| Subject: Christian Affliction |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 13:15:01 07/24/15 Fri
Psalms 119: 71, 75 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
It is mostly foreign to us to look at afflictions as being beneficial and for a purpose. We for the most part think the troubles and sore trials that come our way are happenstance and bad luck. We often fail to look for the hand of God in our tribulations of sickness, injury or even the sickness or death of a loved one. I am not implying that all afflictions come from God but whether they are happenstance or not we can draw closer to God through them. I do believe that some afflicttions are a direct result of our actions that are contrary to God.
The Psalmist in the above two verses states that his afflictions were (1) good, (2) the afflictions were for a reason, (3) they were right and (4) God was faithful in causing the affliction.
We don't like to acknowledge these truths: Do we? We may look at Paul for an illustration of the lesson.
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Paul was given a "thorn in the flesh" for a specific reason. "Lest I should be exalted above measure". The altitude at which Paul was flying as God's chosen vessel was enough to make him drunk with pride. Paul, the high and mighty learned Pharisee had a problem with pride. This is a problem with many successful preachers today. They are adored by their followers and if they aren't very careful will attribute their success with their own ability and not give all the glory and credit to God. God's judgment in this was right as the scripture stated for Paul became a humble servant of the Lord and did not attribute anything to self. I suspect that pride is a fault that will bring some of the swiftest and harshest of afflictions to the child of God. When you are in the bed flat on your back and cant' do anything for yourself you have a lot of time to think and and come to the realization you are in great need of help. That puts you in the best position for God to teach you something and bring you to your senses.
Let the words of the writer of Hebrews speak to you in this. Hebrews 12:5-8 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: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
What did the Psalmist say in that last clause? "Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me."! God is faithful to chastise His children. There is not one child of God (true Christian) that does not receive correction and chastisement from the Lord. It is His promise to us and He is faithful to carry out the correction as we need it just as we corrected our children as they grew up in our care. Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, (obey the Lord) behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
Depending on our sin and what God has placed on us to do for Him the chastisement may be more or less harsh. Consider Jonah. God told him to go to Nineveh and he ran the other way. It took a whale to change his direction and outlook on life but he did just that. God says: "I may not can make you do something, but I can sure make you wish you had!"
Job's affliction cured him of his self righteousness. Job 27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. How's that for a bad case of pride. God looks as Job's and our righteousness in a completely different way. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
You say: "How then can we be righteous?" There is only one way and that is you must have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to you: (Rom. 3:20-26, Rom. 4:20-25)
Understanding all this we need to come to the realization that when afflictions come our way the best way to get rid of the affliction is on our knees confessing to God our disobedience to Him.
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