to continue in an attitude of worship and thanksgiving to God In everything give thanks At third it's very good for us to be a part of our supporting of a supportive church community because we need one another And you know people around us can encourage us so These are simple things that we can do and we always keep our eyes Ahead then a baby look to Jesus just like Jesus. He was looking for the joy that was set before him He endured the cross Yeah, he bestowed to so we look to the joy that is set for for us that will enable us to endure The journey that we're meeting. Those are a few thoughts there others can add to it. Please. Thank you Thank you, Pastor Ajish Pastor Jx or Pastor Nancy, would you like to respond or add to that? Just a testimony that I heard about you know Being patient in in suffering like this is from a person who came to the Lord from a non-christian background and He accepted the Lord but the day he accepted the Lord his wife actually lots lost her mental faculty but then You know, so he was he went to the Lord. He was really, you know crying out God, you know, I came I accepted you and you know, this happened and you know How do I explain it etc and then he says the Lord spoke to him through the word and he just latched on to it You know, he was so hungry. He just latched on to it and he says that you know The Lord's promise was that she will be fine but that For whatever reason that took about 11 years But and in an instant she was she was healed But in all those 11 years he says that he was never discouraged, you know, which is like Neja inspiration was never discouraged because every time there was discouragement from the world That the Holy Spirit will quicken word of encouragement from the scriptures and that he would just latch on to it just not let go and so that's um, you know way of how we prove patience and faith Inherit the promises of God walk into the promises of God. So just a reminder of that start. I should share that Thanks Thank you, Pastor Chikumar We have another question from Jafina, but before we proceed We want to check with Shiv Kumar. Are you content with the responses? Okay, great. Thank you Okay, so we have another question from Jafina It says sometimes people say the suffering is from God and use the example of job in the Bible Where God said behold all that he has is in your power In such case, what should be your stand? How do we respond to them? Okay, so that's another classic question with the example of job Request one of our faculties to respond to that, please Yeah, I'll just try answering Jafina's question. Thank you Jafina for your question Yes, it was satan who struck job and his family causing all kinds of calamities and sickness So we can't blame God For the things that satan did. Yes It's true also that God gave permission for satan to touch job Who otherwise, you know, we know that he was under God's divine protection because God had made a hedge around him We read that in job chapter one was 10 But it was still the devil that caused all the calamities to happen Okay, so even in our world today, the devil and his demons are permitted to do their evil works And God does not stop the devil and demons from coming Generally, God does not stop the devil and demons coming against a believer with temptations or hindrances or other obstacles So we all have to face these kinds of things But even if God permits these things to go on You know, but you know, God you can use that For our training and our maturing into christ likeness So that's why he calls us to fight the good fight, you know, to resist the devil To wrestle against the powers of darkness to quench every fury dot and to live overcoming Life so and as believers as well, you know, we can we can appropriate the divine protection That is there in scripture for us. We read that in Psalm 34 was seven Psalm 91 as well But if you allow fear doubt and disobedience, you know, uh, we may uh to To overpower us overwhelm us that it makes us vulnerable to the demonic attacks That otherwise we could overpower because of the weapons that God has given us to overcome the enemy Again, as we read in Ephesians chapter 6 was 10 to 18 Of course in the old testament, you know, Joe necessarily did not understand all of these things, but there's New testament believers, you know, we have everything that is given to us to fight the enemy and to overpower him I hope that helps. Thank you Thank you pastor Selena And anyone else would like to add to our pastor Selena share Yeah, I just want to add one just one scripture which is in james chapter 4 and You know, it talks about The end that was intended by the lord for job, you know, it says verse 11 You know, we count them blessed to endure you've heard of the perseverance of job and see seen the end intended by the lord That the lord is very compassionate and merciful So again goes on to You know Goes on to just prove that this is what the lord intended. It was always increased. It was always That is a good end And You know, we should not be in a place of fear or fear that, you know, will what happened to Joe Will it happen to me? I think that's the You know, sometimes we have the that question, you know, what if The lord says, you know tell satan, okay, you know, have you seen my servant so and so and You know, so we know that that was a you know in the old dispensation It was a you know, something that happened there And we know we are people who are living on the side of the cross and on the cross, you know The lord jesus bore the punishment the judgment the wrath of god everything and then we here We are a recipients of the grace of god, right? So so we always look to the cross and and our example is the lord jesus and You know and the grace and everything that we are recipients of comes from the lord's finished work of the cross so While we look at job while we Learn about the perseverance of job and and all that and and the very fact that he says, um, you know, uh Though he slay me yet will I let yet will I trust him and and so on, you know, we learned from all that But we learned god's heart through that whole instance But this is it we come back to the cross and we say, okay, this is what has happened on the cross you know, there is great exchange that's happened and You know, I'm a recipient of the finished work of the cross. So there need not be any fear Of you know, would the lord do that? No, the lord's heart and will and desire is very clearly there in in the Finish work of the cross, right? I hope that helps Thank you Uh, I think a partially uh, shri ratha's question also was responded, but uh, I'll go through the question her question again Uh, I attended question on jupina's question job was afraid of certain things So how can we take it some sometimes things can happen because of our old mindset? So job chapter three was 25 26 is for a benefit Uh, it says for the thing that I fear comes upon me And what I dread befalls me Plus 26 says I am not at ease nor am I quiet. I have no rest but trouble comes Um, I just want to Share a few things So shri ratha Fear is an open door for the evil one We know that we must not give the devil a foothold as efficiency up to four says And when we are in fear There is a foothold for the enemy However, if we hold up our shield of faith as a scripture teaches us to put on the full armor and then You know part of that is our faiths if we walk by faith, then yes, we can Counter the the darts of the evil one. So I just wanted to share that. Thank you I also like to just share something Um So yes job, you know, it seemed that he was a man who greatly feared such calamities May come upon him and they did But uh in the midst of all that happened to him in the midst of the suffering We see that job did maintain integrity and faith in the lord He his devotion to the lord was uh, you know, he stood firm in his devotion to the lord And um, you know, this is and he endured and he you know, he did not curse god like his Wife is I'd have asked him to do and he knew that god is compassionate and merciful And so what we can learn from job's life is yes, even though job went through all of those sufferings He uh, he he stood his faith in the lord He his devotion to the lord was firm that is something that we can also emulate his he he endured through the suffering and You know, uh, and another thing that we can also learn is yes. He had that fear And fear is you know, something that is against faith It attracts the wrong things in our lives So what we can learn from job's life is uh, not uh to anticipate Calamities or sicknesses or suffering And not live in fear but live in faith I hope that helped. Thank you Thank you. Pastor nazi and thank you pastor selena for responding to the question Uh, we will now move to prince's question another question from prince Uh He asks how can we stay hopeful and strong during the season of suffering? Especially when we see nothing is changing and feels like god is not working and when we feel tired and giving up I'll just very quickly respond to that and uh, open it up to others to respond to it. Um Prince so, uh, bible talks about running the race with endurance. Um, so in in life we there are ups and downs Um, we all know that we've all go we are all going through life and its challenges None of us are here without Are going through any of our challenges and some of most of us may be going through it But I think the scriptures calls us to run this race with endurance. Um And one way of looking at it is, uh You know There's a difference between running a marathon and a hundred meters dash An athlete who's preparing to run for a marathon will prepare very differently Versus running a hundred meters dash and I think we'll have to Look at life as a marathon and equip ourselves With the word of god be empowered with the holy spirit. He is there to help us to face any challenges and so You're building a faith in the word of god and allowing the holy spirit to strengthen you to quicken you to Is I think you're one of the best ways to end your the challenges of life And would anyone else like to respond or add to that, please Okay, I'm just reminded of uh all the mighty men and women of god enlisted in hebrews chapter 11 who Overcame in their lives through faith um and scriptures, uh invite us to imitate them and there is a scripture in hebrews chapter 6 and verse 12 Which says that you know, we should not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises so All those who have walked into god's promises have done so By keeping their faith and also Enduring as pastor roshan said or having patience So both of these elements are so very important faith And patience that will enable us to walk into god's promises. So, you know, we we must not be discouraged Thank you Thank you pastor. Nancy Anyone else any faculty would like to add to that Before we respond to the last question not for this session due to time constraints Just a couple of Practical things that we can do while we are going through the season. Uh, first of all, uh, I know it's not It's it's painful and no amount of this thing will actually, you know, we're not trying to You know bring down the Seriousness of the season that one might be going through But this is what scripture says james chapter 4 and verse 13 a very simple instruction It says is anyone among you suffering let him pray Right, um, is anyone cheerful let him sing psalms. So We have a wonderful gift of praying in the spirit and where when we pray in the spirit We know that our spirit man, uh, you know is being edified. We are being edified in the inner man and um, I think, uh, Yeah, uh, that's a that's a great thing that we can do to pray Be edified. We do not know what we should pray for sometimes, you know, it's just a sigh or a groan But when we pray in the spirit, there's a lot of things happening We pray according to the will of god and so that's one thing and then um Think he bruised 10 and verse 23. It says let us hold fast the confession Of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful so prayer, um I think like what passman has he shared, you know, um, like being in what was roshan shared being in the word And the confession, you know, what is the confession of your hope? What is your hope on and what is your confession during that time? And uh, without wavering So these are things that will help us endure that You know that season Which seems there's no glimmer of hope. There's no light at the end of the tunnel But then that will help us to go through knowingfully will that the lord is with us Right and that's the greatest thing. Uh, he is with us in that season. He is uh, uh, he said he will never leave An offer sake. So during that time he is with us to be assured of that hope And to be faithful to the instruction in god's word And that will take us through. Yeah, thank you. Thank you paschal jay kumar Uh, we are going to pause this moment and we due to the time constraint We will take time to respond to the questions posted in the chat section Uh, we will make sure that we are respond to your questions. Uh, however, we're going to stop now So we can get back to our classes Okay, thank you everyone for your questions and thank you paschal jay kumar for uh, sharing on this Very important and sensitive topic Uh, I hope there was something everybody could learn and take away from today's session Thank you all for joining. Uh, we will meet again next thursday Thank you. God bless