Sunday, January 1, 2012

AFFLICTIONS

Ok, this is probably one of those posts where I could go on and on and on.  I will probably add to this one on occasion, but lately I have been learning about God's grace and how we have His grace which is sufficient in EVERY trial that we go through.  We don't deserve HIS GRACE, but we GET HIS GRACE because we are HIS own.  Like my husband likes to say, it's not because of Worth, but because of Birth.  We didn't deserve to be God's children, but HE IS SOVERIEGN and HAD MERCY on us and made a way for us to become Sons and Daughters! Hallelujah!  Ok I better stay off that rabbit trail.  Back to the subject.  He gives us GRACE to carry us in various types of afflictions we know.  The other day at Vince and Samantha's (as usual) the Lord was dealing with me about GRACE.  He was telling me that I need to give myself more GRACE.  I am too hard on myself which actually makes me behave inapporopriately when I should just surrender to the GRACE of God and praise HIM for HIS Mercy which is new EVERYDAY!.  So, I heard a podcast teaching from a church called "Cornerstone" in Singapore. He was talking about God giving us various types of Grace that the Lord gives us to deal with the afflications that we go through.  He gives us exactly what we need to go through everything He calls us to endure.  He ALWAYS EQUIPS THOSE HE CALLS! Amen! This guy was talking about how his father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and had came to him and told him that if he would stop full time ministry that his father would include him in the will, but that if he did not stop full time ministry then his father would disown him. Wow!! I can't imagine!  How many of us can say that we have went through that much affliction and still pressed forward? God gave him a special GRACE to get through that situation and when we go through things, God gives us the GRACE, too.  There is purpose in the afflictions.  Most of the time, we don't want to go the hard way, we want the microwave ministry and that won't always happen.  We need to let that go.  If we get things without it costing us something, we probably won't keep that thing very long.  The afflictions that we go through actually root us and ground us in a TRUST that nothing else could accomplish.  When it is all said and done, we will be able to say "If it had not been for the LORD, I would not have made it!" I want to be that servant who has totally learned to TRUST and OBEY and LOVE and WORSHIP to the fullest that I have been given.  If I had NEVER had to go through trials and tribulation, my love for Jesus might not go deep enough and I might not make it through some of the afflictions that are coming, but I have learned to be content with the LORD through trials and tribulations and am continuing to MOVE FORWARD with HIM.  I am walking in HIS GRACE WHICH IS SUFFICIENT.  I pray that I continue to do so.  One of the purposes of affliction is to nourish us. Really??? Wow, I never saw it this way, but this morning,  this stood out to me so deeply today while reading Revelations 12:14 (But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.) Of course the woman is the Bride of Christ we know and when I read that, my heart lept within me.  We are NOURISHED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE SERPENT???? Really???? You mean that we don't have to go around casting the devils out of anything that would cause us to be afflicted?? But isn't that what a lot of people like to preach?  Oh come to the Lord and ALL YOUR TROUBLES WILL BE GONE?  Oh I beg to differ.  In fact, when you surrender your life to the Lord, your troubles will come.  Let's look at Jesus, for our example.  When He was baptized by John in Matthew chapter 3, the heavens were "opened up to Him" and HE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Then Daddy SPOKE HIS IDENTITY by saying "This is my beloved Son, in whome I am well pleased."
 IMMEDIATELY, not later on, but IMMEDIATELY after this LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCE, He was DRIVEN(that's what the word used means.  Led sounds so nice, but instead He was DRIVEN by HS) to the wilderness by None other than the Holy Spirit of God (our best friend, right?) Hallelujah!!! God knows what we need to fulfill our destiny.  Beloved, don't be afraid of various trials and tribulations that you MUST GO THROUGH.  These things work God's purposes in your life.  They are nourishment for you just as much as the WORD of God is.  In fact isn't that what the parable of the sower says? When the word is planted in us, it causes tribulations and persecutions to come? (Matthew 13:21) Like my dear friend Samantha says "Things that make you go hmmmm"  I love it!!! Through the many tribulations and persecutions (WHICH DON'T EVEN COMPARE TO WHAT SOME HAVE SEEN) I have seen so much fruit come out of it.  I am thankful for every persecution and tribulation that comes.  I know that there will be more.  I pray that the Lord give me the GRACE to handle EVERYTHING that He has called me in this life and in the ages to come.   We NEED afflictions. We NEED persecutions.  We will be more than conquerors through Christ if we endure them.  How can we be MORE THAN CONQUERORS if we HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO CONQUER??? Hallelujah!! The troubles that I have went through in the last 7-8 years have only prepared me for what I am walking through now.  HIS GLORY!!! HE DOES THE WORK.  He leads us to the Wilderness experience and HE LEADS US OUT WITH VICTORY!!!! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our AFFLICTION, which is but for a moment is working for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING and eternal weight of GLORY, while we do not look @ the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  OH BELOVED, HANG IN THERE if you are going through tribulations and trials.  God is doing something beautiful through it.  I pray that your faith does not fail and that when you come out of this trial that you are like a refined gold!!!! Hallelujah!!! May you come out and carry the GLORY OF GOD to this LOST AND DYING WORLD!!!! This just EXCITES ME SO!!!! It was rough to go through some of the things that I have went through, but it was far worth the abundance of Grace and Glory that has been revealed because I ENDURED!  I wasn't always perfect in the middle of the affliction, but next time, I will ask God to cause HIS GRACE TO ABOUND FOR THE SITUATION.  He will HONOR that prayer I am SURE of it!!! Be blessed today as you ENDURE with the JOY OF THE LORD BEING YOUR STRENGTH!!!