Look at one verse this morning
2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 17 Paul says our light affliction
Which is but for a moment Worketh for us a far more exceeding an
eternal weight of glory Let's pray Our Heavenly Father Lord. I I do pray that you would Be
pleased to be with us this morning, Lord. I pray that you will just
be pleased to bless the preaching of your word to our hearts, Lord.
And cause us, O Lord, just to... May we see Christ this morning.
May we see him high and lifted up as he is on the throne. And
cause us, O Lord, to just bow before him, beggars of mercy. May your presence be with us
today, oh Lord, as we worship you by your power and grace alone.
In your name we pray, amen. Affliction. Affliction. That word affliction is translated
in the word of God as tribulation, trouble, persecution, anguish,
and burdened. In this world, the children of
God will suffer these things. We will. We shall. We must, actually. We will be afflicted. Christ
told his disciples, he said, in the world ye shall have tribulation. You shall. Paul wrote, we must,
through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. Paul, in our text, describes our afflictions as
light and but for a moment. And that might be hard for us
to understand. For him to declare our afflictions
to be light or but for a moment. But before we start thinking
about ourselves, which is usually the first course of action, when
we hear something, we begin to think of ourselves. I want you
to consider who wrote this. I want you to consider the author
here, Paul, Paul the Apostle, who wrote it by divine inspiration
of God. Just consider this for a moment.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, he said, are they ministers of
Christ? I speak as a fool, I more. In labors more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft, of the
Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice, three
times, I was beaten with rods. Once, I was stoned. Three times,
I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I've been in
the deep, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils
of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the
heathen, in perils in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea,
perils among false brethren, in weariness, in painfulness,
in watchings often, in hunger, in thirst, in fastings often,
coldness, nakedness, Besides those things that are without,
he said, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of the churches. Consider what and how Paul suffered. He said, our light afflictions,
light. Now I know, I know. Our afflictions
don't feel light. I'm not belittling them in any
way. The pain, the tears, the heartbreak,
the sorrow, they're very real. They're very real. Sometimes,
sometimes it lasts for a day. Sometimes it lasts for months.
Sometimes it lasts for years. The truth of the matter is some
of them last a lifetime. However, however, let us not
allow our feelings and our understanding to prevent us from knowing the
reality of our afflictions and prevent us from seeing them as
they are, from seeing them as God declares them to be. And God has declared them to
be light and but for a moment. And also let us not lose sight
of what they work for us. Every man born into this world
will suffer affliction. Every man born into this world
will. Humanity is a ruined race. By one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin. So death has passed unto all
men, for that all have sinned. This race is a ruined race, ruined
race. This earth is cursed because
of sin. The Lord said unto Adam, Cursed is the ground for thy
sake, and sorrow thou shalt eat of it all the days of thy life. We suffer many temporal afflictions. Sadness, sorrow, sickness, death,
heartbreak, depression, addiction, pain. The children of God suffer
many spiritual afflictions that this world knows absolutely nothing
about. The world doesn't know anything
about the spiritual afflictions that we suffer on the inside.
There's a war that exists between the spirit and the flesh. The
flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh,
and these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot
do the things that you would. Paul said, I know that in me
that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, for to will is
present with me. In Christ Jesus we're new creatures
with a new heart and a new mind. To will is present. I want to
serve Him. I want to worship Christ. I want
to do those things that are right. I want to do those things that
are good. I desire that. But how to perform that which
is good, I find not. For the good that I would do,
I do not. And the evil which I would not, I do. And that's
an affliction. That is an affliction. There
is a war that goes on. The shame, the guilt. We deal with our fear. We deal
with our doubt. We deal with our unbelief. How many times did our Lord ask,
why are you fearful? Why are you fearful? Where is
your faith? O ye of little faith. How many times did he tell us
not to be afraid? Why did he do that? We still have this sin that dwells
within. Now while all of humanity does
in some sense suffer affliction in this world, only of the children
of God And can it be said that it worketh for us, for them,
the children of God, a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory? The afflictions suffered in this
world are nothing, nothing to be compared
with what lies in eternity. for those who die in their sins
and unrepentance. The Lord said, fear not them
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but
rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul
in hell. Scriptures say it's a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Paul wrote, He that despised
Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.
Of how much more sore punishment suppose ye? Shall ye be thought
worthy who had trodden underfoot the Son of God, encountered the
blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For
we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense,
saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge
his people. It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. The afflictions of the children
of God in this world are light, and they're but for a moment,
especially when we consider that we will spend eternity with him
who bore our sorrows and carried our griefs, him who was wounded
for our transgressions and by whom stripes were healed. Now I want to consider something
for a moment in the light of this passage. We will and must suffer affliction. But the children of God are the
most blessed people in this world. And we have, in the face of these
afflictions, in the midst of them, we have every reason to
rejoice. Habakkuk wrote this. This is
one of my favorite passages of scripture. And just listen. He said, although the fig tree
shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines. The labor
of the olives shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from
the fold. and there shall be no herd in
the stalls. But he says yet, yet. I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation. Can we do that? Only by God's
grace. That's the only way we're gonna
do it. That's the only way. Because
that's not us by nature. But he declares this unto us,
so that we know, we know that even when things seem to be going
wrong, when everything seems to not be going our way, right? When we have nothing, nothing,
as this world would declare nothing, can we rejoice? That's all just stuff. We have
Him. We have Christ, and that's why
we rejoice. Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some
strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, rejoice. Inasmuch as you are partakers
of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed,
you may be glad also with exceeding joy. Look at 1st Peter for a
moment. Let's look at this one 1st Peter
chapter 1 1st Peter chapter 1 will start
in verse 2 And this is what Peter writes he says elect elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father and through sanctification
of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ. That's the sovereign work of
salvation by the triune God right there. Grace unto you and peace
be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
has begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. to an inheritance the children
of God have an inheritance okay and that inheritance is uncorruptible
that inheritance is undefiled and it fadeth not away and it's
reserved in heaven for you it's reserved there for you who are
kept Kept how by the power of God Through faith unto salvation
ready ready to be revealed in the last time We're in and everything. He just said That word we're
in ties in everything. He just said all right So we're
in and all those things you greatly rejoice and we do don't we? We
rejoice in the salvation of God We rejoice in him Though though
now right now for season However long this season is If need be
and there's always a need there's always a need it's for a purpose You are in heaviness through
manifold temptations. And we are in heaviness, aren't
we? Like I said, there are light afflictions, but it's a heaviness,
isn't it? Why? That the trial of your faith
be much more precious than a gold that perishes. It will be tried
with fire. When you put gold through the
fire, what does it do? It gets rid of all the impurities.
It gets rid of all the draughts. So that what goes into the fire,
when it comes out, it's pure. It might be found unto praise
and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having
not seen ye love. In whom, though now you see him
not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory, receiving the end of your faith. What's the end of
your faith? The salvation of your souls. That day when faith
becomes sight. That day when our hope becomes
our reality. Though now for a season, we are
in manifold temptations. Though now for a season, because
it's needful, We do suffer, don't we? Children of God are blessed
with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. All spiritual
blessings. God Almighty causes everything
that happens in this world. Every single thing that happens
in this world is purposed by God and brought to pass by God
for the good of his people. Everything. They are the objects
of His love. They are the objects of His mercy,
His grace, His forgiveness, His long-suffering, His kindness,
His compassion, His blessing. In the valley of the shadow of
death, we fear no evil. Why? Because God is with us.
And He's promised to never leave us or forsake us. And He's promised
that no one's ever going to pluck them out of His hand. He said,
I'll lose none of them. None of them. They will spend eternity with
Him. He said in John chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled.
He knew it was troubled. He knew it was, but he said,
don't let it be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. In my father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I'd have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And where did he go
to prepare that place? The cross. That's what he's talking
about right here. He went to the cross to prepare
a place for those whom God the Father chosen him before the
foundation of the world. And he said in John chapter 17,
he said, I finished that work. Now, Father, I want them to be
with us where we are, that they may be one as we are one, that
they may behold my eternal glory. We're going to be there. That's
why he came and died. to have a people to spend eternity
with Him, worshiping Him and serving Him. We're His bride.
We're going to see that in a little bit. We're His bride. He said, if it were not so, I'd
have told you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that
where I am, there you may be also. That's the covenant of
God made from the very beginning. I will be their God, and they
will be my people, and I will dwell with them. And we'll see
in Revelation that fulfillment of the covenant. The afflictions we suffer are
light. They're light. They're light when compared to
the afflictions suffered by Christ on the cross. We suffer because of sin, right? Why does mankind suffer? Because
of sin. Why do we suffer? It's because
we've sinned against God. But we will never, the children
of God, suffer because of sins, but the children of God will
never, never suffer for sin. They will never suffer for those
sins which they've committed against God Almighty. The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always
chide, neither will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt
with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
And thank God He has not dealt with us after our sins, but has
dealt with us in mercy and grace and love and favor. Thank God
we have a Savior. We have a substitute. We have
a representative. Though God has not dealt with
us after our sins, our sins must be dealt with. God must be just. God is holy. His law has to be
satisfied. In order for God to be just,
sin must be punished. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. Every transgression and disobedience will receive a just
recompense of reward. Read in Numbers, the Lord is
long-suffering, and the Lord is of great mercy. forgiving
iniquity and transgressions, and by no means clearing the
guilty. Sin must be punished. On the
cross, the Lord Jesus Christ suffered the wrath and judgment
of God for the sins of his people. He said, I am the man that has
seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. Look at Isaiah chapter
53. Let's turn over there real quick.
Isaiah 53. This is a very familiar passage
of scripture, but let's consider it in this context as far as
his afflictions. Who has believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow
up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there
is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected
of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we
hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed
him not. But surely he, he has borne what? Our sorrows. He has borne our
griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded, why? For our
transgressions. He was bruised, why, for our
iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him, but
with his stripes were healed. Now all we like sheep have gone
astray, we've turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord
has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed,
he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a sheep before her shears is done, so he opened
not his mouth. He was taken from prison and
from judgment, and who shall declare his generation? He was
cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions
of my people was he stricken. He made his grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death. Because he had done no violence,
neither was any deceit in his mouth. He was perfect. Yet. Yet. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. There are some things that are
just completely beyond my understanding. I believe it. The Lord said, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? Why? It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. You know, that work of salvation,
especially when you read something like that, you realize that what happened
on the cross was between God and God. He hath put him to grief, when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. And he shall see of the travail
of his soul. Consider what he suffered and
endured on that cross. The Son of God, The perfect,
precious son of God made sin. Made what God hates. And the sword of God's wrath
and judgment smote him. The cup he drank every last drop. the travail of his soul and he shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many why are we justified because he bore
our iniquities on the cross the just for the unjust Therefore
will I divide him a portion with the great, and shall divide the
spoiled with the strong, because he has poured out his soul unto
death, when he was numbered with the transgressors, and bear the
sins of many, and he made intercession for them. The children of God will never,
never know that affliction, ever. We suffer because of sin, but
we'll never suffer for our sins. Christ loves his bride. Loves
it. That's what the church is. That's
what we are. The people of God. That's his bride. And he gave himself for it. Why?
Why did he give himself? Why did he endure such affliction
that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water
by the word that he might present it to himself, a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that they should
be holy and without blamish. God Almighty made His Son to
be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. We were predestined, what, to
be conformed to the image of His Son. Christ died for the
sins of all those the Father gave Him. And the Scriptures
declare unto us, in Hebrews, that for the joy that was set
before Him, He endured the cross. For the joy that was set before
Him. What was that joy? The will of
His Father? The salvation of His bride? No wonder Paul declared the love
of Christ past knowledge. Reading Lamentations, is it nothing to you, all you
that pass by, this morning as we consider the afflictions of
the Son of God on the cross? Is it nothing to us? behold and see if there be any
sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the
Lord has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Our afflictions are light when we consider what awaits
us in eternity. Look at Revelation chapter 7. They worketh for us a weight,
a weight. Revelation 7 verse 9. And after this I beheld and lo
a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and
kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before
the lamb clothed with wide robes and palms in their hands. And
cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, that Lamb which taketh
away the sin of the world, that Lamb which we read of right there
in Isaiah chapter 53. And all the angels stood round
about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts,
and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God,
saying, Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God
forever and ever. How long for that day? I thank God he allows us to worship
him in this world right now. I thank him for that. I desire
that. That's why we're here to worship
God. But I'll tell you how long for that day when I can do it
as these saints are doing it right now. in truth, with a pure
heart, clothed in a white robe, in His righteousness. I long
for that day. And one of the elders answered, saying unto
me, What are these which are arrayed in white robe? And where
do they come from? Whence came they? And I said
unto them, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are
they which came out of great. And that word is the exact same
word that's in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17, affliction. They are they which came out
of great tribulation. That number which no man can
number, that's the exact number that was chosen by God in Christ
before the foundation of the world. And you know what? Every
single one of them came out of great tribulation. Every single one of them. You know what they did? They
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.
Why are they there? Because of the blood of the lamb
that accomplished our redemption and salvation and by which we're
made clean. Therefore Therefore Are they before the
Lord of God, or before the throne of God, and serve him day and
night in his temple? And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them." Now to us this morning, and I do not doubt, I do not
doubt that every single one of us here is going through some
sort of affliction. Every single one of us. some
trial, affliction. As I've been preaching this morning,
I guarantee you there are thoughts that have been running through
your mind because they run through mine. And they're heavy. They're a
burden that weigh upon us. Look at verse 16. What awaits us He said, I'm going
to dwell among them and they shall hunger no more, neither
thirst anymore, neither shall the sunlight on them nor any
heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall
feed them and shall lead them unto living fountain of waters. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. Look at Revelation 21. John says, I saw a new heaven
and a new earth. God's gonna come again. Christ
is coming again. And this whole world will be
done. There's gonna be a new heaven
and a new earth. John, John got a little glimpse of it here.
And by the grace of God, we do too. For the first heaven and
the first earth were passed away and there was no more seed. And
I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared how? As a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them and be their God. And as
I told you, that was a promise from the very beginning, and
here's the fulfillment of that promise. That's the fulfillment
of God's covenant to man. Those whom he chose in Christ,
he said, I will be their God, they will be my people, and I
will dwell with them. And that's a glimpse of the reality
of it right there. This is the reality. We're just
bound in time right now. This is the reality right here.
This is when faith becomes sight. I will be with them and be their
God, verse four. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. And think about this before I
even get to this part. I thought about this this morning.
You know, we're going to see a couple of things here in the
negative, OK? We can say and we know that the
heaven is going to be a place of joy, right? Heaven is going
to be a place of happiness. I know that. Because we're going
to be with Him. But the truth of the matter is,
I don't really know what joy is. Now there are some things
in my life that I've experienced that are truly joyful. There are some things in this
life that has brought me happiness. But I really don't know what
joy feels like. I don't know what happiness feels
like. Now I know what pain feels like. There is some pain I don't know
and will never know. I know what affliction feels
like. I know what shame feels like. I am well acquainted with
those things. And so as I read this, think
about why the Lord describes these things in a negative aspect,
okay? So listen, God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death.
We know what death is, don't we? Even as we get older, we
know what death is in our own bodies. Neither sorrow nor crying And
neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are
passed away. And I did, I thought about that.
I know those things. I'm well acquainted with those
things. But one day, I'll never know them. And in that day, I'll
truly know what happiness is. I'll truly know what joy is. And I long for that. And he that sat upon the throne
said, behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write. And I'm glad he said this. I'm
glad he did. For these words are true and
faithful. And he said unto me, it is done.
I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. I will
give unto him that is the thirst of the fountain, of the water
of life freely. Now these afflictions are light,
and they're but for a moment. Let me ask you, what is eternity
compared to time? Look at Luke chapter 16. And
I believe that's the last one and we'll be done. Luke chapter
16. Luke 16 and verse 19. But there was a certain rich
man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, but fared sumptuously
every day. And there was a certain beggar
named Lazarus, which laid at his gate full of sores. Lazarus
was an afflicted man, wasn't he? And desiring to be fed with just
the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the
dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was
buried. And in hell he lifted up his
eyes, being in torments. And seeth Abraham afar off, and
Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I'm tormented
in this flame. And Abraham said, son, remember
that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good things and likewise
Lazarus evil. But it's just for a moment. It's just for a moment. And now Lazarus, well, Lazarus
was among one of those in that number which no man can number.
Lazarus was that bride coming down out of heaven. Lazarus suffered Lazarus didn't
even have crumbs. But now Lazarus is comforted. They're just for a moment. They're for a moment, and they're
for a purpose. How do we grow from babes and
cries to maturity? We want to grow, right? We want
to grow to mature. How do we walk worthy of the
calling wherewith we're called? How do we grow in knowledge and
understanding and grace? Are these things not accomplished
and assisted and aided by afflictions and trials? In the furnace the draws and
impurities are removed, affliction Affliction in His hands, in God's
hands, saves us from sin and this world, bringing us closer
to Christ, giving us a better sight of Him, a better view of
Him, and a better understanding of Him. Paul said we glory in
tribulations also knowing what the tribulations work at patience
and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost which is given unto us. Paul said in one Psalm 119 is
good for me that I've been afflicted. It's good. Why does he make that
statement? How can you say it's good that
I've been afflicted? He said that I might burn thy
statutes. He says, Psalm 119 as well, this
is my comfort in my affliction. Thy word has quickened me. Where
are we going to find comfort in affliction? Where are we going
to find it? Are we going to find it in this world? Are we going
to find it in ourselves? By the grace of God, we have
brothers and sisters in Christ who are able to comfort us. The
Lord gives us a spirit of comfort. You know, we all go through different
experiences. We all go through different trials
and tribulations. And part of that experience,
when we go through these things, is that we do have that experience.
So when we do have a brother or sister in a time of need,
we are, by the grace of God, able to comfort them and to help
them, right? And that's a blessing from God. And maybe the Lord
will be pleased to use us as we go through these things to
comfort His children. We're all we got in this world. It's us. Us in him. But they're for a purpose. There's
a need. And you know, the purpose was determined by
God Almighty. And I'm just playing His hands.
And whatever he's pleased to do with me, I pray he just give
me the grace to bow and say, Lord, I will be done. Beat this pride down, beat this
stubbornness down. In this life that is filled with
affliction, seek comfort. from Christ. Peter said, humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God. It's a mighty
hand, isn't it? That's where I want to be. I
want to be in His hands. I want to be in His hands. What
was it Isaiah said? He measures the waters Just the
center of his hand. I want to be in those hands that
were pierced. I want to be in those hands with
which God the Son entered into the heavenly heavens before God
the Father and presented the blood of the covenant. That's
whose hands I want to be in right there. I want to be in those
hands to whom he said, no man's ever going to pluck you out.
Because if I'm in those hands, I'm resting. I'm secure. And I want to be humbled under
that mighty hand, that hand that is not shortened that it cannot
save. That he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care
upon him. Whatever care you have, whatever
need you have, whatever trial or affliction or sorrow or pain,
whatever it is, cast it all on him. Why? He cares for you. Paul says, seeing then we have
such a great high priest that has passed into the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For
we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. He bore our sorrows, carried
our griefs. He knew what we go through, he
endured that, he knows it. He knows it in a way that we'll
never know it. but was in all points tempted,
just like as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy when, and
find grace to help when, in a time of need. Do you have a need? Come to the throne of grace. Jeremiah said, O Lord, my strength
and my fortress and my refuge in the day of affliction. These afflictions, my friends, the Word of God, Lord God Almighty
says that they're light. And he says that they're but
for a moment. and they work for us a far more
exceeding weight of glory and therefore purpose. I pray, I
pray for all of us as we endure our trials, as we endure our
temptations and our afflictions, I pray that he would give us
the grace to see them as he's declared them to be. Let God
be true in every man alive. May He just cause us to see them
for what they are. May He cause us by His power
and by His grace to rest in Christ, to come to Him. Do you feel the affliction of
your sin? You know Isaiah said, I saw the Lord
on His throne. And I said, woe is me for I'm
undone. That spiritual affliction, that
true affliction that starts right here in the heart because of
sin, that begins when God reveals unto us one who he is, sovereign
God sitting on a throne, and then secondly, who we are, a
sinner. That's when the affliction of
the heart begins. That's also when God's mercy
and love and grace is worked in us. I pray the Lord will bless that
to our hearts. Let's pray.