Audism, Struggles and Growth

Audism basically means those who discriminate or stereotyping against Deaf culture or hearing-impaired individuals. Audism means a system of practice, behavior, belief, or attitude. In the deaf culture, calling someone an audist is akin to calling someone a racist. People who have audist attutides are considered to be audists. Many of us are sharing our insights from our first-hand experiences with deafness. Often when we think of the disabled, we often think only of those who are in wheelchairs or are otherwise, visible physically impaired. However, the word can also refer to the deaf community, though many deaf persons do not consider themselves to be disabled. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. Mostly, we deal with socially and professionally disabled more than deafness.

Many disability obstacles such as discrimination, attitudes, ignorance, stereotyping, or alienation are still around by all of us whether we realized them or not. Stereotypes, biases, and misconceptions leap into one’s mind. Stereotyping has created by showing incorrect judgment of a possibility by making people into stereotypes that leads to myths. Audism, like racism and sexism, is discrimination against deaf and hearing-impaired individuals. However, I do acknowledge that there is a significant difference between ignorance and audism. Nowadays, it is hard to tell the difference but I believe that with today's technology and disability discrimination laws that are out there, there should not be any ignorance. My only conclusion is that people are doing audism rather than being ignorant.

In spirit, the purpose of Christianity with disabilities is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life. Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

A Christian who is rooted deeply and very fruitful, who concentrates on the eternal root system of his or her life is going to bear fruit upward, but if he or she concentrates on the eye-appealing temporal things, he or she may end up a rootless failure. A person who is elated by success and is cast down by failure is still a carnal Christian. At best, his or her fruit will have a worm in it. God's timing is infallible. He takes every factor and contingency into account. We often want to pluck unripe fruit, but He will not be pressured into premature action. A mature Christian disciple will not stumble because of apparently unanswered prayer. A mature Christian disciple will not, however, adopt a fatalistic attitude when he or she examine his or her prayers and seek to discover the cause of failure.

Jesus said in John 15:1-2, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." With the Holy Spirit and love, we can and will walk in the Spirit because Christ produces the fruit in us through His GRACE. In "the sufficiency of God’s grace" in the worst of human circumstances is that when a person is weak in a temporal sense while the person is strong spiritually by God's Grace in eternal sense.

Jesus also said in John 15:5, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing." Carlo Carretto explained it nicely, “We are the wire, God is the current. Our only power is to let the current pass through us”. We must remember that we are still in the flesh even though we have Christ in us. It is the Holy Spirit's conviction that God’s design for us is to be radically transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) Our hope for this radical transformation is by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13). With the Holy Spirit and love, I will walk in the Spirit, Christ produces the fruit. It is Christ through the Holy Spirit produces power, love, sound mind through us. Christ helps us. Without Christ, we are nothing. Our faith is not in our works. Our faith is the generator of our works. Faith produces works. Works reveal faith or the lack of it. Being is expressed in doing. Faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit, without the Holy Spirit, we can't have faith and without the Holy Spirit, we can't be spiritual. Faith will express itself in faith deeds not just words alone. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

In my own experiences, God lead me to what I call "coincidences" in my life which perhaps God will make sure that His wills will be done at His right time and place. God will yet have His way while at the same time, as responsible forgiven sinner, I also must make my choices in any situations I may face. Often I make decisions when I think that they are part of God's will however, circumstances will make me change directions. Someone has said “Life is God’s novel. Let Him write it.” (Isaac Bashevis Singer). My life is like a pencil in God’s hand, He does the writing and the pencil has nothing to do with God’s writing. We often try to alter our circumstances to satisfy ourselves, instead of letting God alter us. God does not desire to destroy our will, but to sanctify “our will into His will”.

The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident: they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God. We are to allow the Holy Spirit do what He will through us and see what He does with us. God tests His real disciples more severely than lukewarm ones.

True life is:
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 20:24, Proverbs 21:1, Jeremiah 10:23, Romans 8:28-29, Matthew 10:29-30)

Our faith should recognize the fact that God is in control of our lives. Whether we believe it or not, it's a fact that God is in control of the world. If we don't believe it, we are just robbing ourselves of the enjoyment of the fact.

Good News about Suffering....................

God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual condition. God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual character. You really do not know the truth about someone spiritually when everything is going well. It doesn't surface because basically they appear to be at peace and happy and with a measure of joy and satisfaction and fulfillment in life because superficially and on the surface everything is okay. Then when things begin to go wrong, reality begins to surface as to their spiritual condition. And the worse things get, the more their spiritual character is being revealed. When you strip away the blessings, and you strip away the successes and you strip away the prosperity and you strip away the health and you begin to peel it all back, then you're going to find out what somebody is really made of spiritually. In FAITH, adversity often produces an unexpected opportunity that we are to look for, appreciate and utilize it. This is difficult to do if you're feeling sorry for yourself because you're faced with adversity. Pain narrows vision. The most private of sensations, it forces us to think of ourselves and little else. When life breaks loose, you may be doing something right. Just because we don't see a reason for evil and suffering doesn't mean there's not a reason for it.Consider the story of Joseph and the amazing conclusion in Genesis 50:20 - " You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." There are countless other stories, where suffering was not good, but with time and perspective, some see the good that resulted from the pain and tragedy in their lives.

Real faith is refined in the fires and storms of pain. Every truth about suffering can be twisted into a weapon for or against God. Most often suffering speeds us in the direction we are already heading - whether toward or away from God. Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovreignty of God. The evil and suffering in this world are greater than any of us can comprehend. But evil and suffering are not ultimate. God is. Satan, the great lover of evil and suffering, is not sovereign. God is.

One side suffering may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Book of Job, Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17).

On the other side of the coin, Satan brings us sufferings to bring out the WORST in us (see: Book of Job and James 1:13-14).

America's Capitalism is failing.................

Consumers, the backbone of the economy, are taking a beating from the worst economic crisis in seven decades. America's economy is being destroyed by human greed by executives.

Capitalism is failing and our government is gaining control in the new Stimulus package. With the avalanche of corporate corruption scandals that have rocked the markets over the years, people are getting fed up by the corporate greed in this country. This is the very integral part of free-market capitalism. Lack of internal control and lack of government over-sight to ensure that executives do not take advantage of the stockholders and customers. They do not accept the moral laws in their hearts: you will not steal; you will not bear false witness (lie, deceive, defraud); and you will not covet. Morality basically means a code of conduct held to be authoritative in matters of right and wrong. Money has given us more freedom, but we are unable to tell the difference between right and wrong. America's attitudes towards money should be in their conviction that money is a social good, not a private possession and that the economic main purpose is the welfare of everyone in society, not the personal pleasure of the person who happens to have control over it. Greed is one of the major flaws of Capitalism.

Business is based on the idea that self-interest and the desire for profit are moral and good. However there are those who make inappropriate ways to profit. Today, what we are seeing a major assault on morality in America. America is becoming morally bankrupt! Covetousness is yet another corruption of love that stems from a narcissistic desire for self-gratification. The pure in heart can see; but when covetousness gets into the heart, it makes the eye dim or blind.

All of us are going through this trial. Going through any trial of life for a Christian can be a joyous experience if perspective is right. Remembering the story of Job. A Christian can go through the severest imaginable trial of life if he or she really trusts God. And if he/she believes that God is on the throne, that God will keep His promise, that God never makes mistakes, that God always fulfills His word and that God will accomplish His purposes, it is that kind of faith that passes the test. Trials come to test the strength of our faith.

What's the main purpose of the trials? God doesn't have to test any of us to find out what's in our heart because He already KNOWS. God tests us so we can find out because sometimes, we are too blind to see them. He assists us in doing that spiritual inventory. He assists us in self-examination. I need to know and you need to know the strength of our faith. James says trials have a perfecting work. Peter says after you've suffered a while the Lord will make you perfect. God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual condition. Trials come to us to reveal what we really love.

We must realize that God allows trials in our lives, especially when we are blessed in places of spiritual service, to keep us humble, lest we think more confidently of our spiritual strength than we should and start to feel that we're invincible. Many Christians take sufferings with despair and despondency, others despise them, some feel God is far off.

Instead of trust, doubt comes.

Instead of quietness, turmoil comes.

Instead of contentment, resentment comes.

Instead of hope—knowing God is perfecting us, that the testing of our patience has a perfect work—instead of hope and giving of thanks, thoughts of bitterness arise toward God.

Sufferings attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).

Trials give us a greater affection for that which is eternal because they help us long for the eternal city in Heaven. We set our affections on things above through trials and that's a very important spiritual thing. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4, "For which cause we faint not, for though our outward man perish, the inward man is renewed day by day and our light affliction which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible only according to God's will, not our imagination. Real faith knows only one way and willing to allow God lead us as He did with great faiths in the Scriptures. True saving faith is not dependent on positive circumstances but negative circumstances as well. In the book of James, the entire letter is about living faith during trials and list the tests intended to reveal the legitimacy of someone's faith.

Trials cannot destroy true faith; they only put it to the test and strengthen it as in spiritual training. We know it takes true faith to perseverance because true faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the blessings for faith are to see what you believe. As this one well known verse says "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1).

We all have to remember God's GRACE. What we may not be aware is grace is working in our lives.

2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

2 Corinthians 12:9
God said: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Romans 5:15 "......how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!"

According to His grace, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit that being justified by His grace we might be made heir according to the hope of eternal life. In God's Grace that we have great spiritual and eternal freedom to grow.

Spiritual training which is forming spiritual fruits. In 2 Peter 1:5-9: make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

As we Christians are training for our spiritual growth, we look NOT AT our faith but in Christ of WHO we have faith in, who is THE author and finisher. "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1). The Holy Spirit tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus not on others who are also running the race! There are important things each of us should know and understand about our struggles as the faithful people of God.

Sufferings produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4) Suffering experiences may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17).

Quotes:
“The very fact that faith looks to a power beyond itself means that it is continually subject to loss of control. So if you’re looking to get control of all your problems, forget Christianity. If you’re looking for success, happiness, or freedom from pain, forget Christ. The way of Christ is the cross, and the cross spells weakness, poverty, failure, death.” (Mason, Gospel According to Job, 418)

“Take away material prosperity; take away emotional highs; take away miracles and healing; take away fellowship with other believers; take away church; take away all opportunity for service; take away assurance of salvation; take away the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit... Yes! Take it all, all, far, far away. And what is left? Tragically, for many believers there would be nothing left. For does our faith really go that deep? Or do we, in the final analysis, have a cross-less Christianity? Unless the simple gospel has center-place in our faith, it has no place at all. Unless the cross is everything, it is nothing.” (Mason, Gospel According to Job, 210)

"The point of the Book of Job is not suffering: where is God When It hurts? The prologue (chapters 1-2) dealt with that issue. The point of the Book of Job is faith: Where is Job when it hurts?" - Phillip Yancey

"If a bird is flying for pleasure it flies with the wind, but if it meets danger, it turns and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher." Corrie ten Boom

"We human beings instinctively regard the seen world as the "real" world and the unseen world as the "unreal" world, but the Bible calls for almost the opposite." Phillip Yancey

When disaster comes into a person's life, it reveals what's truly in their hearts." Kimber Kauffmann - pastor College Park church

"If you love, you will suffer, and if you do not love, you do not know the meaning of a Christian life." Agatha Christie

"The deep meaning of the cross of Christ is that there is no suffering on earth that is not borne by God." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Why should the righteous suffer?" "Why not?" replied Lewis......"They're the only ones who can handle it." CS Lewis

"The most devastating effect of sin is that by it, we are blinded to it." Billy Graham

"Faith in God offers no insurance against tragedy." Philip Yancey

"Pure suffering has a consciousness, a tongue, a heart all its own and even the memory of it is but a pale unreality when compared with the actual experience." Mike Mason, The Gospel According to Job

"Suffering is not an elective, it is a core course in the University of Life." Steven J. Lawson, When All Hell Breaks Loose You May be Doing Something Right

"Adversity often produces an unexpected opportunity. Look for it ! Appreciate and utilize it! This is difficult to do if you're feeling sorry for yourself because you're faced with adversity." John Wooden

"Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has." Billy Graham

"Pain narrows vision. The most private of sensations, it forces us to think of ourselves and little else." Phillip Yancey

"What is the greatest deficiency among human Chrsitians? They have an inadequate view of human suffering." Helmut Thielicke, German pastor and theologian

"It is easy for us to tarnish God's character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate himself." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Our response to suffering is an accurate barometer of our soul, Steven J. Lawson, "When All Hell Breaks Loose - You May be Doing Something Right".

"I had to be healed of my desire to be healed." Joni Eareckson Tada

"If God is not in some sense responsible for bad things, then he is not responsible for good things either. If we do not "blame" God for death, we should not praise God for life. We cannot have it both ways." Joseph Hill

"How can you get to know God without suffering - - you can't ! - - Charles Stanley

"Just because we don't see a reason for evil and suffering doesn't mean there's not a reason for it.Consider the story of Joseph and the amazing conclusion in Genesis 50:20 - " You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." There are countless other stories, where suffering was not good, but with time and perspective, some see the good that resulted from the pain and tragedy in their lives." Tim Keller

"Real faith is refined in the fires and storms of pain". Eugene Peterson

"Every truth about suffering can be twisted into a weapon for or against God. Most often suffering speeds us in the direction we are already heading - whether toward or away from God." David McKenna, The Whisper of His Grace

Job, the man in the Old Testament and Corrie ten Boom

During this time, prices have gone up, people are losing their homes, losing their jobs and many lost on what to do with their lives. This is a story about faith, the story of one man selected to undergo a staggering ordeal by trial. His response presents a message that applies not just himself, but to every person who lived, lives and will live on planet earth. The contest over one man's faith and whether he will believe in God or deny God? God himself called this man “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil”. This man has asked the same questions asked by nearly everyone who experienced sufferings, Why me? What is God trying to tell me?

God has chosen this man who must undergo a terrible ordeal in order to determine the winner between the two heavyweights (God and Satan). Satan’s accusation that this man loves God only because “you have put a hedge around him”. This was an attack on God’s character, which implies that God's people loves God because God provides everything they need. God was not on trial but rather this man's faith was on trial. Satan challenged God by asking Him to take away this man's positive rewards, and watch faith crumble (so he hoped).

This story about about JOB. God Himself declared: "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was PERFECT" (Job 1:1). "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a PERFECT and an UPRIGHT man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?" (Job 1:8).

The Scripture clearly teaches that not only is it a possibility to be handed over to Satan. There are times and places and circumstances under the plan of God in which individuals are definitely to be turned over to Satan.

Reading Job is one example. God says, "Have you looked at My servant Job? And what a good man he is. What's interesting is that other biblical writers refer to Job as a real person. Ezekiel refers to Job along with Noah and Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14,20). And James draws upon the example of Job to comfort the suffering, proving the point that God is merciful. He commends the endurance of Job (Jas. 5:11). From the Book of Job, we see that God is in complete control. Satan had neither the power nor the authority to do anything without the permission of God. It was consistent with God's nature and will for him to have allowed those things to happen to Job.

In the sense that all sickness is linked to sin, because if there were no sin, there would be no sickness. But it is wrong in assuming that a person became directly sick from being sinful. In John 9:2-3, Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man. “His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Satan sometimes causes illness (Job 2:7; Luke 13:16).

This sinful world do not discriminate between believers and unbelievers. Plane crashes, boat sinkings, train accidents, car collisions, heart disease, cancer doesn't discriminate between a sinner and a saint, or between a sinner and a sinner.

What have we learned in this "life"

Another great example is Corrie ten Boom. Corrie ten Boom is one of my favorite Christian role models. Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983). She was born in Holland into a Christian family who loved the Word of God. Corrie and her sister were shipped to various concentration camps where they continued to teach fellow prisoners about Jesus Christ. Her sister died while they were imprisoned. Corrie was eventually released through a clerical error (God's intervention) and during the week following her release all of the women of her age were gassed. Following the war Corrie helped in rehabilitation camps and she travelled all over the world telling people of her experiences and of how faithful and loving God is. How many people you think Corrie's life have "influenced" or "planted the seed" others to know Christ as their savior? Four (her parents and sister) Ten Booms gave their lives for this family’s commitment, but only Corrie came home from the death camp. She realized her life was a gift from God, and she needed to share what she and Betsy had learned in Ravensbruck: "There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still" and "God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies." At age 53, Corrie began a world-wide ministry which took her into more than 60 countries in the next 33 years! She testified to God’s love and encouraged all she met with the message that "Jesus is Victor."

Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you. Corrie Ten Boom

When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy. Corrie ten Boom