Daily Huddle - Fri Feb 14, 2020 Affliction And Purpose

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Praise God!  He gives revelation.  He reveals things.  That means he uncovers what was once hidden from your eyes or understanding.  The truth that’s been there – that you now can see.  He gives this by His Holy Spirit – through His Word.  I hope you’re walking today in PiVAT (what He told you to do) and PRISM (His Word, and His Love for you).  Praying that you are overcoming with your testimony – walking daily with another.  Praying that Worship is your default, and Praise is your habit, and prayer is your priority - before trying to figure it all out on your own.  Psalms 119:67 - Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word.  Have you ever been afflicted?  You’ve been through some hard stuff.  Afflicted – experiencing continued pain, either of mind or body.  Affliction comes in two flavors - natural consequence and structured consequence.  Sin causes pain.  It always causes pain, it has pleasure for a season, but always ends in pain.  That’s why the devil's temptation is always false advertising.  Temporary pleasure but long term consequence - and it's never worth it.  Sin always causes separation – in your relationship with God – and the further you are from Him and His truth, and His Word of life – you experience the natural consequence of sin.  Most affliction is self-inflicted.  Poor choices have results.  Psalms 107:17 – Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted.  (brought low).  Sin will always bring you low.  Some affliction is common to man.  That is also part of the  natural consequence of Adam’s choice to disobey which allowed sin to enter the world – the devil gained legal ground to operate in darkness.  And sometimes the devil brings affliction, not even because of sin, he even tries to bring it on the righteous.  That's still part of the natural consequence of Adam’s decision.  The other type of affliction is structured consequence – when God chastens you – brings correction into your life.  If affliction is of natural consequence (God says don’t sin – cause it’s not good for you!)  It has negative results – it ends in affliction!  Don't be fooled by it - it prevents the Good that He wants to give you.  Or if affliction is structured, God loves you too much to let you keep doing things that are bad for you and others – going down the path that leads to destruction.  He will bring correction into your life, to redirect you to His path for your good.  The purpose of affliction is so we don’t stray, so we aren’t led astray by the lies of the enemy.  God’s Word says – be patient in affliction – that’s the kind the devil brings against you even if you are walking in righteousness... God will take care of it - wait on Him.   God also talks of the affliction of His doing - Psalm 119:75 - I know, O LORD, that your judgments are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.  God’s laws, rules, and decisions in your life are right – He will bring correction through affliction to turn you back to His good!    Here’s the final purpose of affliction – no matter how it comes.  Psalms 119:71 – It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn your commands (your enactments – your appointments).  God doesn’t want affliction for us – but if we choose it – He can save us from it.  If the devil brings it - He can save us from it.  And if He brings it – it’s to save us from more of it - from worse of it!  Affliction has purpose – it’s so we remember that His ways are so much better that that other stuff.  Praying that you will remember – even in affliction – God has always been faithful to you.  Praying that one memory will prevent you from ever going back.  And if affliction comes – it would only be because the enemy is trying to attack you for righteousness, not because it's self-inflicted, or God’s correction.  You can know for sure that God saves and delivers all who call on Him.  He will never leave you or forsake you – and when you are fully obeying Him, even in affliction – God brings joy that is more than words can describe, and full of His glory.  If you are afflicted now – God hasn't forgotten you.  Praying that you will know the source of it. Whether self inflicted, or inflicted for righteousness.  Praying that you will Call on His Name - He will surely hear you and answer - He promised.  Praying that you will seek God, turn if He tells you to turn – or wait patiently, joyfully and praise-fully for Him to show Himself strong – that you would always walk in the joy and the peace that obedience brings. 
 
Love you all,
dad