Definition “Afflict–” (of a problem or illness) To cause pain or suffering to; affect or trouble.
Late Middle English (in the sense ‘deject, humiliate’): from Latin afflictare ‘knock about, harass’, or from afflict- ‘knocked down, weakened’: both from the verb affligere, from ad- ‘to’ + fligere ‘to strike, dash’.
Genesis 15:13-14
“And he said to Abram…
Know of a surety that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve–
I will judge: afterward– they shall come out with great substance.”
Here God is showing us that a nation of his people were brought into captivity, under another nation– subject to that wicked nation; but, he again tells his servant that it will be only a ‘time,’ and then our people will be set free with GREAT SUBSTANCE with them, and also– the enemy nation will be judged following their freedom.
1 Kings 11:9-11, 14, 23, 30 & 31, 37,
9 “And the Lord was angry with Solomon–
because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel,
who had appeared to him twice,
10 And had commanded him– concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but…
he did not keep that which the Lord commanded.
11 Wherefore the Lord said to Solomon–
Forasmuch as this is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you…
I will surely rend the kingdom from you–
and I will give it to --your servant.
14 And the Lord stirred up an adversary –to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
23 And God stirred him up another adversary– Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
30 And Ahijah (the prophet) caught the new garment that was on him– and rent it in twelve pieces:
31 And he said to Jeroboam…
Take ten pieces: for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel…
‘Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon– and will give ten tribes to you:’
37 And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires –and shall be king over Israel.
38 And it shall be, if you will hearken to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that (which) is right in my sight, keep my statutes and my commandments– as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and build you a sure house– as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
39 And I will for this– afflict the seed of David…
but not forever.”
Here, Solomon didn’t follow or obey God, took up other idolatry and ‘gods–’ so the Lord ‘stirred up’ multiple adversaries against him, and gave his kingdom–
to his servant: Jeroboam; and as a result of all of that wickedness via Solomon, the people of God suffered for it, as the seed of David was afflicted by God, and it was
his will to do so.
2 Chronicles 6:26-27
“When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain– because they have sinned against you…
If they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin– when you do afflict them;
27 Then you will hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants– and of your people Israel…
When you have taught them the good way,
Wherein they should walk; and send rain upon your land– which you have given to your people for an inheritance.”
Essentially…
Heaven is ‘shut up’ from rain (drought)–
because the people sinned against God…
BUT…
If they will pray– minded toward ‘caring about’ the state of the nation and it’s people– toward God…
Confess God is worthy to be praised…
Turn from their wicked living…
THEN…
God will hear them, from Heaven…
(before that– no dice)
And forgive the sins of –HIS SERVANTS–
And ‘the church body’…
(WHOA–WHAT???
He just said,
‘forgiving US,
YOUR SERVANTS,
from
SINNING AGAINST YOU’
…oh, and the rest of the flock.
This ought NEVER– be so.)
After you have…
‘taught them the good-and-right way they should ‘walk’ life out with you…
THEN…
You’ll SEND RAIN UPON THEIR LAND…
Which you have given to them– for an inheritance.
That sounds like modern day life right now,
spiritually and physically-- in this earth.
Ezra 8:21
“Then I proclaimed a fast there– at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God– to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones–
for all our substance.”
They call for a ‘fast,’ and afflict themselves
(humble themselves) before God, in order to
SEEK A RIGHT WAY FOR THE PEOPLE to go forward with God…and FOR THE NEXT GENERATION’s prosperity with God– all ‘the future’ holds for everyone.
Still–that sounds like NOW.
Psalm 44:2
“How you did drive out the heathen with your hand, and planted them; how you did afflict the people–
and cast them out.”
As I read that I heard…
‘Oh Lord, do you remember how you drove the wicked folk out, by the might of your doing?
And how you ‘put them’ wherever you so pleased??
You REALLY AFFLICTED THOSE PEOPLE,
when you cast them away from you, and us.’
This– is our God; he is just and good, and loving, and HE WILL COME THROUGH FOR HIS PEOPLE, ‘afflicted’ or not.
Psalm 55:19
“God shall hear– and afflict them– he that abides of old. Selah. Because they have no changes–
therefore, they fear not God.”
He is almighty and all loving, but if you push him over and over again, after he gives you mercy opportunity after mercy opportunity…
eventually, like all people…
He will say ‘enough;’ and then he changes things up–
do to free will choosing of: disobedience to God’s and his way.
Here, it states…
’because the people didn’t take God seriously or reverently, making ZERO CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES, THEIR BEHAVIORS– the people were afflicted.’
Again–
STILL SOUNDS LIKE TODAY.
Jeremiah 31:28
“And it shall come to pass that, like, as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, says the Lord.”
Okay, God watches over us to ‘pluck things up, or out’ of our lives…
break things down, throw them down, and destroy and afflict…
He will also watch over us to build, and to plant.
So, did we hear that?
He does tear down things in our lives, and prune things out…
breaking things down that shouldn’t be operating in our lives, destroying them, and to ‘afflict.’
We cannot say it won’t happen to us, or that God does not apply it to our lives…
if we read again and again, that he, himself, said so.
Amos 6:14
“But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, Oh house of Israel, says the Lord, the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you –from the entering in of Hemath to the river of the wilderness.”
Nahum 1:12
“Thus says the Lord;
Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through.
Though I have afflicted you– I will afflict you no more.”
But he will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, A L W A Y S…
Be QUICK to respond to a ‘repentant man;’ our God is just, and he is LOVE ITSELF.
All that he does has rhyme and reason; but his wisdom and knowledge is FAR and EXCEEDINGLY ABOVE ours, and he will always do what is best for us, and ‘us’ making sense of it all….
Isn’t necessary…
and that’s a good thing; if our salvation was dependent upon everyone understanding EVERYTHING like God…
We wouldn’t make it, any of us.
So, THANK GOD, he is ‘in us,’ to help us in ALL WAYS now, but does not require us to be perfect, just disciplined in our conduct and relationship with him.
I have learned of him, that if he sees a person he made, looking as if they are ‘not gonna make it,’ and he will potentially be facing ‘losing them forever,’ and he emphatically loves them…
HE WILL DO ‘WHATEVER’ IT TAKES, and GIVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY– to save them; to reconcile them to himself– to bring them home for eternity.
2 Kings 17:20
“And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers,
until he had cast them out of his sight.”
He is only ‘ultra patient’ for so long.
Job 30:11
“Because he has loosed my cord and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.”
Psalm 90:15
“Make us glad– according to the days wherein you have afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.”
Here they are asking for God to bless them with as much prospering in the Lord, as they had previously endured during ‘the wicked day.’
Psalm 107:17
“Fools– because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities– are afflicted.”
Here God is explaining that *iniquity, which is ‘continued in’ sin, rebellion to his way and his leading; not always is this the case when we are ‘put through it,’ but in some cases– it is.
Psalm 119:67
“Before I was afflicted– I went astray: but now have I kept your word.”
Case and point….
Psalm 119:71
“It is good for me –that I have been afflicted;
that I might learn your statutes.”
Here scripture states that ‘affliction’ is for our GOOD, unto ‘learning the statutes and ways of God,’ essentially ‘humbling one;’ but it does say ‘might,’ as this is a ‘choice’ to be made, to SEE GOD’S PERSPECTIVE and his reasons why this is so.
Psalm 119:75
“I know, Oh Lord, that your judgments are right, and that you, in faithfulness– have afflicted me.”
Here, ‘affliction of God,’ is equated with GOD’S FAITHFULNESS– of his ‘righteous judgments;’
we ought to meditate upon that one!
Isaiah 63:9
“In all their affliction– he (too) was afflicted, and
the angel of his presence –saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he bore them– and carried them all the days of old.”
‘He TOO– was ‘afflicted,’
and we SHARE in
‘his’ afflictions–
whilst we–
being ‘inside of’ him now;
his PRESENCE
–the angel of–
SAVED US!
In his LOVE and in his PITY–
he REDEEMED US;
he BIRTHED US,
and
he CARRIES US
HENCE FORTH
FOREVER MORE!
Lamentations 1:5
“Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity– before the enemy.”
The rebellious persons, against God and his ‘way,’ are afflicted of the Lord.
Micah 4:6-7
“In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble– her that halts,
I will gather– her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
7 I will make her that halted– a remnant, and her that was cast far off– a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth– forever.”
*Halted from WHAT?!
From rebellion toward God,
his way, and his leading;
halted, rested, stopped–
those who
‘Rest in the Lord Jesus’
now.
Zephaniah 3:12
“I will also leave in the midst of you– an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.”
Trusting in the Lord, ‘through’ afflicted times of life, whilst in a state of ‘poverty,’ giving up and relinquishing things, is to reveal the poverty of living without God leading one's life, now, and forever more…
And the remedy to this: TRUST/FAITH in God, during the enduring of the hard times, whilst he leads us through his will, by showing us, and telling us what to do…
under his leadership, via our humbling ourselves…
to relinquish the throne of rule in our lives– unto HIM.
In THAT– we will gain PARTNERSHIP with God, becoming ONE in all manner of living: THOUGHTS, HEARTS, VISION and MISSION…
our ‘moves’ –are now –HIS MOVES THROUGH US,
as we are ‘an ENTIRELY NEW CREATION”
–LIVING OUT OF CHRIST JESUS’ “person” now!
Matthew 24:8-10
“All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then, they will deliver you up– to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated by all nations–
for my name's sake.
10 And then, MANY– shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”
In the ‘Beginning of Sorrows,’ they– evil living folk, will deliver loyal followers of God almighty, holy, true and loving…up to be ‘afflicted,’ and killed; we will be facing what we truly believe and are willing to put our lives on the line for– Christ Jesus.
For if you deny me before men, I will deny you before the Father.
Matthew 10:33
“But whoever denies Me before men,
him I will also deny before My Father
–who is in heaven.”
We shall be hated– because HE IS HATED BY THE WORLD, and we ‘reside’ and ‘abide,’ IN HIM NOW;
So the worldly people will hate us,
for HE, through his Holy Spirit,
IS LIVING OUT OF US NOW.
What HE FACED IN THE WORLD, in his own body vessel– WE WILL FACE COMING AT US, for we are
‘in him,’ there is NO OTHER RESULT coming for us, we are ONE;
BUT…
He is FAITHFUL that ‘if we partake in his SUFFERINGS and AFFLICTIONS’ (as it pleased Father to ‘bruise him’),
WE WILL ALSO– partake in HIS RESURRECTION!
2 Corinthians 1:6
“And whether we be afflicted– it is for, your consolation and salvation– which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings, which we also suffer: whether we be comforted (or not), it is for your consolation and salvation.”
As explained above, this scripture pulls it all together; there WILL BE TRIBULATION and AFFLICTION…
BUT…
THERE WILL ALSO BE– Resurrection and LIFE!!!
Hebrews 11:37 & 38 (Heroes of the Faith)
“They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom –the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, mountains, dens and caves of the earth.”
James 4:5-10
“Do you think that the scripture says in vain–
‘The spirit that dwells in us
lusts to envy?’
6 He gives more grace– Wherefore he says…
God resists the proud–
but gives grace to the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil–
and he will flee from you.
8 *Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. *Cleanse your hands– you sinners;
*Purify your hearts– you double minded.
9 Be afflicted– mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves –in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up.”
James 5:13
“Are any among you afflicted– let him pray.
Are any (among you) merry– let him sing psalms.”
Directions for what to do when one is AFFLICTED, and what to do when one is MERRY; God is always giving us leadership, but we must ‘adhere’ to it, or it is just ‘clanging noise.’
Both of those directions (or commands) are for ‘warfare’ strategies; one is for the warfare of ‘getting gone’ AFFLICTION’S basket of sorrow…
And also…
If one is MERRY– what do we do to ‘keep it,’ and be warfare AFFECTIVE– we SING and PRAISE GOD!!
So, consequently, if we DO NOT LIVE IN THESE currently…we know now, how we can; in order to LIVE IN THE SHALOM of God, we ENTER the ‘room of’ God’s presence, in it– the room, you come to meet his PEACE.
So, if we need God’s peace, which is his ‘godly order restored, where once chaos reigned,’ or we need to BE MERRY or NOT SORROWFUL over our ‘afflictions–’
We meet God in the place of…
CONTENTMENT (which is Trust in God–to be God)
–like Paul said…
As he ‘rests in the Lord,’ he ‘finds himself CONTENT’ in WHATEVER is HAPPENING ‘to him,’ in his Life in Christ, for ALL is for our ‘good,’ when ‘IN CHRIST.’
Mark 4:17
“And having no root in themselves–
they endure but for a time:
afterward, when affliction or persecution arises–
for the word's sake– immediately they are offended.”
Offended against God– for it being ‘a fight’ requiring
direct ‘efforts’ on our part– PARTNERING ‘with’ God…
When he warned us OUR LIVES DEPEND UPON
‘the fight’ of CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH.
Mark 13:19-20
“For in those days (there) shall be affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation –which God created unto this time– neither shall be (a worse affliction time).
20 Except, the Lord had shortens those days–
no flesh could be saved: but– for the elect's sake,
whom he has chosen– he has shortened the days.”
He is NOT shortening the days of ‘affliction’ for ALL HUMANS because they are ‘suffering,’ NO;
he is shortening the days of affliction–
FOR HIS OBEDIENT CHILDREN’S SAKES, and for his own ‘mission’ of saving people out of the devil’s kingdom, where they will be tormented forever, starting here, and then ending up in a Lake of burning Fire forever more…
And would rather be– BRINGING THEM IN, UNITING THEM, RECONCILING THEM– unto himself, and able to BRING THEM HOME, back ‘into’ HIMSELF, when this place is gone, and all is ‘said and done:’
IT IS FINISHED.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment–
works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 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.”
Here he is reminding us, the afflictions are only but for a ‘hair’s breadth of time,’ and then– WE ARE DONE:
WE CAN ENDURE, and WE MUST!
With the VICTORY in Christ!!!
2 Corinthians 8:1-2
“...bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that, in a great trial of affliction– the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty–
abounded by
the riches of their liberality.”
He caused them to ABOUND in JOY and in their POVERTY –through GREAT AFFLICTION…
and they were BETTER FOR IT, afterwards:
Disciplined Character and NEW TRUST FOUND in God, FOLLOWING–
the trials– bringing in LIBERAL RICHES.
(much riches in God)
Hebrews 11:24-26
“By faith (by trust) Moses, when he was come to years–
refused to be called: the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God– than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ– (as) greater riches– than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.”
James 5:10-11
“Take my brethren, the prophets…
who have spoken in the name of the Lord–
for an example of suffering affliction…
and of patience.
11 Behold– we count them happy which endure.
You have heard of the patience of Job–
and have seen– the end of the Lord (in that situation);
that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.”
Just a reminder that when most people are criticizing and thinking God doesn’t have prophets anymore, or use them, or they are nothing special, etc and so on…
Let us recall HOW MUCH GOD, in his word, SAYS THEY GO THROUGH– of humbling– just to BE ‘who’ he made them to be, through MUCH AFFLICTIONS, or HUMBLING.
Isaiah 30:19-21
“For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: you shall weep no more: he will be very gracious to you at the voice of your cry; when he shall hear it–
he will answer you.
20 And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction– yet,
your teachers shall not be removed into a corner anymore– but (instead) your eyes shall see your teachers:
21 And your ears– shall hear a word behind you saying–
This is the way…”
Eating ‘adversity’ served up,
whilst WADING IN
THE WATERS of
‘affliction’
–TEARS sown.
Isaiah 48:10
“Behold– I have refined you, but not with silver;
I have chosen you– in the furnace of affliction.”
I am there– that furnace.
I saw myself on a marble slab, raised about 5 feet off
‘the floor’ in the throne room of God; I was sitting on the white marble stone table (altar of God), and I had on a ‘white garment,’ and I saw my entire body, as one would see, from ‘another’s view point,’ Christ was showing me, what HE SAW of ME, in heaven.
I share that with you because MANY OF YOU are LIVING SACRIFICES UPON THE ALTAR, in the FIRES of his REFINEMENT PROCESS TOO, and I would like to encourage you with that visual; I also saw BLUE and ORANGE/GOLDEN fire flames ALL AROUND THE TABLE I was seated upon.
He said…
“You are a living sacrifice upon my altar, and I AM the
‘all consuming fire,’ burning away the image of satan and open doors from your life, so your ministry with me, in the future, will be unencumbered by them.
You are IN ME, and I am ‘molding you’ back into MY IMAGE ENTIRELY; we are learning to DANCE, within a BURNING ROOM.”
Jeremiah 16:19
“Oh Lord, my strength and my fortress,
my refuge in the day of affliction…
the Gentiles shall come to you from the ends of the earth, and shall say…
Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
vanity, and
in things where there is no profit.”
This is God’s point, we have been doing a great many things with our lives, but we have been taught of faulty men and women, with faulty motives and beliefs, and we DID NOT profit in life, in our family lines, because of the ‘choices’ that we made, along the way;
BUT…
He has also, NOW, described the ‘way,’ and how to RECONCILE with him, bringing about ‘restoration’ and with it, prosperity in Jesus.
Jeremiah 30:15
“Why do you cry for your affliction?
Your sorrow is incurable– because of the multitude of your iniquity: because your sins were increased–
I have done these things to you.”
In his ‘attempt’ to regain FOCUS of these folks, and their ‘living choices’ and whom they follow, in an effort toward them that he wishes for– NONE to PERISH, but that ALL will come to REPENTANCE IN, and unto, THE LORD God almighty, holy, true and loving.
Psalm 34:19
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
He is ‘actually’ ENCOURAGING US here; we will NOT ENDURE THEM forever, only but ‘for a time,’ as it accomplishes his goal in Love, and unto REFORMATION.
Acts 7:9-10
“And the patriarchs– moved with envy…
sold Joseph into Egypt (bondage/slavery):
but God was with him,
10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.”
Acts 20:22-24
“And now, behold– I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
23 Save (except) that, the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city –saying that bonds and afflictions– abide (with) me.
24 But… none of these things move me…
neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry– which I have received from the Lord Jesus– to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
NONE OF THESE THINGS– MOVES ME; what an INCREDIBLE STATEMENT and ‘way’ of LIVING IN CHRIST!
And NOT UNTO even the ‘death of’ his vessel, his vehicle, his dirt-body; most folks are unwilling to relinquish THIS LEVEL OF TRUST/FAITH unto the Lord.
Sadly.
He did say though, ‘if you attempt to save your dirt-life, you will lose it; but, if you lose that life and living for one in the world– you will be saved by Him.’
This is a ‘choice’ to RELINQUISH THE INFERIOR, for the SUPERNATURAL and the PERFECT: Christ Jesus and living ‘in and out of’ HIM.
2 Corinthians 6:3-4, 9 & 10
“Giving no offense in anything– that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things– approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses…
9 As unknown– and yet well known; as dying, and behold– we live; as chastened– and not killed;
10 As sorrowful– yet always rejoicing; as poor– yet making many rich; as having nothing– and yet possessing all things.”
It’s all available,
but HIS PERSPECTIVE and LEADING,
is *required.
Colossians 1:23-24
“If you continue in the faith…
grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard…
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven… whereof I Paul am made a minister;
24 (I) Who now rejoices in my sufferings for you–
and fill up (on) that which is behind–
of the afflictions of Christ– in my flesh,
for ‘his body's sake–’ which is the church:”
1 Thessalonians 3:3-4
“No man should be moved by these afflictions: for (you) yourselves know –that we are appointed there unto
(suffer afflictions).
4 For verily, when we were with you– we told you before that we would suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass– and you know (it).”
We have been warned; we have been enduring this, but…
our ATTITUDE ABOUT IT–
is completely up to our ‘focus’ and whether or not,
it’s ON HIM,
or if our ‘eyes’ are still on
‘the issues of life,’
And NOT upon
the ANSWER BRINGER HIMSELF:
Christ Jesus
And
His Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:8
“Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me– his prisoner: but you be partakers of the afflictions of the gospel– according to the power of God;”
2 Timothy 4:5
“But you watch in all things, endure afflictions,
do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of your ministry.”
Hebrews 10:30-33
“For we know him that has said…
‘Vengeance belongs to me.
I will recompense, says the Lord.’
And again,
‘The Lord shall judge his people.’
31 It is a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But call to remembrance the former days–
in which, after you were illuminated…
You endured
a great fight of
afflictions;
33 Partly– whilst you were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly– whilst you became companions of them that were so used.”
1 Peter 5:6-11
“6 Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God– that he may exalt you– in due time:
7 Cast all your care upon him– for he cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion– walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 (Those) who resist– (remaining) steadfast in the faith, know that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren –that are (out there) in the world (too).
10 But… the God of all grace–
who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus…
After that you have suffered a while– make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion –forever and ever. Amen.”
We WILL go through ‘afflictions’ and trials, tribulation in life, but we also, are already victorious, if we ‘remain’ in Christ; we can ‘vacate Christ,’ but he will COME AFTER US, if we are his.
The ‘afflictions,’ are meant to help us, to return to him, in some or many different ways, within us…and other times, IT'S NOT ABOUT US, it's about-- those that are in the 'nation,' WITH US.
And to be ‘able’ to STAND when the winds of ‘adversity’ COME, being ‘strengthened in the refining fires of’ being humbled, OR TAUGHT and CORRECTED, pruned, refined, and rooting out ALL FORMS OF EVIL in us, via Holy Spirit, AS WELL AS– open doors and lies that keep the image of satan ‘with us.’
We don’t always like it, we don’t always understand God and his ways, as they are much, MUCH higher than ours; but, if we REMAIN LOYAL, he has PROMISED US already as he did those of old, that he WILL– BE FOUND FAITHFUL TO US, and he WILL– bring us into ALL TRUTH, SAVE US, and PROSPER US.
But, he DOES HAVE A MISSION HERE, and in ‘this place,’ it is all about CHOOSE THIS DAY, and everyday after, WHOM YOU CHOOSE TO SERVE, BE CONFORMED TO and LIVE WITH, for eternity.
Estrangement from God, is to end up in a ‘trash zone,’ after this world, by our own choosing; and if you ‘think’ THIS PLACE is a ‘trash zone’ right now, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BAD the real ‘trash heap designed for REBELLION HIMSELF,’ is: Hell, and the Lake of Fire after that.
Our God WILL DO *EVERYTHING he can to ‘save us,’ in ALL WAYS, and at times, that does come as ‘afflictions.’
Please, feel my heart for you today, as I too, face them with you; we are ‘one’ together in Christ Jesus now, INSIDE HIM– I fight not with his ‘other parts of him,’ I UPLIFT HIM, and I bring LOVE and HEALING and RECONCILIATION, preferring YOU, over myself, truly.
But…I KNOW HOW MUCH I NEED YOU ALL ‘whole’ and WELL CARED FOR by our Lord too, making your lives better, God’s heart better, and mine too…and changing this place.
But also, so Christ is not ‘grieved’ within himself, for all of the disunity going on–
‘in his body–’ the church.
He is coming– for a spotless and ironed out Bride; he’s doing that right now in THE REFINING FIRES of ‘Trials, Tribulations and Afflictions,’ designed to ‘reshape us,’ inside AND OUT:
*Manifested Sons and Daughters.
Romans 8--- is a GREAT PLACE TO READ!
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